The Biologists' Night at UG is becoming a more important event every year. Dozens of attractions, workshops and lectures attract representatives of all age groups. We could see how popular this event is on January 12 at the Faculty of Biology of UG and the Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology UG and MUG.

‘I came here with my two children. We are delighted. We have already been to a lecture about birds. We were able to touch various feathers and learn a lot of interesting facts,' says Lutka Majewska, a participant in the Biologists' Night at the Faculty of Biology. ‘Very nice atmosphere. The children liked the visual elements the most. We survived the lectures, the labs were a bit more to their liking, and for now, they have the most fun at the Amber Museum.’

There was no shortage of diverse interdisciplinary attractions in the Faculty of Biology. Members of the Horticultural Student Association from Gdansk University of Technology discussed growing plants using the hydroponic method. The UG Student Oceanographers' Scientific Circle presented the role of phytoplankton in the ecosystem at a stand entitled 'Everyone is important'. As in previous years, there was also a night excursion to the Gdansk Zoo. However, most of the attractions were prepared by lecturers and students from the UG Faculty of Biology.

‘At our stand, called 'From an atom to a coffee bean', we interact with people of all ages. Preschoolers, high school students or parents of children come to us,’ said Kasia Żamojda from SSC Molekuła. ‘I am working on an animal cell model. We have prepared a clay model into which you can put the elements of the cell - the organelles. The task is to put them in place. When the younger children come in, I ask them what they like here in terms of shape or colour. I then tell them about the function of the element.’

Meanwhile, at the Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology UG and MUG, life science was shown more from the laboratory side. Participants aged 12 and over could don lab coats and conduct simple experiments. Young researchers prepared microscope slides or cultures using yeast on solid media.

At the same time, many interactive attractions and games were prepared in the lobby of the IFB UG and MUG building. Participants in the Biologists' Night were able to paint with cyanobacteria, create their own 3D models of viruses or engage in non-Newtonian fluid testing. 

‘We run a stand to show how much pink there is in biotechnology,' says Natalia Tołoczko, who runs the 'BarbieLand' stand. ‘We have pink: histological preparations, halophiles, cultures on various media, air samples or microscope preparations. We have also prepared a game where you can learn about the role of women in science.’

It is worth mentioning that the organisation of these stands involved mainly members of scientific circles active at IFB UG and MUG. ‘A total of 40 people were involved in the organisation and prepared about 20 stands,' says Adam Borys, IFB UG and MUG Biologists' Night coordinator.