Science in the City 2017

This year’s Science in the City festival is more exciting than ever before. With a new layout and a host of innovative activities, the 6th edition of Science in the City—European Researchers’ Night, promises to be a night to remember.

On Friday 29 September 2017 from 6.00pm until midnight science and the arts will transform Republic Street as visitors of all ages explore the highly interactive activities.

This year's theme is the Future: Today's Research; Tomorrow's Society. Plans include the usual health and dental checks, child-friendly experiments, shows and games, as well as totally new activities that find their inspiration in ongoing research projects here in Malta, such as Light Pushes Stuff, AR Art, Holograms and so much more. A main attraction is Light Pushes Stuff, an interactive moving light sculpture—a Malta first! Scientists have found that light is capable of doing so. This could lead to endless new applications that would change the way we communicate, travel, etc.

Meet the researcher and artists who have turned this exciting discovery into a unique light installation just off Freedom Square. Spazju Kreattiv will be hosting Kids Dig Science, an exhibition Transmission Interrupted by Martina Camilleri, an MCAST student, and Get Your Act Together (by More or Less Theatre with the support of Valletta 2018 - European Capital of Culture Foundation and Malta Arts Fund within Arts Council Malta).

The Cinema Room will host a series of talks on the hour by Malta Cafe Scientifique, while CineXjenza, a series of short films, followed by discussion, will be shown by the steps leading to Spazju Kreattiv at the entrance to Valletta. For the third year running, the new Parliament building will showcase an exhibition of exciting research projects by the University of Malta, called Science in the House. An NGO area in De Valette Square includes organisations concerned with social, environmental, scientific, artistic and historical issues. This year, STEAM will be set up in St George’s Square, the idea is to give better access to the stands. STEAM Squared has been set up to host a large number of University of Malta’s student organisations.

Greenhouse Malta an NGO that takes the threat on the survival of bees very seriously, will be setting up a series of activities to highlight the huge importance this insect has on the future of our food supplies and plant life in general. Jazz for the Brain, the result of an unlikely collaboration between jazz players and a Maltese neuroscientist, will be staged in St Barbara Church, where lights and music will display the complexity of a stroke, and the technology being used to address the condition. This year researchers will be giving demos and explaining their work along Republic Street, keep an eye out for the light cubes. Also along the street, mini stages with fire jugglers and experiments, a huge science stage complete with explosions, an exhibition on the harm inflicted by plastic waste on ocean life.

Artificial reality will bring art to life, while virtual reality will help players empathise with people with special needs. Crimes will be staged along the street, for the crime hunter activity, get the app and your phones at the ready to report these crimes to the authorities. Facial recognition stations to track your every move, big brother style. Meet the researchers who have benefitted from EU funds to further their career, at the EU Corner outside the @[180083672068356:Malta-EU Steering & Action Committee (MEUSAC)] building. Enter the building to find out about the EU’s space policy and go right up to the roof to join the Institute of Space Sciences and Astronomy - ISSA - University of Malta in the Kids in Orbit activity.

This year Science in the City is bursting at the seams, it augurs to be the largest Science and Arts festival ever staged on the island. The Science in the City festival-European Researcher’s Night is supported by the European Commission’s Research and Innovative Framework Programme, Horizon 2020 (H2020, 2014-2020) by Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions.

The event is organised by University of Malta, Malta Chamber of Scientists and the RIDT - University of Malta Research Trust, in partnership with the Ministry for Education and Employment, Parliamentary Secretary for Financial Services, Digital Economy and Innovation, JUGS Malta, Studioseven Malta, @[180083672068356:Malta-EU Steering & Action Committee (MEUSAC)], MCST, Esplora Interactive Science Centre, Kunsill Lokali tal-Belt Valletta, Malta College for Arts, Science and Technology, PBS, Notte Bianca Valletta, Spazju Kreattiv, Pjazza Teatru Rjal, the AquaBioTech Group, the Central Bank of Malta, Wasteserv and a number of other partners.

The festival has been recognized by EFFE International Jury to receive the EFFE Label 2017-2018 A full programme can be viewed on www.scienceinthecity.org.mt and follow the festival on Instagram for more updates @scicitymalta #scicitymalta #MSCAnight and also our facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/ScienceInTheCityMalta/