Periodic Reporting for period 2 - RAISE (Researchers in Action for Inclusion in Science and Education)
Okres sprawozdawczy: 2023-05-01 do 2024-04-30
Science communication is essential, not only to inform people, but to build a more engaged society in policy decision making. Members of the public rate their experiences with science communication more positively when they interact directly with researchers. Yet, the majority of science communication and outreach initiatives only reach certain members of society and numerous underserved and/or underprivileged communities continue to be left out.
RAISE - Researchers in Action for Inclusion in Science and Education aims to reach members of society that continue to be left out or feel detached from science. It is built around an original concept of co-creation that will harmoniously blend the European Researchers Nights (ERNs) activities with the Researchers at School (RAS) activities, making the ERN feel like a continuum of the RAS programmes. Towards this end, RAISE is structured around two science outreach and education RAS programmes (named “Cientista Regressa à Escola” and “Ciência di Noz Manera”) that will target underserved school students, and serve as a platform to co-create science communication outputs that are then displayed at the two editions of the ERN that will be held at the Champalimaud Foundation (CF).
In “Cientista Regressa à Escola” (CRE) scientists go back to their primary school to carry out 60-90 minute-long hands-on science workshops for children in their hometown. This programme targets underserved/underprivileged primary school children (9/10-years-old) across Portugal mainland and islands. In “Ciência di Noz Manera” (CNM) researchers from institutions in the Greater Lisbon area (CF and iMM) go to local schools identified by the Portuguese government as located within educational territories of priority intervention (TEIP), with high numbers of ethnic minority and migrant adolescents (underrepresented groups in STEAM) and implement several activities (divided in 3 phases) to year 8 students (~14-years-old). CNM phases are: I - Seminars, where a couple of scientists share their experience and academic path; II - Hands-on scientific workshops, where scientists demonstrate scientific experiments; and III - Mentoring sessions, where scientists carry out mentoring sessions with a small group of students (4-5 students per mentor), supporting them in the development of a project in an area of their interest.
By establishing researchers-students and researchers-teachers partnerships in schools through the two RAS programs, RAISE aims to demystify preconceived ideas of science and of who can be a scientist, leading ultimately to a more scientifically literate society and to a diverse and inclusive landscape in science and education. Simultaneously, RAISE trains and builds the capacity of a diverse pool of researchers in communicating science to underrepresented groups in STEAM and making a social impact.
RAISE - Researchers in Action for Inclusion in Science and Education aims to reach members of society that continue to be left out or feel detached from science. It is built around an original concept of co-creation that will harmoniously blend the European Researchers Nights (ERNs) activities with the Researchers at School (RAS) activities, making the ERN feel like a continuum of the RAS programmes. Towards this end, RAISE is structured around two science outreach and education RAS programmes (named “Cientista Regressa à Escola” and “Ciência di Noz Manera”) that will target underserved school students, and serve as a platform to co-create science communication outputs that are then displayed at the two editions of the ERN that will be held at the Champalimaud Foundation (CF).
In “Cientista Regressa à Escola” (CRE) scientists go back to their primary school to carry out 60-90 minute-long hands-on science workshops for children in their hometown. This programme targets underserved/underprivileged primary school children (9/10-years-old) across Portugal mainland and islands. In “Ciência di Noz Manera” (CNM) researchers from institutions in the Greater Lisbon area (CF and iMM) go to local schools identified by the Portuguese government as located within educational territories of priority intervention (TEIP), with high numbers of ethnic minority and migrant adolescents (underrepresented groups in STEAM) and implement several activities (divided in 3 phases) to year 8 students (~14-years-old). CNM phases are: I - Seminars, where a couple of scientists share their experience and academic path; II - Hands-on scientific workshops, where scientists demonstrate scientific experiments; and III - Mentoring sessions, where scientists carry out mentoring sessions with a small group of students (4-5 students per mentor), supporting them in the development of a project in an area of their interest.
By establishing researchers-students and researchers-teachers partnerships in schools through the two RAS programs, RAISE aims to demystify preconceived ideas of science and of who can be a scientist, leading ultimately to a more scientifically literate society and to a diverse and inclusive landscape in science and education. Simultaneously, RAISE trains and builds the capacity of a diverse pool of researchers in communicating science to underrepresented groups in STEAM and making a social impact.
The RAISE project involved creating a visual identity and website, and the design of campaign strategies to reach the target audiences, involve key stakeholders (teachers, students, researchers, artists) and promote the project’s activities. The RAISE team worked with ImpactEd and started the project by building a Theory of Change, identifying the intended outcomes and putting together a framework for their evaluation.
During the first year of RAISE, 21 scientists returned to their primary school to implement CRE workshops with hands-on components, reaching 688 students in 28 schools and 16 municipalities. Scientists received prior online training on science communication. Within the first year, 66 scientists from CF and iMM registered to participate in the CNM activities throughout the school year, including training in science communication and mentoring. In phase I, 6 scientists gave seminars in 3 schools, sharing their career path, inspiration and daily work, reaching more than 300 8th-grade students. In phase II, these students visited CF or iMM for workshop sessions, with multiple hands-on activities. 21 scientists registered for the mentoring stage (phase III), together with several students from the 3 schools. A matchmaking process between scientists and students was implemented via a short questionnaire. Based on common interests and schedule availability, small groups were formed for the mentoring sessions.
The first ERN event, in 2022, took place at the CF in Lisbon, offering a total of 60 activities implemented by 193 contributors: scientists, artists, students, teachers, athletes, journalists, etc, from 52 different institutions. These activities engaged 339 students and teachers from underserved schools and 650 people from the general public, and included workshops, dance, music, lab visits, hands-on science stations, round-tables, stand-up comedy and speed dating aboard a catamaran. Questionnaires and in-person interviews implemented during and after the ERN revealed positive feedback from those attending and allowed a snapshot of participants’ attitudes towards science and inclusivity.
During the second year of RAISE, 43 scientists returned to their primary school to implement CRE workshops, reaching more than 1700 students in 55 schools and 24 municipalities. In the second year of RAISE CNM resumed its activity with 2 schools. 53 scientists signed up. Two scientists from CF and 3 scientists from iMM gave seminars at schools, reaching more than 150 8th-graders (phase I). Students visited CF and iMM for the workshop sessions, where they tried various hands-on activities (phase II). A total of 13 scientists registered for the mentoring phase with 24 students from both schools. Based on common interests and availability, small groups were formed for phase III - mentoring sessions (ongoing).
The second ERN event within RAISE, ERN 2023, took place at the CF on September 29th, 2023 and received more than 1700 participants that had the opportunity to explore more than 50 activities of different topics and formats, including immersive lab visits, scientific games, workshops in science, dance, illustration, radio, television and music, stand-up comedy, concerts, speed dating with scientists and various stations with experimental science activities, among others. Collection of feedback forms during the event allowed evaluating the impact of the experience for about 50% of the participants.
Together, the two editions of the ERN received more than 2500 participants and contributed to foster a culture of diversity in science that promotes STEM education and empowers future generations.
During the first year of RAISE, 21 scientists returned to their primary school to implement CRE workshops with hands-on components, reaching 688 students in 28 schools and 16 municipalities. Scientists received prior online training on science communication. Within the first year, 66 scientists from CF and iMM registered to participate in the CNM activities throughout the school year, including training in science communication and mentoring. In phase I, 6 scientists gave seminars in 3 schools, sharing their career path, inspiration and daily work, reaching more than 300 8th-grade students. In phase II, these students visited CF or iMM for workshop sessions, with multiple hands-on activities. 21 scientists registered for the mentoring stage (phase III), together with several students from the 3 schools. A matchmaking process between scientists and students was implemented via a short questionnaire. Based on common interests and schedule availability, small groups were formed for the mentoring sessions.
The first ERN event, in 2022, took place at the CF in Lisbon, offering a total of 60 activities implemented by 193 contributors: scientists, artists, students, teachers, athletes, journalists, etc, from 52 different institutions. These activities engaged 339 students and teachers from underserved schools and 650 people from the general public, and included workshops, dance, music, lab visits, hands-on science stations, round-tables, stand-up comedy and speed dating aboard a catamaran. Questionnaires and in-person interviews implemented during and after the ERN revealed positive feedback from those attending and allowed a snapshot of participants’ attitudes towards science and inclusivity.
During the second year of RAISE, 43 scientists returned to their primary school to implement CRE workshops, reaching more than 1700 students in 55 schools and 24 municipalities. In the second year of RAISE CNM resumed its activity with 2 schools. 53 scientists signed up. Two scientists from CF and 3 scientists from iMM gave seminars at schools, reaching more than 150 8th-graders (phase I). Students visited CF and iMM for the workshop sessions, where they tried various hands-on activities (phase II). A total of 13 scientists registered for the mentoring phase with 24 students from both schools. Based on common interests and availability, small groups were formed for phase III - mentoring sessions (ongoing).
The second ERN event within RAISE, ERN 2023, took place at the CF on September 29th, 2023 and received more than 1700 participants that had the opportunity to explore more than 50 activities of different topics and formats, including immersive lab visits, scientific games, workshops in science, dance, illustration, radio, television and music, stand-up comedy, concerts, speed dating with scientists and various stations with experimental science activities, among others. Collection of feedback forms during the event allowed evaluating the impact of the experience for about 50% of the participants.
Together, the two editions of the ERN received more than 2500 participants and contributed to foster a culture of diversity in science that promotes STEM education and empowers future generations.
RAISE successfully involved more than 200 scientists and students from underserved communities both in RAS activities and in creating content for both editions of the ERN (2022 and 2023).
Data collected at both events supports the increase in participants between ERN 2022 and ERN 2023, the diversity of participants, the satisfaction of those who visited the event, while the number of questionnaires answered is representative of the number of participants.
We contributed to promote students’ positive attitudes towards STEAM and a deeper understanding of science, researchers and the scientific method. Finally, by training and giving opportunities for scientists to practise and improve their communication skills for non-scientific audiences, as well as understanding the importance of doing science communication for inclusive and equitable education, we inspired scientists to be agents of positive change in society.
Data collected at both events supports the increase in participants between ERN 2022 and ERN 2023, the diversity of participants, the satisfaction of those who visited the event, while the number of questionnaires answered is representative of the number of participants.
We contributed to promote students’ positive attitudes towards STEAM and a deeper understanding of science, researchers and the scientific method. Finally, by training and giving opportunities for scientists to practise and improve their communication skills for non-scientific audiences, as well as understanding the importance of doing science communication for inclusive and equitable education, we inspired scientists to be agents of positive change in society.