Periodic Reporting for period 1 - ECOResearchers4Earth (European Researchers' Night 2021 in Malopolska)
Reporting period: 2021-04-01 to 2021-11-30
Main goal of the European Researchers' Night (ERN) in Małopolska is bringing researchers to the general public and increasing awareness of research and innovation activities, with a view to supporting the public recognition of researchers, creating an understanding of the impact of researchers’ work on citizen’s daily life, and encouraging young people to embark on scientific careers. Detailed objectives are the following:
- presenting researchers as ordinary people who have an extraordinary job, but also have – like all of us - different passions and interests,
- presenting the outstanding discoveries of researchers that affect our lives, including by means of workshops, demonstrations, experiments, competitions and games that combine learning, education and entertainment, in a popular scientific manner,
- enabling participants of the event to look "behind the scenes" at the workplace of researchers where they work on a daily basis creating various solutions and experimenting, which is possible only once a year during the ERN (in 2021 in the hybrid formula),
- presenting the extremely interesting work of researchers in a comprehensible and accessible manner, and thus encouraging children and young people to choose a career in science as their way of life in the future.
- presenting researchers as ordinary people who have an extraordinary job, but also have – like all of us - different passions and interests,
- presenting the outstanding discoveries of researchers that affect our lives, including by means of workshops, demonstrations, experiments, competitions and games that combine learning, education and entertainment, in a popular scientific manner,
- enabling participants of the event to look "behind the scenes" at the workplace of researchers where they work on a daily basis creating various solutions and experimenting, which is possible only once a year during the ERN (in 2021 in the hybrid formula),
- presenting the extremely interesting work of researchers in a comprehensible and accessible manner, and thus encouraging children and young people to choose a career in science as their way of life in the future.
In the period covered by the report there was organised one edition of the European Researchers' Night in Małopolska 2021.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic ERN 2021 in Małopolska was organised in the hybrid formula– participant could attend online and stationary activities (but most of activities was available online).
Over 30 institutions from 7 cities of the Małopolska Region (Kraków, Tarnów, Nowy Sącz, Niepołomice, Oświęcim, Chrzanów and Skawina) were involved in the ERN. Partners are various institutions, such as universities, research institutes, company research centres, museums, cultural centres, libraries, schools, open air (e.g. Astronomical Observatories in Krakow and Niepołomice), and their different departments, institutes, branches, etc.
Approx. 2,000 activities were offered for participants.
There was also the art contest "ECO-POWER of Researcher" organised as pre-event.
In 2021 all activities were organized under the slogan "Researchers are changing our world". We wanted to make everyone aware of the importance of the work of scientists in various areas of our lives, as well as to show – through various examples – how the work of researchers affects our daily lives and that in fact science is all around us, and thus we can see the results of the work of researchers everywhere. Particular emphasis was put on the role of researchers in the fight against environmental and climate threats, incl. the European Green Deal. During dedicated workshops and demos, scientists presented the solutions they are working on to save the planet and use natural resources more efficiently and sustainably.
Type of activities during the ERN 2021: workshops, demonstrations, shows, lectures, chats with researchers, visit to laboratories, exhibitions, contests and games, science shows – most of activities carried out in online formula, some of them also in stationary formula. All activities were addressed to all segments of the public at large.
To achieve all the goals and attract as many people as possible, from the beginning of the project we worked on promotional activities. The awareness campaign was addressed to different group of people, so that's why we used various tools (media, internet campaign, social media, the event website, radio, tv, press and direct communication to schools and other educational institutions etc.).
The impact of the event was assessed to analyse possible evolutions of the public perception of researchers and their work (in comparison with the previous years) and identify the types of activities that proved the most effective towards the achievement of the objectives. The tools used in the impact assessment methodology: surveys (for children and adults) distributed mainly via Facebook (for online participants) and filled in by participants of the stationary events, developed through Google free tools, individual interviews with selected researchers, internet survey (use of tools such as Google Analytics), as well as desk research (based on a detailed analysis of secondary data), and analysis of opinions sent electronically to the e-mail address dedicated to the event and on social networks, mainly Facebook, where everyone can submit their suggestions. All conclusions were included in the final evaluation report.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic ERN 2021 in Małopolska was organised in the hybrid formula– participant could attend online and stationary activities (but most of activities was available online).
Over 30 institutions from 7 cities of the Małopolska Region (Kraków, Tarnów, Nowy Sącz, Niepołomice, Oświęcim, Chrzanów and Skawina) were involved in the ERN. Partners are various institutions, such as universities, research institutes, company research centres, museums, cultural centres, libraries, schools, open air (e.g. Astronomical Observatories in Krakow and Niepołomice), and their different departments, institutes, branches, etc.
Approx. 2,000 activities were offered for participants.
There was also the art contest "ECO-POWER of Researcher" organised as pre-event.
In 2021 all activities were organized under the slogan "Researchers are changing our world". We wanted to make everyone aware of the importance of the work of scientists in various areas of our lives, as well as to show – through various examples – how the work of researchers affects our daily lives and that in fact science is all around us, and thus we can see the results of the work of researchers everywhere. Particular emphasis was put on the role of researchers in the fight against environmental and climate threats, incl. the European Green Deal. During dedicated workshops and demos, scientists presented the solutions they are working on to save the planet and use natural resources more efficiently and sustainably.
Type of activities during the ERN 2021: workshops, demonstrations, shows, lectures, chats with researchers, visit to laboratories, exhibitions, contests and games, science shows – most of activities carried out in online formula, some of them also in stationary formula. All activities were addressed to all segments of the public at large.
To achieve all the goals and attract as many people as possible, from the beginning of the project we worked on promotional activities. The awareness campaign was addressed to different group of people, so that's why we used various tools (media, internet campaign, social media, the event website, radio, tv, press and direct communication to schools and other educational institutions etc.).
The impact of the event was assessed to analyse possible evolutions of the public perception of researchers and their work (in comparison with the previous years) and identify the types of activities that proved the most effective towards the achievement of the objectives. The tools used in the impact assessment methodology: surveys (for children and adults) distributed mainly via Facebook (for online participants) and filled in by participants of the stationary events, developed through Google free tools, individual interviews with selected researchers, internet survey (use of tools such as Google Analytics), as well as desk research (based on a detailed analysis of secondary data), and analysis of opinions sent electronically to the e-mail address dedicated to the event and on social networks, mainly Facebook, where everyone can submit their suggestions. All conclusions were included in the final evaluation report.
Quantitative indicators of the ERN 2021 in Małopolska:
- Offer of about 2,000 activities;
- Active involvement of more than 700 scientists and employees, as well as over 1,200 students and about 80 research clubs;
- 7 cities (Kraków, Tarnów, Nowy Sącz, Niepołomice, Oświęcim, Chrzanów and Skawina) and more than 30 institutions involved;
- Approx. 48,000 visitors attended the various activities offered during the Night.
Qualitative indicators of the ERN 2021 in Małopolska:
Overall feedback about the event is very positive: according to most of participants the Researchers’ Night brings the scientists’ work closer to public and encourages to choose the scientific career. RN is considered as more interesting than other mass events (such an opinion was expressed 80% of the students and almost 81% of adults). The most attractive activities are workshops, demonstrations and experiments. Organisational aspects were positively assessed (e.g. logging into events). ERN in Małopolska annually attracts the most numerous people from the younger generation – 75% of respondents are individuals under the age of 16 years, 60% of the surveyed children in 2021 are primary school students, every fifth participant of the study goes to high school, and every tenth to a technical college. The largest percentage of respondents are individuals who first appeared on ERN – almost 35% of adults and almost 51% of students. Research shows that 45% of adults participated for the third and fourth time in 2021 edition of MRN, among students’ this proportion of such people is 32,5%. Respondents in surveys in recent years consistently define the image of the scientist as very positive. The scientist is often seen as a person: wise, ingenious and hardworking. The impetus for selecting the profession of researcher is the ability to do exceptional things (such an opinion expressed 75% of young participants ERN) and interesting work (such an opinion expressed 72% of young participants ERN).
- Offer of about 2,000 activities;
- Active involvement of more than 700 scientists and employees, as well as over 1,200 students and about 80 research clubs;
- 7 cities (Kraków, Tarnów, Nowy Sącz, Niepołomice, Oświęcim, Chrzanów and Skawina) and more than 30 institutions involved;
- Approx. 48,000 visitors attended the various activities offered during the Night.
Qualitative indicators of the ERN 2021 in Małopolska:
Overall feedback about the event is very positive: according to most of participants the Researchers’ Night brings the scientists’ work closer to public and encourages to choose the scientific career. RN is considered as more interesting than other mass events (such an opinion was expressed 80% of the students and almost 81% of adults). The most attractive activities are workshops, demonstrations and experiments. Organisational aspects were positively assessed (e.g. logging into events). ERN in Małopolska annually attracts the most numerous people from the younger generation – 75% of respondents are individuals under the age of 16 years, 60% of the surveyed children in 2021 are primary school students, every fifth participant of the study goes to high school, and every tenth to a technical college. The largest percentage of respondents are individuals who first appeared on ERN – almost 35% of adults and almost 51% of students. Research shows that 45% of adults participated for the third and fourth time in 2021 edition of MRN, among students’ this proportion of such people is 32,5%. Respondents in surveys in recent years consistently define the image of the scientist as very positive. The scientist is often seen as a person: wise, ingenious and hardworking. The impetus for selecting the profession of researcher is the ability to do exceptional things (such an opinion expressed 75% of young participants ERN) and interesting work (such an opinion expressed 72% of young participants ERN).