Introduction
European Performing Science Night (EPSN) is an art and science workshop framed within the European Performing Science Program (EPSP) project funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation program under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement no. 101162558. The project, which is based on the combination of scientific excellence and performing arts as a common language, involves the Computer Vision Center (CVC), the Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM) and the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC). The aim of this initiative is to reduce the distance between science and society, bringing the public closer to researchers and their work, the benefits they bring to society and their impact on everyday life in an experiential and emotional way.
Art-Science workshop
Around 25 selected and awarded scholarship holders will participate in the art-science workshop that will take place from 9 to 29 September 2024 inclusive.
This edition of the workshop addresses ecosystems, both natural and artificial. On the one hand, digital systems driven by Artificial Intelligence have reached an authoritative role that guides and, in many cases, imposes our way of life in society. Our daily decisions are driven by these technological systems, which in turn are led by industry and business. What we eat, what we like, where we work and how we live are decided or influenced by invisible networks of algorithms.
On the other hand, natural ecosystems remain fundamental to the survival and well-being of all species, including humans. As digital systems become increasingly integrated into our lives, it is crucial to understand how these two types of ecosystems interact and coexist.
This workshop focuses on exploring these complex dynamics, seeking strategies to foster a harmonious coexistence between natural and artificial ecosystems.
The experts
Experts from the Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM), the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC) and the Centre de Visió per Computador (CVC) participated in this workshop.
Plastic ocean
Elisabetta Broglio and Gerard Llorach
The ICM carried out an analysis of single-use plastic consumption, dividing participants into two groups with different approaches: group A attempted to minimise the purchase and use of this type of plastic as much as possible, while group B aimed to increase it as much as possible. Each group collected, quantified and sorted all the single-use plastic used during the 15 days, and made an estimate of the amount they would generate annually by following the same habits.
Another experiment carried out by the ICM was to organise a paddle surfing trip in front of the port of Badalona. The aim of this challenge was to analyse and compare sea currents with ICATMAR data. To do this, about 30 paddle surfers were rented, and the creatives positioned themselves approximately 1.5 km off the coast of Badalona, letting themselves float for 30 minutes. Their positions were tracked using their mobile phones.
Inclusive adaptation to climate change
Carlo Sella
The UOC’s Transformation and Global Change Lab (TURBA) sought to analyse the impact of the exhibition on the public. To do this, they assessed the perception and opinions of the participants and the public in relation to climate change, raising questions about how it affects our daily lives and how we can find solutions.
Visual aesthetics without semantics
Alejandro Parraga
The CVC’s Neurobit group proposed a challenge in which creatives had to generate images with low aesthetic content, i.e. images considered ‘ugly’. The purpose of this was to use them to train an artificial intelligence, given that these learning algorithms (neural networks) are usually trained with mostly pretty images, which generates a bias in their results.
The exhibition
The activity concluded with the public presentation of the results from the art and science workshop carried out during three intense weeks of work. The results of the European Performing Science Night were officially presented on Friday, September 27, as part of the European Researchers’ Night, an initiative held simultaneously in 23 countries and over 400 cities across and beyond Europe.
The event combined scientific excellence with artistic languages, where the audience played a key role by contributing, interacting, and participating. In addition to the official date, the showcase was also available on Saturday, September 28.
