Periodic Reporting for period 1 - MadridERN2021 (Researchers and citizens to achieve a sustainable future)
Berichtszeitraum: 2021-05-01 bis 2022-01-31
The European Researchers’ Night in Madrid 2021 (MadridERN2021) aimed to highlight the important role researchers’ labour in our society and its contribution to the improvement of societal welfare, not only running the engine of technological innovation but also by their enhancement of knowledge acquisition in Europe. The MadridERN project was addressed to citizens of the Region of Madrid that aimed to bring researchers and their work closer to the public at large and to promote research careers among young people without gender barriers from very early ages.
To achieve this goal a continuous and wide-ranging awareness campaign was launched combining the traditional communication vectors (press, radio, TV or street adverts) with the contemporary ones (virtual media or social networks and platforms). The event aimed to attract as much people as possible by transmitting the main messages of the Night, i.e: Science is built by all of us and for all of us; and emphasise the exceptional role of Researchers, which live amongst us.
To achieve this goal a continuous and wide-ranging awareness campaign was launched combining the traditional communication vectors (press, radio, TV or street adverts) with the contemporary ones (virtual media or social networks and platforms). The event aimed to attract as much people as possible by transmitting the main messages of the Night, i.e: Science is built by all of us and for all of us; and emphasise the exceptional role of Researchers, which live amongst us.
Tasks undertaken
WP1
Audience targeted: public at large regardless of age and scientific background, especially children and young people faced with a career choice or with the option of studying STEM subjects, with special emphasis on girls less willing to choose these subjects
Communication tools: Offline (posters displayed in educational and cultural centres; publication of articles and promotional announcements, interviews in newspapers; publication of press releases displayed to radio, press, TV channels; public advertising in urban furniture, billboards and posters in metro stations; pre-events) and Online (the project website and the social networks profiles, other institutional and popular websites, and e-mailing based on coordinator's and cooperating bodies' mailing lists).
Results
Posters distributed to the participants; Outdoor advertising in public places and public transport; Airing of announcements, advertising, programmes, interviews, news reports on radio and TV stations. Publication of articles, interviews, announcements, advertising in written and digital press and multiple press releases. Invitations sent to over 38.397 e-mail addresses; Organisation of pre-events by participants and gathering of all the ERN projects in Spain; Distribution of posters in educational and research centres all over Madrid; Revamping, constant updating and maintenance of the project website (382.331 hits from May to November) and of website of the ERN in Spain. Links with the websites of the institutions involved. Revamping of social network profiles. Special hashtags having more than 103.000 Twitter impressions in September. Instagram: researchers’ activities were published during the event, posting over pieces of news in print and digital press; About 3.500.000 were made aware of the ERN objectives with the exterior advertising campaign, adding up a media impact reaching an audience of 19.773.919 people.
WP2
Locations: the majority of the activities were carried out in an on-site format, exposing places where researchers carry out their daily work and places where people will not normally expect to see them.
Activities: hands-on experiments, workshops, popular science lectures, guided tours and lab visits, scientific gymkhana, science shows, demos, games, contests, etc.
Results
115 activities, 100 organized by the participant institutions and 15 parallel activities; 110 additional activities were organised simultaneously in South America; Involvement of 646 researchers of whom: 39 having benefitted from Marie Curie scheme, 86 having benefitted from support under FP7/HORIZON 2020 or other EU program; Overall number of attendees of 20.138 visitors
WP3
Ex ante questionnaire available on website; On-going questionnaire handled to the attendees; Questionnaires available in all the activities performed; Collection by each organiser assisted; Participation to the impact assessment rewarded; Ex post questionnaires addressed to institutions; Questionnaires addressing researchers and stakeholders available on Internet; Short and clear questions to encourage people to answer easily; Initial warning notice about the confidentiality and anonymity of the answers; External evaluation by professors of the University of Comillas
Results
Display of ex-posts online questionnaires and ex-ante on line questionnaires. Collection and processing of 1.150 questionnaires, selected at random among the questionnaires received from all the activities performed;
Main conclusions: Typology of visitors: 63,1% female and 36,9% male, 79% aged under 45; 25,7% secondary/vocational training education and 63,9% university studies; Overall positive feedback: 96,1% considered activities interesting and very interesting; Consideration of researchers about their labour to be little noticeable within society; 99% of the attendees have maintained or improved their opinion on the researchers’ work; 62,3% consider research contributes to improving competitiveness and welfare state, 17,7 % to spread knowledge and 62,3% to solve social problems; 77,9% of youngsters declare that they would like to become a researcher; The four main challenges which face Europe proposed had similar relevance to the public; 94,5% of the adults and 96,3% of the children intend to attend future editions.
WP4
Our participation was complemented with other 36 institutions involved. For the implementation of the project there were 3 organs: Coordinator, Steering Committee and Advisory Committee. Main tasks: Regular communication with the institutions involved; Summon and chairing meetings; Interface with the EU services; Follow up of the project activities; Reporting.
Results
The management structure was designed to provide a flexible, operative and participative decision making process and to ensure a proper management of the project. A simple structure was required to allow the participation of all the project participants. However, the activities offered were developed both onsite and online, or with a hybrid format, with noticeable results in terms of audience, accomplishment and satisfaction for both the public and the participants. Consequently, it is considered that it has worked successfully and has achieved its results.
WP1
Audience targeted: public at large regardless of age and scientific background, especially children and young people faced with a career choice or with the option of studying STEM subjects, with special emphasis on girls less willing to choose these subjects
Communication tools: Offline (posters displayed in educational and cultural centres; publication of articles and promotional announcements, interviews in newspapers; publication of press releases displayed to radio, press, TV channels; public advertising in urban furniture, billboards and posters in metro stations; pre-events) and Online (the project website and the social networks profiles, other institutional and popular websites, and e-mailing based on coordinator's and cooperating bodies' mailing lists).
Results
Posters distributed to the participants; Outdoor advertising in public places and public transport; Airing of announcements, advertising, programmes, interviews, news reports on radio and TV stations. Publication of articles, interviews, announcements, advertising in written and digital press and multiple press releases. Invitations sent to over 38.397 e-mail addresses; Organisation of pre-events by participants and gathering of all the ERN projects in Spain; Distribution of posters in educational and research centres all over Madrid; Revamping, constant updating and maintenance of the project website (382.331 hits from May to November) and of website of the ERN in Spain. Links with the websites of the institutions involved. Revamping of social network profiles. Special hashtags having more than 103.000 Twitter impressions in September. Instagram: researchers’ activities were published during the event, posting over pieces of news in print and digital press; About 3.500.000 were made aware of the ERN objectives with the exterior advertising campaign, adding up a media impact reaching an audience of 19.773.919 people.
WP2
Locations: the majority of the activities were carried out in an on-site format, exposing places where researchers carry out their daily work and places where people will not normally expect to see them.
Activities: hands-on experiments, workshops, popular science lectures, guided tours and lab visits, scientific gymkhana, science shows, demos, games, contests, etc.
Results
115 activities, 100 organized by the participant institutions and 15 parallel activities; 110 additional activities were organised simultaneously in South America; Involvement of 646 researchers of whom: 39 having benefitted from Marie Curie scheme, 86 having benefitted from support under FP7/HORIZON 2020 or other EU program; Overall number of attendees of 20.138 visitors
WP3
Ex ante questionnaire available on website; On-going questionnaire handled to the attendees; Questionnaires available in all the activities performed; Collection by each organiser assisted; Participation to the impact assessment rewarded; Ex post questionnaires addressed to institutions; Questionnaires addressing researchers and stakeholders available on Internet; Short and clear questions to encourage people to answer easily; Initial warning notice about the confidentiality and anonymity of the answers; External evaluation by professors of the University of Comillas
Results
Display of ex-posts online questionnaires and ex-ante on line questionnaires. Collection and processing of 1.150 questionnaires, selected at random among the questionnaires received from all the activities performed;
Main conclusions: Typology of visitors: 63,1% female and 36,9% male, 79% aged under 45; 25,7% secondary/vocational training education and 63,9% university studies; Overall positive feedback: 96,1% considered activities interesting and very interesting; Consideration of researchers about their labour to be little noticeable within society; 99% of the attendees have maintained or improved their opinion on the researchers’ work; 62,3% consider research contributes to improving competitiveness and welfare state, 17,7 % to spread knowledge and 62,3% to solve social problems; 77,9% of youngsters declare that they would like to become a researcher; The four main challenges which face Europe proposed had similar relevance to the public; 94,5% of the adults and 96,3% of the children intend to attend future editions.
WP4
Our participation was complemented with other 36 institutions involved. For the implementation of the project there were 3 organs: Coordinator, Steering Committee and Advisory Committee. Main tasks: Regular communication with the institutions involved; Summon and chairing meetings; Interface with the EU services; Follow up of the project activities; Reporting.
Results
The management structure was designed to provide a flexible, operative and participative decision making process and to ensure a proper management of the project. A simple structure was required to allow the participation of all the project participants. However, the activities offered were developed both onsite and online, or with a hybrid format, with noticeable results in terms of audience, accomplishment and satisfaction for both the public and the participants. Consequently, it is considered that it has worked successfully and has achieved its results.
Increase in the awareness of the importance of research and innovation; More favourable general attitude towards its funding; Better understanding of the key benefits that research brings to society; Reduction in the stereotypes about researchers; Increase of people taking up research careers
Actions to show the importance of research and innovation for the welfare of Europe were carried out; enterprises showcased how recent research could reach the market improving our daily lives and how that needs to be funded.
A various range of activities, workshops, hand on experiments, games, gymkhana, encounters, talks, were held during the Night to achieve a better understanding of the benefits research brings to society, such as research and Industry. Exhibition of achievements reached by researchers were carried out by playing labs with children, purifying water with solar energy, walking along the Royal Botanic Garden, showing how plants and fungi are so important to keep the balance in nature, etc.
Significantly reduce the stereotypes about researchers and their profession. Development of activities that will contribute to eliminate the still existing stereotypes.
Actions to show the importance of research and innovation for the welfare of Europe were carried out; enterprises showcased how recent research could reach the market improving our daily lives and how that needs to be funded.
A various range of activities, workshops, hand on experiments, games, gymkhana, encounters, talks, were held during the Night to achieve a better understanding of the benefits research brings to society, such as research and Industry. Exhibition of achievements reached by researchers were carried out by playing labs with children, purifying water with solar energy, walking along the Royal Botanic Garden, showing how plants and fungi are so important to keep the balance in nature, etc.
Significantly reduce the stereotypes about researchers and their profession. Development of activities that will contribute to eliminate the still existing stereotypes.