In Marseille, with the Discover Science Festival across the city

Getting researchers out of their laboratories to explain their work to the general public, in a simple and fun way, is the first goal Discover the festival Which opened on Monday, May 27 and continues until Sunday, June 2 in Marseille.

In the program of this meeting, organized by the University of Aix-Marseille (Amu) and the National Center for Scientific Research in partnership with the Centrale Méditerranée and Inserm, meetings were held in unusual places, aiming to promote the research work carried out in the 36 laboratories (out of 114 at Amu) funded by the agency. National Research Institute (ANR).

With the full support of ANR,”The festival is centered around current research projects and targets everyone, starting with those who are not scientists at allidentifies Hannah Rubin, mediation officer within the Scientific Culture Unit at AMO. It is as new for the public as it is for our researchers to come out of the isolation of their research to simply talk about their work; It's an experience they're very excited about.“

Experimental sciences, biology, health, chemistry, as well as the humanities and social sciences are highlighted through mini-conferences, discussions held in the science bar, around quick research or a science film. Four venues are planned for school groups during the week, with workshops being held for them within the grounds of St Charles University.

But above all, it is the general public, from the age of 12, who this festival is aimed at. More than 80 scientists participate in these meetings, which are completely free but can sometimes be accessed by advance registration (laboratory visits to the Saint-Jérôme or CNRS campuses are limited to about ten people per session) or by reservation (for mini-conferences and cinemas). -Sciences).

Scientific bicycle on the Corniche

About ten places, at least symbolic, were taken over for the occasion: the Alcazar (1st), the Zumai bar (6th), the cafeteria of Café Toali (1st), the Bursa Center (1st), the cinemas Balen (6th) and Variétés (1st), and the Citadel Marseille (7th), Cours Belsunce, Place François-Mireur (1st), Épopée Village (14th), Escale Borély (8th), Fabulerie (1st), research laboratories of Saint-Jérôme (13th) and the National Center for Scientific Research (9th), Maison de l'apprenti (15) and La Plaine (5).

The most unusual meetings will take place on Sunday, June 2, near Escale Borelli. Between two swims, you can not only play, tinker and experiment on the terraces on the beach with the researchers (from 2pm to 6pm) but also enjoy a personal encounter at the top, on the Ferris wheel. “We were inspired by a Japanese initiative to offer this unique meeting, which provides an unusual environment to discuss science during the ten minutes of the tour.“, smiles Hannah Rubin. The idea becomes more attractive as the ride on the Big Wheel is offered to a science-hungry public (from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.).

Another must-see at the festival is the Science Bike,”A mobile cargo bike provides scientific mediation tools“The science bike customized in pink colors will be rolled out on Sunday, June 2, on the Corniche.

“As soon as the festival begins, the teams are full of ideas for the next edition, which is already funded by the National Research Agency.”With the desire in particular to expand the scope of our meetings beyond Marseille to the entire Aix-Marseille metropolitan area“, says Mila Nicolas, member of the Scientific Culture Unit at Aix-Marseille University.