Communication & Outreach

The ICMAB Communication & Outreach Office offers a range of services to effectively disseminate the knowledge generated at the Institute. Its goal is to maximise impact across all key stakeholder groups. Its actions are aimed at finding the most effective way to engage a range of audiences, from the internal community to industry and schools.

Among its responsibilities are:

  • Internal communication: encourage collaboration, act as an information and consultation point, welcome protocol, organize events, communication plan
  • Corporative image: institutional image, visual identity, logos, templates, posters, graphic design, ensure the quality of internal and external texts
  • Protocol and public relations: visits, international days, conferences, celebrations
  • External communication: management of the ICMAB website, social networks, newsletter, mailing lists
  • Relationship with the press: press releases, science websites, coordination with the CSIC Communication Department
  • Public engagement and science education activities and school visits: joint activities with BNC-b cluster and CSIC, prepare proposals for funding (FECYT, FGCSIC), promotional videos, contests and exhibitions
  • Scientific events: coordinate summer schools, scientific meetings and seminars organized by ICMAB researchers

Followers 2018

Website visitors 2018

Press

The ICMAB was deeply engaged with the media in connection with the new findings published by our scientists in high-profile journals and institutional and outreach activities, which led to articles in the press and online media as well as participation by scientists in radio or TV programmes. In particular, our press releases have made it to La Vanguardia, El Periódico, Agencia SINC, Hipertextual, Madrimasd or Nanowerk, to name a few.

A couple of news reports appeared in La Vanguardia and El Periódico, in which our researchers were stars, and we were also on the radio and TV:

Press Releases

  1. Next generation graphene-based biosensor for the fast detection of xanthine (16 January 2018)
  2. The revolution of nanomaterials: superabsorbers that trap sunlight (5 February 2018)
  3. ICMAB and IMB-CNM participate in the European project KardiaTool, developing a portable device to detect heart failure from saliva samples (20 February 2018)
  4. Brain Awareness Week: MAGBBRIS: Magnetic biomaterials for brain repair and imaging after stroke and “Nano-structured graphene-based electrodes for neural repair” (15 March 2018)
  5. New organic and miniaturized photodetectors that absorb light beyond the visible range (3 April 2018)
  6. Iridescent photonic cellulose, mimicking the structural color of insects, with optical applications (9 April 2018)
  7. Physicists uncover properties of a magnetic soliton of interest for brain-inspired computing (3 May 2018)
  8. ICMAB researchers develop flexible materials that switch from nano-porous 3D to 2D structures in a reversible way (30 May 2018)
  9. Minimalist Biostructures Designed to Create Nanomaterials (14 June 2018)
  10. 10 Early Stage Researchers granted with predoctoral fellowships from the MSCA COFUND DOC-FAM program will start their PhD in advanced functional materials at ICMAB-CSIC, IREC and ALBA Synchrotron (3 July 2018)
  11. New boost to future calcium batteries - A possible cathode? (17 July 2018)
  12. Extremely sensitive radiation detectors to explore the universe in the forthcoming ESA space missions (31 August 2018)
  13. Finding a needle in the haystack: 50 times faster evaluation of organic materials for solar cells (30 October 2018)
  14. Soft organic materials that change color and charge transfer with the application of an electric field (21 November 2018)
  15. Martí Gich awarded with a 2018 ERC Consolidator Grant! (30 November 2018)
  16. A new iron oxide polymorph found at high pressures (3 December 2018)

Articles in UAB Divulga

  • "Graphene-based photocatalysts to obtain hydrogen" (Ángel Pérez del Pino, 16 April 2018)
  • "Carbon-Gold bonds for robust molecule-electrode junctions" (Núria Crivillers, 16 May 2018)
  • "Stimuli-responsive materials that switch from nano-porous 3D structures to new non-porous 2D structures and vice versa using spherical ligands" (José Giner, 11 June 2018)

Science Education Activities

MATHEROES: Supermaterials, the heroes of the future

This is a project with FECYT and Severo Ochoa funding, in collaboration with Esciencia (Zaragoza), and with the participation of many ICMAB researchers. The idea is to represent the 5 RL in 5 superheroes, each of them with superpowers that represent the amazing properties of the materials of the future in the fields of energy (Fotoenergy), superconducting materials (Superconductor), magnetic materials and oxides (Magnon), molecular electronics (ElectroWoman) and biomaterials (BioNanoCapsule).

  • Kick-off in Leioa (Bilbao) on 12 July 2018 (3,000 people)
  • European Researchers’ Night in Zaragoza (28 September 2018) (1,000 people)
  • Visits for the ICMAB staff at our Institute (October 2018) (50 people)
  • Visits for nanotechnology students from UAB (bachelor and master) (October-November 2018) (50 students)
  • Matheroes at the Expominer Fair (November 2018) (12,000 people)
  • Visits for primary and secondary schools (October-November 2018) (100 students)
  • Exhibiton at the Sagrada Família Public Library in Barcelona (December 2018)
  • Appearance in the press, twitter, online websites
  • Own website: projects.icmab.es/matheroes

A researcher in your classroom (12 sessions in 2018)

In this programme, an ICMAB researcher gives a talk in an educational center, usually a highschool or primary school.

  • Ana López (Barcelona) (11 February 2018)
  • Esther Barrena at Institut Provençana (Hospitalet de Llobregat (27 February 2018)
  • Stefania Sandoval at Institut La Guineueta (Barcelona) (2 March 2018)
  • Núria Aliaga at INS Mercè Rodoreda (L’Hospitalet) (16 March 2018)
  • Judith Oró at Jesuïtes Sant Gervasi-Escola Infant Jesús (23 March 2018)
  • Anna Roig at Institut Lliçà (Lliçà d’Amunt) (3 April 2018)
  • Agustín Mihi at Institut Dr. Puigvert de Sant Andreu (Barcelona (4 April 2018)
  • Marta Mas at Escola Eina (Barcelona (16 May 2018)
  • Imma Ratera at INS Alba del Vallès (Sant Fost de Campsentelles) (18 October 2018)
  • Arántzazu González at INS Menéndez y Pelayo (Barcelona) (9 November 2018)
  • Arántzazu González at Escola Pública Josep Carner (Badalona) (22 November 2018)
  • Andrés Gómez at INS Castellar (Castellar del Vallès) (13 December 2018)

Student stays at ICMAB during July 2018:

The students who join us, spend some weeks doing a research project within one of our research groups.

  • Joves i Ciència (Fundació Catalunya La Pedrera) (7 students for one month)
  • Programa Argó UAB (4 students for 3 weeks)
  • Students from the Societat Catalana de Química (2 students for 2 weeks)

ESCOLAB – School visits at our center (7 visits in 2018)

This programme allows us to receive the visit of highschool students who spend a morning with us for a science talk and visit to some of our laboratories.

Dramatised Reading “Madame Châtelet and her Instagram Followers “

This dramatized reading, prepared by a group of women from the ICMAB, explains the life and discoveries of some wise women of our history, to visibilize the role of women in science and encourage scientific vocations.

  • IES Quatre Cantons del Poble Nou (Barcelona) – 1r ESO, 50 students (13 February 2018)
  • IES Infanta Isabel (Barcelona) – 2n BTX, 30 students (9 March 2018)
  • European Researchers’ Night (Biblioteca Sagrada Família, Barcelona) (29 September 2018)
  • Science Tech Girls Vallès (Biblioteca Vapor Badia, Sabadell) (17 Noveber 2018)

Other courses and visits:

  • Seminari Permanent Física i Química (16 February 2018)
  • “Dissabtes de la Física” by Teresa Puig at UAB (24 February 2018)
  • Students visit from the Festival Nanoscience and Nanotechnology 10alamenos9 (Arántzazu González) (10 April 2018)
  • XXX Chemistry Debate by Arántzazu González and Susagna Ricart at IEC (9 May 2018)
  • Bojos per la física - Mad for physics (Fundació Catalunya La Pedrera) (9 June) (25 students for one morning, 4 hours, piezoelectricity and magnetism)
  • The FUB+GRAN nanotechnology students from Manresa visit the ICMAB (7 July 2018)
  • «From quantum physics to nanotechnology» at the 50 Universitat Catalana d'Estiu in Manresa with ICMAB researchers (6-8 July 2018)
  • The ICFO School on Emerging Photovoltaics visits the ICMAB research labs (10 July 2018)
  • Little scientists for a day: great Kids' Day at ICMAB 2018! (8 September 2018)
  • Talk “Els nanomaterials per a la transició energètica" by Xavier Obradors at the RACAB (18 October 2018)
  • "Converteix-te en un detectiu de materials" brings more than 100 students at ICMAB for the Science Week! (Judith Oró, Anna Crespi) (12-13 Novembre 2018)

Outreach activities

  • Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Festival 10alamenos9: organized by many research centers and universities. Talks, seminars, workshops... around nanotechnology. (April 2018)
  • Feynman Total: Celebrating 100 years of Prof. Richard Feynman’s birth: The ICMAB was involved in the organization of a series of events celebrating the figure of Prof. Richard Feynman, together with institutions such as Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Societat Catalana de Nanociència i Nanotecnologia (SCN2), and Institut Català de Nanociència I Nanotecnologia (ICN2). Members of the ICMAB participated in talks, workshops and the design of disseminations materials to bring this brilliant physicist closer to the society. At the UAB Campus we organized the “Feynman Talks” with experts in the field, starting with David Kaiser (MIT) on 9 May 2018.
  • Participation in the CSIC project “Las Científicas Cuentan” to visibilize women scientists with a ERC research grant (Tersa Puig and Marta Mas-Torrent): http://www.lascientificascuentan.es/en/
  • YoMo - Youth Mobile Festival (27-28 February 2018). The ICMABwas present at YoMo 2018, The Youth Mobile Festival, with an interactive stand open to all the primary and secondary school students who visited the Festival, and to all of their teachers (Judith Oró, Anna Crespi, Andrés Gómez, Alejandro Santos, Ana M. López-Periago).
  • “Espai Ciència al Saló de l'Ensenyament” (14-18 March 2018) with some workshop on 3D printing and to discover the materials of the future.
  • Exporecerca (22-24 March 2018). The XIX Edition of ExpoRecerca Jove 2018 took place between 22 and 24 March in La Salle, Barcelona. Anna May, from ICMAB, participated as member of the jury of the presented projects by the talented groups of students from all over the world.
  • Festival Barcelona Ciència - Science Festival in Barcelona (9-10 June 2018). The ICMAB was at the 2018 Barcelona Science Fair together with collaborating institutions such as the UAB, ICN2, UB, ACCC and IFAE. With a central booth devoted to discovering the nanoworld, ICMAB researchers and communicators interacted with a large audience. Martí Gibert, Juan Luís García Pomar gave a “photonic course”, and Enrique Pascual, Ashley Black and Jordi Rius gave some microtalks on solar cells, batteris and crystallography.
  • Pint of Science Festival (14-16 May 2018). Irene Anton and Javier Repetto participated in this event to bring science closer to society in bars of Barcelona.
  • Barcelona Maker Faire (16-17 June 2018). On 16-17 June the ICMAB participated at the Barcelona Maker Faire. Many members of the NANOMOL group presented their research on encapsulation and hydrogels for biomedical applications. They used the spherification concept as a metaphor for the nanoencapsulation, and the gelification of agar agar for the hydrogels. The stand, which was always full of families and kids, obtained the Maker of Merit award, given by the organization to the best Makers of this year's edition.
  • European Researchers’ Night (September 2018). The European Researchers' Night is celebrated throughout Europe on the last Friday of September, with the aim of bringing science, research and technology closer to the public. The ICMAB will participate with some highschool talks on Friday morning, with a nanoscience workshop and a Speaker's Corner talk in CosmoCaixa on Friday evening, and in the Biblioteca Sagrada Família on Saturday morning with "Madame Châtelet and her Instagram followers".
  • Expominer (9-11 November 2018) – Matheroes, science educational talks and workshops (minerals, diffraction, crystallography). The ICMAB participated on 9, 10, 11 November 2018 at the 40th edition of Expominer, the exhibition of minerals, fossils and jewelry, organized by Fira Barcelona, with some outreach talks given by five of our researchers, workshops in our stand about superconducting materials, minerals, diffraction and photonic materials, and with the exhibition "Matheroes: Supermaterials, heroes of the future".
  • Science Tech Girls Vallès (17 November 2018) – Madame Châtelet theater play and workshop on building 3D bridges. The dramatised reading "Madame Châtelet and her Instagram followers" opened this STEAM day, full of science and technology activities for girls, that will take place on Saturday, 17 November, in the "Biblioteca Vapor Badia" in Sabadell. After the "Châtelet" play, which features some female scientists of our history, a bunch of workshops will be hapenning. From ICMAB, Andrés Gómez will bring the "3D printing bridges" activity.
  • Setmana de la ciència - Science week (9-18 November 2018). The central themes of this year's edition in Catalunya are, the cultural heritage, the figure and the work of Pompeu Fabra, and the figure of the prestigious American physicist Richard Feynman.

Website and social networks

There is a 53 % increase in the number of users of our website, compared to 2017, and a 23 % increase in the number of sessions. Moreover, we have more users between 25 and 35 years old than what we used to have.

We are happy to announce that the ICMAB website was the most visible CSIC website in 2018, according to the “Research centers websites ranking”, and rose from the fourth place to the second place in the total score, out of a total of 138 CSIC institutes websites.

In addition, a 30% increase in followers has been observed in our main social networks, Twitter (>2200), Facebook (>1200), a 14 % increase in LinkedIn (>2100) and an 86 % increase in Instagram (>490), in the same period.

Many research groups and projects have their own twitter account. Here the list of them, so you can follow them to see what they are up to:

  • FNSgroupICMAB @funnanosurf
  • Enlightment @Enlightment_BCN
  • ACNM_ICMAB @AIcmab
  • JPhD2019 @JPhD2019
  • MMTgroupICMAB @MMTgroupICMAB
  • Smart4Fabry @smart4fabry
  • P-Sphere @PSphereUAB
  • Nanocohybri @nanocohybri
  • SEPOMO @SEPOMO_EU
  • UHMob project @UHMob_MSCA
  • Intersect @intersect_eu
  • NNgroupICMAB @NNgroupICMAB
  • DAFNEOX_MSCA_RISE @dafneox
  • CARBAT @CARBAT_FETOPEN
  • MaX CoE @max_center2
  • Nanomol Group @NanomolGroup

Mailing & Intranet

The new weekly newsletter has nearly 500 subscribers. In every newsletter we send the latest news from our website, plus the forthcoming events and seminars at the ICMAB or BNC-b cluster, job offers and conferences and meetings organized by our researchers. We have another mailing list only for our staff, and another one for students and young people who might be interested in starting out their research career with us.

Celebrations

This year we have organized:

  • Book exchange for Sant Jordi (23 April 2018)
  • The Institute’s Anniversary Party (17 May 2018). We celebrated our 33rd anniversary with a morning full of activities (foot orienteering race, tennis table, ICMAB choir, Rubik’s cube workshop, poker, Party & Co. and chess tournements)
  • FOTICMAB photo contest for our staff (April – May 2018). The “Photonic leaf” was the winner of the contest, by Cristiano Matricardi.
  • The Christmas party (19 December 2018) with a talk by Xavier Lasauca on Science Dissemination 2.0, the ICMAB choir, and a buffet for everybody.
  • The Kids’ Day (5 September 2018) with more than 80 kids from our staff.

Corporative image & merchandising

We have prepared institutional presentations and posters with information of our RLs, a catalogue and flyers of our activities and of our job opportunities. We continue with our welcome pack for our staff (old-timers and newcomers) consisting of a mug and a bag. This year, the new merchandising includes black and blue pens, USBs and folders for our conferences and meetings.
Coordination
Anna May-Masnou This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Redaction
Anna May-Masnou This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Web & Graphic Editor
José Antonio Gómez  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Webmasters
José Antonio Gómez This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Albert Moreno     This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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