Bringing science and space exploration closer to the public and inspiring female talent in the tech world are two of the main goals of the Hypatia Mars association. The return to routine after the holiday period has been more fun, educational, and Mars-themed thanks to two events organized by this association, in collaboration with the Institut d’Estudis Espacials de Catalunya (IEEC).
On one hand, through the educational activity “Families Go to Mars”, participants had the chance to discover, play, and dream about space as a family. The event, held at the IEEC headquarters, began with an outreach talk on the Hypatia analog missions, during which a team made up of female scientists and technologists shared their experience simulating life on Mars from the Utah desert. This was followed by a snack break with hands-on workshops and fun activities for children, including rocket building, Mars reentry simulations, and creative science games.
The activity, led by teams from Hypatia and the IEEC, used an experiential methodology tailored to children and placed special emphasis on encouraging scientific vocations among young girls in primary school.
On Women in Tech Day, attendees had a unique opportunity to connect with inspiring female role models and foster female talent in the fields of science and technology. Organized by Hypatia Mars with the collaboration of the IEEC and the Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), which also hosted the event.
The program included an opening talk, various panel discussions focused on different stages of professional development — featuring several researchers and industry professionals — and networking spaces where participants shared their experiences.
Both events were free and held in person. While the first aimed to bring science and space exploration to families in an accessible way, the second — conducted entirely in English — sought to highlight female role models and inspire women in science and technology. Both activities have been carried out with the support of the Generalitat de Catalunya and have been funded by the European Union-Next Generation EU, within the framework of the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan.