Last Sunday, 28 May, the Gradowa hill was visited in large numbers by families with children, adults and science enthusiasts. More than 5,000 people took part in the attractions prepared by the Fahrenheit Universities and Hevelianum. Waiting for the guests of the Picnic were the Science Stage and the Eduplay Zone, which abounded in instructive workshops, competitions, demonstrations and scientific riddles.  

This year's Fahrenheit Science Picnic was held under the theme Science with Climate. With it, the organisers referred to the Sustainable Development Goals and invited the guests to have fun, to experience and to discover science from a different perspective. In a light-hearted picnic format, important and very useful things were mentioned, which affect both the environment and the well-being of people themselves.

One of the main points on the picnic map was the Science Stage. At 11 a.m., to the accompaniment of the Gdańsk Academic Orchestra, the event was officially opened. It was attended by: Monika Chabior, Deputy Mayor of Gdańsk for Social Development and Equal Treatment, Prof. Krzysztof Wilde, Rector of the Gdańsk University of Technology, Prof. Piotr Stepnowski, Rector of the University of Gdańsk, Prof. Michał Markuszewski, Vice-Rector for Science at the Medical University of Gdańsk, Paweł Golak, Hevelianum Director, and Stanisław Szultka, Director of the Department of Economic Development of the Pomeranian Regional Governor’s Office.

During the Fahrenheit Science Picnic, the Science Stage, hosted by Aleksandra Stanisławska and Piotr Stanislawski, the authors of the popular science blog Crazy Nauka, featured a zero waste fashion show, where, to the delight of the guests, the representatives of the Fahrenheit Universities and Hevelianum presented outfits and jewellery made from non-standard recycled materials.

Equally popular were the spectacular and informative science demonstrations prepared, among others, by Hevelianum educators and the Heveliuses of Science. The Fahrenheit Universities' Awards were also presented on the Science Stage.

Stanisław Szultka, Director of the Department of Economic Development of the Pomeranian Regional Governor’s Office, personally congratulated the winners of the first edition of the Mayor of Gdańsk Fahrenheit Scholarship Programme for International PhD Students.

Another highlight of the picnic was the Science Village with 45 tents with demonstrations, workshops and experiments prepared by the Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk University of Technology and University of Gdańsk. Visitors could learn, for example, how to create a brain from recycled items, how waves come into being and what can be done with worn-out tyres. Experiments with liquid nitrogen, hydrogen-fuelled cars and an escape room with medical and dietary themes were prepared for volunteers. There was also a stand with free prophylactic medical examinations, which the picnic guests were very keen to take advantage of.

For the youngest, both in age and spirit, the Eduplay Zone was prepared, where the partners to the event invited the visitors to participate in ecological workshops. The activities on how to make flowerpots from plastic waste, prepare home-made cosmetics, eco-jewellery or pencil cases from scraps of materials all attracted great interest. 

One of this year's novelties was the Fahrenheit Laboratory, a unique combination of a theatre and a chemistry laboratory, where stories about the life of the famous Gdańsk scientist were created with the use of special chemical effects. The performance was based on excerpts from the play “Fahrenheit, directed by  Michał Derlatka of the Miniatura Theatre, and free tickets were distributed in a flash.

The attractions of the Fahrenheit Science Picnic were completed with a scientific debate “Science Speaks. In the Balance”, during which the guests discussed, among other topics, whether the ambitious sustainable development goals are reconcilable with our needs and what we have a real influence on and where we can already make a difference. The debate was moderated by Aleksandra Stanisławska, a science journalist and co-founder of CrazyNauka.pl. Participants in the debate included: prof. Szymon Malinowski, Maciej Tankiewicz Ph.D. Eng., prof. Hanna Staroszczyk, Barbara Kijewska Ph.D. and Marcin Jasiukowicz.

Organisers: Fahrenheit Universities (Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk University of Technology, University of Gdańsk) and Hevelianum.

Some attractions were organised with the financial support of the Gdańsk Economic Development Agency sponsored by investGDA.

The event was held under the honorary patronage of: Head of the Pomerania Region Dariusz Drelich, Governor of the Pomerania Region Mieczysław Struk  and Mayor of Gdańsk Aleksandra Dulkiewicz.

Strategic Partners: Międzynarodowe Targi Gdańskie, Samorząd Województwa Pomorskiego, Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe, Wojewódzki Fundusz Ochrony Środowiska i Gospodarki Wodnej.

Contents Partners: Gdańska Fundacja Rozwoju Gospodarczego, Czyste Miasto Gdańsk, Straż Miejska w Gdańsku, Miejski Teatr Miniatura, Zakład Utylizacyjny w Gdańsku, Gemini Polska.

Media coverage: TVP Nauka, trójmiasto.pl, gdansk.pl.

Owing to GIWK, free drinking water was available in the catering area.

All the attractions except for the Hevelianum permanent exhibitions were free. 

fot. GREGMAR