Science in the CENTRE

The Science in the CENTRE science café gatherings are attracting more and more attention and popularity, not just among scientists but also with the general public. They form a venue and opportunity to discuss and debate about current issues in science in an informal manner.

The concept to start a tradition of these cafés, such as meetings (with a coffee) in the National Centre for the Popularisation of Science and Technology in Society (NCP S&T) at the Slovak Centre of Scientific and Technical Information (SCSTI) originated on 21st May 2008 as Science in the CENTRE.

Science in the CENTRE is a cycle of informal events at which an invited research scientist, a key figure in Slovak science and technology, gives a presentation to the public. The title Science in the CENTRE encapsulates two ideas - that these events take place in the Slovak CENTRE of Scientific and Technical Information and that science is at the CENTRE of the public’s attention at these events.

With the exception of August and December, these meetings at the science café are held at 5 pm, usually on the last Thursday in a month, on the premises of the SCSTI at Lamačská cesta 8/A in Bratislava. Science in the CENTRE is intended for the general public and also the academic community, students and decision makers. Admission is free.

These events are also held at the Faculty of Natural Sciences of the University of Constantine the Philosopher in Nitra (from 22nd October 2009), Matej Bel University in Banská Bystrica (from 21st October 2010), Prešov University in Prešov (from 27th October 2010) and in Piešťany (Plant Production Research Centre from 12th April 2012).

At the beginning of 2012, the history of the Science in the Centre café events was recalled in the form of an exhibition Science in the CENTRE. Sessions in Science Café. Photographs capturing the atmosphere of the first ten events were displayed and the leading Slovak scientists who accepted the invitation to give presentations to the public were accorded recognition.

Profiles of the first ten key scientists who took part in the Science in the CENTRE event were also published in the book:

Science in the CENTRE. Sessions in Science Café. Part I.