The Cyprus Institute participated to the event Through the Researcher's…Eyes, organized by Research Promotion Foundation at Filoxenia Conference Center, Nicosia, on Friday 28 November 2014. The event’s main objective is to bring the public and researchers together, and to present and explain science in a comprehensive manner. It offers the opportunity to discover research facilities and equipment that are usually mysterious to the public,  show the most recent technologies and instruments with the guidance of scientists from various higher institutions, participate in experiments, watch demonstrations and simulations, and exchange ideas with the researchers. This year’s event was a great success, a large number of students had the opportunity to visit it in the morning, while in the afternoon the general public showed great interest to come and see the activities of the participating researchers from various fields.

The Cyprus Institute participated this year with two activities:

“Water and Land in Motion”

An adjustable scale model (2 x 1 m) of a Cypriot hill-slope demonstrated the effect of different land management practices on water flows and erosion. Visitors were able to adjust the land slope, turn on the rain and experience how human decisions can reduce flooding and soil loss. This iconic model was accompanied by audio-visual material of climate hazards and climate-resilient water management practices.

This action demo has been developed by the Energy, Environment and Water Research Center of The Cyprus Institute as part of two recently started EU-funded projects:

• BEWATER: Making society an active participant in water adaptation to global change, FP7-SiS (2013-2017)
• RECARE: Preventing and Remediating degradation of soils in Europe through land care, FP7-ENV (2013-2018)

“Bio-archaeology”

The aim of the activity was to demonstrate the work of a Bio-archaeologist,  providing information how we can access and explore  aspects of life of ancient Cyprus peoples through their skeletal material, including  their health status, diseases, demographic structure, mortality rates, diet, residential mobility, and effects of cultural practices on the body, though practical application on casts of human skeletal elements such as female and male skull and bones of the limbs, and through visual material. In addition, visitors had the opportunity to participate in key anthropological measurements which provided information i.e. a person's height. The exhibition activities enabled the public to become aware of past peoples by providing information about their body, their health, their illnesses, and their diet. This presentation has been developed by the Science and Technology in Archaeology Research Center of The Cyprus Institute.