I3A Unizar will be contributing more than 60 researchers, eight research groups and nine activities to Researchers’ Night, which will take place in the Plaza del Pilar in Zaragoza on Friday 25 September, from 5.00 pm to 8.30 pm and from 10.00 pm to 12.30 am, and on Saturday 26 September, from 10.00 am to 2.00 pm. I3A will also be represented in Teruel on Friday 25 September from 5 pm to 8 pm under the arcades of the Plaza del Torico.
An event taking place simultaneously in almost 400 European cities, inviting the public to engage with science, learn about the research carried out at various centres and, as this year’s slogan states, “Imagine tomorrow”.
The I3A will showcase areas of work in biomedical engineering, industrial technologies, ICT, sustainability, the environment and the circular economy. The following activities will be on display:
- OLIVE OIL PRODUCTION AND WASTE RECYCLING
Thermochemical Processes Group (GPT)
Activities will be organised to learn about the olive oil-producing regions of Aragón and the separation of phases in olive oil production (oil, pomace and watery residue).
📅 Friday 25 September
🕔 17:00 – 20:30h.
- SELECTIVE SALT SHAKER
Thermochemical Processes Group (GPT)
A flame that changes colour when powdered metal salts are added (flame test). Harry Potter theme.
📅 Friday 25 September
🕔 22:00 – 00.30h.
- SAFE PACKAGING FOR HEALTHY FOOD
University Analytical Research Group (GUIA)
This informative event, aimed at the general public, will showcase the work of the GUIA group in the field of food packaging. It will explain what the information on packaging tells us, how to recycle all types of packaging correctly, and also how our packaging can tell us whether the food it contains is fit for consumption or not.
📅 Friday 25 September
🕔 17:00 – 20:30h.
- DISCOVERING THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD
Laser Optical Technologies Group (TOL)
In this activity, which is open to everyone, we will introduce visitors to the scientific method through simple yet striking experiments that will prompt them to ask questions about the science behind them.
📅 Friday 25 September
🕔 17:00 – 20:30h.
- PHOTONICS: THE TECHNOLOGY THAT LIGHTS UP THE FUTURE
Photonics Technologies Group (GTF)
Through simple, visual experiments, we will discover some surprising phenomena involving light, such as reflection, refraction, dispersion, guided light and its interaction with different materials. We will see how these phenomena, although they often go unnoticed, underpin key technologies such as fibre optics, sensors and telecommunications, and how the science of light helps us to imagine and build the technologies of tomorrow.
📅 Friday 25 September · 17:00 – 20:30h. y 22:00 – 00:30h.
📅 Saturday 27 September · 10:00 – 14:00h.
- LISTEN TO THE SIGNALS FROM YOUR HEART AND BRAIN
Biomedical Signal Interpretation and Computational Simulation (BSICOS)
Imagine a future in which doctors can detect diseases before symptoms appear. Our group is working in Zaragoza to make this a reality: we analyse the signals generated by the body, such as heartbeats, brain activity and muscle activity, and we develop tools to extract information that is not visible to the naked eye. On this occasion, we’ll have equipment that will allow us to record and visualise the electrical activity of the heart and muscles in real time, so that we can demonstrate and give a glimpse of what we do on a day-to-day basis. Because the future we imagine begins with a better understanding of how the body works today.
📅 Friday 25 September · 17:00 – 20:30h. y 22:00 – 00:30h.
📅 Saturday 27 September · 10:00 – 14:00h.
- HOW MUCH DO YOU KNOW ABOUT ENERGY SUSTAINABILITY?
Thermal Engineering and Energy Systems Group (GITSE)
A quiz with flashcards to find out how much you know about energy sustainability. The questions will cover general topics relating to environmental emissions and the technologies used to generate energy. There will also be an area where you can find out how to store thermal energy, in case you need it to warm your hands in winter or even to heat your home.
📅 Friday 25 September
🕔 22:00 – 00.30h.
- SEEING THE BRIGHT SIDE
Graphics & Imaging Lab
What colours does light consist of? How does it behave when it interacts with different materials? How do we perceive it? In this workshop, we’ll help you answer these questions in an interactive way: learn how colours work on a screen, build your own camera from a simple box, find out what polarisation is, and be amazed by our optical illusions.
📅 Friday 25 September
🕔 22:00 – 00.30h.
- SCIENCE IN MINIATURE: SHAPING THE FUTURE, DROP BY DROP
Multiscale in Mechanical and Biological Engineering (M2BE)
Through a range of interactive games, visitors will be able to understand how the cells of the immune system manage to fight cancer and build healthier bodies, or see how a single drop can alter the pH of various substances and why it is important to keep the body’s pH neutral. They will also experience the magic of non-Newtonian fluids, which are designed to protect our joints and blood circulation.
📅 Saturday 27 September
🕔 10:00 – 14:00h.
RESEARCHERS’ NIGHT IN TERUEL
- FULL THROTTLE (CLEAN)! POWERING CARS WITH H₂ AND CO₂
Catalysis and Reactor Engineering (CREG)
The concept of using CO₂ and H₂ to synthesise petrol will be demonstrated, with experiments showing how to distinguish between the gases and examples of how to detect them. A small prototype fuel-cell vehicle (using H₂ produced by water electrolysis) will also be demonstrated.
📅 Saturday 27 September
🕔 17:00 - 20:00h.
The University of Zaragoza is returning to the three Aragonese cities – Zaragoza, Huesca and Teruel – with its project “The Night and Researchers at School in Europe” (#G9EU4RESEARCH). Furthermore, for the second year running, the Aragonese public university is joining the celebrations organised by the Government of Aragon in the Plaza del Pilar, under the slogan “Imagine tomorrow”.
The European Researchers’ Night takes place simultaneously in around 400 European cities. The G9EU4RESEARCH project is funded by the European Union under grant agreement No. 101305392, as part of the Marie Skodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) – an initiative to promote scientific careers in Europe – under the Horizon 2020 programme.
The project’s key objectives include gender equality, diversity and inclusion in science, Open Science, Responsible Research and Innovation, the European Green Deal, the European Plan to Combat Cancer and the Sustainable Development Goals.
The University of Zaragoza works in partnership with the university campuses in Huesca and Teruel, the Alianza Unita – Universitas Montium (UNIZAR), as well as the various university institutes, research centres and university centres.
Link to the website of Unizar’s Scientific Culture Unit: https://ucc.unizar.es/noche-investigadores-2026-2027/la-noche-europea-de-los-investigadores-e-investigadoras
