Periodic Reporting for period 1 - NET (ScieNcE Together)
Periodo di rendicontazione: 2021-05-04 al 2022-02-03
The objective of NET 2021 is the consolidation and widening of the ScieNcE Together NETwork, which was launched in 2020 by a group public Italian research and academic institutions to build a stable and emphatic dialogue among researchers, citizens and society at large. To achieve our objective we had engage our public with inspiring examples of research, a positive narrative that should involved them in the discussion and offset helpless feelings caused by covid-19. We aim to make people aware that sustainable growth is deeply dependant on society's response to the climate and environmental challenges and we kept the debate alive providing correct scientific facts and involving the public in the fight against fake news through rigor and scientific credibility. Our activity programme has integrate the traditional in presence experience with online resources and virtual experiences, so to help us reach every citizens, regardless of age, gender or education. Activities was designed to specifically inform about the European research's contribution to turning climate and environmental challenges into opportunities and favour a better understanding of the Union. Other novelty was an extended programme for schools aimed at reducing the stereotypes about researchers and their profession and promoting scientific careers among young students, and a pilot training activity for journalists. NET took place in 18 italian cities (from North to South)
WP1. AWARENESS CAMPAIGN
On-line tools: Website, Social Media, Spots and testimonials Off-line tools: Press Office and promotional materials
PRE-EVENTS: 70 pre-events in presence were organized (urban and naturalistic scientific treks; Scientific aperitifs, talks, Hands-on, “Talenti per la scienza”: 2 days, in which labs for children, demonstration stands, scientific talks and show conferences were organized, with the presence of researchers of almost all NET partners.), with an audience of 2.800 people, distributed throughout the country from north to south, from La Spezia to the Aeolian Islands, naturally maintaining the centrality of Rome as the heart of the project.
NET 2021's most prestigious pre-event featured the 2019 Nobel Prize in Physics Michel Mayor. Professor Mayor was a guest of NET for 3 days in Rome, in a series of events promoted in particular by NET partners. The events had great media coverage, in the press and on TV (see attached Press Review) and the participation of about 270 people in presence and 2700 views in the streaming of all the events.
More than 4.000 students were involved in online activities in the months April/May/September, in addition to the much more numerous ones involved during the ERN and in the following weeks (WP2).
Great emphasis was also given to the relationship with journalists through a workshop with researchers aiming at training 40 journalists working on scientific and environmental issues.
Finally, also in this edition, NET confirmed the training on scientific communication of researchers with an ad hoc event held by a science journalist.
OVERVIEW OF THE RESULTS: NET 2021's communication campaign has achieved satisfactory results, reaching more than 18 million contacts through the press, TV, social media and website
WP 2 ACTIVITIES DURING THE NIGHT
The activities of the NET ERN week:
1) hands-on activities e show
2) 3D games on the NET website
3) Interactive game Salva il Pianeta (Save the Planet)
4) On-line lessons and webinars
5) Virtual Tours
The activities dedicated to schools can be summarized in 108 events. 53 events over 108 were carried out in presence (32 at partner sites, research centres and event venues of the Researchers' Night and 21 directly at the School sites). The remaining 55 events were online events (39 live events with the researcher connected to the classes and 16 on demand, always available on the internet).
The biggest event was the all-partners in presence activity “NET ERN at Rome” (24-25 september). It was planned in the center of Rome at “Città dell’Altra Economia-CAE”, a very big outdoor place where thousands of people could be hosted even according to the strict anti-covid rules that were in forced in Italy in September 2021. Other in presence activities were planned in several others cities. The EU corner: was organised both in presence and on the website. In both the cases, It was organised in agreement with what reported in the project proposal. In presence corners were available in two locations: in Rome at Città dell’Altra Economia, during both the days of the NET ERN at Rome event and in Viterbo during the ERN in Viterbo event. In addition, a dedicated page of the NET website was prepared and made available starting from September 24th.
WP3 IMPACT ASSESSMENT:
ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGY AND EVALUATION TOOLS: The impact of the activities carried on by the consortium partners within the NET project was assessed by a multi-method approach involving traditional and innovative data acquisition and analysis methods. We have collected data from different sources to evaluate the activities both from qualitative and quantitative points of view. The survey design benefitted from the previous year's work and the expertise in the sociology. The impact assessment was well-suited to the new situation created by the Covid-19 pandemic.
SENTIMENT ANALYSIS: After about a month of activity, we carried out the first check on the availability of data to be used for the Sentiment Analysis. We noted the absence of tweets on the one hand and an important set of enthusiastic comments and suggestions from the general public on the other. We, therefore, decided to change our strategy by directly inserting a further question into the questionnaire asking to write a tweet-like text (therefore, by its nature short, concise but significant). Reults are reported on the D3.1
OVERVIEW OF THE RESULTS: Overall, the results of the surveys indicate very high levels of satisfaction among attendees and a positive contribution to their views of scientific research. Moreover, the impact was an increase in scientific knowledge throughout the public and a greater understanding of the researcher's work (30% and 25%). We made 37% of students think for the first time of pursuing this career, and in 27%, we strengthened it
WP 4 MANAGEMENT:
USE OF RESOURCES: The use of resources, despite the minor changes due to the Covid-19 rules to be followed were done during the works, was consistent and compatible with the activities and the quality always guaranteed by the competence of our staff and our researchers. Some of the partners has to reallocate a small parts of their budget, since due to the Italian covid-19 regulations, the in-presence planned school activities for September and the travels, were not always possible carried out, while considerable extra effort had to be devoted to the planning and realization of previously unforeseen online activities. Furthermore, our research bodies were not accessible to the public - Consequently we have carried out a great “Night” event in presence took place in Rome
On-line tools: Website, Social Media, Spots and testimonials Off-line tools: Press Office and promotional materials
PRE-EVENTS: 70 pre-events in presence were organized (urban and naturalistic scientific treks; Scientific aperitifs, talks, Hands-on, “Talenti per la scienza”: 2 days, in which labs for children, demonstration stands, scientific talks and show conferences were organized, with the presence of researchers of almost all NET partners.), with an audience of 2.800 people, distributed throughout the country from north to south, from La Spezia to the Aeolian Islands, naturally maintaining the centrality of Rome as the heart of the project.
NET 2021's most prestigious pre-event featured the 2019 Nobel Prize in Physics Michel Mayor. Professor Mayor was a guest of NET for 3 days in Rome, in a series of events promoted in particular by NET partners. The events had great media coverage, in the press and on TV (see attached Press Review) and the participation of about 270 people in presence and 2700 views in the streaming of all the events.
More than 4.000 students were involved in online activities in the months April/May/September, in addition to the much more numerous ones involved during the ERN and in the following weeks (WP2).
Great emphasis was also given to the relationship with journalists through a workshop with researchers aiming at training 40 journalists working on scientific and environmental issues.
Finally, also in this edition, NET confirmed the training on scientific communication of researchers with an ad hoc event held by a science journalist.
OVERVIEW OF THE RESULTS: NET 2021's communication campaign has achieved satisfactory results, reaching more than 18 million contacts through the press, TV, social media and website
WP 2 ACTIVITIES DURING THE NIGHT
The activities of the NET ERN week:
1) hands-on activities e show
2) 3D games on the NET website
3) Interactive game Salva il Pianeta (Save the Planet)
4) On-line lessons and webinars
5) Virtual Tours
The activities dedicated to schools can be summarized in 108 events. 53 events over 108 were carried out in presence (32 at partner sites, research centres and event venues of the Researchers' Night and 21 directly at the School sites). The remaining 55 events were online events (39 live events with the researcher connected to the classes and 16 on demand, always available on the internet).
The biggest event was the all-partners in presence activity “NET ERN at Rome” (24-25 september). It was planned in the center of Rome at “Città dell’Altra Economia-CAE”, a very big outdoor place where thousands of people could be hosted even according to the strict anti-covid rules that were in forced in Italy in September 2021. Other in presence activities were planned in several others cities. The EU corner: was organised both in presence and on the website. In both the cases, It was organised in agreement with what reported in the project proposal. In presence corners were available in two locations: in Rome at Città dell’Altra Economia, during both the days of the NET ERN at Rome event and in Viterbo during the ERN in Viterbo event. In addition, a dedicated page of the NET website was prepared and made available starting from September 24th.
WP3 IMPACT ASSESSMENT:
ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGY AND EVALUATION TOOLS: The impact of the activities carried on by the consortium partners within the NET project was assessed by a multi-method approach involving traditional and innovative data acquisition and analysis methods. We have collected data from different sources to evaluate the activities both from qualitative and quantitative points of view. The survey design benefitted from the previous year's work and the expertise in the sociology. The impact assessment was well-suited to the new situation created by the Covid-19 pandemic.
SENTIMENT ANALYSIS: After about a month of activity, we carried out the first check on the availability of data to be used for the Sentiment Analysis. We noted the absence of tweets on the one hand and an important set of enthusiastic comments and suggestions from the general public on the other. We, therefore, decided to change our strategy by directly inserting a further question into the questionnaire asking to write a tweet-like text (therefore, by its nature short, concise but significant). Reults are reported on the D3.1
OVERVIEW OF THE RESULTS: Overall, the results of the surveys indicate very high levels of satisfaction among attendees and a positive contribution to their views of scientific research. Moreover, the impact was an increase in scientific knowledge throughout the public and a greater understanding of the researcher's work (30% and 25%). We made 37% of students think for the first time of pursuing this career, and in 27%, we strengthened it
WP 4 MANAGEMENT:
USE OF RESOURCES: The use of resources, despite the minor changes due to the Covid-19 rules to be followed were done during the works, was consistent and compatible with the activities and the quality always guaranteed by the competence of our staff and our researchers. Some of the partners has to reallocate a small parts of their budget, since due to the Italian covid-19 regulations, the in-presence planned school activities for September and the travels, were not always possible carried out, while considerable extra effort had to be devoted to the planning and realization of previously unforeseen online activities. Furthermore, our research bodies were not accessible to the public - Consequently we have carried out a great “Night” event in presence took place in Rome
We are sure that the key to the success of this initiative is to increase the opportunities for encounters between researchers, journalist, students and citizens. Communication training for the researchers contributed to the improvement of their skills to engage with a diverse audience and made them better advocates for the research and innovation importance