The Pint of Science festival is a three-day festival in May that takes place in hundreds of cities worldwide and brings researchers to local bars, cafes, and spaces to share their latest scientific discoveries in a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere. And the best part? You get to learn about cutting-edge research while sipping on your favorite beverage! The Pint of Science festival is all about delivering fascinating, entertaining, and relevant talks on the latest scientific research in an accessible format that everyone can understand. Whether you’re a science enthusiast or just looking for a fun night out, this festival is the perfect place to indulge your curiosity and learn something new. Plus, you’ll have the opportunity to chat with the researchers themselves.

This year, Pint of Science Belgium organized events in Antwerp, Brussels, Leuven, and Oostende from the 22^nd to the 24^th of May. VIB partnered with Pint of Science to sponsor two events:

• Beam me up and forget met no no, held at Dr. Beer in Antwerp
• The Beautiful Mind, at Belgaleiro in Leuven

Both events were a great success, with sold-out venues and engaging talks!

Marianna Decet, PhD student at the VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, delivered a great presentation in Leuven about what happens when the brain cell’s garbage disposal fails.

"It was a bit scary at first because of the unusual context, and I was worried about spontaneously using technical terms that nobody would understand," shares Marianna. "But once I got on stage, I immediately started to have fun! People were smiling and even laughing at the story I made up so that they could relate to what I was saying. Finding a way to easily explain a complicated molecular mechanism was not trivial, but I liked the challenge! It was definitely a good exercise. At the end of the talk, we also had a nice discussion with several questions asked by the public."