Activities
Activities in 2011
Conference for secondary school children regarding Antarctica, climate change and scientists at work.
Elie Verleyen, International Polar Foundation, Brussels, Belgium, 11/01/2011.
Activities in 2010
Eerste groep
wetenschappers naar het nieuwe Belgische onderzoeksstation op
Antarctica
Karolein Peeters, Presentation for Okra Lebbeke, 10 February 2010.
Des cyanobactéries découvertes au Pôle sud
Rafael Fernandez-Carazo and Annick Wilmotte, article on
Reflexions, outreach website of the University of Liège, 13/08/10.
Conference for secondary school children
regarding Antarctica, climate change and scientists at work
Elie Verleyen, International Polar Foundation, Brussels, Belgium, 26 October 2010.
Activities in 2009
Printemps des Sciences 2009
23.03.09 – 27.03.09 (ULg, Belgium)
« Cyanobactéries et évolution de la Terre et de la Vie » (LL20). A.Wilmotte and E. Javeaux animated a workshop for secondary
school students "Impact des cyanobactéries sur l'évolution de
la vie et de la Terre" (microscopic observations of fossil and modern cyanobacteria, discussion and PowerPoint presentation).
BELDIVA field campaign
The BELVIDA project aims to sample
representative habitats that could hold micro-organismes in the
surroundings of the Princesse Elisabeth Belgian Station, Dronning Maud
Land, and East Antarctica. On the 23rd of January 2009, Belgian and
international scientists flew to Antarctica. During their stay, they
will explore new regions, bring samples from microbial mats to be
studied in the laboratories of the three AMBIO partners and by other
colleagues. on the 15th of February 2009, the station will be
officially inaugurated.
Visit the
Antactica blog for live news from the scientists.
Interview of E. Verleyen
for the television program ‘De zevende dag’ in the framework of the
inauguration of the Belgian Princes Elisabeth Base – 15/02/2009
Conference for high school students of the
Katolieke Hogeschool Kortrijk regarding climate change in Antarctica.
Elie Verleyen, Ghent University, 19/02/2009.
Eerste groep
wetenschappers naar het nieuwe Belgische onderzoeksstation op
Antarctica.
Karolein Peeters, Presentation for KAV Baasrode, 28/09/2009
Conférence sur invitation « Darwin en Antarctique : diversité et phylogénie »
Annick Wilmotte, Colloque annuel 'Evolution de la vie et de la matière'
Société Royale des Sciences de Liège, Liège, Belgique, 20/11/2009
Conference for a wide audience regarding microbial diversity and climate change in Antarctica.
Verleyen, Brugge, Blegium, 23/11/2009.
Eerste groep
wetenschappers naar het nieuwe Belgische onderzoeksstation op
Antarctica.
Karolein Peeters, Presentation for Markant Berlare, 07/12/2009
Conference regarding Antarctica and climate change.
Elie Verleyen, Volkssterrenwacht Urania, Hove, 08/12/2009.
Activities in 2008
Printemps des Sciences 2008
10.03.08 - 16.03.08, in french
An activity for the
Printemps des Sciences
at ULg (Hands-on workshop
for secondary school students) took place in March 2008. AMBIO was
represented by the cyanobacteria group (F. Zakhia, P. Simon, A.
Wilmotte). Extractions of photosynthetic pigments from
Antarctic cyanobacterial strains and Thin Layer Chromatography of
pigments were
performed (Liege, at the Institute of Zoology). In addition, a
general
introduction on the Cyanobacteria and their pigments, as well as a
description of the International Polar Year 07/08 were given during the
pigment chromatography by Dr. Annick Wilmotte. The manual for the
workshop is available in French on the website of Printemps des
Sciences.
See video clips of school students doing the experiments:
1. Microscopic obeservation of cyanobacteria by school students clip
2. Cyanobacterial cell disruption for pigment extraction clip
3. Performing a Thin Layer Chromatography (silica gel):
3.1 Applying small spots of solution containing the pigments on the paper: clip1, clip2, clip3
3.2 Separation of pigments in a sealed container using organic solvent (Chloroform, Isopropanol, Ether): clip1, clip2
4. Results of the separation: pattern of pigments clip
"Global change and biodiversity"
Conference for
primary school children.
By Elie Verleyen at the Cultureel centrum Lokeren, Belgium, 12/04/2008
Conference for a wide audience regarding
climate change in Antarctica and its effect on ice sheet dynamics and
biodiversity.
By Elie Verleyen at BSGO ‘t Vlasbloempje, Grembergen, Belgium, 23/05/2008.
Conference for primary school children
regarding Antarctica.
By Elie Verleyen at BSGO ‘De bijenkorf’, Sint-Gillis bij Dendermonde,
Belgium, 04/06/2008
SCAR/IASC IPY Open Science Conference
July 8 - 11, 2008
St. Petersburg, Russia.
The
SCAR/IASC IPY Open Science Conference took place in St. Petersburg, Russia.
This meeting was organized by the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) and the
International Arctic Science Committe (IASC)
Activities in 2007
'Semence de curieux'
25.03.07 - 01.04.07, in french
2 Radio Broadcasts of RTB: Interview on the cyanobacteria in Polar zones with Dr Annick Wilmotte Cyanobacteria in polar zones. Liège (Belgium)
Conference, "L'Antarctique est un continent microbien"
23.08.07, In french
In the 'Congrès des professeurs de sciences' (Science Professor Society), Faculté Agronomiques de Gembloux, (Belgium)
Conference, "L'Antarctique, un continent microbien"
09.09.07, in french
Wide audience
conference presented by Dr Annick Wilmotte at the occasion
of the inauguration of the belgian polar base, Tour et Taxis, Brussels (Belgium)
The development of a microbial communities, especially the cyanobacteria in Antarctica is emphasised.
Conference, "Reconstructie van vroegere
klimaatsveranderingen met behulp van de Antarctische kustmeren als
natuurlijke archieven",
09.09.07, in dutch
Wide audience conference
presented by Dr Elie Verleyen, at the occasion of the inauguration of
the belgian polar base. The use of "natural archives" from
Antarctica in order to reconstruct the climate changes is presented. Tour et Taxis, Brussels (Belgium).
Conference, 'Genetic diversity and distribution of cyanobacteria in Antarctica'
20.09.07, in English
Presented by Dr
Wilmotte at the Faculteit der Natuurwetenschappen, Wiskunde en Informatica, Instituut voor
Biodiversiteit en Ecosysteem Dynamica (IBED), Amsterdam (The Netherlands)
"Researcher Night"
28.09.07, in french
Wide audience activities in the frame of the european "Researcher Night", at the Institut de zoologie, Quai Van Beneden,
Dr Zakhia showed polar cyanobacteria at the visitors. Liège (Belgium).
Printemps des Sciences
2007
19.03.07 - 23.03.07, in french
Workshop 'Hands-on' for secondary school
students, Liège (Belgium)
The
cyanobacteria group (University of Liège) took part in 2007 to
the 'Printemps des Sciences' in Liège. It organized a
workshop for secondary school students and presented the
International Polar Year and some related projects:
MERGE
and AMBIO. The role of Antarctic cyanobacteria has been emphazised.
Experiments to extract hydrosoluble and liposoluble photosynthetic pigments from
polar cyanobacterial strains were carried out.