CEI-Iscte took part in another edition of the European Researchers’ Night, which took place on 25 September at the National Museum of Natural History and Science in Lisbon, joining the other Iscte Research Units for an evening dedicated to bringing science and society closer together.
Throughout the afternoon and evening, the CEI-Iscte stand welcomed visitors of all ages, who had the opportunity to learn about research projects carried out at the Centre through two interactive activities. Through conversations, challenges and discoveries, the aim was to show how social science research can draw on traces of the past or address highly topical issues, whilst involving the public in the process of knowledge-building.
A mystery in the heart of Kenya’s rainforest
One of the activities took participants to the Kakamega rainforest in Kenya as part of the ERC AfDevLives project – The Afterlives of Development Interventions in Eastern Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique).
Using photographs, drawings, interview extracts and other artefacts collected during fieldwork, visitors were invited to take on the role of researchers to solve a puzzle: to uncover the history of an abandoned building that concealed a sauna, a pool table, a swimming pool and other unexpected features in the heart of the rainforest.
Rather than simply finding an answer, the activity sought to demonstrate how research combines different types of evidence to reconstruct histories and understand the lasting impacts of development interventions in East Africa.
Healthy and Sustainable Gaming: Improve your health – on and off screen
The e-Health project, presented by researcher Marcelo Moriconi, brought to the European Researchers’ Night a topic particularly relevant to younger generations: health and wellbeing in the world of esports.
Through short videos and an interactive quiz, participants reflected on their gaming habits, physical activity and the balance between time spent in front of the screen and other daily routines. The initiative highlighted the work carried out by the project, funded by Erasmus+, in promoting healthier lifestyles amongst players and other stakeholders in the esports community.
Participation in the European Researchers’ Night reaffirmed CEI-Iscte’s commitment to science communication and dialogue between researchers and the public.
By transforming research projects into participatory experiences, the initiative helped to raise awareness of the work carried out at the Centre and demonstrated how science can be accessible, challenging and relevant to understanding both historical issues and contemporary challenges.