In the spirit of continued success, 10alamenos9 celebrated the 8th Edition of the National Festival of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology throughout April and May 2023, engaging various countries across Europe and Latin America. These events were designed to bring the fascinating world of nanotechnology closer to society, transcending age and knowledge barriers. Visitors were invited to embark on an exciting journey into the realm of small wonders, the nanoworld. This initiative is led and coordinated by Jordi Díaz from the University of Barcelona.
The core objective of 10alamenos9 was to foster awareness and expand general knowledge of nanoscience and nanotechnology. This was accomplished through a wide array of activities, including workshops, exhibitions, round tables, cafes, social gatherings, seminars, captivating science-art performances, and many other interactive experiences. The aim was to establish direct contact with society, nurturing dialogue and showcasing the implications and vast potential of nanotechnology.
Between 15-20,000 individuals have taken benefit from the extensive range of activities in 2023, thanks to the dedicated efforts of major research centers and universities working on nanotechnology in Spain. For those seeking specific details about the program of this edition held in Barcelona, please refer to the website for comprehensive information.
Several IREC members have taken part in this initiative, by participating in the Festival Day, in the nanostories contest, the nanoscientific video contest and the nanovermut talks.
The Festival Day took place at the Centre Cívic Pere Quart in Barcelona on April 26th, where two schools brought their 4th ESO pupils to engage in a series of scientific and enjoyable activities. One of the highlights was Anna Magrasó from IREC presenting the Gara exhibition featuring newly developed interactive content. For more details about the program of this edition held in Barcelona, check the program here.
Another activity was the nanostory contest, an international competition within the 10alamenos9 festival, aimed at ESO and high school students. The objective is to promote the dissemination of nanoscience and nanotechnology. The nanostories, which should not exceed 200 words, could be adventure stories, science fiction, fantasy, social stories, poems or even song lyrics. In this 2023 edition, approximately 80 stories have been received in Catalonia, 44 from ESO students and 33 from high school students, out of the 250 stories received from all participating locations. IREC is a co-organizer of the contest and part of the evaluation jury. The winners of the Catalan contest can be found on the webpage from Divulcat (Enciclopedia Catalana) here.
A novelty of this edition is the “I Contest of women nanoscientists in 60 seconds,” organized by ICMM-CSIC. The aim of the contest is to showcase the work of female scientists in the field of nanotechnology. The video should be done by ESO and high school students in educational centers across Spain. Each participant can choose one nanoscientist from a given catalogue and explore their biography, research field, work, and discoveries. Based on their findings, they should create a video that highlights an interesting aspect they have learned about the chosen nanoscientist. The contest guidelines, including registration details, video formats, and more, can be consulted from the website. IREC has been part of the evaluating jury and the winners will be announced in June.
Last, but not least, the nanovermut talks have nowadays become a well-established event. This series of online talks covers various aspects of nanoscience and nanotechnology, delivered by field experts who offer a close approximation to the subject matter. You can find two talks on the YouTube channel of the festival 10alamenos9 from IREC members:
- Ignacio Becerril, from the Solar Energy Materials and Systems group at IREC, with the talk entitled “Spectroscopy and machine learning for the thin film PV industry” (showcasing the MALMO project), found here:
- Anna Magrasó, from the Corporate Development and Knowledge and Technology Transfer area at IREC, has toured through the “Energy journey with Gara” (explaining the Gara project), in the following link:
10ALAMENOS9 remains steadfast in its commitment to promote the wonders of nanoscience and nanotechnology, igniting curiosity, and cultivating a deeper understanding of this extraordinary field among the broader public.
Acknowledgements
MALMO has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement No. 801342 (Tecniospring INDUSTRY) and the Government of Catalonia’s Agency for Business Competitiveness (ACCIÓ).
“Gara y la energía que nos rodea 3.0” (FCT-21-16941) es un proyecto de educativo financiado con la colaboración de la Fundación Española para la Ciencia y la Tecnología (FECYT) -Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación.
