Public Engagement

ICIQ has a very solid and successful strategy in science education and communication. We want to maintain our status as a reference point on topics related to science communication and education. In this regard, we have several activities addressed to the educational community  (‘From the lab to the classroom’; Chemistry workshops for high school students and ‘My First Experiment’ directed to primary school students), courses (ICIQ Summer Camp) and open access educational material for ICIQs educational platform (ICIQ Virtual Laboratory) to better support teaching and learning chemistry methodologies. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic restrictions, we couldn’t carry out most of the activities.

We also have alliances with science education foundations (‘Crazy About Chemistry’; BIYSC and ‘Youth and Science’ programmes from Fundació Catalunya-La Pedrera), and the ‘Science at School’ programme from Fundació Catalana per a la Recerca i la Innovació.

9th edition of “Crazy for Chemistry” course

Organized by ICIQ with the support of Fundació Catalunya-La Pedrera, it is aimed at talented students with a special interest in chemistry and research and has a particular impact on the experimental part of chemistry making use of the Institute’s equipment and facilities.

The course combines theoretical and experimental sessions that take place over 12 Saturdays, from the end of January to the beginning of December and in the 2021 edition had 24 students.

The first part of the course, until May 2021, was all online for security reasons (pandemic) every 2 Saturdays from 9:30 am to 1:30 om except the last session on May 22 which was face-to-face for the first time.

From September onwards, the sessions were face-to-face at ICIQ from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm.

In order for the students to have the possibility of doing a more practical part, 24 boxes were prepared and sent with material to perform experiments at home and thus present with a video with the results obtained.

Barcelona International Youth Science Challenge (BIYSC)

Organised by ICIQ with the support of Fundació Catalunya-La Pedrera.

The program aims to stimulate scientific talent among high school students and encourage their interest in conducting scientific research. It is a two-week residential approach that brings together more than 100 young people (between 16 and 18 years old) from all over the world who put into practice a scientific project.

This year we participated with «Flow Chemistry: the lab of the future» program with the participation of researchers Esther Alza, Tamás Vermes and Moreshwar b. Chaudhari.

The program was affected by the detection of COVID-19 positives and was therefore cancelled after the second session.

Since February 2021 we had numerous meetings for its organization, we edited a dossier with all the information of the program and we made the whole process of selection of the participants from ICIQ.

Youth and Science

Organised by ICIQ with the support of Fundació Catalunya-La Pedrera.

This program is aimed at 4th year ESO students (16 years old) and has a duration of three years. Students will participate in the different phases of the program during the summers of 4th ESO, 1st year and 2nd year of high school.

The program is structured in three phases:

1st year | Phase 1: Scientific stays at MónNatura Pyrenees: 50 students are chosen to carry out a scientific research experience working in one of the 5 projects led by top level researchers and spending 13 days living in the Valls d’Àneu environment.

2nd year | Phase 2: Stays in research centers.

3rd year | Phase 3: Stays in international research centers, where students will carry out a research project.

In 2021, ICIQ hosted two students during the month of July in the group of Prof. J. R. Galán-Mascarós and in September in the group of Prof. Emilio Palomares.

Day of Women and Girls in Science – February 11, 2021

This day aims to recognize the fundamental role women and girls play in science and technology, despite the bias they continue to face.

It is a way of highlighting equality to achieve sustainable development.

On the occasion of this day, different talks took place organized virtually in which women scientists from the ICIQ participated.

Among others, there was the participation of: Mabel de Fez and Neus Sunyer (group of Prof. J.R. Galán-Mascarós), Alba Pérez and Imma Escofet (group of Prof. Antonio Echavarren), Sara López (group of Prof. Feliu Maseras and Dr. Mónica H. Pérez-Temprano), Alba Villar (Prof. Carles Bo’s group), Katherine Villa Gómez (Junior Leader «La Caixa») and Carla Casadevall (post-doctorate abroad and former student from Prof. Julio Lloret’s group).

As it was an online event, many schools that normally do not receive researchers in the classroom due to distance, were able to have this opportunity.

The «Treball de recerca TDR» (research work) is an academic work that all high school students in Southern Catalonia must do.

From ICIQ, we offer the students of the Crazy Chemistry Course to carry out the practical part of their research work (TDR) in our facilities, and this call can be extended to other candidates in case of availability.

In 2021, 9 students of the Chemistry Crazy Course carried out the practical part of their research work in the group of Prof. J. R. Galán-Mascarós tutored by researchers David Nieto and Dr. Felipe Garcés.

Two other students also requested to develop the practical part of their research work at the Institute, specifically in the Outreach laboratory.

During the month of July 2021, two students took an optional high school course called Internships.

The first student, Paula Espiñeira, spent three weeks doing an internship with Prof. Carles Bo’s group and one more week in the Health and Safety Department.

The second student, Kira Capafons, spent two weeks in the X-Ray Unit with Dr. Eduardo Escudero.