Researchers' Night 2023 in Slovakia and Czechia
Our team from the organization SlovakGlobe: a joint workplace of Institute of Forest Ecology, Slovak Academy of Sciences and Institute of Management, Slovak University of Technology participated in the largest pan-European initiative to popularize research and innovation, Researchers' Night 2023. In the joint laboratory, we presented the perspective of climate regulation of the city and the need to change the behaviour of market actors. Visitors were offered an insight into today's popular and increasingly promoted issue of green roofs. They had the opportunity to test the temperatures of different surfaces, which differed in color and material, and thus find out which surfaces overheat in the city and create heat islands. The visitors also learned which type of surface is the most suitable for the city in solving this problem and at the same time the most economical.
Employees of the Institute of IFE SAS actively participated in the Researchers' Night: Dr. Iveta Štecová, Dr. Tomáš Szabo, Dominik Horváth – PhD student, who also oversaw cooperation with volunteers, students from the Department of Economics and Building Management of the Slovak University of Technology. The students´ participation was an opportunity for their career growth and they were highly active and helpful. They participated in the Researchers' Night for the entire duration without much of a break, thus helping to provide visitors with a better presentation of the impacts of climate change, the consequences of urban overheating, and how we can reduce these impacts through behavioral change. A big thank you from our team to the volunteers.
Besides Coevolvers, participation in the Researchers' Night was covered by the following projects:
Vega: Management of global change in vulnerable territories, and
Wilde (Horizon Europe project): Ecological restoration for climate change mitigation, adaptation and biodiversity support in Europe.