The UB participates in the European Researchers’ Night with a NeuroConcert and several science cafés
The University of Barcelona joins the European Researchers’ Night with the celebration of a NeuroConcert organized with the Catalonia College of Music (ESMUC). The explanations of scientists will alternate with the live performance of various compositions to illustrate how music modulates brain activity. The other contribution of the UB to the European Researchers’ Night will be the science cafés, in which several researchers have a relaxed discussion with the public on a wide range of topics, which this year will range from artificial intelligence to the social role of art.
The University of Barcelona joins the European Researchers’ Night with the celebration of a NeuroConcert organized with the Catalonia College of Music (ESMUC). The explanations of scientists will alternate with the live performance of various compositions to illustrate how music modulates brain activity. The other contribution of the UB to the European Researchers’ Night will be the science cafés, in which several researchers have a relaxed discussion with the public on a wide range of topics, which this year will range from artificial intelligence to the social role of art.
The NeuroConcert will take place on September 29 at 7:00 p.m. in the Paranimph Gallery of the Historic Building and will be organized in three blocks, the first of which will be dedicated to lullabies. It will talk about what effect it has on the baby when the mother sings songs during pregnancy or why almost all cultures have lullabies. Professor of Psychology Carles Escera, head of the Brainlab research group, and ESMUC professor Rolf Baecker will talk about these topics. Music will be provided by soprano Mao Miyoshi and pianist Daniel Vidal.
The second block will deal with the relationship between music and artificial intelligence. The accordionist Edurne Arizu will interact with the sounds emitted by a computer. The results of this experience will be commented by the professor of the Faculty of Psychology Jordi Costa and the ESMUC professors Enric Guaus and Fèlix Pastor.
The last blog of the NeuroConcert is "Music and altered states of consciousness". It will address the role of repetitive stimuli and to illustrate it, a percussion quintet will perform Music for pieces of wood by Steve Reich. The researcher of the Faculty of Psychology Raquel Aparicio and the professor of the ESMUC Perfecto Herrera will take part in it.
This project is promoted by the rector's delegate for Scientific Dissemination, and the Vice-rector’s Offices for Research and Cultural Heritage and Activities of the UB, in collaboration with ESMUC and the UB Unit for Scientific Culture and Innovation (UCC+I), in charge of the technical part. The project is supported by the Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology of the Ministry of Science and Innovation and is co-funded by the European Union's Horizon Europe research and innovation program, within the framework of the NitRecerCat project.
Science cafés
The science cafés will take place throughout the months of October and November at the Espai Mallorca cultural center. The first session will take place on October 5 at 7:00 p.m., with the title "Is it necessary to separate the work of art from the author?". Among other issues, there will be a debate on whether it is necessary to modify works of art to adapt them to current canons or standards. Professors of art history at the UB Carles Mancho and Martina Tosticarelli will participate.
The cafés are organized by the UCC+I, the rector's delegate for Scientific Dissemination, and various UB faculties and research institutes, with the support of the Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology and co-funding from Horizon Europe of the European Union. To attend the scientific coffees and the NeuroConcert, prior registration is required.