The ninth edition of the Silesian Science Festival Katowice is fast approaching! Find out what you can expect on 6–8 December at the International Congress Centre in Katowice, and let yourself be carried away by science.
The leading theme of this year’s edition of the Festival is: ‘Dare to experiment!’. This is an encouragement to freely broaden one’s horizons, boldly combine seemingly disparate elements, and explore unknown areas of science.
Opening hours
The festival space at the International Congress Centre will be open to visitors during the following hours:
● 6 December (Saturday): 12.00 p.m. (noon)–6.00 p.m.;
● 7 December (Sunday): 10.00 a.m.–6.00 p.m.;
● 8 December (Monday): 8.00 a.m.–4.00 p.m.
Night at the City of Science
The opening event of the 9th ŚFN Katowice will be Night at the City of Science. The special show will take place on the first day of the Festival – 6 December at 6.30 p.m. at the International Congress Centre
The main point on the programme will be the play ‘EXPERYMENT’ directed by Piotr Jankowski, which will address the issue of ethics in psychological research.
Novelties at the 9. ŚFN
The most important new features of the 9th ŚFN include:
● new special zones, such as: Science Fiction Zone, Health Screening Zone, Film Zone, Kids Zone;
● new stages, including the Future Planning Office, POP Science Stage, Mental Health Stage, and Open Education Room;
● artistic projects: the ‘Asylum’ installation and the ‘Cinematographers’ exhibition.
9th ŚFN Stages
This year’s lectures, meetings, debates and artistic events will take place on several stages:
● Main Stage
● Rawa Valley Stage
● Kids Zone Stage
● Science Fiction Stage
● POP Science Stage
● I Like Science Stage: Power of Experiments
● Crime and Punishment Stage
● Explaining Reality Stage
● Senior Stage
● Open Education Room
● Mental Health Stage
● Untamed Science: POP Science, Future Planning Office
● City of Science Market of Ideas: Health&Wellbeing Stage, Economy Stage, Going Green Stage, Natural Intelligence Stage, STEM Stage, Silesian Hall of Fame Stage
Competitions
The competitions organised as part of the 9th ŚFN Katowice include:
● Silesian Scientific Award;
● OFF Science;
● POP Science Award;
● sChOOL Science – European Funds for the Youth;
● Silesian Science Festival Katowice Dictations.
During the 9th ŚFN, we will also announce the winners of the ‘Invent the Future. Katowice – City of Science of the Future’ competition, organised by the University of Silesia and the City of Katowice.
Guests
The Silesian Science Festival Katowice would not be complete without distinguished figures from the world of science. This year’s guests included:
● Katie Steckles (Manchester Metropolitan University),
● Michael Fowler (Technische Universität Berlin),
● Jarosław Kapuściński (Stanford University),
● prof. Takaharu Tezuka (Tokyo City University),
● prof. Davide Ruzzon (University of Venice),
● prof. Włodzisław Duch (World Academy for Artificial Consciousness),
● prof. dr hab. Dariusz Doliński (Polish Academy of Sciences),
● Horst Hoertner (Ars Electronica),
● Goof Buijs (UNESCO),
● Artur Chmielewski (NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory),
● dr Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski (European Space Agency),
● Wojciech Mann (Radio Nowy Świat),
● prof. dr hab. Irena Lipowicz (former Ombudsperson),
● prof. dr hab. Maciej Szpunar (Advocate General of the Court of Justice of the European Union).
● Agnieszka Jankowiak-Maik (Babka od histy [History Teach])
● Maciej Makselon
● Chuma Mbambo-Lado
● dr inż. Konrad Skotnicki (Doktor z TikToka [Doctor from TikTok]),)
● dr Krzysztof M. Maj (AGH University of Krakow)
Participation in 9th ŚFN
● Individual entry pass – the Silesian Science Festival Katowice is always free of charge and open to everyone. We encourage you to register for the event and download your individual entry ticket.
● Organised group entry pass – registration includes participation in ŚFN on Monday, 8 December. Please reserve specific time slots for entering the Festival grounds – the first entry will be available at 8.00 a.m., and the last one at 2.00 p.m.
● Registration for activities subject to limits – at ŚFN Katowice, most events are available without restriction, but some require registration due to limited space. To register for activities subject to limits, you must first obtain an individual or group entry pass. We encourage you to follow the Festival programme, where new attractions are regularly published..
Stay up to date
Be sure to follow the communication channels of ŚFN Katowice, where you can find the latest information about the Festival:
● ‘Supernova‘ – ŚFN Katowice scientific newsletter;
● ŚFN Katowice website;
● ŚFN Katowice profiles on Facebook and Instagram;
● ŚFN Katowice app.
The 9th Silesian Science Festival Katowice is organised by: University of Silesia in Katowice (leader and initiator of the event), City of Katowice (host city of the event), Metropolis GZM and Silesian Voivodeship (co-hosts), as well as Silesian University of Technology, University of Economics in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Jan Długosz University in Częstochowa, Academy of Physical Education in Katowice, Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Katowice, and Częstochowa University of Technology.
Task financed by the Minister of Science and Higher Education
The Main Sponsor of the Festival is PKO Bank Polski. The Gold Sponsors are Tauron Polska Energia S.A. and iStudies by iSpot. The Gold Partner is the Łukasiewicz Research Network. The Silver Partners are Lasy Państwowe (State Forests) and Scanmed S.A. The Bronze Sponsor is PZU. The Bronze Partners are ORLEN S.A., Koleje Śląskie, National Centre for Research and Development, Research and Academic Computer Network – National Research Institute (NASK), Teala. Strategic partners and main media patrons are: Polityka, Wiedza i Życie, Świat Nauki and Pulsar. Radio Katowice is the main regional media patron. Partners of the event are: NDI, Foundation for the Development of Education, GAZ-SYSTEM S.A., Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange, Nauka. To Lubię! Foundation, Silesian Library, Jerzy Pilch’s Granatowe Góry Word Festival, Chemical World, Kleks – The Magic of Cinema, Do dzieła. Mobile Art and Sensory Workshop, Space Education Base – KoBae, Malowisko, 1000 Blocks Creativity Centre by Bricks4kidz, GIBUSIOLANDIA, SUPER GIGANCI Private Primary School.
The media patrons of the event are: National Geographic, PAP Nauka w Polsce (Science in Poland), Forum Akademickie, Radio 357, TVP Info, TVP3 Katowice, Dziennik Zachodni, Gazeta Wyborcza , wKatowicach.eu, Radio ESKA, Radio Bielsko, Radio Express, Radio eM, Gość Niedzielny, Świerszczyk Children’s Magazine, Ultramaryna, University of Silesia Magazine and Egida Student Radio.
Honorary patrons of the festival are: Minister of Science and Higher Education, Minister of National Education, Minister of Culture and National Heritage, Minister of Climate and Environment, Minister of Development and Technology, President of the Polish Academy of Sciences, President of the Polish Patent Office, National Centre for Research and Development, Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange, Space Research Centre of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Polish Space Agency POLSA, President of the Foundation for Polish Science, Marshall of the Silesian Voivodeship, Chair of Metropolis GZM, Mayors of the cities of Katowice, Częstochowa, Sosnowiec, Bielsko-Biała, Gliwice, Zabrze, Bytom, Chorzów, Rybnik and Cieszyn.
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