The bars of our cities become improvised laboratories

The ninth edition of the Pint of Science International Scientific Dissemination Festival is the most ambitious that Spain has organized so far, with 850 talks in 67 locations, which will be held on May 13, 14 and 15. For three days, the bars of our cities become improvised laboratories from where the most cutting-edge researchers on the national scene will share the most recent advances in science in Spain. With an understandable and accessible language, any citizen will be able to learn about projects in the most varied areas: neuroscience, astrophysics, medicine, history, supercomputing, mathematics, economics and zoology, among many others.

 In Donostia/San Sebastián, Pint of Science will be held in the bars Alboka, Amuitz, Errotatxo, Mala Gissona and Manuel (Errenteria), with a total of 30 and will cover the topics of nanotechnology, 3D printing, physics, neuroscience and language, nature and sustainability. Among the researchers and scientists participating in this edition of Pint of Science Donostia, are Fernando Cossío, Oihane Mitxelena, Efthymia Kapnoula and Francesc Monrabal. The talks will be in Basque and Spanish. In addition, some of the talks will have simultaneous translation into sign language. The complete program can be consulted on the website https://pintofscience.es/events/sansebastian

Sandra Medrano, postdoctoral researcher and head of communication for this edition, explains that “the faces of interest, surprise and laughter that arise in the attendees when they hear about science are our motivation to leave the laboratory and return to the bars for another year tell our discoveries. Sometimes we underestimate ourselves, but the high scientific quality that exists in our country and the motivation and passion that all scientists have for what we do, make Spain a leader in many areas of Knowledge”. As a novelty, this year the national organization has reinforced and supported the importance of basic science, which has made it possible to achieve milestones such as vaccines or space travel. Likewise, issues of current social interest such as scientific policies and the energy transition have been highlighted, which directly affect the well-being, economy and growth of the country. Pint of Science 2024 is a free event for all attendees and in Donostia it is possible thanks to the sponsorship of DIPC, Fomento San Sebastián, CFM, CIC BiomaGUNE, Polymat, CIC nanoGUNE and Biogipuzkoa, and the collaboration of Aranzadi and BCBL. 

One more year, Pint of Science is also a reality worldwide

Pint of Science was born in May 2013 in the United Kingdom when researchers Michael Mostkin and Praveen Paul organized an event in their laboratories in order to show the research they were carrying out on people affected by different mental illnesses. They themselves verified the great impact it had on these patients, and they thought, “if people go to laboratories… why not take science to the place where people are, the bars?” Little did they imagine that a few years later, their idea would go around the world, being celebrated in 2024 simultaneously on the 5 continents, with 25 participating countries.

Australian scientists will be the first to raise the bar shutters and toast to knowledge and its dissemination. From there, and with the rest of the host countries, a 3-day marathon of science and bars from around the world will begin.

Pint of Science 2024 is a free event for all attendees, and it would not be possible if it were not for the collaboration of organizations that sponsor the festival, such as Labbox, CESIF, TRBL, JJNN and Vadillo Asesores at the national level or many other collaborating entities. locally.