The popular-science event May Month of Mathematics (M3), organized by the Center for the Promotion of Science, was held this year from May 11 to 31 at Silosi Beograd. The twelfth edition of the event was dedicated to the theme of big data and its impact on everyday life, science, and the economy.
During the three weeks of the event, Silosi became a meeting place for science, technology, and audiences of different generations. Through the exhibition “Reality Through the Lens of Big Data”, visitors had the opportunity to explore how the enormous amounts of data we generate every day are created—from social media activity, online shopping, and traffic, to scientific experiments and weather sensors.
The exhibition presented the ways in which big data is collected, analyzed, and used in the modern world, while also raising questions about its accessibility, security, and the ethics of its use. Through interactive displays, visitors could discover how big data is transforming fields such as science, healthcare, finance, sports, and technology.
As an introduction to the exhibition, an interactive glossary of terms was set up, which—through augmented reality—enabled visitors to discover additional information and content related to the topic of big data on their device screens.
One segment of the exhibition was dedicated to the application of big data in agriculture. The Plant-o-metar device from the BioSens Institute was presented; it uses machine-learning algorithms and data analysis to monitor the condition of plants and crops in real time. Such systems enable yield prediction, production optimization, and reducing agriculture’s negative impact on the environment.
A special part of the display focused on communication between humans and artificial intelligence. Visitors could learn more about natural language processing technology and the way modern AI models are changing how people communicate with digital systems and access information.
As part of the event, the exhibition “Women in STEM” was also presented, which highlighted—through scientific and life stories—the contributions of women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, as well as the challenges many of them faced in their careers.
The exhibition program also included contemporary research in the field of computational protein design, which has significant applications in medicine, industry, and energy. Visitors could learn how researchers use computational models to design new proteins and better understand biological processes.
Works created as part of the M3 Makers Lab were also presented at Silosi, with 30 high school students from across Serbia taking part. Their projects addressed the social aspects of data, including issues of privacy, information security, and the ways algorithms shape today’s digital world.
Partners of this year’s edition of the event were the BioSens Institute, the Institute for Artificial Intelligence of Serbia, and the State Data Center, which through their projects and research brought contemporary applications of data and technology closer to the public.
May Month of Mathematics once again affirmed Silosi as a space where science, education, and contemporary culture meet, opening room for dialogue on topics that shape the future of society.
