PERiFORM at the European Researchers’ Night 2025

“Mind and Body as One” – University of Limassol, Department of Psychology

The Department of Psychology at the University of Limassol participated in the European Researchers’ Night 2025, organized by the Cyprus Research and Innovation Foundation (RIF) on Friday, 26 September 2025, at the Cyprus State Fairgrounds in Nicosia.

The European Researchers’ Night is one of the largest science outreach events in Europe, aiming to bring research closer to society, highlight its impact on everyday life, and inspire young people to pursue careers in science.

This year’s event, themed “Mission Possible – The Sequel!”, focused on the EU Missions, including the mission on Cancer, which aligns with the Department’s booth “Mind and Body as One.” The booth presented a series of interactive activities designed to promote awareness around prevention, well-being, and the connection between physical and mental health.

As part of the Department’s booth, the PERiFORM project was represented by its principal investigator, Dr. Christodoula Gavriel, who presented the activity “How Far Can You Reach?”, engaging children and visitors in discovering the concept of peripersonal space, the invisible area surrounding our body where we can reach and interact with objects.

Through a playful experiment using a doll, a fly swatter, and everyday objects like a ball and toy blocks, children were invited to discover how their brain continuously adapts to this space depending on movement, attention, and the tools they use. The activity demonstrated, and engagingly, how movement and interaction shape our perception of our body and surroundings, emphasizing the importance of physical activity and awareness for overall well-being and disease prevention.

This participation provided a valuable opportunity to communicate research and project work to the public, engage young audiences with hands-on science, and highlight the Department’s and project’s commitment to bridging research, education, and society. It was also an excellent opportunity to connect with other researchers and professionals, exchange ideas, explore potential future collaborations, and reach out to individuals interested in participating in the PERiFORM project.