Researcher's Night 2011 - Science Revealed

The Research Promotion Foundation (RPF) is organizing for the sixth consecutive year on September 23, 2011, the event "Researchers Night” in the context of the European Commission initiative to promote careers in science and research.

This year's event will take place at Famagusta Gate in Nicosia under the auspices of the Mayor of Nicosia, Ms Eleni Mavrou, and will include a series of activities titled: "Science Revealed!". The event aims to reveal the image of researchers and to clarify that they are not as “isolated scientists” living in their laboratories and being detached from our society, a picture that seems to have grown over time through literature and cinema. Also, the event aims to strengthen the public image of the researchers and highlight the important role they play in society; encouraging young people to follow careers in research. Similar events will be held during the same night in all European countries.

During the event, researchers will present their work and inform the public both about the importance of research and practical applications of their research results that have impact on our life. The public will have the opportunity to actively participate in research experiments, allowing anyone to become a researcher for one night!

The competition «S-Factor» will be held during the event. The competition aims at informing and promoting science to students of secondary school (high school) by leading students to present within three minutes with an original and entertaining way to the audience a scientific phenomenon. Additionally, during the event students from the Elementary School of Agios Dometios B will present an alternative music and theater play whereas the Astronomical Society of Cyprus will showcase telescopes, giving the public the opportunity to explore the night sky of Nicosia. Finally, in the "European Corner", the RPF will have informative material about the European Commission and the European Research Area and the Marie Curie Competition.