The center’s Open Day features a scientific fair, guided tours, and educational boat trips for everyone
Researchers from the Marine Research Center at the University of Vigo (CIM) have taken to the streets to make marine research accessible to the entire community in an engaging and age-appropriate way. On November 11 and 17, the center is hosting its Open Day, an initiative co-financed by the Galician government and the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund. The primary objectives of these initiatives are to foster a deeper appreciation of marine science, showcase the remarkable work conducted by CIM researchers, and awake a passion for scientific careers among the younger generation.
River estuary tours and a visit to ECIMAT
Weather permitting, the CIM Open House starts on Saturday, November 11, with “Embárcate co CIM” – a guided cruise along the Ría de Vigo. Registered participants will board an educational boat, sailing from Laxe pier to Toralla Island. Onboard, CIM researchers will lead activities like seabed observation, sediment and marine organism sampling, and explanations. After reaching the island, a guided tour of the Toralla Marine Science Station, the primary facility of the Marine Research Center, will be offered. Visitors can explore research labs, culture rooms, mesocosm facilities, and the pump room. Two shifts are available: 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM and 12:00 PM to 3:15 PM. Registration is required and opens on the cienciasingular.gal website.
Scientific fair at A Laxe
Additionally, on Friday, November 17, from 5:00 PM to 8:30 PM at the A Laxe Shopping Center, “Coñece o CIM na rúa” – a workshop on the street will feature diverse marine research workshops. These workshops cover marine fossils, nanoparticles, genetic methods for marine animal identification, fishing and climate change, and more. These family-friendly activities do not need prior registration. Concurrently, in partnership with the Vigo Port Authority (APV), CIM staff will lead guided tours to the permanent installation and underwater viewer, “Nautilus,” situated near the Shopping Center, from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM. Registration for the tours is available on the cienciasingular.gal website.
