At the end of June, the Research Station in Popielno hosted workshops inaugurating the Summer Academy of Sciences, a joint initiative of the Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research PAS and the Masurian Landscape Park. – The aim of the meetings is to create a network of entities involved in the protection of biodiversity in the Piska Forest, while presenting the heritage and uniqueness of Masuria in an interdisciplinary way, combining facts from biotechnology, nature, forestry and aquaculture, as well as cultural studies – emphasizes Prof. Anna Korzekwa, the initiator of the event on behalf of the Institute.
The event will last until the end of August and is held in the form of regular Saturday workshops. The main idea was to present the advantages of Masuria from a scientific perspective, especially in the context of biodiversity. The organizers invited partners—scientific and cultural institutions in the region—to participate in the event. These institutions conduct thematic workshops at their facilities, aimed at both tourists and residents of Masuria.
– We invited the Maskulińskie Forest District, the Research Station of the Botanical Garden of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Kosewo Górne, the Masurian Center for Biodiversity and Education of the University of Warsaw in Urwitałt – KUMAK, and the Old Believers Monastery in Wojnowo, to participate in the Summer Science Academy. We also managed to engage a sponsor, Genomed – explains Prof. Korzekwa, leader of the Biodiversity Protection Team at the Institute.
The workshops are run by experienced experts, but above all, enthusiasts, which is particularly important when it comes to science communication. The organizers, aware of the region’s tourist activity, know how important it is to protect it. – Tourists are an important part of Masuria, especially in the summer months. We want to show them the uniqueness of our region, hence the topics of the meetings include walks, field games, talks, workshops and experiments, joint activities, such as making ointments containing valuable herbs – sums up the professor.
The first meeting of the series took place on June 21 at the Research Station in Popielno. Prof. Anna Korzekwa’s team: Dr. Anna Kononiuk, M.Sc. Katarzyna Borońska, and volunteers, doctoral students at the Institute, M.Sc. Paulina Zając and M.Sc. Oliwia Serej, presented popular chemical reactions that occur in every kitchen. After completing the laboratory activities, the participants went on a tour of the station and took part in a field game about the secrets of the Popielno Peninsula.
