BIST and its centres participate in the Science Biennial of Barcelona

By January 15, 2019January 18th, 2021BIST

The Science Biennial, promoted by the City of Barcelona, will mobilize over 120 organizations on February 7th – 11th, 2019. Among these is the Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST) and several of its centres with the aim of bringing science closer to citizens and inviting them to participate in the debate on how science can be used to respond to social challenges.

The initiative was presented this week by the mayor of Barcelona, Ada Colau, at the Royal Academy of Medicine. The presentation focused on open science and gender equity, and showcased its activities in the context of key challenges such as health, aging, and climate change, as well as citizen science, transhumanism, new technologies, and art and science.

The programme includes 96 activities that will take place between February 7th and 11th in more than 70 different spaces of Barcelona’s 10 districts. Another 39 activities, mainly lectures and conferences, will be held between February 12th and March 31st in community centres and libraries throughout the region. These will have 138 participants – scientists, technologists, thinkers, artists – of which 48% are women.

Dr. Núria Montserrat, Group Leader at IBEC working in stem cell research and genetic and tissue engineering, is one of the seven commissioners of the Biennial. She has been responsible for the coordination of 20 activities, mainly in the fields of health, aging, and active participation of women in science.

BIST and its centers are organizing and/or participating in a total of 17 activities. Among these is the 100tífiques initiative, organized by the Fundació Catalana per a la Recerca, the Departament d’Ensenyament de la Generalitat, and the Consorci d’Educació de Barcelona, with the support of BIST. The event will gather 100 scientists and technologists working in public research centres and companies on February 7th in the Parc Cientific de Barcelona to discuss their responsibilities to be role models for other women on the path to career in science. The session will include a time for networking and a talk on how to transmit scientific concepts in to young students in school. Then on February 11th, the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, these 100 scientists will give talks in 100 schools throughout Catalonia. Their aim will be to share their personal experiences and hopefully inspire those girls and boys with an interest in the sciences and related fields. Dr. Ada E. Yonath, winner of the 2009 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, will participate in one of these talks in Barcelona

The activities in which BIST or one of its centres are participating are:

  • Steam fora de les aules (Feb 7, 9am – 4pm, Barcelona Science Park), hackathon on food and visit to IBEC premises
  • Encuentro 100tíficas (Feb 7, 2pm – 6pm, Barcelona Science Park)
  • A les entranyes de Barcelona (Feb 7, 6pm – 7.15pm, CCCB Teather), round table on microbiome and health, with the participation of Prof. Toni Gabaldón (CRG)
  • Química i salut (Feb 8, 10am – 11.30am, CosmoCaixa) round table with the participation of Dr. Ernest Giralt (IRB Barcelona)
  • BCN Science Slam (Feb 8, 7pm – 9pm, Bar Mau Mau), science communication competition organized by CRG
  • Robots i humans (Feb 9, 11am – 12.15am, La Pedrera Auditorium), round table on robotics and human behaviour, with the participation of Dr. Paul Verschure (IBEC)
  • Nanomedicina del future (Feb 9, 11am – 2pm, La Pedrera Auditorium), workshop organized by ICN2
  • Vivint amb robots (Feb 9, 11am – 2pm, La Pedrera Auditorium), workshop organized by ICN2
  • Què és la nanoescala i com ens afecta (Feb 9, 11am – 2pm, La Pedrera Auditorium), workshop organized by IBEC
  • Nanciència i salut (Feb 9, 12.30pm – 2pm, La Pedrera Auditorium), round table with the participation of Prof. José Antonio Garrido (ICN2)
  • Construeix l’univers peça a peça (Feb10, 10am – 1.30pm), two workshops organized by IFAE
  • Taller d’enginyeria genètica (Feb 10, 11am – 2pm, La Pedrera, Sala Gaudí), workshop organized by IBEC
  • Impressió 3D i medicina regenerativa (Feb 10, 11am – 2pm, La Pedrera, Sala Gaudí), workshop organized by IBEC
  • El nostre cos (Feb 10, 11am – 2pm, La Pedrera, Sala Gaudí), workshop organized by IRB Barcelona
  • És possible una ciència oberta (Feb 10, 6pm – 7.30pm, La Pedrera Auditorium), round table with the participation of Dr. Michela Bertero (CRG)
  • Dissenya el teu propi algoritme (Feb 11, 9am – 12pm, Center for Genomic Regulation), course organized by CRG
  • 100tífiques a 100 escoles (Feb 11, 10am – 11.30am, 100 schools all over Catalonia), short talks of 100 women scientists, many from BIST centres
  • A la física hi ha lloc per a tu (Feb 11, 11am – 5pm, Fabra i Coats–Fàbrica de Creació), workshop organized by IFAE

More information about the programme and activities of the Biennial can be found here (in Catalan): www.biennalciutaticiencia.barcelona