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 05.05.2017

Fresh financial and institutional support for the Research in Society programme

Once again the ‘Research in Society’ programme run by the Barcelona Science Park (Parc Científic de Barcelona, PCB) will have the financial backing of the Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology (Fundación Española para la Ciencia y Tecnología) and Barcelona City Council in the shape of grants coming to €23,000 and €16,700 respectively. This funding from the two institutions will help secure the development of the PCB’s science popularisation activities and also recognises its firm commitment to driving measures that add to the social dimension of science.   

 

The Barcelona Science Park set out in its bylaws the importance of devising a project to promote scientific culture that transfers to society all the knowledge it generates. As part of this strategy in 2003 it started up ‘Research in Society’, a pioneering project in Spain to convey ‘living science’, encourage vocations among young people and foster dialogue between researchers and the public at large.

Today ‘Research in Society’ brings together over 100 science popularisation activities aimed at audiences of all ages involving about 4,500 people every year. Recognised with the Educational Quality Label awarded by Barcelona City Council’s Educational Innovation Council, the programme is structured around four strategic lines of action coordinated by the Park’s Science Outreach Unit:
 

▪Discover research!, aimed at Primary Year 5 and 6 students. It includes a number of activities led by instructors and researchers which enable young people to carry out experiments using the scientific method while having fun as they add to their knowledge about core concepts such as cells, genes, atmospheric pressure and chemical reactions. More information [+]
 

▪ Do research!, addressed to the lower and upper secondary education community. It features around 40 workshops during the school year so that students can team up with scientists in experiments connected with the research projects they are conducting at the PCB with the instruments and materials they use on a regular basis. More information [+]
 

▪BATX2LAB, tutorials on research projects for upper secondary students. It gives the students the chance to do the experimental part of their research in the Park’s laboratories tutored by a researcher who also advises them about drawing up their project. The programme is rounded off with the award of three prizes to the best projects which are presented at the Live Research! Fair. More information [+]
 

▪ Live Research! Fair, for schools and the general public. Organised jointly by the PCB and ”la Caixa” Foundation, this exhibition’s innovative format gives the public the chance to learn about and take part in some of the most cutting-edge research projects being carried out in Catalonia with the researchers themselves, who for three days set up part of their laboratory at CosmoCaixa Barcelona. More information [+]