This annual science fair is organised as part of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, MSCA, the EU’s flagship programme for researcher training, mobility and career development, and it aims to bring EU-funded research closer to the public.
When insects become doctors, the audience listens
The Ruđer team in Brussels presented an engaging programme titled “Beetle doctors, how tiny insects manage epidemics together”, through which they showed the public how tiny insects recognise disease and work together to stop the spread of infection. Visitors were able to observe live insects under a microscope, learn about their “defence strategies”, and discover through play what an epidemic looks like from the perspective of an insect community.
At the centre of the presentation was Dr Barbara Milutinović, who developed her own line of research with the support of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie programme, and who, in Brussels, in addition to presenting her work to the wider public, also took part in a discussion with the Commissioner about the future of scientific careers in Europe.
“This event shows how important it is to bring science closer to children and the wider public clearly and engagingly. I believe that outreach and communication are an important part of our work and should be an integral part of every scientist’s job. In addition, events like this are an excellent opportunity to connect with colleagues from different fields, exchange ideas and create new collaborations, and from experience, I know that such networks are extremely important for the future of my work and career,” emphasised Dr Barbara Milutinović, Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellow and researcher at RBI.
For the second year in a row, Brussels recognises “Ruđer”
For RBI, this is the second consecutive year at this prestigious event, which clearly demonstrates that the Institute is consistently and seriously committed to science outreach and communication activities, and that this work is now recognised beyond Croatia, at the level of the European Union.
“Taking part in this fair for the second year running shows that the Institute has a strong, professional team committed to supporting researchers and advancing science communication and engagement. These activities, and our participation in Science is Wonderful!, are part of the Ruđer Fermentator programme, which has also gained significant European recognition through Horizon projects and collaborations that grew out of last year’s Zagreb Science Communication Forum,” said Dr Marko Košiček, coordinator of science outreach and public engagement projects at the RBI.
Science is Wonderful! is a major science fair organised by the European Commission, where researchers use experiments, demonstrations and interactive content to bring their work closer to children, young people and the wider public. At its core are projects funded through European programmes such as the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, MSCA, and the European Research Council, ERC, so the event also shows what European investment in science looks like in practice through concrete research, new ideas and encounters between scientists and the public. Since its launch in 2015, Science is Wonderful! has been visited each year by more than 4,500 pupils from schools across Belgium.
The research presented by Dr Barbara Milutinović and her team at this year’s fair explores how social animals defend themselves against disease as a group. Using flour beetles as a model, the team studies how individuals detect infection, remove pathogens, and, when necessary, isolate infected members to protect the wider community. By combining behavioural analysis, chemical signalling, and evolutionary biology, the group is uncovering how collective disease defence emerges and what it can reveal about the spread and containment of infection in social systems. After completing her PhD at the University of Münster and postdoctoral research at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria, Milutinović returned to Croatia with Marie Skłodowska-Curie funding and is now building her own research group. Alongside her are young researchers and trainees, including award-winning biology graduate Nina Randić and intern Wouter Bouwmeester.
The participation of the Ruđer Bošković Institute in this event confirms that Croatian science has much to showcase, both in the European research area and in dialogue with the wider public, especially when it is backed by strong research results, internationally competitive projects, and a team that knows how to make science visible, understandable and relevant.
