This week will see hundreds of universities, research centres, and science institutes open their doors to visitors across Brno and the Czech Republic.
The Czech European Researchers’ Night (‘Noc vědců’) takes place every year, and includes a huge number of free workshops, presentations, experiments, and guided tours, with the aim of popularising the work of scientists and helping the public understand what they do.
The initiative is the result of a proposal by the European Commission in 2005, and its mission is “to show that science is not boring, but on the contrary is a source of interesting and fascinating phenomena.”
This year’s event will take place on Friday, 27 September, with multiple Brno institutions taking part, including the Brno University of Technology, Masaryk University, and Mendel University in Brno.
Activities will be connected by the theme of ‘Transformation’. The Noc vědců website explains that: “The basic variable of the world is transformation. From evolution in nature to revolution in technology. Everything around us goes through its transformation and development.”
One workshop hosted by Mendel University will help guests transform their design ideas into the finished article, using plywood and other materials to assemble products which can then be taken home. A separate event for children, hosted by the Faculty of Civil Engineering at Brno University of Technology, will explore how different technologies are being used to blur the boundaries between reality and the digital world, promising to uncover “how virtual models are shaping the future of architecture, engineering, and art, and how the digital world is being transformed into tangible reality!”
In addition to these workshops, there will also be many more traditional presentations and exhibitions. A full list of events and more information can be found on the event website.
