Open Researchers 2022-23

Project Information

OPENRESEARCHERS2223

Grant agreement ID: 101061307

DOI

10.3030/101061307

Project closed

EC signature date 21 April 2022

Start date 1 March 2022

End date 31 December 2023

Funded under

• Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)

Total cost

No data

EU contribution

€ 300 345,62

Coordinated by

DESCUBRE - FUNDACION ANDALUZA PARA LA DIVULGACION DE LA INNOVACION Y EL CONOCIMIENTO
Spain

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - OPENRESEARCHERS2223 (Open Researchers 2022-23)

Reporting period: 2023-03-01 to 2023-12-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

‘Excellence Science for boosting a greener, smarter and healthier future in Europe with and for citizenship’ is the main idea of ‘Open Researchers 2022-23’. The project is designed to increase the awareness and perception of research as a solution to the numerous challenges faced by citizens in Europe and all around the world, as well as showing Science as the way to achieve the goals of the Horizon Europe Missions.
‘Open Researchers 2022-23’ has been conceived at a time when the EU has just launched Horizon Europe in order to join efforts to face the greatest challenges.
The spotlight is focused on working under a multidisciplinary point of view. Understanding that science is present in our daily lives through many involved disciplines such as the environmental and human development ambitions included in the Horizon Europe Missions and the European Green Deal for 2050.
The project's major strength is the numerous activities taking place on public streets and squares, theatres, and historical buildings of the eight Andalusian cities, with a high mobilization of researchers and organizers.
The consortium incorporates the experience acquired and lessons learnt in the previous years. To reinforce this, partners complement the numerous outdoors activities with a strong online programme, with a wide schedule throughout Friday and Saturday that make sure the desired impact. The experience accumulated by the project makes the Night a sustainable event so that the consortium transfers the experience to other events throughout the year, in which different audiences (associations, schools, rural areas…) participate in different venues and activities.
The European dimension of the event is specially underlined directly by the active involvement throughout the project of researchers that are beneficiaries of European projects, and Marie Skłodowska-Curie fellows, the activities organized in Researchers at School and the pre and post events organized.

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

WP1
o Conception, realisation of promotional material, such as posters, programmes, roll ups, T-shirts and brochures displayed in shops and restaurants of the cities;
o Graphic and audio-visual coverage of the activities, production of promotional videos and news, official acts...
o Public advertising: billboards, city lights, display of promotional material in streets;
o Advertising in public places and public transport…
o Direct promotion during other public events;
o Airing of advertising/programmes/interviews on radio and TV stations. Media partnership with regional radio and TV station RTVA;
o Invitations sent (popular and institutional websites, municipalities and region capitals, media, schools, associations of parents/students, various associations, public services and foundations…);
o Mailings and phone calls to institutions, opinion leaders, researchers from participating institutions;
o Sending of the programme to 500 mass media;
o Organisation of 42 pre-events:
• International collaboration with 6 other Nights from Sweden, Italy, Ireland, Malta, Croatia and United Kingdom.
• Teaser events in public spaces and activities during other events were organized as well.
o Organisation of 8 press conferences and press releases prior to the event;
o Setting up and dissemination of a general press dossier.

WP2
o Offer of the activities as described in Annex I Part B to the grant Agreement, namely:
In 2023, the activity has gained prominence in the agendas of cities; thereby facilitating the event has reached 89,753 participants. Almería: 14,000; Cádiz: 9,000; Córdoba: 9,600; Granada: 17,000; Huelva: 8,000; Jaén: 10,000; Málaga: 12,153, and Seville: 10,000.
The consortium organized 1,247 activities (+16.76% over 2022) in the eight Andalusian provinces, Ceuta and Melilla:
• 344 hands-on experiments, science shows and workshops;
• 294 debates and micro-talks with researchers;
• 156 hands-on experiments and workshops designed for kids;
• 57 leisure activities;
• 87 online activities;
• 42 pre-events;
• 267 activities with schools (WP3).
The project registered the participation of 3,923 researchers (+13.44%) and 203 organizers. The number of women researchers was again higher than men (53.91% women and 46.09% men). 83 researchers having benefitted from MSC scheme and 261 researchers having benefitted from EU support (FP7, H2020) other than MSCA have participated in the event.

WP3
267 activities have been carried out before and after the Night in which the same number of centres have participated, with a total participation of 9,625 students from different educational levels.
More than half of the organized activities for educational centres, were workshops or scientific demonstrations.

WP4
o Monitoring of face-to-face activities, number of attendees (during the event);
o Analytics reports to know the number of users in online activities;
o Online survey of participants (during and after): sociodemographic profile of the participants, their level of satisfaction and the impact of the programme on the main public commitment to science. (Closeness and commitment to science, interest in scientific activities and research careers...);
o Questionnaires including several questions directed to target public in order to know the scientific dissemination perception. The impact assessment report can be a dissemination barometer in Andalusia from direct contact with citizens.

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)

• As in previous editions, most of the participants have university studies (59.4%).
• The most interesting scientific areas for attendants are biology and biomedicine (49.7%), followed by environment and ecology (45.9%).
• According to most of the participants, the researcher as profession is worthing, it’s very attractive to young people, but it has low social recognition and is a poorly paid job.
• 60.1% of attendants have participated for the first time in the Night and, furthermore, for 45.6% it is the first approach to scientific dissemination activities.
• Most of the participants recognize a great value in scientific dissemination (89.2%), while they consider that more activities should be carried out in their cities (66%).
• Most of the participants consider that scientific dissemination should be more supported by European institutions (59%) and Spanish institutions (74%).
• Participation in the event has generated new learning (81.8%), in a playful and fun way (84%) and, in addition, has contributed to valuing the work done by the researchers (84.8%) and fostering interest of citizens for science (81.1%).
• Most of the participants are quite or very satisfied (91.0%). Attendants underline the possibility of interacting with researchers. In addition, they valued the clarity of the explanations, the diversity of topics and the adaptation of the contents to all ages.
• 85.8% of the researchers have previous experience in scientific dissemination activities, although 36.6% participate in the European Researchers’ Night for the first time.
• Promoting scientific vocations and raising awareness of the need for investment in science are the main reasons, beyond personal contributions, indicated by researchers to get involved in dissemination activities.
• Researchers perceive that they have low social recognition (74.1%), especially in the opinion of women (78%) and that it is unattractive to young people (66.1%).
• Most of researchers are quite or very satisfied with the Night event (88.8%).

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