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On 27 September at the Science in the City festival, it is all about YOU. This year we have a host of thrilling events designed to showcase how science impacts the individual adult, child and teenager too. Valletta’s main Squares will burst into life from 18:00 until midnight with the fascinating, the beautiful and the downright bizarre. 

In Power It up, the digital area, you’ll have the opportunity to step into a virtual reality, with VR headsets opening the door onto a world in which anything is possible. You can even try your hand at a new virtual skill like music or art to see exactly what we mean. The Institute of Digital Games at the University of Malta will be bringing along a whole range of futuristic activities, relating to topics from artificial intelligence to philosophy. For those racing car aficionados, there will be a state-of-the art model that will be brought along by the UM Racing Society. Be warned though, it might get loud!   

If you’re at that age when your choice of subjects will affect your future, maybe thinking of which career path to embark on, Meet the Researcher is the ideal opportunity to discover what it would be like to be a scientist. Researchers will be at Triton, City Gate and Castille, to chat with everyone. They will be waiting to talk about what they do, and the range of topics is truly mind blowing:  teleportation, jellyfish, tsunami, amphora, bacteria and so much more.  

To see what a different kind of STEM career could look like, pay a visit to the St Martin’s institute, their stand is focused on Game Development and Design. This year they will be bringing along a game based on body kinetics, which allows you to play as one of the band members of Queen as they perform — a bit like karaoke by posture! This unique game is the result of a student’s project and shows what is possible with some creative coding and a whole lot of imagination. 

Whatever your interests, be it sharks or augmented reality, Science in the City is the place to be.  And if all that isn’t enough to tempt you, we hope to finish off the evening with a huge dance party from the main stage at Triton Fountain. To see updates about this and everything else going on follow the festival on Facebook and check out the full programme on the website.

Science in the City is part of the EU-wide celebration- European Researchers’ Night. It is funded by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions of the Horizon 2020 Program of the EU, and a number of corporate sponsors. It is recognized as a Festival by Europe for Festivals and Festivals for Europe (EFFE)

 

The consortium is led by the University of Malta, Malta Chamber of Scientists and the University’s Research Trust (RIDT), in partnership with Parliamentary Secretary for Financial Services, Digital Economy and Innovation, Ministry of Education and Employment, MCAST, Esplora, JUGS Ltd, Studio 7, BPC International, GSD Marketing Ltd, Aquabiotech Ltd, MEUSAC, PBS, Spazju Kreattiv, Valletta Local Council, Malta Council for the Voluntary Sector, More or Less Theatre, Transport Malta, Kreattiv and Creative Communities of the Arts Council Malta.

Photo: Science in the City 2018