European Researchers’ Night is an annual celebration of science across Europe, where engaging activities demonstrate the excitement and importance of research. This year, SEA-EU appeared at the European Researchers’ Night in Cadiz (Spain), Kiel (Germany), Naples (Italy) and Malta.
In Malta, this celebration takes shape through Science in the City (SitC), a national science and arts festival that has been running since 2012. Organised annually in one of the main squares of Valletta, the island’s capital, it attracts the attention of many passers-by. Through this initiative, the goal is to spark curiosity and inspire the next generation of scientists.
It goes without saying that SEA-EU could not be absent from the European celebration of science! At the festival, SEA-EU highlighted the diversity of coastal communities, engaging the audience with the question, “How well do you know the SEA-EU cities?” The interactive session saw participants matching keywords and images with the respective SEA-EU countries, focusing on various aspects such as city names, regions, traditional foods, cultural activities, and others. The activity proved to be an educational and entertaining way to explore the rich heritage and identity of coastal cities.
Sharing a stand with SEA-EU was the Oceanography Malta Research Group (OMRG – ocean.mt), under the leadership of Prof. Alan Deidun, who serves as the University of Malta Rector’s Delegate for SEA-EU. OMRG played a vital role in spreading awareness and love for the sea, showcasing its latest scientific research and developments in oceanography, offering visitors a fully-immersive experience through Virtual Reality headsets, Pepper the humanoid robot, holograms, high-performance projections, underwater documentaries, a mobile exhibition on marine alien species as well as interactive gadgets.
