Researchers for Humanity 2021

Project Information

R4H2021

Grant agreement ID: 101036007

DOI

10.3030/101036007

Project closed

EC signature date 4 May 2021

Start date 1 April 2021

End date 30 November 2021

Funded under

• EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Total cost

€ 110 575,00

EU contribution

€ 110 575,00

Coordinated by

TARGET ACTIVE TRAINING
Romania

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - R4H2021 (Researchers for Humanity 2021)

Reporting period: 2021-04-01 to 2021-11-30

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

European Researchers’ Night R4H2021 continued the series of events already organized in Romania since 2007. Every year, the event builds a stronger link between the general public and researchers and research entities, transmitting important and relevant messages: the work of scientists and researchers is useful for our daily lives, researchers are ordinary people with extraordinary jobs, pursuing a research career can open new horizons for youngsters.
The event has become a national wide project due to the involvement of important players from science, research and education fields, that joined forces with NGOs and private companies and created one of the most attractive events for everyone passionate about science. The general public was invited to be part of this unique experience, where people had the opportunity to play, talk and learn about researchers and to understand how science can be used in the benefit of humanity.
Focusing on the European dimension of the event, the tailored-made awareness campaign reached out to people from all over Romania, confirming European Researchers’ Night 2021 as one of the most important events in terms of science and research. Thus, the national ERN network increased, the event itself being organized in 23 cities all over Romania. The researchers, teachers and students involved promoted in their area the work that they performed, having local and national exposure due to the online component of the event.
When it comes to numbers, European Researchers’ Night 2021 welcomed over 51.200 visitors, while over 500 researchers got the opportunity to present their work. More than 1.400.000 people were made aware of the European Researchers' Night and its objectives with partnerships that continued at national and local level.
The project has reached its objectives and proved to be successful as a result of varied types of activities, the hybrid format of the event, the number and quality of entities involved etc.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

Pre-event activities
Promotion of European Researchers’ Night on social media by organizing contests with questions related to the evolution of the event;
Promotion towards the public national authorities (ministry of education and research, national authority for research);
Teaser activities in educational institutions and partners’ premises throughout the whole country;
Online activities for youngsters designed as a live science board game
Redesigning and constant updating of project’s website www.noapteacercetatorilor.eu
Redesigning and constant updating of social networks profiles (Facebook “Noaptea Cercetatorilor Europeni - Romania”) with relevant posts and photos of the activity, Instagram account, promoting the #ERN, #NCE2021, YouTube account with videos evolution about the Romanian events of European Researchers’ Night;
Posting of announcements and articles on internet blogs, Vlog channel;
Posting of press releases online

Activities during the Night
Main concept: RESEARCHERS FOR HUMANITY, a special designed space with main areas that invited visitors to actively participate in various activities;
Topics: earth sciences, human performance, with sport and medicine researchers, social sciences with linguists, historians and any other researchers in socio-humanistic sciences, robotics and technical sciences;
Activities planned and organized around the above-mentioned topics – workshops, experiments, demonstrations, presentations, games and contests;
Active involvement of 513 researchers, of whom 15 having benefited from MSCA;
The European dimension of the event was reinforced in the on-site events by the EU corners, where visitors could get information about science and research in the EU, opportunities for research funding, programmes and initiatives of the EU, while in the online event our partners from Europe Direct and the 15 MSCA fellows conducted interesting presentations
The website and social media pages of the event worked as Info Points, providing information about the European dimension of the ERN with links to other projects, to MSCA and to the European Commission;
51.200 visitors have taken part in the activities offered on-site and online during European Researchers’ Night 2021.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

Collection and processing of 3872 feedbacks, through:
On-site and online surveys (25 questions, displayed during the event, at national level), randomly selected, mostly composed of students, teachers and parents;
Focus groups organized with students and researchers;
Main conclusions:
Typology of visitors: the age of the responders concluded in 47% between 15-24 years, 15% (25-39 years), 25% (over 40 years); The majority of the responders were women (68%); The educational background of the responders was various: 43% graduated from a secondary school or High school, while 57% graduated university studies (license, master, PhD and Post PhD studies); Sources of information about the event: public advertising, pre-event activities, vlog and blog, online announcements;
Overall positive feedback regarding the hybrid format of the event, national exposure, concrete organization, scheduling, activities proposed, contacts with researchers;
Combination of entertainment and science, interferences with young researchers holding an accessible language to the audience;
Increased interest for the event expressed by both public and mass media;
Increased interest of the visitors to get involved in science projects after the event;
Increased interest for scientific careers expressed by young people attending, notably through the "5 Sciences" activity (elaboration of research projects by students and researchers, presented during the events);
Specific feedback from students from focus group:
o Accessibility of researchers involved: language, clear explanations, young and committed;
o Novelty to be discovered everywhere: stands, technology, projects, breakthroughs, and consequently increased knowledge after having participated in the event;
o Clear awareness of research contribution to facing daily challenges, research being the solution for a better and evolved world.

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