BIYSC 2019
News

Kick-off of the fourth edition of BIYSC, the Foundation’s innovative international science programme

Tue, 07/09/2019 - 12:38

This week and next, the Barcelona International Youth Science Challenge (BIYSC) is hosting 104 students of 27 different nationalities with the goal of encouraging science vocations and presenting Barcelona as a pole to attract talent in science.

The BIYSC is an international programme spearheaded by the Catalunya La Pedrera Foundation. Its goal is to promote an interest in science and educational excellence among youths aged 16 to 18 from around the world. The international event, which will bring together around 100 pre-university students with a passion for science, will be held from today until 19 July.

The participants have the chance to work on projects in such a wide range of fields as biomedicine, genetics, biotechnology, chemistry, robotics and supercomputing in 13 outstanding research centres in Catalonia. This edition will have 7 new programmes, including ‘Unravelling the clues of kidney transplantation success’ from the Hospital of Bellvitge, taught by Dr Josep M. Cruzado, and ‘A two-sided strategy to tackle diabetes and obesity’ led by the Alícia Foundation, the Hospital de Bellvitge, the August Pi i Sunyer Institute of Biomedical Research (IDIBAPS) and the University of Vic - Central University of Catalonia.

The centres participating in BIYSC 2019 are:

  • Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC)
  • Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG)
  • Institute of Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC)
  • Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona)
  • Catalan Institute of Chemical Research (ICIQ)
  • Institute of Photonic Studies (ICFO)
  • Institute of High Energy Physics (IFAE)
  • August Pi i Sunyer Institute of Biomedical Research (IDIBAPS)
  • Alícia Foundation
  • University of Vic (UVIC), Central University of Catalonia
  • Centre for Research in Agricultural Genomics (CRAG)
  • Hospital Clínic of Barcelona(HCB)
  • Hospital Universitari of Bellvitge (HUB)

 

 

STEM Dinners

But it's not all work; there’s also time for play and reflection. As part of the BIYSC programme, the organisers have planned two STEM Dinners (dinners on science, technology, engineering and maths). On 10 July, there will be a dinner focusing on ‘Ethics in Science’ featuring Dr Pere Puigdomènech, and on 16 July there will be another gathering on ‘Gender discrimination in research’ by the researcher Maria Marin.

 

The Catalunya La Pedrera Foundation encourages scientific talent

The Catalunya La Pedrera Foundation is committed to society.  Projects are undertaken within the Knowledge area to transform society via educational innovation actions, job opportunities for youths at risk of exclusion and the promotion of science and critical thinking.