Periodic Reporting for period 1 - SEARCH (Science, Environment, Art, Research)
Reporting period: 2022-04-01 to 2023-03-31
While the past years revealed irrevocably the immense role which science plays in tackling global challenges humanity faces, widespread misinformation in Bulgaria has led to distrust in science and to proliferating conspiracy theories. Disparities are widening between the highly performing minority and the under-served communities in smaller or remote settlements. The latter have limited access to quality teaching or science facts, and consequently have limited routes to critical thinking and trust for the results of modern science.
SEARCH is an ambitious effort to help overturn these challenges. Universities and research institutes join forces with industry, entrepreneurship, public and local authorities, schools and NGOs, expanding cooperation and effective links. SEARCH brings Bulgarian researchers closer to the general, non-specialist public with a focus on families, pupils and students, and increasing awareness of research and innovation activities, to strengthen the public recognition of researchers and the impact of their work on citizens´ daily life, and encouraging young people to embark on research careers.
SEARCH is an ambitious effort to help overturn these challenges. Universities and research institutes join forces with industry, entrepreneurship, public and local authorities, schools and NGOs, expanding cooperation and effective links. SEARCH brings Bulgarian researchers closer to the general, non-specialist public with a focus on families, pupils and students, and increasing awareness of research and innovation activities, to strengthen the public recognition of researchers and the impact of their work on citizens´ daily life, and encouraging young people to embark on research careers.
We set up a country-wide awareness campaign implemented through diverse media channels, with pre-event promotion, broad coverage during the Night, and follow-up media events. We focused on the public at large but placed a well targeted emphasis on specific segments, channelling the message that “science is everywhere”. We updated and developed the main project website, developed the social media accounts and Facebook events for all project beneficiaries, designed and branded guidelines for all online presence - web banners and frames; created logo of the project; co-events and social sharing campaign; online streamed activities in social media, ERN2022 Centralized program of all partner local activities.
Project beneficiaries also conceived, produced, disseminated and displayed locally-realized promotional material.
Our hybrid, multidisciplinary, hands-on programme of science events all over Bulgaria in 2022 provoked the public engagement with inspiring talks, spectacular shows and hands-on experiments, a range of sci-art collaborations, researchers at schools activities, and competitions. We demonstrated irrevocably how relevant, exciting and important the job of researchers is, and encouraged young Bulgarians, especially girls and people with special needs to choose STEAM careers.
At the start of the project lifecycle, clear communication about the Activities during the Night 2022 was sent out – content, central topics, structure. Project partners (14) were encouraged to attract and work with Associate Partners (officially 16). Thus a wide national network of interested parties has been created. Instructions on the choice of locations, venues and volume of programmes were discussed. Changes to the initially planned predominantly online events were agreed. We then set up several steps in collecting and processing the data. As a result, we collated and produced in time the programme from all participants, shared on the SEARCH website.
In summary, during the Night our engagement for on-site/live events and engagement numbers exceeded the plans. We reached 120+ individual sessions, 100+ hands-on activities, 2 international live links, country-wide coverage in 7 towns, 8 online streaming locations, 22 individual venues, 3 hours national TV broadcast coverage. Engagement amounted to 28,164+ – onsite and live online during the Night.
The SEARCH Researchers at Schools activity was implemented by four partners responsible for coordination and organizing school visits in their particular region.
By the end of March 2022, 68 visits were realized, 58 schools visited, 2635 schoolchildren attended. All school visits were carried as live events and were performed onsite.
The Search Academy – STEM skills for teachers started in November 2022 and consisted of providing online resources and in person workshops. We had a list of 151 teachers-candidates for the training. The online resources were compiled in 4 modules incl. Science and art, Science on an occasion or not , 30 inspiring ideas, Example of a scenario for a short theater miniature. The onsite training for STEM skills was attended by 36 teachers from primary, secondary and language schools all over the country. The programme included Busking - or spectacular science improvisations, Science and theater, Creating content for children.
Two national competitions - SEARCH Instagram Looking Glass and SEARCH Young Voices podcasts were launched addressed to students with creative thinking, interest in science and concern for the environment aged 12 to 18. We had 9 candidates in the visual arts and 3 candidates in the podcast competitions. The winners were announced and awarded during the Opening ceremony at the official ERN location in Sofia.
The main objectives of the impact analysis were: Analysis of the general public's attitudes towards science and researchers and awareness of the importance of science for everyday life; Evaluation of the impact of the event; Identifying the types of activities that have been most effective in achieving the objectives.
Surveys, observations, and a focus group were among the main methods for data collection. The data collection consisted of the following three main components: a pre-event online survey among the general audience during the information campaign; a post-event online survey among respondents, who visited the Researchers’ Night’s held on-site following the events; focus group, composed of students (young adults) for qualitative assessment.
Project beneficiaries also conceived, produced, disseminated and displayed locally-realized promotional material.
Our hybrid, multidisciplinary, hands-on programme of science events all over Bulgaria in 2022 provoked the public engagement with inspiring talks, spectacular shows and hands-on experiments, a range of sci-art collaborations, researchers at schools activities, and competitions. We demonstrated irrevocably how relevant, exciting and important the job of researchers is, and encouraged young Bulgarians, especially girls and people with special needs to choose STEAM careers.
At the start of the project lifecycle, clear communication about the Activities during the Night 2022 was sent out – content, central topics, structure. Project partners (14) were encouraged to attract and work with Associate Partners (officially 16). Thus a wide national network of interested parties has been created. Instructions on the choice of locations, venues and volume of programmes were discussed. Changes to the initially planned predominantly online events were agreed. We then set up several steps in collecting and processing the data. As a result, we collated and produced in time the programme from all participants, shared on the SEARCH website.
In summary, during the Night our engagement for on-site/live events and engagement numbers exceeded the plans. We reached 120+ individual sessions, 100+ hands-on activities, 2 international live links, country-wide coverage in 7 towns, 8 online streaming locations, 22 individual venues, 3 hours national TV broadcast coverage. Engagement amounted to 28,164+ – onsite and live online during the Night.
The SEARCH Researchers at Schools activity was implemented by four partners responsible for coordination and organizing school visits in their particular region.
By the end of March 2022, 68 visits were realized, 58 schools visited, 2635 schoolchildren attended. All school visits were carried as live events and were performed onsite.
The Search Academy – STEM skills for teachers started in November 2022 and consisted of providing online resources and in person workshops. We had a list of 151 teachers-candidates for the training. The online resources were compiled in 4 modules incl. Science and art, Science on an occasion or not , 30 inspiring ideas, Example of a scenario for a short theater miniature. The onsite training for STEM skills was attended by 36 teachers from primary, secondary and language schools all over the country. The programme included Busking - or spectacular science improvisations, Science and theater, Creating content for children.
Two national competitions - SEARCH Instagram Looking Glass and SEARCH Young Voices podcasts were launched addressed to students with creative thinking, interest in science and concern for the environment aged 12 to 18. We had 9 candidates in the visual arts and 3 candidates in the podcast competitions. The winners were announced and awarded during the Opening ceremony at the official ERN location in Sofia.
The main objectives of the impact analysis were: Analysis of the general public's attitudes towards science and researchers and awareness of the importance of science for everyday life; Evaluation of the impact of the event; Identifying the types of activities that have been most effective in achieving the objectives.
Surveys, observations, and a focus group were among the main methods for data collection. The data collection consisted of the following three main components: a pre-event online survey among the general audience during the information campaign; a post-event online survey among respondents, who visited the Researchers’ Night’s held on-site following the events; focus group, composed of students (young adults) for qualitative assessment.
The analysis of the data from the impact assessment gave the following evidence and recommendations:
- On the whole, the Communication Campaign and the programme of Events during the Night exceed the goals set by the team. In 2022, SEARCH reached more than 4 mln, and engaged with 28,164 direct participants online and offline, including teachers and school pupils.
- There is an improvement from the last years in the overall assessment of the events, resulting from the on-site surveys and focus groups assessments, based on scores.
- The overall image of science in society has improved substantially.
- The ratio of women is healthy and consistent with the latest data on women in science in Bulgaria.
- Up-to-date formats and different levels of difficulty and occupation groups will better attract the audience attention.
- On the whole, the Communication Campaign and the programme of Events during the Night exceed the goals set by the team. In 2022, SEARCH reached more than 4 mln, and engaged with 28,164 direct participants online and offline, including teachers and school pupils.
- There is an improvement from the last years in the overall assessment of the events, resulting from the on-site surveys and focus groups assessments, based on scores.
- The overall image of science in society has improved substantially.
- The ratio of women is healthy and consistent with the latest data on women in science in Bulgaria.
- Up-to-date formats and different levels of difficulty and occupation groups will better attract the audience attention.