University Campus Hosting the Science Festival

The Science Festival, goal of which is to popularize science, was opened on 23 May 2024 in the Sports Hall in the University City.

Rector of the University of Banja Luka Prof. Radoslav Gajanin, PhD, said that at this festival, various spectrums of experiments performed at the faculties are presented in an interesting way.

As the rector pointed out, the University has been participating in this event for nine years, and this year almost all faculties/Academy of Arts took part in it.

"The festival is an opportunity to show attractive science, but I want you to know that year after year the University supports the best professors and teaching assistants in scientific research by stimulating them materially" said Rector Gajanin.

Assistant Minister for Scientific and Technological Development Zoran Bjelajac said that they finance scientific meetings, printing of publications, preparation of doctoral dissertations, technological projects, etc.

He believes that the Science Festival will get primary and secondary school pupils interested in science, and help them in choosing their future profession.

Vice-Dean for Scientific Research of the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics at the University of Banja Luka Asst. Prof. Milana Grbić, PhD, said that it is important to promote science because it sets the grounds for a developed economy and technology, and that it is something that should be worked on intensively.

On the other hand, Dean of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering at the University of East Sarajevo Prof. Božidar Popović, PhD, takes the view that all faculties should take part in this festival because the development of sciences confirms the knowledge gained in education.

The opening of the Festival was also attended by the vice-rectors of the University of Banja Luka Prof. Milica Balaban, PhD, Prof. Kristina Pantelić Babić, PhD, and Prof. Aleksandar Ostojić, PhD.

The Science Festival, which is organized by the Ministry of Scientific and Technological Development and Higher Education of the Republic of Srpska, will last for two days this year and will be held in two locations - in the University Campus and at the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics of the University of Banja Luka.

As every year, the central event of the Science Festival is a large exhibition of experiments, which this year will be held in the Sports Hall within the University Campus.

Chemistry clock, test tube plants, levitating graphite, nature's pharmacy, life in a drop of water, brain teasers, how a plant takes in water, do plants move, 3D printer, robotics, museum of living fossils, the amazing life of horse hair, do parasites rule around the world, the dream of a lake, my city from the perspective of a swallow, genie in a bottle, chemical cocktails, Tesla`s
transformer, a fountain in a glass, illusions, banana DNA, how to make cheese, the magic of colour... are part of this year`s exhibition at the Science Festival.

At the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics of the University of Banja Luka, everyone interested will have the opportunity to visit the planetarium, aquarium and terrarium from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm.

As part of the Science Festival, which has been held for 12 years now, numerous two-day workshops will be held at the faculties of the University of Banja Luka. Thus, the Faculty of Political Science is organizing two workshops "Modern Journalism and Artificial Intelligence Tools" and "Diplomat for a Day", while calligraphy workshops will be organized at the Faculty of Philology. The Faculty of Philosophy will open its doors to schoolchildren with the workshops
"Beautiful writing" the school of archeology and the psychological workshop "What`s the brain got to do with it". As for the Academy of Arts, visitors can go to the school of painting, and students will have the opportunity to visit the drama and music departments, where they will learn about the instruments that the Department has at its disposal. The Institute of Genetic Resources has prepared the "Little Gardener" workshop, where schoolchildren will be able to learn about agriculture through games and fun. They will learn how to prepare the soil, plant a plant, how to care for it, and they will have the opportunity to visit the rich nursery and greenhouse of the Institute.

At the Faculty of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Geodesy and the Faculty of Forestry, the Association of Innovators of the Republic of Srpska are organizing an exhibition about Mihajlo Pupin titled "From Pasture to Scientist".

The faculties of the University of East Sarajevo, the Directorate for Police Training, as well as Banja Luka secondary schools also take part in the Science Festival, which is open from 9 am to 6 pm.