European Researchers’ Night 2026: a day of workshops and science for schools at the Bizzozero Campus

The activities of the European Researchers’ Night return in September, in collaboration with Co.Science 2.0, a project recognised by the European Commission as associated with the MSCA and Citizens initiative of the European Union – HORIZON-MSCA-2025-CITIZENS-01, continuing the work of the Co.Science project (April 2024 – March 2026), coordinated by the National Research Council (CNR). 

In Varese, the University of Insubria programme begins on Friday 25 September at the Bizzozero Campus, with a morning entirely dedicated to schools, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Workshops, demonstrations and interactive activities will guide children and young people through biology, medicine, chemistry, the environment, computer science, energy and the technologies used in scientific research.

The programme will continue on Saturday 26 September, from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., when the Bizzozero Campus, Via Monte Generoso 71, will open its doors to the public with “Science for Everyone”, an afternoon of experiments, scientific games, discovery and curiosity. At 5:30 p.m., there will also be a concert by Chorus Insubriae. 

PROGRAMME

From cells to microscopy: observing what normally cannot be seen

Among the activities aimed at younger participants is “Soap Cells”, held at the Bizzozero Campus at 8:30, 9:30, 10:30 and 11:30 a.m. Each session lasts 45 minutes and is designed for groups of 20–25 participants from primary schools and first-year lower secondary school classes.

After a short interactive lesson on the shape, structure and functioning of the cells in the human body, participants will build their own cell using modelling clay and soap, which they will then be able to take home. The coordinators are Marina Protasoni, Marcella Reguzzoni and Marina Borgese; bookings at notte.varese@uninsubria.it. 

Microscopy technologies are also the focus of “Che cosa SEMbra?”, scheduled at the same times, 8:30, 9:30, 10:30 and 11:30 a.m., lasting 45 minutes and open to groups of 20–25 lower and upper secondary school students.

After discovering what an SEM, or scanning electron microscope, is and what it can be used for, participants will be divided into teams and challenged to identify different structures starting from extremely magnified images, gradually zooming out until the entire object is revealed. The coordinators are Marina Protasoni, Marcella Reguzzoni, Piero Antonio Zecca, Marina Borgese and Petra Basso; bookings at notte.varese@uninsubria.it.

A journey into the invisible world is also offered by “Beyond the reach of the eye: a journey into the invisible world”, with sessions at 8:30 a.m. and 12 noon and a maximum of 20 participants per session.

Lower and upper secondary school students will be able to observe biological samples and microscopic structures using three instruments employed in contemporary research: the Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM), the Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and the Confocal Microscope, used to observe fluorescent samples and 3D optical sections. Coordinators: Aurora Montali and Maristella Mastore; bookings at aurora.montali@uninsubria.it and maristella.mastore@uninsubria.it. 

Food, digestion and the microbiota

“Journey through the digestive system: how the food we eat is transformed” is aimed at primary school pupils and will take place at the Bizzozero Campus, Bassani Building, Pharmacology Laboratory, with sessions at 9:00, 10:00 and 11:00 a.m. and 12 noon, lasting 45–60 minutes, with a maximum of 10 participants per session.

The interactive explanation will guide children through the main stages of digestion – chewing, digestion and absorption, and excretion – alternating short theoretical explanations with simple practical demonstrations. The activity will also address the gut microbiota and its role in maintaining health. Coordinators: Cristina Giaroni and Annalisa Bosi; bookings at cristina.giaroni@uninsubria.it.

Food and prevention will instead be the focus of “Let’s balance it – recipes in balance”, a workshop sponsored by AIRC, with sessions at 8:30, 9:30, 10:30 and 11:30 a.m. and a maximum of 25 participants per session.

Mystery cloches, a kitchen backdrop and a pantry full of food will set the scene for an activity aimed at primary and lower secondary schools, designed to explain in an engaging way how important a healthy and balanced diet is in preventing many diseases, including cancer.

Through games and the Harvard Healthy Eating Plate model, participants will try to improve the nutritional balance of everyday dishes and recipes. Coordinator: Greta Forlani; bookings at greta.forlani@uninsubria.it. 

Bacteria, viruses and prevention

The world of microbiology will take centre stage in “A journey through good and bad bacteria”, hosted in the Lanzavecchia Building at the Bizzozero Campus, Via J.H. Dunant 3, Microbial Biotechnology Laboratory, level -1, purple floor.

Sessions are scheduled at 9:00, 10:00 and 11:00 a.m., lasting 30–45 minutes, with a maximum of 20–25 participants. Primary school pupils will take part in simple explanations and practical activities, including a memory game using Petri dishes, simulations of bacterial isolation from soil and quizzes on “good” and “bad” microorganisms. Coordinator: Francesca Berini; bookings at f.berini@uninsubria.it.

Also aimed at primary school pupils is “Mission Microbes: discovering the invisible world”, at the former Agricultural Colony of the Bizzozero Campus, Via Monte Generoso 71, Microbiology and Virology Laboratory.

Sessions will be held at 8:30, 9:30, 10:30 and 11:30 a.m., will last 45 minutes and can accommodate up to 25 participants.

Through images, games and experiments, children will learn to distinguish between viruses and bacteria, understand the main mechanisms of infection transmission and the importance of prevention and good hygiene practices. A demonstration will also make the concept of “invisible contagion” visible. Coordinator: Andreina Baj; bookings at andreina.baj@uninsubria.it. 

From the heart to the skeleton: discovering the human body

The structure and functioning of the heart will be explained to children through “This is how we are made: inside us there is a heart, a powerful engine!”, with sessions at 8:30, 9:30, 10:30 and 11:30 a.m., for a maximum of 25 participants.

The activity, aimed at primary school pupils, will use images, drawings and models to illustrate the main structures of the heart and the functioning of the circulatory system. During the practical part, each child will build a three-dimensional model of the heart and the pulmonary and systemic circulation. Coordinator: Cristina Roseti; bookings at cristina.roseti@uninsubria.it.

“Bones, joints and movement” is aimed at lower and upper secondary school students. The 45-minute activity will take place at 8:30, 9:30, 10:30 and 11:30 a.m., for groups of 20–25 participants. By observing the human skeleton, students will discover how and why bones can perform certain movements and why others are not possible.

Coordinators: Marina Protasoni, Marcella Reguzzoni, Piero Antonio Zecca, Marina Borgese and Petra Basso; bookings at notte.varese@uninsubria.it.

Upper secondary school students can also take part in “Spare parts for humans”, held at 8:30, 9:30, 10:30 and 11:30 a.m., lasting 45 minutes, with 20–25 participants per group. Starting from the question “Can a jawbone be reconstructed?”, the activity will illustrate the path from pathology to 3D printing.

Coordinators: Marina Protasoni, Marcella Reguzzoni, Piero Antonio Zecca, Marina Borgese and Petra Basso; bookings at notte.varese@uninsubria.it. 

From the crime scene to DNA

Science and investigation come together in “Find the culprit: from DNA to forensic analysis”, at the Pilone Laboratory of the Bizzozero Campus, with two sessions at 9:00 and 11:00 a.m., lasting approximately 90 minutes and limited to 20–22 participants.

Lower and upper secondary school students will begin with a simulated crime scene and, taking on the role of young forensic investigators, will analyse clues in order to identify the culprit.

The activities will introduce some of the principles of forensic analysis, from fingerprint identification to DNA extraction and genetic profile comparison, demonstrating the role of the scientific method and evidence analysis in formulating and testing hypotheses.

Coordinators: Paola Campomenosi and Laura Monti; bookings at laura.monti@uninsubria.it. 

The chemistry of the local area and the energy of the future

The relationship between scientific research and the local area will be explored in “Mountains, Alpine lakes, chemistry and the environment: can we do science in our local area?”, an activity for upper secondary school students scheduled at 8:30, 9:30, 10:30 and 11:30 a.m.

Each session will last 45 minutes and involve 20–25 participants. The lesson will show the central role that chemistry can play in the area between Como and Varese, among Alpine lakes and glaciers, old mines and new industries. Coordinator: Carlo Dossi; bookings at notte.varese@uninsubria.it.

At 11:30 a.m., it will then be time for “The energy of the future”, an interactive conversation lasting 45–60 minutes, open to 30–40 primary and secondary school students.

The session will focus on the energy we use every day to heat our homes, travel and produce goods and services: how much we consume, how much will be available in the future, how our use of energy will change and what technological and behavioural challenges a zero-emissions future will bring.

Coordinators: Fabrizio Fattori and Salvatore Carlucci; bookings at fabrizio.fattori@uninsubria.it and salvatore.carlucci@uninsubria.it. 

Computer science, languages and artificial intelligence

Computer science also features in the programme with “Computer Magic”, aimed at fourth- and fifth-year primary school classes and hosted at the Bizzozero Campus.

Sessions will take place at 9:00, 10:00 and 11:00 a.m., last 45 minutes and accommodate a maximum of 25 children each.

Through pen-and-paper games, participants will discover how computers work and will be introduced to the principles of computational thinking through binary numbers, simple cryptographic codes and the representation of images using the concept of pixels.

Coordinators: Silvia Corchs and Pietro Colombo; bookings at silvia.corchs@uninsubria.it.

Upper secondary school students can instead take part in “Learning English with artificial intelligence”, scheduled at 8:45 a.m., at the Bizzozero Campus, Morselli Building, Lab Info2.

The workshop lasts 60 minutes and can accommodate up to 25 participants. Through practical activities and simulations, students will explore generative artificial intelligence tools that can help develop language and communication skills, with particular attention to machine translation and critical reflection on linguistic and cultural differences between Italian and English.

Coordinators: Alessandra Vicentini, Megan Louise Cocks and CLA Insubria – University Language Centre; bookings at notte.varese@uninsubria.it. 

Advance booking by email with the relevant coordinators is required for all activities listed in the programme for Friday 25 September. 

Saturday 26 September: “Science for Everyone”

The European Researchers’ Night continues on Saturday 26 September, with an afternoon aimed not only at schools but at the entire community.

From 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., at the Bizzozero Campus, Via Monte Generoso 71, Varese, the appointment is with “Science for Everyone”: four hours dedicated to experiments, scientific games, discovery and curiosity, bringing the public closer to research through outreach activities and opportunities to engage with science.

The afternoon will conclude at 5:30 p.m. with a concert by Chorus Insubriae.