The European Researchers' Night is a Europe-wide public event, which displays the diversity of science and its impact on citizens' daily lives in fun, inspiring ways and aims to:
- bring research and researchers closer to the public
- promote excellent research projects across Europe and beyond
- increase the interest of young people in science and research careers
- showcase the impact of researchers’ work on people’s daily lives
As misinformation, deepfakes, and half-truths spread, it’s getting harder to tell what’s real from what’s fake. This causes people to lose trust in news and information, which weakens democracy by creating confusion and doubt about what to believe. Artificial intelligence (AI) plays a key role in this issue—it can spread fake information and help fight against it. That’s why it’s important to promote media literacy and teach people how to think critically, so they can deal with real and manipulated information.
The event primarily targets High School pupils (15-18 years) and future students in the nine Unite! cities and regions. However, anyone interested is welcome to join.
This event is an excellent opportunity for students to get curious, ask questions, and engage with science. This year, the focus is on AI. The impact and potential of AI is undeniable, but there are still a lot of questions we must answer. While we might not have all the answers, we can always ask ChatGPT! :D
Despite the complexity of AI, we mustn’t shy away from it, but embrace the challenge and the change, explore its potential, and tackle tough questions. After all, curiosity, learning, and critical thinking are how we move forward in science.
This year, the event will take place on Friday 27 September in 25 countries. The Unite! webinar from 10:00 AM – 12:00 (noon) CET, online via zoom, will:
- Briefly present the European University Alliance “Unite!” and its offer for prospective students.
- Show that the researcher’s job is interesting, exciting, amazing and provides an opportunity to work with colleagues from all around the world.
- Explain some elements and reflections on ethics and credibility in science and technology, which are crucial for the advancement of knowledge, the trustworthiness of research, and the responsible application of scientific discoveries. These principles ensure that scientific and technological developments are conducted and communicated in ways that are fair, transparent, and beneficial to society.
Practical information
- Please register in advance here.
Agenda of the session:
10:00 – 10:05 Introduction of the session; Moderator Milica Zivanic, SURE! Representative from UPC, Barcelona
10:05 – 10:10 Welcome address by Unite! Secretary General
10:15 – 10:30 AI-Robotics: Trustworthiness, Trustiness, Truthiness, and Failing Democracy; Prof. Cecilio Angulo Bahón, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya
10:30 – 10:40 Submitted questions from school classes
10:40 – 10:55 Ethics and consequences of emerging AI tools (tentative); Dr. Teresa Marcinów, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology
10:55 – 11:05 Submitted questions from school classes
11:05 – 11:20 AI governance; Prof. em. Carl-Gustaf Jansson, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm
11:20 – 11:30 Submitted questions from school classes
11:30 – 11:55 Discussion and debate between speakers and audience; Dr. Teresa Marcinów, Prof. Cecilio Angulo Bahón, Prof. em. Carl-Gustaf Jansson
11:55 – 12:00 Closure