A Week of Witches is already behind us
It was a special Science Week. As part of the celebrations of the European City of Science Katowice 2024, the Week of Witches took place at the Silesian University of Technology. The event was an opportunity for an interactive presentation of exciting and modern chemistry as well as talks with scientists from Silesian universities.
The event began with the “Potions lesson at Hogwarts,” in the laboratories of the Biotechnology Centre of the Silesian University of Technology.
- “The workshops were addressed to pupils of the younger classes of primary school. We have prepared for them simple chemical experiments that fit into the names of elixirs and magical mixtures found in the Harry Potter books. The children prepared an elixir called Liquid Happiness, a decoction of Living Death and Smoker Liquid,” - said Dr Eng. Anna Byczek-Wyrostek.
Finally, the little scientists learned the basics of the periodic table and solved chemical puzzles.
The next workshops within the Week of Witches under the slogan "From oil lamp to ultraviolet lamp" were held in the laboratories of the Centre for Organic and Nanohybrid Electronics (CONE) of the Silesian University of Technology.
During this unique event, the children had the opportunity to meet two outstanding figures who changed the face of science – Ignacy Lukasiewicz and Maria Skłodowska-Curie.
- “The participants took part in a workshop entitled „Manufacture of cosmetics", during which they prepared natural creams. These classes were related to the figure of Ignacy Lukasiewicz, who, in addition to inventing the oil lamp, also worked as a pharmacist. In the second workshop - the dark one, the children learned the secrets of UV radiation and the phenomenon of fluorescence, that is, they discovered the magic of scientific phenomena that Maria Skłodowska-Curie studied” - said Magdalena Tomaka, the leader of the workshop from the Lukasiewicz Research Network - the Institute of Heavy Organic Synthesis "Blachownia" in Kędzierzyn Koźle.
This is not the end of Monday’s Week of Witches. Many people decided to visit the Museum of Medicine and Pharmacy in Sosnowiec as part of the event “from Alchemy to Pharmacy.” The participants were guided around the museum by a “charming witch” and had workshops on creating a magical bath mixture.
The second day of the Week of Witches began at SPINplace in Katowice, where the exhibition entitled “Maria Skłodowska-Curie - in love with science” was opened, then there was an author meeting with its creators. Prof. Tomasz Pospieszny and Ewelina Wajs-Baryła, the authors of the project, talked about how they managed to collect so many details about the heroine’s private and professional life.
The exhibition presented unusual and non-obvious facts from the life of the famous Nobel Prize winner. Prof. Pospieszny, who was responsible for its preparation and co-author of the Skłodowska-Curie biography, believes that there is still much to be discovered about the scientist.
“My love for Maria started when I was 6 years old. I saw an unusual portrait on the wall at school, went home, asked my parents who this lady ‘Curie’ was, and I have been looking for any information about her ever since “ - said Prof. Pospieszny who, together with Ewelina Wajs-Baryła, is reaching out to new sources about the Nobel Prize winner. They also meet with her descendants and family members, thanks to which they gain valuable memories about her. The authors of the exhibition describe their findings on the website “More Beautiful Science,” which is dedicated to popularizing knowledge about female scientists.
- The project "More beautiful side of science” began with a series of humanizing lectures entitled "More beautiful side of science - the role of women in the creation of chemistry and physics", created for students of the Faculty of Chemistry of Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań by Tomasz Pospieszny. - “Because we still have the impression that there is not much talk about the discoveries of women in science, we decided to expand the database with other outstanding women” – added Ewelina Wajs-Baryła.
The authors have already written about Irena Joliot-Curie and Maria Goeppert-Mayer.
Also on Tuesday, at the Faculty of Chemistry of the Silesian University of Technology, a lecture, and workshops “Spells transforming matter” took place. The participants had the opportunity not only to gain knowledge, but also to wear a white apron, gloves, glasses and try their hand during work in a chemical laboratory, learning in advance the most important rules of using this place.
- “We have prepared classes on polymers. They occur literally everywhere - in the human body, in the world around us. But there are too many of them now. We tried to explain to the children and show that synthetic polymers can be replaced with natural ones. It is more environmentally friendly and can better serve man” - explains Dr Gabriela Dudek, professor at SUT.
A great impression on the guests of the Faculty of Chemistry was made by the opportunity to work in a real laboratory under the supervision of scientists of our University. Children had the opportunity to experiment, creating rubber balls, or checking the strength of blue light, thanks to which they are patched with polymer holes in their teeth.
In turn, the World of Science and Fantasy of Zagłębie Mediateka in Sosnowiec invited primary school pupils to the workshop "In the world of witches and wizards". The participants explored the knowledge of witches and wizards and made their own images of witches. Their works will be presented at the exhibition in the World of Science and Fantasy.
The second day of the Witches’ Week ended with the screening of the film “Skłodowska” directed by Marjane Satrapi at the Rialto Cinema Theatre in Katowice and the lecture “Witches or just women? with particular emphasis on the history of Katarzyna Włodyczkowa from Czeladź", which took place in the auditorium of the Zagłębie Mediateka in Sosnowiec.
On the third day of Witches Week, the organizers prepared attractions for participants of all ages.
Scientists from the Faculty of Chemistry of the Silesian University of Technology invited again to a lecture and workshops “Spells transforming matter,” this time for advanced students. And although they were addressed mainly to secondary school pupils, there were also children from primary schools among the participants.
The classes this time took place in the building of the Centre of New Technologies of the Silesian University of Technology. During the workshop, physical and chemical experiments were presented, showing the connection of magical phenomena occurring in literature and films with the basic laws of nature and the properties of matter. The participants turned into wizards and tried spells on elements available during the workshops. They learned, among others, how to put objects into levitation, light a bulb without an electric circuit, or freeze food products in a flash.
Wednesday was also the last day of visiting the Museum of Medicine and Pharmacy in Sosnowiec and workshops as part of the activity "from Alchemy to Pharmacy". In the same city, in Zagłębie Mediateka, there were workshops “Halloween Creative Senior,” during which participants made, among others, hand-painted original pillowcases with pumpkin, bat, cobwebs or witches’ motifs.
The day ended with the scientific debate of PhD students “Sorcerers Duels,” which took place at the Centre of Organic and Nanohybrid Electronics of the Silesian University of Technology. The event began with a lecture “Sustainability and green technologies,” delivered by Prof. Hai M. Duong of the National University of Singapore.
“We have listened to a literally “charming” lecture. Professor Hai M. Duong came to us specially to give a lecture on the creation of wholesome materials from waste” – explains Prof. Dr Hab. Eng. Sławomir Boncel, Prof. SUT who led the event. - "We heard about the full scale of possibilities behind this approach and a lot of examples, including the use of an extremely light aerogel.”
The professor also took part in a debate with doctoral students from different countries.
- “Thanks to this, the debate was interesting, because everyone had different observations and experiences resulting from upbringing on a different continent” - says Prof. Sławomir Boncel. "We have tried to answer the question of whether sustainable development is moving in the direction we would like.”
The aim of the debate was to develop a conscious and sustainable approach to the technological future of our planet. The participants analysed the environmental, economic, and social impacts of green technologies, considering their effectiveness and long-term consequences.
On the next day of Witches Week at the Silesian University of Technology, students learned the secrets of four elements: earth, water, fire, and air. At the Institute of Materials Engineering of the University of Silesia in Chorzów, on Thursday, a “Magic expedition through the elements with material engineering” took place.
Primary school pupils from the region listened to the lecture, then took part in various experiments in the university’s laboratories.
"We presented our listeners with modern materials that could be used by witches. And I think that even they would be surprised what functionalities we could give to their… brooms” – said Dr Eng. Sylwia Golba from the Faculty of Science and Technology at the University of Silesia.
During the lecture, the kids could learn a lot of practical information about materials engineering.
“Not everyone realizes that materials engineering accompanies us all the time. That is why during such meetings we try to show it and explore this field of science with young people” – adds the scientist.
After the lecture, there were puzzles and a mini competition, then the pupils went to the laboratories. There they learned the secrets of the four elements: Earth, water, fire, and air, taking part in various experiments. “All in safe conditions,” said Dr Eng. Sylvia Golba.
Participation in experiments, in modern laboratories was a great attraction for students – their teachers emphasize.
- “The classes were very interesting. The pupils liked the experiments because they could do something themselves, touch something, try something and this is much more interesting than such dry knowledge” - said Anna Janowska, a math teacher from Primary School number 45 in Sosnowiec.
In addition, such classes integrate the class very much. Children can do something together, work and this is important in the era of computers and mobile phones – added Agnieszka Sadowska, a teacher at the Sosnowiec school.
- “In today's classes I could learn many interesting things, some surprised me very much and I think I will remember them” - said Ola Umińska, a pupil of the 6th grade of the Primary School in Sosnowiec.
The Witches’ Week ended on Sunday with a family field game “In the world of alchemy.” Nearly a hundred participants took part in the game. During the event, the weather, attendance, and creativity of scientists of our University and students from the Student Research Club of Chemists were beyond expectations. Parents with children, forming a team, received maps of the Silesian University of Technology campus, and then in three locations – the Centre for New Technologies, the Biotechnology Centre and the Red Chemistry building – they had to face various tasks, moving, among others, to the world of Harry Potter or the dark laboratory.
“It was a day for whole families. We wanted to present to the participants various areas of chemistry – from scratch through various curiosities. The tasks they faced were also prepared with the intention that sometimes children together with their parents would think about the answer. There were also experiments for the youngest” – explains Dr Hab. Eng. Agata Blacha-Grzechnik, Prof. SUT, the curator of the Week of Witches.
The event began with a lecture by Dr Hab. Eng. Paulina Wiecińska, Prof of Warsaw University of Technology, entitled “the Island of Secrets – discovering Ceramics in Contemporary Technologies.” Later, the teams went to the world of alchemy on an expedition full of chemical puzzles in the chemists’ studios, collecting letters needed to complete the game.
- “This event certainly allowed the participants to get to know the campus of the Silesian University of Technology. We are glad that so many people have taken advantage of our invitation” - concluded Prof. Agata Blacha-Grzechnik.
In addition to the Silesian University of Technology, the organization of the Witches Week was joined by:
University of Silesia
Medical University of Silesia
Academy of Fine Arts in Katowice
Łukasiewicz Research Network – Institute of Heavy Organic Synthesis” Syntheses
Zagłębiowska Mediateka - Municipal Public Library named after G. Danilowski in Sosnowiec.
The text was prepared by Jolanta Skwaradowska. The events were reported by Katarzyna Siwczyk, Martin Huć and Jolanta Skwaradowska.
