The IFIC is once again taking part in EXPOCIÈNCIA, the science outreach fair that will be held next May 9th
As every year, the IFIC, a joint center of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and the University of Valencia (UV), is taking part in this celebration of science under the slogan “Caring through Science,” which will take place next Saturday, May 9, at the Parc Científic of the University of Valencia from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Once again, the PCUV will transform its facilities and those of the Escola Tècnica Superior d’Enginyeria (ETSE-UV) into a major meeting point between the scientific community and the public. The event, organized by the Scientific Park and now celebrating its 18th edition, is supported by the University of Valencia, the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) in the Valencian Community, and the Regional Ministry of Education, Culture and Universities of the Valencian Government. This year, Expociència will bring together more than 80 organizations from the scientific, academic, and business ecosystem, with a program featuring over one hundred free and open activities.
Under the slogan “Caring through Science: Understanding Ourselves to Live Better,” this edition focuses on the role of scientific knowledge as a tool for improving individual and collective well-being, promoting an integrative perspective that connects health, technology, sustainability, and society. As every year, the CSIC centers in the Valencian Community are offering a wide range of science outreach activities for all audiences. In addition to the centers located at the Scientific Park, such as the Institute of Corpuscular Physics (IFIC), the Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology (IATA), and the Institute for Integrative Systems Biology (I2SysBio), the Institute of Biomedicine of Valencia (IBV) and the Institute of Chemical Technology (ITQ) will also participate.
IFIC Activities
The Institute of Corpuscular Physics is offering visitors to Expociència 2026 six workshops that take participants on a journey from the largest and most violent phenomena in the Universe to the world of subatomic particles and their properties.
The activities available are:
Toy CERN LHC Particle Accelerator
In this activity, participants will learn the basic principles behind particle accelerators such as CERN’s Large Hadron Collider. Using a simple model made with very powerful magnets, they will accelerate metal marbles and make them collide with others, just as happens in the CERN experiments in which IFIC’s ATLAS group participates.
Build Your Own LEGO Particle Accelerator
How do you imagine an elementary particle detector? In LHC experiments, these detectors are used to detect and study the smallest particles that make up all the matter we know. This activity invites participants to build the particle detector of the future using LEGO pieces.
Observe the Universe from the Depths of the Sea
In “Observe the Universe from the Depths of the Sea,” visitors will dive alongside researchers who study the universe using enormous telescopes, about one kilometer in size, built on the seabed. These telescopes observe the sky by looking downward through the Earth, using one of the most elusive particles in the universe: neutrinos.
Are We Radioactive?
This activity will show the public that we are surrounded by radioactivity and have always lived in such an environment. To illustrate this idea, a detector system will demonstrate environmental radioactivity. The activity will also explore applications of nuclear physics and its importance in society.
How Do We See the Invisible?
This activity presents total internal reflection and fluorescence in a simple way. These physical phenomena allow us to visualize things we cannot see with the naked eye, a fundamental ability in particle physics.
Particle Race: How Much Do You Know About Particle Accelerators?
This particle race activity will help participants discover how accelerators work and learn about their applications in science, medicine, industry, security, and cultural heritage. The activity includes a quiz game and exhibition models designed to bring these large machines closer to the public.
EXPOCIÈNCIA 2026 is aimed at audiences of all ages and has become one of the leading science outreach events in the Valencian Community, promoting interaction between researchers and society.
You can find all the information and the full program at:
Take part in this event to discover science in a close, accessible, and interactive way.
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