NODES at the European Researchers’ Night 2025
Join us in Turin, Pavia, Como, Busto Arsizio, and Aosta with the researchers of the NODES Ecosystem and many initiatives to explore the world of research.
On Friday 26 and Saturday 27 September 2025, the European Researchers' Night returns — an initiative promoted by the European Commission that every year involves thousands of researchers and research institutions across Europe.
NODES and researchers from the 7 Spokes will be present at various locations with labs, stands, workshops, exhibitions, guided tours, and free events open to the public.
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TURIN - UNIGHT 2025
In Turin the European Researchers' Night takes place as part of UNIGHT, the major event that this year transforms the Valentino Castle, the Botanical Garden, and public spaces across the city into an open-air laboratory. Here, NODES researchers will showcase their work and projects through exhibitions, stands, and labs that tell the story of digital and sustainable innovation rooted in the local territory.
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PAVIA - SHARPER 2025
In Pavia, the Research Night is part of the national SHARPER network – SHAring Researchers’ Passions for Enhanced Roadmaps – which brings courtyards and classrooms of the University to life with experiments, games, and meetings. NODES researchers will be present with thematic stands and hands-on activities focused on sustainability, agri-food, and technological innovation.
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COMO / BUSTO ARSIZIO – UNINSUBRIA
The University of Insubria offers a rich program across Como and Busto Arsizio, featuring events ranging from art to applied science. NODES takes part with projects and Proofs of Concept (PoCs) that enhance the local area through immersive technologies, augmented reality, and circular economy pathways—bringing research into direct contact with the community.
Find out more
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AOSTA - UNIVdA
In Aosta, the Research Night engages the entire city with labs, talks, and outreach activities open to families, students, and citizens. NODES participates by bringing experiences and projects that combine science, culture, and sustainability, in a citywide program that culminates with stargazing sessions and informal meetups with researchers.
All the events
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TORINO - UNIGHT 2025
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Exhibitions
Food & Beverage: communicating in an emotional, digital, and sustainable way
Organized by UniTo – Department of Management “Valter Cantino,” NODES project (Spoke 7).
An in-depth look at the main communication strategies in the Food & Beverage sector with a focus on innovation, digitalization, and sustainability.
📍 Valentino Castle – Exhibition Area M, Viale Mattioli 39, Turin
🗓 Fri 26/09, 5:00 PM–11:59 PM
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Sustainability of the ceramic industry
Organized by UniTo – Department of Earth Sciences.
How to transform industrial waste into new ceramics, reducing environmental impact and dependence on critical raw materials.
📍 Valentino Castle – Exhibition Area M
🗓 Fri 26/09, 5:00 PM–11:59 PM
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Workshops
Engineering challenges for respiratory health
Politecnico di Torino – Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering.
Discover the prototype of an innovative and sustainable home lung ventilator.
📍 Valentino Castle and Botanical Garden
🗓 Fri 26/09, 5:00 PM–11:59 PM
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The Universal Compass: satellite navigation from Earth to the Moon
Politecnico di Torino – Department of Electronics and Telecommunications.
The LuGRE receiver, developed with ASI and NASA, which received GPS and Galileo signals on the Moon.
📍 Valentino Castle and Botanical Garden
🗓 Fri 26/09, 5:00 PM–11:59 PM
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NODES: the innovation Ecosystem and its questions
Organized by the NODES INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM.
Institutional stand dedicated to the Ecosystem with ideas, stories, and technologies from the 7 Spokes.
A treasure hunt with clues and surprises to discover the project, its challenges, and results.
📍 Valentino Castle – Sala delle Colonne
🗓 Sat 27/09, 10:00 AM–6:00 PM
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Smart technologies for human movement assessment
Politecnico di Torino – Department of Electronics and Telecommunications.
Rehabilitation serious games and sensors to analyze and improve human movement.
📍 Valentino Castle and Botanical Garden
🗓 Sat 27/09, 10:00 AM–6:00 PM
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The wonderful world of fungi
UniTo – Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology.
Fungi as protagonists of innovation: bioremediation, fermentations, and biobanks.
📍 Valentino Castle and Botanical Garden
🗓 Sat 27/09, 10:00 AM–6:00 PM
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The right pug: how the charging of the future is born
Politecnico di Torino – Department of Energy “Galileo Ferraris.”
Smart Charging Lab: simulations of fast, safe, and intelligent charging, including bidirectional charging.
📍 Valentino Castle and Botanical Garden
🗓 Sat 27/09, 10:00 AM–6:00 PM
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COMO / BUSTO ARSIZIO – Uninsubria
Notice: Due to the floods that have affected the region, the events in Como have been cancelled.
Female artistic practices on Lake Como
A journey intertwining art history and gender studies, dedicated to the role of women as artists and patrons between the 19th and 20th centuries on Lake Como. The event offers a reflection on artistic practices and the enhancement of local cultural heritage.
📍 Uninsubria – Aula Magna S.1.8, Cloister of Sant’Abbondio, Como
🗓 Thu 25/09, 4:30 PM–6:30 PM - EVENT CANCELLED
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Augmented reality and the enhancement of the Lake Como area
Presentation of the NODES PoCs ITM – Immersive Textile Museum and CERR – Cultural Extended Reality Routes, experimenting with the use of augmented reality and immersive technologies for cultural and tourist enjoyment of the Lake Como area. The program also includes an interactive experience at the Silk Museum in Como, engaging the public with highly innovative narrative and visual paths.
📍 Uninsubria – Aula Magna S.1.8, Cloister of Sant’Abbondio, Como
🗓 Fri 26/09, 2:30 PM–5:00 PM - EVENT CANCELLED
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Science in the Square
A city event bringing research directly into public spaces with stands and workshops open to families, students, and citizens. Among the NODES proposals: PoC T2T – Trash to Treasure (Spoke 2), a platform using blockchain to valorize industrial waste by transforming it into useful and traceable resources. The event will feature demonstrations and interactive activities aimed at showing how digital and sustainable innovation can translate into concrete solutions for the circular economy and the local area.
📍 Piazza Santa Maria, Busto Arsizio
🗓 Fri 26/09, 4:30 PM–9:30 PM
Visit the initiative’s website
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PAVIA - SHARPER 2025
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Exhibitions
Cultivating the future: agriculture, energy, community
A project proposal for the reactivation of Cascina Vialone as a model farm of the future. The exhibition explores the balance between high-tech and low-tech approaches, seeking harmony between innovation, sustainability, and community.
📍 Palazzo del Broletto, Room B – Via Comune 15, Pavia
🗓 Tue 23/09 2025, 2:00 PM–7:00 PM
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Workshops
NODES Stands – Science in the Courtyard
NODES will be present with two tables and rotating activities, in collaboration with researchers from Spokes 2, 6, and 7.
📍 University of Pavia – Central Palace, Corso Strada Nuova 65
🗓 Fri 26/09, 2:00 PM–12:00 AM
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The taste of sustainability: learning to eat well together
An outreach program on nutrition and sustainability, with activities for adults and children: interactive quizzes, carbon footprint calculation of one’s diet, rebuilding the sustainability pyramid, seasonality of fruits and vegetables. Organized by Spoke 7.
📍 University of Pavia – Central Palace – Table 1
🗓 Fri 26/09, 2:00 PM–4:00 PM
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Let’s play with enzymes!
Experiments and microscope observations to understand the role of enzymes. Games and practical tests linked to the GRIP Flagship Project. Organized by Spoke 2.
📍 University of Pavia – Central Palace – Table 2
🗓 Fri 26/09, 2:00 PM–4:00 PM
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SoS – Sensing on site
Demonstrations of Raman and UV-Vis-NIR spectroscopy for identifying materials and molecules in the agri-food supply chain. Activity linked to the VINO and FORMIDABILÆ Flagships. Organized by Spoke 6.
📍 University of Pavia – Central Palace – Table 1
🗓 Fri 26/09, 4:00 PM–6:00 PM
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What is Agrobiodiversity? Examples of local varieties and seed games
eed recognition games and creative drawing activities. Aim: to promote biodiversity and encourage the revival of local crops. Organized by Spoke 7.
📍 University of Pavia – Central Palace – Table 2
🗓 Fri 26/09, 4:00 PM–6:00 PM
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Synthetic biology for sustainable agroindustry
Applications of synthetic biology to valorize agro-industrial waste and develop low-cost bacterial biosensors to monitor fermentation, biogas production, and soil and seed quality. Organized by Spokes 6 and 2.
📍 University of Pavia – Central Palace – Table 1
🗓 Fri 26/09, 4:00 PM–6:00 PM
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From pruning waste to industrial extracts
Extraction experiments from vine and olive pruning using dynamic maceration and filtration. Activity linked to the VINO Flagship, focused on valorizing agricultural waste materials. Organized by Spoke 6.
📍 University of Pavia – Central Palace – Table 2
🗓 Fri 26/09, 6:00 PM–8:00 PM
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WAKEUP: from waste vegetable oils to fire retardants
Project developing ecological resins for passive fire protection by recycling waste frying oils. Organized by Spoke 2.
📍 University of Pavia – Central Palace – Table 1
🗓 Fri 26/09, 8:00 PM–10:00 PM
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Water management: soils and infiltration
Demonstrator to compare water infiltration capacity in sand, soil, and clay. Activity linked to the VINO Flagship on water stress and soil stability in viticulture.
Organized by Spoke 6.
📍 University of Pavia – Central Palace – Table 1
🗓 Fri 26/09, 8:00 PM–10:00 PM
Visit the Sharper Pavia website
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AOSTA - UniVdA
Let's play with science
Hands-on activities and educational games designed to spark young minds' curiosity and introduce them to the scientific method.
📍 University of Valle d'Aosta – Via Monte Vodice, Aosta
🗓 Fri 26/09, 2:00 PM–4:00 PM
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Let's Talk About Science
Talks and mini-conferences on current scientific topics – from digital innovation to sustainability – presented in a clear and engaging way for a non-specialist audience.
📍 University of Valle d'Aosta – Via Monte Vodice, Aosta
🗓 Fri 26/09, 4:00 PM–6:00 PM
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Let's taste science
Events blending research and food culture, exploring how science plays a role in the food we eat every day.
📍 University of Valle d'Aosta – Via Monte Vodice, Aosta
🗓 Fri 26/09, 5:30 PM–8:15 PM
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Bonsoir la recherche!
A light and informal format to chat with researchers and scientists, uncovering fun facts and stories behind their work.
📍 University of Valle d'Aosta – Via Monte Vodice, Aosta
🗓 Fri 26/09, 9:00 PM–10:15 PM
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Stargazing night
An evening activity in collaboration with the Astronomical Observatory of the Aosta Valley Region, where locals and visitors can observe stars and planets guided by experts.
📍 Jardin de l'Autonomie – Via Monte Vodice, Aosta
🗓 Fri 26/09, from 11:00 PM
