From May 19 to 21, 2025, Sabadell hosted its very first Pint of Science event, joining the global science festival that brings cutting-edge research to local pubs in a fun and chill way. Over three nights, 50 to 70 people gathered each evening to enjoy the science talks, play trivia games, and toast to knowledge. Exceeding all expectations for outreach events, especially considering it was the first time held in Sabadell, the organizers of Pint of Science Sabadell shared their thoughts:

"We poured a lot of time and energy into making it happen, and honestly, it was so worth it. The turnout was amazing, and the curiosity and excitement from the audience blew us away. People asked thoughtful questions, got into the talks, and really showed how much they care about science. Each night featured a different set of speakers who did a fantastic job breaking down complex topics and sparking some great conversations."

"Huge thanks to The Wild Geese bar for welcoming everyone and creating such a cozy and lively vibe. We couldn´t have asked for a better venue. And of course, massive thanks to our brilliant speakers for making science so engaging and accessible. This first edition proved there's real potential and need for science outreach in places like Sabadell, not just in big cities. We're already thinking ahead to next year, with big plans to make it even better."

The organizing team, left to right and top to bottom: Sara Pugliese, Núria Pujol, Camila Anzola, Karla Mena, Simone Privitera, Andrea Turino, Elena Murillo, Dounia Nanadoumgar Lacroze, Francesca Merlina, Charise Cariño and Afroditi Koutsogianni. 

Three days, three topics and nine speakers

On Monday, the topic was Bioinspiration: When Nature Does It Better. The talks discussed the endless source of inspiration that nature is for science and technology. In this session,  fascinating phenomena such as the chirality of light and matter (Giulia Pancotti, ICMAB), the use of microalgae as innovative materials for sustainable batteries (Valeria Blanco, ICMAB), and the biomedical secrets hidden in mussels (José Manuel Bolaños, ICN2) were explored. A journey from the tiniest elements to the big solutions of the future.

Public from Monday 19th Bioinspiration session

On Tuesday, the theme was Energy, Space and Smart Tech: The Future is Now. A wide variety of research was presented: from the energy cost of moving information (Martí Perarnau, UAB) to the rocks traveling through space to reach Earth (Pau Grèbol, ICE-CSIC), and including computer-generated holograms that will reinvent the way we see the world (Alessandro Cerioni, ICFO).

Before the Tuesday future-oriented talks

On Wednesday, it was the turn for Smart Science: Hacking Nature, Mind, and Matter, in which three talks that show how science transforms challenges into solutions were given: from neuronal electricity and electromagnetic pulses that are renewing neurology (Eduard Masvidal, ICN2), to CO₂ capture and valorization to create sustainable materials and fuels (Mohamed Amine Lwazzani, IREC), and artificial intelligence that personalizes healthcare and makes transportation safer (Aura Hernández, CVC).

Eduard Masvidal's presentation from Wednesday 21st

The audience

They key part of a successful outreach activity is engaging with the public, and in this case it worked fantastically on both sides. First of all, people who attended the talks were very motivated and full of questions. The day Giulia Pancotti and Valeria Blanco from ICMAB presented they research, they had the full support of their ICMAB colleagues. On Wednesday, the talks were in Catalan and one in Spanish, and the audience was made up of locals from Sabadell (the pub would have need more space to host comfortably everyone!). On the organizers' side, after every talk, they had games with prizes, and the dynamization of the event had a huge impact on the motivation and the lively atmosphere that filled The Wild Geese every night. 

Giulia Pancotti (ICMAB) during her talk on the chirality of light and matter

After the great success of the Pint of Science hub in Sabadell, we hope that the lessons learned, the energy and the relationships built with the pub and the people from Sabadell can be carried forward into a second edition of Pint of Science! 

About DocFam+:

DocFam+ (DOCtoral training programme in Functional Advanced Materials: Towards a Better Future) is a MSCA-COFUND doctoral programme led by ICMAB-CSIC, designed to train 26 exceptional young researchers. Building on the previous DocFam programme’s success, DocFam+ expands its interdisciplinary and intersectorial research scope with the participation of six Barcelona-based partner institutions. The programme targets three key societal challenges—clean energy, smart nanomedicine, and sustainable electronics—while offering secondment opportunities, advanced training, and an international research environment. With a budget of over €5 million, DocFam+ enhances ICMAB’s leadership in doctoral education and strengthens its commitment to attracting top research talent.

Read more:

ICMAB - DocFam+ researchers bring the Pint of Science festival to Sabadell 

ICMAB - DocFam+ Welcome Day at ICMAB with the fellows from the first call

ICMAB - DOCFAM+: New MSCA-COFUND doctoral programme led by ICMAB-CSIC to train 26 young researchers