Outreach Activities
We seek to raise public awareness of chemical research as a key factor in the progress of our society. And ICIQ is also committed to engage and encourage youngsters to pursue a career in chemistry research. To this end, in 2013 we carried out several outreach activities to audiences of all ages as a way to get chemistry closer to society. Inter@actions (http://interactions.iciq.es/en), our science outreach platform, it’s been a useful tool to reach all kind of chemistry fans.
“Química en Família”
13th and 14th of November (ICIQ Auditorium)
“Química en Familia” is a chemistry workshop that has established itself as one of the most popular activities in the Science Week in Tarragona. This year, more than 140 children attended the event divided in two days. They came to ICIQ to become little scientists and they had the chance to perform different and simple experiments, by using every-day materials. Those experiments helped to increase their curiosity and interest in chemistry. This year event was named ‘Experiment’. We also counted with the collaboration of Xavier Asensio, ICIQ glassblower, who demonstrated that glass is not as rigid as we may think it is.
Guided tours of the ICIQ facilities
November (Science Week)
During the fourth week of November, various high schools came to the ICIQ to learn more about who we are and what we do here. We organized an interactive tour in which students had to identify a “mysterious” compound. This served as an excuse to explore our laboratories and support areas of research. In 2013 the following high schools paid us a visit: La Salle, Sagrat Cor and Mare de Déu del Carme (Tarragona), Font de la Glorieta (Alcover), La Presentació (Reus), Mare de Déu de la Candelera (L’Ametlla de Mar).
Teachers and Science
November 6-8th, ICIQ laboratories
“Professors i Ciència” funded by Fundació Catalunya-La Pedrera provides secondary school teachers in Catalonia with the opportunity to participate in specialized courses or workshops conducted by researchers from scientific research centers in Catalonia. ICIQ offered the workshop entitled “Light as a source of energy” , coordinated by Laia Pellejà, researcher in Prof. Palomares group. Profs. Palomares and Galán-Mascarós, ICIQ group leaders, also participated in this initiative. The workshop combined theory and laboratory practises related to the possibilities that light has to generate energy.
Training for high school students
Two high school students did a three-week placement in the laboratory of Professor Emilio Palomares through the “Joves i Ciència” programme (Fundació Catalunya-La Pedrera) in which ICIQ participates. Also as part of this programme, the ICIQ researchers, Laia Pellejà and Josep Albero, conducted a chemistry course at the Fundació facilities in Planes de Son (la Cerdanya). We also hosted in one of our research groups a student awarded by the Societat Catalana de Química (SCQ) for the quality of his research project
ICIQ also opens its doors to students and secondary education centres that wish to do the experimental part of the research project (treball de recerca) in our centre. In 2013 Professor Palomares group oversaw 4 research projects related to the study of solar cells and energy conversion, and 1 project on graphene. Professor Antonio M. Echavarren supervised a research project that dealt with the analysis of essential components of different samples of chamomile.
Science Café
June 27th and November 21st (Pachito Lounge, Tarragona)
Following our first ICIQ’s Science Café in 2012, we scheduled two more sessions: “Chemistry and Coffee” given by Dr. Andrew Chapman, and “Chemistry and Beer” by Dr. José Luis Núñez. A good way to discuss the chemistry found in ordinary products through an informative talk that always includes tasting.
Barcelona Science and Technology Fair
June 15th, Parc de la Ciutadella (Barcelona)
For the first time we were invited to the Festa de la Ciència i la Tecnologiain Barcelona. Once there, inside the ACER/CERCA tent, we set up our workshop “React”! with different experiments showing different chemical reactions. The children had the chance to make their own bouncy ball, to experience the eruption of the ICIQ volcano and to become ‘chemical painters’ painting on milk.
Visits to schools
November, Science Week
Around 200 children at Pau Delclòs and l’Arrabassada schools in Tarragona enjoyed a day of experiments conducted by ICIQ researchers. They built a volcano with vinegar and baking soda, ate ice cream made with liquid nitrogen and played with blandiblu they made in class, among other experiments.