Two days of exploration and discovery await visitors in 28 cities across Sweden at this year’s European Researchers’ Night on 28 and 29 September. Part of Europe’s largest science festival, members of public and pupils are invited to find out more about the amazing research that is transforming our everyday lives – and meet the researchers behind it.
Here is just taster of the activities on offer in some of the 28 participating cities as part of European Researchers’ Night in Sweden, known as ForskarFredag:
Over 4,000 pupils are registered to participate in an exciting programme at AlbaNova University Centre and House of Science in Stockholm. Physics shows, scientific expeditions, guided tours of laboratories and an exhibition will run alongside presentations and discussions with some of Stockholm’s top researchers on topics ranging from stem cells to sustainability. The exhibition is open to the public too.
The Swedish National Heritage Board is opening its doors to its archive and library with unique documents from the 17th Century. Visitors can meet archaeologists and runologists to learn more about Sweden’s fascinating cultural heritage.
Physics is the focus of some of the Saturday activities with lots of workshops, experiments, guided tours, interactive simulations and presentations run by the Department of Physics at Stockholm University. Read more here.
Karolinska Institute’s new laboratory Biomedicum is also opening its doors to the public with an exciting programme for the whole family.
In Uppsala, archivists are inviting the public to participate in an exciting workshop to learn about the history of democracy and the path to equal voting rights in Sweden. The workshop is based on unique archive documents.
Umeå University offers families an exciting afternoon filled with experiments and hands-on activities. Watch a fascinating physics and chemistry show, take a look at the stars in the observatory and planetarium or try to read from the world’s smallest book in the University library.
If you are in Östersund, why not drop in after work to the local theatre to hear about the latest research taking place at Mid Sweden University over a drink. Three laboratories are also opening their doors, including the Swedish Winter Sports Research Centre that trains and tests elite sports professionals.
Örnsköldsvik is transforming European Researchers’ Night into a Science Week of talks, workshops and other exciting activities at central venues around the town. Find out how waste in space is converted into fuel or how to build an energy efficient house. At the fast-paced PechaKucha Night researchers will get to present their research using 20 slides but only have 20 seconds for each one.
”European Researchers’ Night is a great way to showcase science in action” Lena Söderström, national coordinator
School classes in Jönköping will be ‘borrowing a researcher’ to visit their school, a popular ForskarFredag activity that gives pupils the opportunity to quiz researchers all about their work. Science cafés and After School activities are also on offer.
On the island of Öland, the popular research station Station Linné will be inviting people of all ages to discover more about their collection of 80 million insects, the biggest in the world.
On neighbouring island, Gotland, this year there is a focus on conservation and cultural heritage. The Heritage Laboratory is visiting Fenomenalen Science Centre situated in the medieval town of Visby, and will be showing visitors how lasers, x-rays and other advanced equipment are used to investigate sensitive cultural heritage objects. Visitors can also experience how objects and collections can be visualised using Virtual Reality and 3D.
”European Researchers’ Night is a great way to showcase science in action – what researchers actually do, how science affects our everyday lives and how exciting and diverse research actually is,” says Lena Söderstrom of VA (Public & Science), that co-ordinates European Researchers’ Night in Sweden. ”Our local organisers have, once again, put together exciting programmes to inspire and amaze people of all ages.”
More activities can be found in the searchable online programme at www.forskarfredag.se
ForskarFredag is coordinated by the non-profit association Vetenskap & Allmänhet (Public & Science), VA, with local events organised by universities, science centres, museums, research centres, municipalities, science parks and regional development councils. In 2018 events are being held in Blekinge, Borås, Dalarna, Eksjö, Falköping, Gotland, Gothenburg, Jönköping, Lidköping, Linköping, Luleå, Lund, Norrköping, Piteå, Skellefteå, Skövde, Stenstorp, Stenungsund, Stockholm, Sundsvall, Södertälje, Umeå, Uppsala, Västerås, Växjö, Öland, Örnsköldsvik och Östersund.
European Researchers’ Night in Sweden is funded by the European Commission under HORIZON 2020 in the framework of the Marie Sklodowska Curie actions, GA 818421, together with our Swedish partners
