Science and Fun at Bilbao’s European Researchers’ Night

On 25 September, BCMaterials took part in a new edition of the European Researchers’ Night, organised by the University of the Basque Country at El Arenal in Bilbao.

Through a series of fun experiments for visitors of all ages, our centre’s stand showcased the work we carry out on advanced materials for energy generation and storage, biomedicine and biotechnology, environmental detection and remediation, and sensors and actuators for digital transformation.

One of the main attractions at the stand was the production of hydrogels. Younger visitors were able to create their own spheres using different alginate concentrations. In this way, they learned that these materials are used in controlled drug delivery, wound healing, tissue regeneration, precision agriculture and many other fields.

New experiments and gamification

Another new feature was an experiment with thermoelectric materials. Visitors experienced first-hand how temperature differences can generate voltage through the Seebeck effect. Simply by placing their hands on a cooled metal plate, they were able to light up the LEDs of a small house included in the demonstrator. Thermoelectric materials can be used to recover heat that would otherwise be wasted in industrial manufacturing processes, vehicle engines and other applications, converting it into useful energy.

For this edition, we also incorporated gamification into our demonstrations through *Supermaterials Race*, a board game created by BCMaterials. By answering a fun series of questions, players moved their pieces around the board while learning how advanced materials, functionalised through scientific research, can provide solutions to challenges related to the environment, energy, health and emerging technologies.

BCMaterials would like to thank the Vice-Rectorate for Transfer and Internationalisation of EHU, through its Directorate for the Social Dissemination of Science, for the excellent organisation of the European Researchers’ Night.

We would also like to highlight the commitment and fantastic contribution of our team of volunteers at the stand: Ana Gómez Simón, Goizane Sot and Camilo Rodríguez.

Congratulations on the great work, and thenk you very much!