TIME for Nano - Tools to Increase Mass Engagement for Nanotechnology

Objective

The TIME for Nano Project aims at engaging the general public, with a special attention to young people, on benefits and risks related to nanoscale research, engineering and technology, through specific informal education products, namely the nano-kit and the organisation of a web contest each year that will be the basis for the realisation of events and debates for the public and collecting opinions and feedbacks from the participants. The products will use an inquiry-based learning approach, specifically developed in science centres/museums, where people understand by doing. The nano-kit could contain e.g. small exhibits, nano-objects and materials, scripts for experiments and role/team game cards. It is a tool for stimulating the participation of youngsters in the nano-olympics and for engaging in debate scientists, stakeholders and the public in general. The web platform will be a resource centre and an attractor for the whole community of N&N communicators, through its contents (continuous addition of new information etc), its innovative tools ( web contest) and the artistic approach, the online feedback collection. A great added value of the project is that of “growing” a community of people engaged in N&N communication, through the realisation of training courses in each of the participating Science Centres (at national level) and by Ecsite (at European level) intended to reach a number of at least 450 multipliers (experts working in outreach and education efforts), carefully chosen among three main groups: explainers in science centres and PhD students in science communication; teachers from primary and high schools. The public participation to the web-contest is ensured by the organisation of many events in science centres of 9 countries each year: launch event, nano days, final event with award prizes, intended as occasions for informing/educating, on one hand, and for engaging youngsters, collecting perceptions and opinions, on the other.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: https://op.europa.eu/en/web/eu-vocabularies/euroscivoc.

• natural sciences computer and information sciences internet
• engineering and technology nanotechnology
• social sciences educational sciences pedagogy inquiry based learning

Keywords

Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)

• European community of science educators and communicators
• citizens' feedback
• communication tools
• nano-kit
• public engagement on nanotechnologies
• web platform resource centre
• young people

Programme(s)

Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.

• FP7-NMP - Specific Programme "Cooperation": Nanosciences, Nanotechnologies, Materials and new Production Technologies

Topic(s)

Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.

• NMP-2008-1.1-2 - Support to outreach and communication in nanotechnology

Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

FP7-NMP-2008-CSA-2
See other projects for this call

Funding Scheme

Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.

CSA-SA - Support actions

Coordinator

Participants (13)