On June 2, 2026, a nationwide online event to popularize science "Material World" took place, organized on the initiative and coordination of the I.M. Frantsevich Ukrainian Materials Science Society. Its goal is to engage schoolchildren with modern science, introduce them to the work of scientific institutions, and show that materials science is a field that directly shapes the technologies of the future.
Leading scientific institutions and universities of Ukraine participated in the event: I.M. Frantsevich Institute for Problems of Materials Science of the NAS of Ukraine (Kyiv), Z.I. Nekrasov Institute of Ferrous Metallurgy of the NAS of Ukraine (Dnipro), Scientific and Technological Complex "Institute of Single Crystals" of the NAS of Ukraine (Kharkiv), National University "Lviv Polytechnic" and Lutsk National Technical University.
The event began with an interactive teleconference that in real time connected all project locations – Kyiv, Lviv, Lutsk, Dnipro, and Kharkiv. After that, participants enjoyed a rich program with quizzes, demonstrations of scientific developments, laboratory tours, and vivid experiments.
One of the central locations was the I.M. Frantsevich Institute for Problems of Materials Science of the NAS of Ukraine, which opened its doors that day to children and their parents. Here, young guests could see how modern science works and learn what materials are used to create technologies of the future.
The program in Kyiv opened with a quiz about materials and their properties. Then visitors were presented with exhibits from the Institute’s Museum of Scientific Developments – ultra-strong bulletproof vests, modern joint prostheses, and special protective gloves that cannot be cut with a knife.
Particular interest was sparked by tours of scientific laboratories. In microscopy laboratories, schoolchildren used optical and electron microscopes to explore the micro-world, observe microorganisms, and examine ordinary flies and mosquitoes at a thousandfold magnification.
In the ceramic fuel cell laboratory, participants were told about the prospects of hydrogen energy and shown the operation of a special experimental stand. In the polymer-ceramic composites laboratory, children observed the process of creating nanocomposite materials, and the magnetic stirrer became one of the most popular exhibits among visitors.
The program’s bright finale featured spectacular chemical experiments – "Pharaoh’s snakes," color reactions with indicators, and an impressive mini-volcano eruption, which truly fascinated the young researchers.
Overall, the "Material World" event involved nearly 200 schoolchildren from various regions of Ukraine. Its organizers aimed not only to introduce children to modern scientific research but also to show how materials science helps create new medical devices, energy technologies, protective materials, and other developments that change our lives.
According to information from the I.M. Frantsevich Institute for Problems of Materials Science
