DIAGONAL had a unique opportunity to try out some public engagement materials at European Researchers’ Night 2024 in Graz, Austria.

On Friday, 27 September 2024, DIAGONAL partner BNN joined researchers across Europe for simultaneous public science events in dozens of European cities. In Graz, the event took place at the University of Graz under the motto ““Life is Science – in a world turned upside-down!”

This dynamic event presents engaging, hands-on activities suitable for people of all ages, from children to students to adults, offering them a glimpse into the daily activities of several research institutions on the topics of Earth Explorers, Health Enthusiasts, Tech Pioneers and Science Reporters.

A total of 650 people visit the exhibitions, including the BNN booth “Wie nano ist unsere Welt?” (How nano is our world?) At the BNN exhibit, students and adults were able to match microscopic images of nanomaterials to their real-life applications. Young visitors learned about nanostructures in nature, such as butterfly wings, the pearling of the Lotus Effect, or the dentine in our teeth! Even the youngest visitors loved using a pipette to create large and small water droplets on hydrophobic and hydrophilic surfaces!

We displayed the newly created factsheets for SMEs and the general public.

We also encouraged visitors to use a QR code to take our quiz “How ‘nano’ is the world around you?” to increase their awareness of nanomaterials they might come in contact with in their daily lives.

It was a fun evening  for all involved!