At first glance, the high-energy collisions inside particle accelerators may seem unrelated to everyday life, but the real-world applications of atom-smashing science extend far beyond the confines of high-tech laboratories.
What begins as a quest to understand the universe's most fundamental principles has led to innovations that shape the world we live in. From breakthroughs in healthcare, such as MRI and cancer treatments, to advances in computing and sensors, the discoveries made in laboratories are driving change in cities, industries, and homes around the globe.
Fast-forward to the heart of Valletta, where history and culture converge, and where Science in the City will once again be transforming the streets into a vibrant hub of curiosity and imagination for people of all ages and abilities on 27-28 September, 2024.
Valletta becomes a playground for discovery, with a number of stands by leading scientists giving the public access to science - making it relevant to them, regardless of their background, transforming abstract concepts into tangible experiences. At Science in the City, researchers and citizens meet, making science a shared journey of exploration.
This year, Science in the City is excited to welcome to the stage UK scientist and performer Dr Sam Gregson, also known as "The Bad Boy of Science". Dr Gregson conducts research at CERN's Large Hadron Collider (LHC) in Geneva, Switzerland where they smash atoms together to study the tiniest building blocks of the universe. In his fast-paced and fun performance, "Hunting the Higgs" Dr Gregson invites the audience to take control of the world's largest and most powerful machine through interactive games, hilarious jokes, loud explosions and lots of audience participation. In this immersive experience, audience members *become* particle physicists for the day and discover a new particle for themselves.This is no place for the faint of heart!
During Saturday's performances, Dr Gregson will be accompanied by Prof. Ing. Gianluca Valentino from the University of Malta, giving visitors the unique opportunity to ask questions to a Maltese scientist who worked at CERN. Prof. Valentino has spearheaded projects using the Large Hadron Collider for many years and is currently researching AI techniques to optimise and further automate LHC operations.
Public engagement activities that bring science from the labs to the city are vital for the Maltese community because they show science's profound impact in improving our quality of life and the environment. Performances such as "Hunting the Higgs" help to break down the unnecessary barriers between high level researchers and diverse audiences. Prof. Valentino highlights that, "In particular, publicly funded research is paid for directly by taxpayers, and therefore researchers have an obligation to show this funding is being put to good use."
To any aspiring scientists in Malta, Dr Gregson said, "Anyone can do science! When I was younger, I really struggled with maths and science and thought someone from a small, poor estate in Leeds would never be able to work at the world's biggest experiments. But with hard work and lots of help from my friends, parents, teachers and colleagues, I made it. You can too! The world is smaller and far more connected than you think."
Furthermore, Prof. Valentino emphasised that people should "Take advantage of opportunities such as internships or short courses that can help you figure out which direction you want to take your scientific career. Even just a short stay at a top notch institution such as CERN can be an eye-opening, transformative experience. Becoming a scientist does not necessarily mean having the best grades in your class. It is also important to have problem solving skills, and to be able to think outside the box. If you love science, give it a try!"
This year's Science in the City festival will take place on 27-28 September. The street festival will be at Triton Fountain while performances and workshops will be carried out at Sala San Duminku in Valletta. Pre-festival events are happening from 7-24 September. For more information about the events and to book free tickets, please visit https://www.scienceinthecity.org.mt/ or Eventbrite https://bit.ly/SITCBOOK2024.
Co-Funded by the European Union's Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions of the Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Programme. Grant Agreement No 101162176. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Research Executive Agency. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them. It Is recognised by Europe for Festivals and Festivals for Europe (EFFE).
The Science in the City consortium is led by the University of Malta and the Malta Chamber of Scientists, in partnership with the Ministry for Education, Sport, Youth, Research and Innovation, Parliamentary Secretary for Youth, Research and Innovation, Ministry of Transport, Infrastructure and Public Works, Arts Council Malta, Malta Enterprise, Life Sciences Park, Institute for Methods Innovation, Esplora, APS Bank, tech.mt, PBS, Spazju Kreattiv, Valletta Design Cluster, Valletta Cultural Agency, The Bio Arte Limited, Queen Mary University of London, SEM, European Parliament, La Roche Posay, Green Pak, AcquaBioTech Group, MCAST, Mighty Boards, MED-WET, Piscopo Gardens, Trust Stamp Ltd., Storm Design, Tech MT and the Floriana and Valletta Local Councils.