Periodic Reporting for period 1 - Reconnect Restart 3 (Research, Connections, Networks and Culture - Use of Projects, Games, Research And Digital in Education)
Reporting period: 2021-05-03 to 2022-02-02
The EU-funded ReConNeCt Restart 3 project was a showcase the remarkable researchers heading projects funded by the EU’s H2020. Its goal was to enhance public recognition of the researchers who are paving the way for the next Horizon Europe funding program. Overall, the project will promote research careers among students. It will also focus on the links between science, industry, and citizens. This triangular relationship is reflected in the EU RIS3 Smart Specialisation Strategies that bring in a demand-driven dimension, fostering innovation partnerships that boost coordination between different societal stakeholders. In a well-organized and logically connected sequence, the project ReConNeCt Restart 3 focused on digital science - interesting and impactful examples of the application of digital technologies in research and education.
Main objectives of ReConNeCt Restart 3 project
To promote research careers, in particular towards young people and their families;
• To demystify and abandon the usual, stereotypical perception of the researchers;
• To increase the recognition of researchers in Serbia by engaging them in open and public interaction with the audience;
• To promote research carried out in Serbia as up-to-date and relevant for the society in general;
• To promote researchers as role models and explain their drive to choose career in research;
• To raise public awareness and understanding of the scientific priorities and challenges tackled by the state-of-the-art research in hot topics like Climate Change, ICT, Creative Industries, Health, Food Security, Environmental protection, etc;
• To demonstrate the best practice of fruitful collaboration in the said fields among science, industry, and citizens’ entrepreneurial initiative;
• To highlight the importance of the EU’s manifold support to researchers and scientific research work in Serbia;
• To improve networking with other national/international projects involved in science popularization, through mutual support of events and exchange of ideas, experiences, and people.
Keywords describing the objectives of the EU RN project are: up-to-date, innovative, green, sustainable, engaging, entrepreneurial, ground-breaking, excellent, collaborative, impactful, enabling, outreach, stakeholders’ engagement. These keywords are in sync with our goals and expectations from researchers and science.
Main objectives of ReConNeCt Restart 3 project
To promote research careers, in particular towards young people and their families;
• To demystify and abandon the usual, stereotypical perception of the researchers;
• To increase the recognition of researchers in Serbia by engaging them in open and public interaction with the audience;
• To promote research carried out in Serbia as up-to-date and relevant for the society in general;
• To promote researchers as role models and explain their drive to choose career in research;
• To raise public awareness and understanding of the scientific priorities and challenges tackled by the state-of-the-art research in hot topics like Climate Change, ICT, Creative Industries, Health, Food Security, Environmental protection, etc;
• To demonstrate the best practice of fruitful collaboration in the said fields among science, industry, and citizens’ entrepreneurial initiative;
• To highlight the importance of the EU’s manifold support to researchers and scientific research work in Serbia;
• To improve networking with other national/international projects involved in science popularization, through mutual support of events and exchange of ideas, experiences, and people.
Keywords describing the objectives of the EU RN project are: up-to-date, innovative, green, sustainable, engaging, entrepreneurial, ground-breaking, excellent, collaborative, impactful, enabling, outreach, stakeholders’ engagement. These keywords are in sync with our goals and expectations from researchers and science.
Pre-events:
o 8 half days training in communication for researchers and personnel involved in the activities;
o Science Playground and science talks 7 days before and during the event;
o telescope observation and discussion about light pollution with the organization Carpe Noctem
o 'Digital Agriculture' (lecturer Dr. Oskar Marko) Lectures about the new age of agriculture with the advent of satellites, drones and artificial intelligence
o Several conventional public promotions;
Promotional material
All announcements and promotional material refered the compulsory mention "European Researchers' Night", complying with the following editing guidelines:
All announcements and promotional material beared the compulsory mention "European Researchers' Night", complying with the following editing guidelines:
o The off line material, such as written material (such as folders, brochures, programmes, posters, and give away) always mentioned "European Researchers' Night";
o The European Researchers' Night roll-up, designed by the European Commission, had been placed at the EU corner , complying with the following format requirements: 200 X 85 cm;
The on line material, such as banners, ads, websites, links to relevant EU websites and social networks (European Researchers' Night website, Facebook, among others) mentioned: "This European Researchers' Night project is funded by the European Commission under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions".
Activities
o Type of activities realized: Science shows, hands-on experiments, demos, social activities with researchers, quizzes, games, competitions, music, drama play, DJs
Programme of activities
Activities during the night
In all RN cities (7 in 2021.) was organized program showing the digital science industry in Serbia is currently blooming, making the digital science and scientific application in new European Green Deal the main theme of the EU Researchers Night in 2021. Placing the digital in focus of our program reflected the trends and interests of the new generations that will create and sustain the future (Gen Y and the coming Gen Z).
Green Science - In this section of the program, visitors of all ages had a chance to learn about the science that would make the Green Deal possible through interactive demonstrations and experiments. Special attention was also given to the national winners of the Technological Innovation Contest - a startup that had designed a biodegradable substitute for expanded polystyrene. Finally, another special part of the program was devoted to 2021, which was the European Year of Rail, where the science of transportation related to railways, especially in the context of cheaper and cleaner transport, was presented.
VR Science - In this section of the program, demonstrations of VR technologies in different areas of science (natural and social) and technology were featured. Visitors were able to test existing VR surroundings (e.g. those available on YouTube for astronomy and marine biology, etc.) but also tried out new VR surroundings made in Serbia (e.g. those made by PixelRaum and EduCons University for architecture, nuclear physics labs, etc.).
Coffee with Scientists - In this section of the program, visitors of all ages had a chance to meet and chat with 10 researchers promoted on billboards across the city during the awareness campaign and involved in research related to “green science” and successful women in science. The researchers were promoted through a social network campaign. This informal networking with scientists was held in cafes over coffee and tea in a relaxed atmosphere. Unlike other activities where the researchers interacted with many visitors at the same time, this was a unique opportunity to meet face-to-face and talk about science, hobbies, movies, etc. This part of the program was hosted at different cafes around the city, and with this year's emphasis on digital connections, all participants searched for scientists with the help of a Mobile App by using the camera on their phones and Augmented Reality to locate the scientists in space and find a topic of interest.
o 8 half days training in communication for researchers and personnel involved in the activities;
o Science Playground and science talks 7 days before and during the event;
o telescope observation and discussion about light pollution with the organization Carpe Noctem
o 'Digital Agriculture' (lecturer Dr. Oskar Marko) Lectures about the new age of agriculture with the advent of satellites, drones and artificial intelligence
o Several conventional public promotions;
Promotional material
All announcements and promotional material refered the compulsory mention "European Researchers' Night", complying with the following editing guidelines:
All announcements and promotional material beared the compulsory mention "European Researchers' Night", complying with the following editing guidelines:
o The off line material, such as written material (such as folders, brochures, programmes, posters, and give away) always mentioned "European Researchers' Night";
o The European Researchers' Night roll-up, designed by the European Commission, had been placed at the EU corner , complying with the following format requirements: 200 X 85 cm;
The on line material, such as banners, ads, websites, links to relevant EU websites and social networks (European Researchers' Night website, Facebook, among others) mentioned: "This European Researchers' Night project is funded by the European Commission under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions".
Activities
o Type of activities realized: Science shows, hands-on experiments, demos, social activities with researchers, quizzes, games, competitions, music, drama play, DJs
Programme of activities
Activities during the night
In all RN cities (7 in 2021.) was organized program showing the digital science industry in Serbia is currently blooming, making the digital science and scientific application in new European Green Deal the main theme of the EU Researchers Night in 2021. Placing the digital in focus of our program reflected the trends and interests of the new generations that will create and sustain the future (Gen Y and the coming Gen Z).
Green Science - In this section of the program, visitors of all ages had a chance to learn about the science that would make the Green Deal possible through interactive demonstrations and experiments. Special attention was also given to the national winners of the Technological Innovation Contest - a startup that had designed a biodegradable substitute for expanded polystyrene. Finally, another special part of the program was devoted to 2021, which was the European Year of Rail, where the science of transportation related to railways, especially in the context of cheaper and cleaner transport, was presented.
VR Science - In this section of the program, demonstrations of VR technologies in different areas of science (natural and social) and technology were featured. Visitors were able to test existing VR surroundings (e.g. those available on YouTube for astronomy and marine biology, etc.) but also tried out new VR surroundings made in Serbia (e.g. those made by PixelRaum and EduCons University for architecture, nuclear physics labs, etc.).
Coffee with Scientists - In this section of the program, visitors of all ages had a chance to meet and chat with 10 researchers promoted on billboards across the city during the awareness campaign and involved in research related to “green science” and successful women in science. The researchers were promoted through a social network campaign. This informal networking with scientists was held in cafes over coffee and tea in a relaxed atmosphere. Unlike other activities where the researchers interacted with many visitors at the same time, this was a unique opportunity to meet face-to-face and talk about science, hobbies, movies, etc. This part of the program was hosted at different cafes around the city, and with this year's emphasis on digital connections, all participants searched for scientists with the help of a Mobile App by using the camera on their phones and Augmented Reality to locate the scientists in space and find a topic of interest.
Campaign on Gender Equality:
A campaign was launched to emphasize the importance of Gender equality in Science. This campaign highlighted the achievements of women in science and raised awareness of the obstacles that women still face in the scientific field. The campaign also aimed to encourage young women to pursue careers in science and to foster gender equality in the scientific community.
Research Groups Competition:
The "Research groups" competition was held to engage researchers and science professionals in a friendly competition that fostered collaboration and innovation. Researchers from different disciplines were encouraged to form groups and work together to create innovative and impactful projects.
A campaign was launched to emphasize the importance of Gender equality in Science. This campaign highlighted the achievements of women in science and raised awareness of the obstacles that women still face in the scientific field. The campaign also aimed to encourage young women to pursue careers in science and to foster gender equality in the scientific community.
Research Groups Competition:
The "Research groups" competition was held to engage researchers and science professionals in a friendly competition that fostered collaboration and innovation. Researchers from different disciplines were encouraged to form groups and work together to create innovative and impactful projects.