From 17–29 April, the International Science Festival in Gothenburg took place – one of Europe’s leading popular science events. As in previous years, many researchers from the Department of Life Sciences took part, contributing to both the public programme and activities aimed at schools. During the festival, researchers engaged with a curious and enthusiastic audience of all ages, leading to many interesting conversations. Below are some of the highlights.
Well-attended exhibitions
Two well-attended exhibitions were held at Nordstan. One of them was the interactive exhibition Resistance Revealed: The Hidden Truth in Everyday Bacteria, where Johan Bengtsson-Palme’s research group presented Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and that resistance genes are a natural and widespread part of our everyday environment - from soil and water to the microbes on our bodies.
In the second exhibition, Lisbeth Olsson’s research group presented a 3D model of a forest biorefinery. The exhibition, titled Waste to Wealth: Turning Wood Waste into Products, followed the journey of wood through different processing steps as it is transformed into useful products.
“It was really nice to see how engaged the visitors were, especially the children, who found it fascinating to look at microorganisms through the microscope. Many said it became much easier to understand when we showed how the process actually works. Our group is also quite multilingual, so we were able to interact with the audience in several languages, such as Spanish, Mandarin and Hindi, which was a lot of fun,” says Meera Christopher, one of the researchers on site.
From lecture at the City Library to science talks in a pub setting
On the opening day of the festival, Ingrid Undeland, together with colleagues from her research group, held a seminar on flavours and aromas in sustainable seafood. They highlighted how the ocean is rich in sustainable raw materials that are currently used in only a few traditional products and rarely reach our grocery stores. During the seminar, they demonstrated how research can help unlock the full potential of these resources.
Several researchers from the Department of Life Sciences also took part in the programme Soapbox Science, where research is presented in an accessible and engaging way. Additionally, Margareth Sidarta, postdoc from the Division of Molecular Biology, participated in Forskar Grand Prix.
The event Pint of Science was also part of the Science Festival, hosting two evenings of scientific talks in a pub setting, alongside quizzes.
Students visited Chalmers
As part of the school programme, lower secondary school students from six different classes had the opportunity to visit Chalmers and step into the world of research. During the visit, they saw how cell membrane models are created and studied using different types of microscopes. They also explored the structures of various biomolecules, such as DNA, proteins, and lipids, in virtual reality, took an augmented reality tour around the one of the instruments at MAX IV, the synchrotron in Lund, and visited the research lab at the Division of Molecular Biology. There was a lot of engagement during the visit which led to many curious questions for the researchers, PhD students and master’s students leading the activities.
"It was great how excited the students were to see how we work here and to be able to look at the samples and instruments in virtual reality. Hopefully we'll see them all again at Chalmers in the next 5 years!" says Jennifer Gilbert, one of the organisers.
Encouraging participation
Professor Ingrid Undeland, Vice Head of Department responsible for utilization, explains that the department is usually well represented at the Science Festival.
This engagement is highly valued, and each year staff and research groups can apply for funding for activities such as producing films, developing interactive exhibitions, or purchasing demonstration materials.
"These funds have undoubtedly boosted LIFE's participation in the science festival. This year featured an impressive line-up of researchers and a wide range of topics presented to both the general public and school classes. The opportunity to apply for funding will return in the autumn, so employees are encouraged to start thinking about creative ways to communicate their research," says Ingrid.