FUTURES2021 comprised four work packages: an extensive awareness raising campaign; a wide-ranging programme of public engagement events and activities over the course of European Researchers' Night; a thorough evaluation; and the management of the project consortium.
FUTURES2021 successfully met the impact objectives for European Researchers’ Night, despite many pandemic-related challenges. FUTURES2021 ultimately comprised 36 different activities and events, designed to offer a wide range of people interesting, accessible, and appropriate opportunities to engage with research. 274 researchers managed to bring interest, insight and interaction to almost 43,000 people from across the South West of England and beyond.
Despite pandemic-related uncertainty before and during FUTURES2021, the organising consortium and partners provided a greater variety of activities than ever before for European Researchers’ Night. Once again, the programme successfully engaged citizens of South West England with researchers. People were inspired, entertained, amazed, informed and educated, and went away better connected to the research happening all around them. The blended programme of activities and methods of delivery helped to mitigate against digital inequalities and provided varied ways to engage with research. To increase accessibility and inclusivity, all pre-recorded video material had closed captions, and where possible captioning was provided for live video. Online events have actually diversified the audiences taking part and opened up events to people who otherwise would not be able to attend in person. Using social media platforms for activities has brought research to familiar online spaces, making it ‘everyday’ rather than inaccessible, and normalising conversations about it. Participants continue to show a favourable attitude towards the European public funding of research, and increased understanding of the EU’s contribution, perhaps even more so as the ramifications of Brexit become clearer. The conversations and connections between audiences and researchers have facilitated a better understanding of an incredibly wide variety of research topics; of researchers as people, thus reducing stereotypical impressions; and of the benefits and opportunities that a career in research affords. The large number of children and young people participating with their families means they have all been exposed to the same positive messages and are encouraged to stay curious and keep on discovering together, into the future.
