Science week (2/2): Researchers bring nanoscience outside ICN2

Prof. Jordi Fraxedas, ICREA Research Professor Jordi Arbiol and Daniel Grajales participated, among others, in activities within the framework of the Setmana de la Ciència (Science Week) to bring society closer to the research developed at ICN2.

La Setmana de la Ciència (Science Week) is an initiative devoted to the dissemination of science in Catalonia and Spain. From November 11 to November 20 lots of different activities and events were celebrated such as open days, expositions, talks, games, scientific workshops and other science-related activities. This year's edition was the 21st! The 2016 Catalan Science Week is an initiative supported by institutions such as CSIC and the Catalan Foundation for Research and Innovation.

Research Scientist Jordi Fraxedas, Group Leader of the ICN2 Force Probe Microscopy and Surface Nanoengineering Group, gave a talk at Expominer, the International Exhibition of Minerals, Fossils and Jewellery, celebrated from November 11 to 13 at Barcelona. The main topic of the event was water. Jordi Fraxedas revealed little known aspects about water itself; additionally, he focused on the relation between water and molecular motors, a subject connected with the recent Nobel Prize in Chemistry.

Furthermore, Daniel Grajales, a Doctoral student of the ICN2 Nanobiosensors and Bioanalytical Applications Group, presented a conference called “Student in the morning, biohacker at night” on November 14. The rising of citizen science and community laboratories across the globe and particularly in Europe might raise multiple questions and concerns within the scientific community. During his talk at CSIC's Residence for Researchers, he answered questions like: What is a biohacker, what are the implications and consequences of such social or scientific movement, or what is the current stage of the movement in Europe and particularly in Barcelona?

Still in Barcelona, Research Scientist Jordi Fraxedas gave a talk in La Salle Bonanova to teenage students. Along his session entitled “Nanotecnologia: Benvinguts al futur” (Nanotechnology: Welcome to the future) he introduced the students to the nanoworld. The session was proposed by La Salle inside its conferences cicle named "La Recerca a l'aula" (The Research in the classroom).

Last but not least, ICREA Research Professor Jordi Arbiol, head of the ICN2 Advanced Electron Nanoscopy Group, presented a lecture during the 2016 Science Week in front of 240 students from six different high-school institutes in Sabadell. The Lecture was entitled "Veient els àtoms de prop: un viatge al nanomón" (A close look to the atoms: a travel to nanoworld). The event took place at the Auditori Casal Pere Quart on November 16.

The previous entry (Science week (1/2): Society comes to ICN2) deals with how the 2016 Science Week was lived within the ICN2.