Science in the City Malta

🌿 A whole new way of experiencing nature! Are you between 11 and 15 years old and proud to be neurodivergent? Do you love nature, history, and science? Then this project is for you! The Malta Chamber of Scientists is looking for 10 curious young people for a unique project combining exploration, discovery, and creativity. With the support of the STEM Community Fund from Esplora Interactive Science Centre, we will work to protect an exceptional site together. We will be learning all about the biodiversity in the area but without having to sit in a classroom or study from a book. The applicants will be able to shape their own learning process and work with experts to create something completely new. 🌿 The Project: "Traditional" lessons don’t always work for everyone. That’s why Dwejra Lines offers a more flexible and interactive way of learning. Here, everyone has a place, and we value each person’s strengths and ideas. 💡 Your mission as a citizen scientist: - Explore a natural and historical site to understand how to protect it. - Identify species and map important places with scientists. - Design an educational trail to raise awareness among visitors. - Create games and interactive materials to learn while having fun. 📅 Practical Information: Registration open until March 5th Project start: mid-March Meetings every weekend for a month No experience required, just a passion for learning and exploring! ✅ This project is for you if: ✔️ You are curious and love discovering the world in a different way ✔️ You enjoy spending time outdoors and observing nature ✔️ You love history, the environment, and creativity Ready for the adventure? Sign up here 👉 https://lnkd.in/diZspQTd We can’t wait to welcome you to the team and see what you’ll bring to this adventure! #DwejraLines #ScienceForAll #Neurodiversity

Exciting news: Science in the City, Malta Virtual Festival is now available on YouTube. In total we had 4 engaging shows with extras: quizzes, fun facts or an exclusive interview! 1) Ripped Genes (6-13 year olds): follows the story of Eugene, an unfortunate scientist who has somehow managed to deconstruct his own DNA. By Ringroad Theatre ,(marjannattard, SeanBriffa ) and Dr Emma Clarke. Funded by the Arts Council Malta . https://lnkd.in/eZz7CFsq 2) Hunting the Higgs (Ages: 12+): The Large Hadron Collider is the world’s largest and most powerful machine, but can you control it for yourself? Become a particle physicist for the duration of this super exciting, explosive show and see if you have what it takes to control the Large Hadron Collider. By Dr Sam Gregson & Prof. Ing. Gianluca Valentino. Funded by the Arts Council Malta https://lnkd.in/ecXF79cn 3) Boo Recaccia (Ages: 16+): In this dance performance, discover the power of human connection and support through rhythm, maths and movement. This piece used an innovative methodology to celebrate co-development. By Buddies Experiments – Cc Marmaritsaki & Marina Sasli. Funded by APS Bank https://lnkd.in/e6fT8pQm 4) Addressing the water scarcity in agriculture (Ages: 16+). PRIMA-funded MED-WET is a three-year initiative aimed at testing three cost-effective, streamlined solutions for irrigating crops and fruit trees at pilot locations in Portugal, Malta (Gozo), Morocco, and Egypt. https://lnkd.in/etSrsdDq The shows have been recorded during the 2024 performance festival at Sala San Duminku for all those who didn’t get the chance to visit in person. The festival includes local and international performers, inspired by science and research. Virtual Festival 2024: https://lnkd.in/eYCE6sJ6

“Meet the Researchers” bonus video is now on YouTube! “Meet The Researchers” is an awareness campaign that features a series of engaging videos with a diverse range of researchers from all over Europe in eight participating institutions. (see more on our YouTube page: https://lnkd.in/dCW9YQZF) The goal of this video series is to promote a better understanding of STEM research careers and the European Union. In this additional video researchers Prof. Ing. Daniel Micallef and Prof. JoAnn CASSAR will give a better overview of the Megalithic temples. The project for the evaluation of the performance of the shelters over the Temples addresses important research questions related to the conservation of the Temples as well as how understanding its micro-climate can help address their deterioration and improve their conservation. It is important to preserve these archaeological structures as they represent important monuments of local heritage that are important symbols of identity for the Maltese as well as being UNESCO World Heritage Sites and thus of international importance. Special thanks to: MariaElena Zammit - Senior Curator  - Prehistoric Sites - Heritage Malta Prof. Joel Azzopardi - Department of Artificial Intelligence - Faculty of Information & Communication Technology, University of Malta Xjenza Malta Ministry of Finance and Employment, Government of Malta Thomas Gauci Video: https://lnkd.in/djFHdevJ

Science in the City Goes to School Ringroad Theatre and Science in the City Goes to School visited Fgura Primary School. Sean Briffa and Marjann Attard presented ‘Ripped Genes’, an interactive puppet theatre show and hands-on experiments, that investigated how traits in Eugene’s DNA were passed down to him from his ancestors. Children as young as 7, got to understand the importance of our genetic make up and how we all inherit skin, eye colour and even the shape of our ears from family members. Once again the Science in the City team looks to the arts and hands-on activities to engage students with science and research. #scienceinthecity #schools #dna #research #puppetshow

Science in the City Goes to School Road-STEAMer in collaboration with Astronomical Society of Malta got to visit St. Joseph's School. Simeona Mamo (Zeynep Avcı) introduced the students to the AI character they created, Pluto. Using a tablet, the 8-12 year old students learnt about Pluto and why this celestial body is so very sad. Can you guess why Pluto is sad? The children again got creative by designing a planet of their own This workshop was implemented with 48 students who had the unique opportunity to observe the Sun through a telescope as part of the event. The Road STEAMer University of Malta team is developing a 40-minute Astronomy workshop’s aim is to assess the workshop's impact on student engagement, motivation, and learning effectiveness. The lesson plan includes: -Pluto AI Character: Students ask questions about Pluto using the AI app -Where is Pluto?: Students play a solar system card game using a craft model -Make a friend for Pluto: The children again got creative by designing a dwarf planet of their own, using materials like styrofoam balls and paint. By tapping into the students’ creativity, Science in the City hopes to instil a passion for science in children of all ages. The project is funded by Horizon Europe.

Science in the City Goes to School We want to thank all the researchers, schools and students for participating in Science in the City Goes to School! The Science in the City team had a packed week visiting 5 different primary schools across Malta. We brought the excitement of science to life through 6 thrilling rounds of Taboo MT! Students had to come up with questions to guess which researcher does what, but with a twist! While asking or answering they could not use TABOO words. It was a challenge to both kids and researchers. We had researchers from all types of fields: Neuroscientist Claude Bajada from the The Bob Lab, introducing neurology and 3D printed brains, geneticists Emma Clarke explaining the meaning of jumping genes, environmental scientist Michelle Hammam, Statistics Professor Liberato Camillieri, a nutritionist MİNE NİHAN Y. , seismologist Matthew Agius, researcher on nature-based/sustainable mobility solutions Francesca Mizzi, Senior Lecturer at the Department of Artificial Intelligence Vanessa Camilleri, marine biologists Pam and Dave from SharkLab Malta, ornithology researchers Tamar Antia and Sara Pontrelli from BirdLife Malta, Lecturer in the Faculty of Education Doreen Mizzi, science communicator Danielle Martine Farrugia, Astronomy Researcher Simeona Mamo (Zeynep Avcı). After the game, the students got the chance to engage furthermore, moving from stand to stand to dive deeper into each subject. 

Opportunity for Researchers in Malta! 🔬 If you are passionate about your work and would love to inspire the next generation of  STEAM professionals, we have an exciting opportunity for you. Science in the City is organising an activity for middle school students. For this activity we need researchers to play a game we have created called TABOO MT! – a fun and interactive game where students guess which researcher work in the given scientific fields. As the name implies some words are TABOO meaning that both students and researchers will not be allowed to use them when asking or replying to questions. Students will have to use their creativity and problem-solving skills to ask the right questions, while you’ll be challenged to answer without using the TABOO words. After the Q&A session, researchers can lead exciting experiments and demos that show to students just how thrilling their field of science is. The goal of the event is to inspire students to pursue careers in STEAM.  Current students’ future success in STEAM fields is necessary to ensure a better future for this planet and society as a whole. We work towards highlighting the importance of JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion) values in this game, ensuring gender balance and diversity when we select the researchers. If you are a researcher interested in joining us for this fun activity, please fill out this form by 16th January 2025: https://lnkd.in/dxtah29f More information on our website: https://lnkd.in/dK4MC2-7 #STEAM #ResearchersInEducation #ScienceInTheCity #InspireFutureScientists #Innovation #Malta

“Past Forward” is the 2025 theme for the Science in the City (SitC) festival, which mixes science, arts, and history, where you can explore how research and innovations from the past have shaped the world we know today – and how they can help us create a better future. The main event will happen on 26 and 27 September 2025, two days packed with hands-on activities, workshops, exhibitions, arts installations, performances, and discussions that will bring the past and future together in unexpected ways. Nostalgia often gets a bad rap. People often say it holds us back from moving forward. But we think that’s totally unfair. At SitC, we believe there’s a lot to learn from the past – both the wins and the mistakes – and that these lessons can help us build a better future. The “Past Forward” theme is all about using what we know to inspire, boost creativity, and connect with others. Plus, studies have shown that nostalgia actually boosts mental health and encourages people to be more connected and kind. So, nostalgia isn’t about escaping the present – it’s about using the past to make the future even better. The “Past Forward” mindset is all about how our past, creativity, and innovation are connected. It’s about understanding how what we’ve learned from history still impacts what we do today and how it can spark new ideas for tomorrow. By diving into past breakthroughs in science and culture, we can get a glimpse into how discoveries happen and how these lessons can push us toward a more inclusive, sustainable and innovative future. Let’s not forget about Malta, home to UNESCO World Heritage sites and the historic city of Valletta, offering a unique glimpse into the island’s rich cultural history. Researchers based in Malta have been working hard on ground-breaking projects, using their expertise to contribute to scientific innovation and to preserve and enhance the country’s cultural and environmental heritage. Through events like the 2025 SitC festival, Malta will show how the past isn’t just history – it’s something that can inspire the next big thing.

Hey everyone, we’re really sorry to announce that the Virtual Festival is being postponed to December 6th. Our core team isn’t feeling too great at the moment and needs some time to rest up. Don’t worry though – the event will still be from 6 to 9 pm, and all tickets booked on Eventbrite are still good. We've updated the new date across our social media too! Thanks for your understanding – we’re excited to see you all on December 6th! For more information go onto our Facebook event: https://bit.ly/3YSLA9C Book your free ticket on Eventbrite: https://bit.ly/3AoPnlK 

Virtual Festival is upcoming already in 8 days! On 29th November 6-9PM join us for exciting performances, exclusive interviews with artists and more! The shows have been recorded during the 2024 performance festival at Sala San Duminku for all those who didn’t get the chance to visit in person. The festival includes local and international performers, inspired by science and research. Programme: "Ripped Genes" (for 6-13yr olds) by Ringroad theatre and researcher Dr Emma Clarke (UM) "Hunting the Higgs" (10yr+) by Dr Sam Gregson & Prof. Ing. Gianluca Valentino "Boo Recaccia" (8yr+) by Buddies’ Experiments "Addressing the water scarcity in agriculture" (16yr+) by MED-WET More information on our Facebook event: https://bit.ly/3YSLA9C Get your free tickets on Eventbrite: https://bit.ly/3AoPnlK