RaSTEM Festival brings science closer to young visitors
Between 22 and 24 October 2026, the hallways, lecture rooms and laboratories of the Jožef Stefan Technical School in Trieste, Italy, were bustling with activity: as part of a three-day open-day-style festival organized within the RaSTEM Festival, general public and young visitors in particular had the chance to visit the school and learn about science through practical experiences. The Festival, promoting science and technology as key link between education, research and entrepreneurship, offered various opportunities to learn about science in a slightly different, primarily practical and accessible way – through practical experiences, experiments and meetings with researchers and experts from various fields.
Exploring science through experiments and lectures
On Day three of the festival, research demonstrations covered fun and educational experiments from the fields of chemistry, electronics and engineering, the three major areas established at the school. A special part of the Saturday program were short popular science lectures, at which experts presented their work and research experiences, covering vibration physics, biorobotics, marine biogeochemistry, the use of artificial intelligence in data processing, radar measurements, and computer simulations. Which is all fine and good, but what about medical physics and radiation cancer therapy?
IFIGENEIA project presented at the RaSTEM Festival
Enter the IFIGENEIA project. At the festival, the project with the aim of advancing sustainable radioisotope production using linear accelerator technology and establishing three Excellence Hubs in Greece, Slovenia, and Cyprus, was presented by the Jožef Stefan Institute from Ljubljana, Slovenia, to visitors as well as fellow research institution representatives, all of which were invited to visit the IFIGENEIA website and read up on the latest developments. At the exhibition area, researchers from the Jožef Stefan Institute showcased other activities as well, and during a roundtable, presented insights into the daily life of a researcher as well as addressed current topics, including artificial intelligence, nuclear technologies, education, and science communication.
IFIGENEIA combines research, industry, and the general public
The RaSTEM program was designed to foster interest in science and research, while creating opportunities for collaboration between educational, research, and other institutions and the general public. At the festival, visitors were able to learn about various fields of research, modern technologies, and opportunities for further education and professional development. Combining basic research, advanced technological instrumentation, and the high societal impact through medical treatment, IFIGENEIA stands as a shining example of a highly relevant project addressing industry, researchers, and the general public. Raising awareness about such initiatives at festivals like RaSTEM continues to be one of the priorities.
Author: Duško Odić
Photos: Urška Mrgole
