Researchers' Night 2010

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All events organized during the Researchers’ Night in Slovakia 2010 were aimed at reaching and outdoing the success of last year’s Researchers’ Night and in increasing the recognition of researchers in society. The events were full of fun and discoveries. All the locations were full of enthusiastic people – scientists ans visitors. There were a lot of children, pupils and students, parents with kids and also press and political representatives (we had there Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, sevetal MPs and head of regional government of Bratislava self-governong region).

Science show in Bratislava

 

First of the main event of the Researchers´ Night in Slovakia 2010 was organized in the largest shopping and leisure centre in Bratislava, Avion Shopping Park. The event started at 10am with the first visitors and school classes arriving to watch and take part in the interactive scientific presentations and continued until 12pm when the science show on the main stage came to an end.

The first event on the main stage – discussion between representtives of Slovak science community and political representtives – started at 12.30pm.

 

     

 

The main part of the event – science show on the main stage from 6pm till 12 pm – was focused on researchers and the presentation of their life and work. They sang, played jazz and rock music and answered many curious questions about their work and hobbies. Other parts of the programme included interviews with important figures of Slovak scientific life, for example Viera Rosová, the Vice-president of SAS who talked about her work which she loves but she was also asked about her family and private life, e.g. her hobbies and passions. Researchers - musicians from the “Naive Jazz” band were asked how come great researchers have hobbies such as music. The interviews were conducted by a presenter; however, they were strongly encouraged from the audience which also thoroughly enjoyed listening to the researchers stories.

Moreover, the stage show included scientific quizzes. The stage also witnessed the awarding ceremony of the two competitions accompanying the project – the drawing competition.
 

The program in all stands was also presented by researchers who are working in the respective fields. The researchers presented their work as well as themselves. During the explanations about the stands they also had to answer questions about themselves, their work, hobbies, lives and families. It was a pleasure to listen to conversations in which the researchers were approached by the public for a chat.

During this event visitors could see experiments capturing the science of everyday life, e.g human robots, geothermal energy, their own DNA, chemical experiments for children and much more.

 

The visitors could see also laser show on the ice pool in the shopping centre which played every hour from 5pm till 12pm. 

 

The European corner, Café Scientifique and the Science lecture formed important parts of the event.

The function of European corner was inform the visitors about EU broadly and about EU support for researchers and research and also about programme all of the events. In the European corner  we also played a video that was filmed 24.september 2010 in the primary school in Sumiac (this school visit 80% of Romas children). Some of researchers visited this school and showed the children a lot of phisical experiments. The visitors came all of the day to the Europen corner also for some little presents. It was very nice to see their interest and enthusiasm for science.

The Café Scientifique and Science lecture was warmly welcomed.

These events organized during the project were places for discussion between scientists and the public organized at the main venue of the project.

In cooperation with the SAS and Slovak universities we invited researchers who were willing to participate in the sessions by discussing not only their work but also to reveal some of their lives.

The discussion was and lectures attended mostly by school pupils and was very successful – the audience asked numerous questions about the space, the life of an astronaut and also about the research conducted.

 

Another part of the main event was     Exhibition “Researcher and his work”. Implementation of this activity was in the line with the main objective of the whole project – to introduce researchers like normal people among us with normal problems and hobbies. Exhibitions took place in the shoping centre Avion. Altogether 45 photos were displayed in the exhibition. Almost all the photos the researchers had been taken during their work or trips around the world. Researchers presented photos from their private albums and gave the public the opportunity to see their colourful and interesting world.

 

 

 

 

Science Show in Košice

Optima Shopping Centre with the 50 thousand m2 shopping area is largest Shopping Centre in Slovakia outside the Slovak capital. The concentration of stands and exhibitions took place in the corridor, event stage in the mezzanine, science cafe on the gallery and in the cinema, all in the perimeter of 50 m, allows visitors to keep track of all activities and move between them without useless efforts, losses of time and dispersion of attention.

Schedule of event:
10am – 9pm: Science stands presentation – “Do science with scientists”
10am – 9pm: European corner – “European science in Košice”
10am – 9pm: Exhibitions with guides
2am – 7pm: Entertainment program on the stage – “Scientists amuse you”
2am – 9pm: Run of  debates and lectures
•    Science café for children
•    Discussion with “Living Books”
•    “An hour of the science” - short lectures with video show
•    Science café “Confess your scientist”

Science stands presentation – “Do science with scientists”

The research results and methods of the institutes of SAS from Košice was presented on the 20 stands and desks by scientists using a popular form of interactive demonstrations, experiments and personal discussion. The national centers of excellence and scientific projects supported by European Union funds was presented too. 

Topics:
1. Discover your particle with the accelerator LHC at CERN and learn how to find quarks yourself.
2. Look on the coldest place in Košice, where the substances gain unusual properties.
3. Demonstrations of the levitation train and superconductivity.
4. Learn about space weather and investigation of space by satellites.
5. Discover how are thinking people and animals, examine the brain investigation.
6. Discover the mysterious world of radiation, why the colors are colours and light is white.
7. What are nanofluids, where they are used, their remarkable properties.
8. GRID – All globe in one computer.

European corner – “European science in Košice”

In the European corner was placed summary presentation of European and international research projects what are realized in institutes of Košice, how are the teams from Košice involved in the world science and also information about scientific projects supported by the EU structural funds.

There was also interactive information panel, poster presentation, free distributed leaflets and other information materials, quizzes about EU, European activities of the Košice Region and the EU support of Slovak science. The content links to the stands presented results of scientific projects funded by EU.

Entertainment program on the stage – “Scientists amuse you”

The program includes performances of scientists - cultural production, talking entertainment stories, show of hobbies of scientists, quizzes and demonstrations of simple and illustrative educative experiments, competition awards ceremony, presentation of the scientific instruments produced by scholars together with scientists in the project “Adventure of knowledge”, games for the children prepared with the project “Physics with crayons”.

Exhibitions with guides

“Slovak journey into microcosmos” - exhibits and panels show the contribution of Slovakia scientific research in the LHC research program, especially in experiments ATLAS and ALICE.
Exhibitions of tions and photographs of the scholar competitions, winners was awarded during the entertainment program on stage.

Run of debates and lectures

Science café for children
Unique opportunity and space for children to discuss their own point of views on the impact of scientific research on society. Informal moderated debate about science and technology.

 “Living Books”
Discussions with people who devote their energy, abilities and hearts to a serve to Science.
The aim is to reduce prejudices and stereotypes of young people. Six scientists and two moderators was involved.

“An hour of the science” - short lectures with videoshow
Short popular lectures with discussions on the interesting topics of research in Kosice institutes combined with the show of short films in Cinemax multiplex cinema.

Science café “Confess your scientist”
Open discussion in the real café with scientists and their families about their everyday life.
In cooperation with organizations: RCM, Cinemax

 “Discover your star” - Observation of the Night Sky
Observing of the night sky from 7pm to 12pm and discussion with astronomer Peter Kaňuk in the Observatory of the Centre for leisure time “Domino”, which is located within 1 km from the Optima Shopping Centre.
In cooperation with: Centre for leisure time “Domino”

 

   

   

 

Slovak national museum in Bratislava

In the Slovak national museum the researchers prepared for visitors these activities:

Biodiversity Exhibition 

• Exhibition introduces to its visitors both with living and non-living components of various Earth environments – polar glaciers, tundra, tropic forests, grasslands, deserts, coral reefs, sea coastlines and other

• Exhibition aims to present the diversity and variety of living organisms – millions of plant and animal species, microorganisms and complex ecosystems, that gained to their contemporary form by long-lasting evolution

 ‘Mathematics for fun’ exhibition (vernissage accompanied with a lecture)

• Exhibition aims to present the field of mathematics –  a feared school class

• Its goal is to introduce math to the general public unconventionally by using bare hands as an exploration tool and help to increase understanding of role and usefulness of mathematics   

Day-long event in Museum of natural history and SNM

• Science lectures, games, quizzes, science presentations and debates

Projection of the Night Sky in the cupola in Winter garden of the Museum of natural history

 

 

 

Children’s museum In Bratislava

The reserchers presented science presentations understandable for children there. There was also constatd hands-on science expozition for children. It also offers an opportunity to become a part of the word of science for few moments.

 

 

 

Botanical Garden by Night

The Botanical Garden opened its gates for visitors at 6pm till 12pm. Inside people could walk through the greenhouses and admire beautiful exotic flowers until midnight. The researchers present in the Botanical Garden were ready to serve as guides and answer all questions about the life of plants during the day and at night, as well as about the possibilities of keeping plants and the necessary care.

 

Night Sky Observation

On September 24th, Researchers’ Night events in Bratislava and Košice were also accompanied by observing the night sky in the observatory of the Institute of Astronomy, SAS in Tatranská Lomnica. The researchers and astronomic professionals present in the observatory, which was open from 7pm to midnight, were joined by 70 enthusiasts for observation and discussions.

 

Drawing Competition “Biodiversity 2010”

The Drawing competition Biodiversity 2010 was launched during the awareness campaign for the Researchers’ Night in Slovakia 2010. Information about the competition was first distributed at the launch of the contest and re-sent at the end of August (before the start of the school year). E-mails were sent to all schools, regional school offices, NGOs and free time centres.

The drawings were divided into 3 categories:
·    Category 1:    Primary schools – first stage (6-10 years of age)
·    Category 2:    Primary schools – second stage (11-15 years of age)
·    Category 3:     Art schools

The winners were announced during the Researchers’ Night main programme on September, 24th in Avion Shopping Centre. The best drawings, including the winning entries, were displayed at the main event in Avion.

The expected number of drawings received was 2000, the actual number was 3500.

 

Photo Competition “Portrait of Researcher”

The Photo competition Portrit of Researcher was launched during the awareness campaign for the Researchers’ Night in Slovakia 2010. Information about the competition was first distributed at the launch of the contest and re-sent at the end of August (before the start of the school year). E-mails were sent to all schools, regional school offices, NGOs and free time centres.

The photographers were divided into 4 categories:
·    Category 1:    Primary schools – first stage (6-10 years of age)
·    Category 2:    Primary schools – second stage (11-15 years of age)
·    Category 3:     High school
·    Category 4:     Universities

However, taking into consideration the low number of received entries, the jury decided to call off the category and rather assign three places in the one category. In total we received 45 posters, while the expected number was 150.

The winners were announced during the Researchers’ Night main programme on September, 24th in Optima Shopping Centre. The best drawings, including the winning entries, were displayed at the main event in Optima.