The Universidade de Vigo will launch the sixth edition of the Plan Ciencia de ida e volta between October 2026 and June 2027. Driven by the Unidade de Cultura Científica e da Innovación (UCC+i) with funding from the FECYT-Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades, the program has a budget exceeding 100,000 euros, of which 30,000 comes from FECYT. The aim is to bring science closer to society through various scientific leisure activities.
The main novelties of this edition are a scientific 'speed dating', where researchers will present their projects to the general public to establish connections, and a 'divulgathon' focused on forest fires. This latter forum will bring together people affected by fires, firefighters, and experts from the UVigo in ecology, forest engineering, sociology, and communication to discuss prevention and recovery.
Additionally, the plan includes scientific exchanges with secondary school students, tours of living labs from the European project LivingSoiLL, and an archaeological walk through the Ons islands.
The training course 'Comunica a túa ciencia' (Communicate your science), with five two-hour modules, will kick off the program on October 28. This training, available in synchronous and asynchronous modes, is aimed at the university community and the external public, with 90 places per session. The first module, 'Communicating to connect: message, body, and voice', will be taught by Lara Capeáns.
The Galician Science Day (Día da Ciencia en Galego), on November 4, will also be highlighted with the publication of a new volume of the Escolma de termos científicos (Selection of scientific terms), which will add terminology from mathematics, astronomy, and botany to enrich the scientific-technical vocabulary in Galician.
Other initiatives include workshops for 11F, International Day of Women and Girls in Science, such as 'Elas Fan CienTec' and 'Rachando Estereotipos', the relaunch of the Minicionario de Xustiza Social (Mini-dictionary of Social Justice), and the digitization of the 'Quero ser investigadora' (I want to be a researcher) tour.
The plan is completed with physical and cognitive stimulation workshops for kindergarten students and elderly users of residences and day centers, the scientific fair-exhibition 'A ciencia que vén' (The science to come) in May, and the program 'Embaixadoras e embaixadores da Ciencia e do Coñecemento' (Ambassadors of Science and Knowledge) in June, in collaboration with the University Program for Older Adults (PUM).
