Our Science 2021

Project Information

Our Science 2021

Grant agreement ID: 101036189

DOI

10.3030/101036189

Project closed

EC signature date 30 April 2021

Start date 1 May 2021

End date 30 April 2022

Funded under

• EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Total cost

€ 185 462,50

EU contribution

€ 110 000,00

Coordinated by

RANNSOKNAMIDSTOD ISLANDS
Iceland

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - Our Science 2021 (Our Science 2021)

Reporting period: 2021-05-01 to 2022-04-30

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The main objective of the project is to enhance a positive public perception of researchers by facilitating an open and active dialogue between researchers and citizens of all ages, focusing on families with children and young people that could consider a career in research. The idea is to portray researchers as ordinary people with fascinating jobs and to combat the stereotype that many people may have of scientists as absent-minded nerds in white robes and glasses. This will be done by bringing researchers closer to the general public with a view to increasing awareness of research and innovation activities. The aim is also to allow people to experience first-hand what research and innovation activities are all about and create an understanding of the actual impact that these activities have on modern society and our lives. In addition to highlighting the importance of researchers’ work, the initiative provides a rare opportunity for researchers to communicate directly with the public at all ages, both in real events and online happenings, and even to involve citizens in the road to scientific discoveries, by inviting them to become citizen scientists, thus contributing to the transparency of the work that researchers do.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the objectives were fulfilled in a different way than before, as decisions regarding on-site events went back and forth according to public health recommendations and restrictions. This created a lot of extra work for the coordinator and the project team, that had to take many ad-hoc decisions concerning events planned, which required an immense amount of adaptability and flexibility in this unprecedented global situation.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

-Awareness Campaign
Reaching out to target groups through online and offline communication tools, conveying the messsage of ERN throughout. Promotional material produces, online and physical. Overall awareness campaign, taking into account the ever-canging public health situation.
Activities during the NIGHT with decentralised events due to pandemic situation. Science cafés and debates with scientists organised as planned. Focus on small scale events on the importance of science communication in the times of pandemic.
-Impact Assessment, with quantitative survey for guests and qualitiative assessment for participating researchers.
-Management: setting up all necessary management structures to ensure efficient coordination of the projet, working with stakeholders. Active Rannis ERN team managed by the coordinator.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

The expected impacts was obtained by facilitating direct interaction between researchers and public, this time through decentralised events participation, science cafés and science communication event, in order to generate a positive experience for the guests at ERN as well as the researchers that have increasingly achieved skills in communicating with the public and adopted other methods than their traditional posters that usually address different audience, i.e. the scientific community. In the long term, this will be conducive towards scientific careers, motivating young people to embark on career in research.

As for the main challenge to reach enough impact, the Covid situation was an unprecedented challenge. It resulted in many ad-hoc decisions but as events were linked to public health research, working with what was the pandemic situation at each time, it also presented an opportunity for linking research to actual situation unfolding in our societies. This impact cannot be overlooked and created instant reaction as people were living research material, especially in health and societal studies. The Researchers’ Night always attracts attention in Iceland, and the concept functions fantastically in our small society and is a vital component in the lives of many families at the end of September.

Science café setting