The IATA-CSIC joins the European Researchers' Night once again, an event that brings science closer to citizens through educational and participatory activities. This year, the Valencian institute proposes two workshops: one focused on beneficial bacteria and another on ecosystem recovery after a flood.
The science festival, held annually across Europe on the last Friday of September, will take place in Valencia under the slogan 'Valencian science takes to the streets'. The Viveros Gardens will host 40 free workshops, divided into morning sessions (10:00-13:30) for primary and secondary students, and afternoon sessions (17:00-20:00) open to the general public.
From the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), five institutes will present six workshops. IATA will offer “From Milk to Yogurt: Discovering Good Bacteria” and “FLOWSAFE: Restoring Ecosystems After a Flood”.
In the “From Milk to Yogurt” workshop, participants will learn how beneficial bacteria transform milk through fermentation. A practical activity will allow them to measure pH and differentiate between prebiotic and probiotic foods. This workshop will be led by the MAINBIOTICS laboratory team, headed by researcher Mª Carmen Collado.
The “FLOWSAFE: Restoring Ecosystems After a Flood” workshop will propose investigating what happens to water and sediments during a flood and how nature-inspired solutions can be used to reduce their effects. Using a model of a small ecosystem, the public will simulate a flood, observe the transport and accumulation of harmless materials representing pollutants, and must design a strategy to restore the ecosystem. This will be carried out by the GUTBIOTOX laboratory, with researcher Marta Arroyo.
The FLOWSAFE activity is based on a European project that seeks to develop more sustainable ways to restore areas affected by floods and pollution.
Other CSIC centers will also participate: the Institute of Plant Molecular and Cellular Biology (IBMCP) with “Your Garden in a Jar”; the Institute of Biomedicine of Valencia (IBV) with the activity “Guardians of the Genetic Code”; the Institute of Corpuscular Physics (IFIC) with the proposal “Measuring Radioactivity”; and the Institute of Chemical Technology (ITQ) with the workshop “Mission Invisible: Hunting CO2”.
A total of nine Valencian institutions are organizing this year's event, which includes 40 free workshops. Among them are the CSIC, the University of Valencia (UV), the Polytechnic University of Valencia (UPV), the Catholic University of Valencia (UCV), the Valencian Institute of Agricultural Research (IVIA), the Valencia City Council, the Foundation for the Promotion of Health and Biomedical Research of the Valencian Community (Fisabio), the Health Research Institute (INCLIVA), and the Research Foundation of the General University Hospital of Valencia (FIHGUV).
