Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M) is launching its program for the European Researchers’ Night in Madrid 2025, an event now in its sixteenth edition, taking place on September 26 and 27. Its goal is to bring science closer to the general public and foster the interest of younger generations in research. The 16 activities organized by UC3M this year will take place across its Madrid-Puerta de Toledo and Leganés campuses, as well as at the University’s Innovation Center for Entrepreneurship and Artificial Intelligence (C3N-IA) in the UC3M Science Park.
This year, UC3M invites the entire university community and the general public to take part in its wide-ranging, free program, which includes talks, demonstrations, workshops, theater, and other outreach initiatives that highlight the value and diversity of the R&D&I carried out at the institution. Reservations for these activities will be available starting Monday, September 15, through the website of each event.
Most activities will be held at the Madrid-Puerta de Toledo campus, where nearly a dozen talks and demonstrations will cover a wide variety of topics. These include MEMS microphones and their role in the digitalization of the world, the production of advanced renewable biofuels from waste, how artificial intelligence can help to better understand and control turbulence in aerodynamics, and the secrets of 5G technology. Workshops will also be offered where participants can build a miniature satellite, experiment with wearable devices that transform sensory perception, learn the basics of remote sensing, or discover what makes fruit flies so useful in science.
The UC3M Science Park will also host several activities. Among them is a demonstration showing how airflow can help prevent infections in operating rooms, as well as hands-on sessions exploring smart materials with applications in biomedicine and soft robotics, developed in the Park’s laboratories.
On the Leganés campus, participants will be able to explore experiments that make noise visible or detect electrical arcs in hybrid aircraft with the help of artificial intelligence. Practical workshops will also be held, such as building and launching rockets, experimenting with plasma, or learning how light can be used to propel satellites into space.
UC3M has also prepared a special activity for secondary school students: “Science and Health: R&D&I for a Better Life”, a science outreach event combining a theater performance with accessible talks given by UC3M researchers. It will take place on the morning of Friday, September 26, at the Leganés campus auditorium. This edition will address issues such as misinformation on social media and mental health, advances in the creation of human mini-organs, Parkinson’s disease, and how neuroscience can be used to promote healthy aging.
UC3M’s activities are part of the NIGHTMADRID project, promoted by the Regional Ministry of Education, Science and Universities of the Community of Madrid and coordinated by the madri+d Foundation. The project is funded by the European Union under the Horizon Europe program, through the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (grant agreement no. 101.162.110). This outreach initiative is celebrated simultaneously in 25 countries and more than 460 cities across Europe.
More information:
UC3M European Researchers’ Night website
https://www.uc3m.es/inicio/nocheinvestigadores