The Portuguese Association of Geologists (APG), in partnership with the ENGIE project, has participated in two events of the European Researchers’ Night (ERN) 2021/2022 – SCIENCE CASTLE and REGGAE – Researchers for European Green Growth And Education, both in the city of Porto.
On September 24, 2021, APG took Geosciences to the Fort of Saint John the Baptist, the host of the National Defense Institute and a former defensive fortress and political prison. Young students were able to “play with Geosciences” and understand its importance to Society and to the accomplishment of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, adopted by the United Nations in 2015.
A few days before, on September 9th, participants of the ERN have travelled in Time through the Foz do Douro Geological Walk, a thematic path that aims to contribute to the public awareness of the Porto shoreline geological heritage, the Foz do Douro Metamorphic Complex.
Also, as a pre-ERN event, on September 22nd, Mónica Sousa from APG talked about the role of Geosciences and of Geoscientists in facing present and future societal challenges and supporting States and Society to chart new paths towards more inclusive, sustainable development. In this online session “Find the geologist in you!” students learned about the Earth’s history and how Geosciences can help and contribute to a safer, fairer, and more sustainable Society.
The European Researchers’ Night is an annual initiative, which was launched in 2005 by the European Commission, with the aim of celebrating Science and bringing researchers and citizens closer together. This event allows the public to discover research, science and innovation through entertainment, and shows the impact of science on citizens’ daily lives, stimulating interest in scientific careers, especially among young people.
This article has been published in the October 2021 edition of the ENGIE Magazine.
