The Blanes Centre for Advanced Studies (CEAB-CSIC) is organising a range of activities to bring scientific research closer to the public as part of Science Week 2026. On 12 and 13 November, it will host activities for students and a guided tour open to everyone. On 27 November, the film Memories of a Sea will be screened, followed by a discussion with the director and CEAB researchers. The programme is complemented by other science communication initiatives.
On 12 and 13 November, a series of scientific tours of the CEAB facilities have been organised for secondary school and sixth-form students from local educational centres. Led by research staff, these tours will provide an opportunity to explore the laboratories and other facilities, while learning about several of the research projects currently being carried out at the centre.
The tours will focus on different fields of research developed at CEAB. For example, participants will learn how marine sponge populations are studied and why they are important for ecosystem conservation; about research on seagrass meadows and their role as natural carbon sinks; and about studies on mosquito dispersal and their relevance to public health.
Guided Tour
On the afternoon of 13 November, from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm, a guided tour open to the general public will take place.
Accompanied by CEAB researchers, participants will have the opportunity to explore the facilities, learn about the centre’s main research areas and discover how a CSIC research institute operates.
Film Screening and Discussion
Finally, on 27 November at 7:00 pm, the documentary Memories of a Sea will be screened in the Enric “Kike” Ballesteros Auditorium at CEAB.
The film explores the devastating consequences, both for local communities and for ecosystems, of the disappearance of what was once the fourth-largest lake in the world: the Aral Sea. Following the screening, a discussion will be held with the participation of the film’s director, Laura Carrau, and the two CEAB researchers who led the expedition, Rafael Marcé and Núria Catalán.
Exhibition
Visitors to CEAB during these weeks will also be able to enjoy the exhibition Who Are You, Bird That Sings? A Drawn Melody. The exhibition, which will be on display from 9 November to 10 January in the centre’s cloister, brings together pencil illustrations by Isabel Casas Roqueta and has been promoted by the CEAB Sustainability Committee. Through drawing and bird-song recognition, it invites visitors to discover some of the bird species that live alongside us.
The Social Impact of Research
The aim of the open days and the other science communication and public engagement activities is to bring scientific research closer to society, strengthening the two-way connection between science and the public.
According to Gemma Agell, CEAB-CSIC Science Outreach Officer, “every year we try to organise attractive activities in a variety of formats to bring research closer both to students interested in science and to the wider public. We believe it is essential to share this knowledge with society and to connect the research carried out at the centre with current concerns, needs and challenges.”
