Comenius University: Discussion tent and project ECOmenius at Pohoda 2024
Comenius University has long been contributing to a greener Pohoda through the ECOmenius project, where volunteers educate festival-goers on waste separation. The university's tent also hosts educational workshops, inspirational lectures, and debates.
06. July 2024
This year, topics include "invisible" Asperger's syndrome, overlooked municipal politics, time travel, and the roundness of the Earth, while a career advisor will guide the undecided. Discussions will also cover the suburbanisation of Bratislava, public administration reform, the intersections of art and mathematics, and school safety.
FRIDAY:
11:15 AM – 11:45 AM Suburb or Village? Suburbanisation around Bratislava
More than 50,000 apartments have been added in the vicinity of Bratislava, and the population has grown by almost 100,000 residents. It's as if the entire city of Prešov moved to Bratislava. What is happening around our capital, and what are the consequences of such a significant transformation for our society? Are we creating modern suburbs or just a new form of the countryside? Geographer Martin Šveda, who is also the author of many great photos from Pohoda, will discuss this.
Guest: Martin Šveda
12:00 PM – 12:30 PM Municipal Politics – A Fascinating World with a Crucial Impact on Our Daily Lives
When you hear the word politics, many immediately think of parliament, government, the president, or perhaps international leaders. In this regard, municipal politics is a relatively overlooked area, yet it has a direct impact on our daily lives. What role does it play in modern democracies? How challenging is political competition at the municipal level? What are the specifics of municipal politics in our country compared to other European countries? Political scientist Daniel Klimovský will explore these questions in the UK tent.
Guest: Daniel Klimovský
1:45 PM – 2:15 PM Painting and the Beauty of Mathematics
Mathematician Alexandra Dyalee, who has received several international awards for her artistic work, combines painting with mathematical formulations. As she herself says, not only painting but also any other art, including mathematics, can be created by looking at the most ordinary moment. During the lecture, Alexandra will show you how to do it. You will be able to see what only you can extract from the present moment. In the end, she will guide you through her work process, viewing the world through the lens of art and mathematics.
Guest: Alexandra Dyalee
2:30 PM – 3:00 PM Safety in Schools
Following the tragic attack at Charles University in Prague last December, discussions about protecting so-called "soft targets" have also started in Slovakia. Is it just a virtual threat that we know more from American movies? How are Slovak schools (and the Ministry of Education) preparing for security incidents? How far have we come in thinking about threats in Slovak schools over the past six months? And what is Comenius University doing to protect its students?
Guests: Branislav Tichý and Martin Královič
4:30 PM – 5:00 PM How Do We Know the Earth is Round?
How did we discover that the Earth is round? From ancient Greek experiments to today's satellite images and technologies, we'll explore how science gradually revealed the truth about the shape of our planet and maybe even why some people remain unconvinced by the evidence.
Guest: Samuel Kováčik
SATURDAY:
11:15 AM – 11:45 AM Where Are We and Where Are We Going? (A Look at Slovakia through Geolocation Data from the Mobile Network)
Our daily lives are becoming increasingly dynamic. Flexible working hours, working from home, or working in industrial and business centres all affect the daily routine of residents and their spatial concentration. The use of mobile communication creates new opportunities to monitor these phenomena. Where do people concentrate during the day and at night? Where do we commute for work and school? Where do we spend our weekends? We can model all this using geolocation data from the mobile network.
Guest: Martin Šveda
12:00 PM – 12:30 PM Public Administration Reform – Do We Need It or Not?
Public administration reform is sometimes considered a phantom reform. Many mention it and highlight its necessity, but when it comes to discussing its specific contours, few have a real idea about it. The creation and implementation of public policies often depend on the moods of politicians. Their interventions are often reactions to specific cases and ultimately lead to the administrative system becoming slower, less understandable, or effective. What should we imagine by public administration reform? Why does the current system lag behind the needs of practice? Why can't governments deal with this reform? How should we proceed?
Guest: Daniel Klimovský
1:45 PM – 2:15 PM Life with Asperger's: What Does It Mean to "Think Differently"?
Have you heard names like Elon Musk, Bill Gates, or Hans Christian Andersen? Besides exceptional talent, they share Asperger's syndrome. It is is often accompanied by problems in social interaction and communication, emotionally inappropriate behaviour, but sometimes also with above-average intelligence and extraordinary results. Alexandra Dyalee will discuss life with the so-called "syndrome of eccentrics" or "invisible diagnosis."
Guest: Alexandra Dyalee
2:30 PM – 3:00 PM It's OK Not to Know What's Next
Some people know from childhood what they want to do and who they want to be, but many of us grapple with these questions throughout our lives. Psychologist and career advisor Dominika Volek will talk about our future direction and new perspectives on this topic. In addition, she will offer several practical tips, as well as the opportunity to test or briefly consult your personality traits for your future career.
Guest: Dominika Volek
4:30 PM – 5:00 PM Is Time Travel Possible?
What do we lack to achieve what all those sci-fi movies, books, and stories promise us? Samo Kováčik will take you into the world of time travel from a scientific perspective. Whether it's big leaps into the future or the past, the consequences for free will, or the paradoxes that time travel brings.
Guest: Samuel Kováčik