30.8.2012

Turku's universities put on a science show at Kåren on 28 September

Three universities make a unique joint appearance

Researchers' Night is coordinated by Turku University of Applied Sciences and also involves scientists from the University of Turku and Åbo Akademi. The universities' aim for the evening is to increase the public’s interest in science and scientific research. Providing the academic setting for this meeting of the public with researchers and their various research fields is the restaurant Kåren.

Researchers' Night on September 28 is a unique opportunity for meeting with and enjoying the company of researchers.

– I hope that we scientists also become inspired by our Friday evening programme, says Leena Strauss, a hormone researcher at the Department of Physiology, Institute of Biomedicine, the University of Turku.

– In fact, what I look forward to most of all is peeking into the world of my colleagues and crossing over scientific and university boundaries – in a relaxed atmosphere!

– During the evening, I hope it will become clear to everyone that science is practical and touches our everyday lives on a daily basis, for example, at the dinner table, continues Mari Sandell, Academy Research Fellow and food chemist.

From Europe to Turku 

Researchers' Night is funded by the EU’s Research Framework Programme. This year, Turku is the only city in Finland to which funding was allocated. For this Turku University of Applied Sciences project, several fields of study including biotech and health care professionals will be present and demonstrating their knowledge during the evening.

– We’ll offer the public an opportunity to experiment with the foundation elements of biotechnology, such as the separation of acid and alkaline. It’ll be wonderful to be able to share some professional secrets from my own field with Turku residents. I've been following the Researchers' Night event for several years now and I am really pleased that it’s now here in Turku, says Pia Sjöberg-Eerola.

– We’ll also introduce some bioenergy research and gene technology related hardware that we use in higher eduction, adds researcher Petri Susi.

Researchers' Night is for all

In addition to the main event in Kåren there are two more European Corner events where you can meet researchers: Hansa Shopping Center and Turku’s Main Library. At both places there will be a fascinating programme of science topics for all ages, as well as information about research and researchers. At the Main Library and as part of the Capital of Culture year initiative a series of speeches on science will begin.

From 6 pm in the evening, Kåren will offer a science themed night for those over 18 years-old. During the evening, there will be a chance to test the latest research technologies and instruments, participate in contests and see and practice science in action. Researchers' Night offers the opportunity to exchange views and to have fun with the scientific community.

– This is a low threshold event, for which you do not need to know anything about science in advance, or even be particularly interested in it. Anyone can be a scientist for one night and realise how much fun research is, how research is everywhere, and how it affects our daily lives, said the project manager Katariina Kärki-Susi.

Get to know researchers via the Internet

On Researchers' Night event, the researchers are the stars. They are in direct contact with the public during the event, but the public also has the opportunity to acquaint themselves with researchers prior to the event: On the website you can read about presentations and discuss with researchers on Facebook. You can also find information about how to bump into researchers in the virtual world of Second Life.

    Photo: Turku UAS biotechnology researchers Pia
    Sjöberg-Eerola (left), Petri 
    Susi, Annika Brandt and Miitrei 
    Sorsa who will be present on Researchers' Night. 
    Read more from the event’s web site

Details of the event and the researchers: www.tutkijoidenyoturku.com

Researchers' Night, was launched in 2006 as part of the EU's Research in Europe initiative. Researchers' Night is funded by the EU's Marie Curie Actions research funding programme.