Describe the context and overall objectives and the expected impact of your project. The idea is to give to the reader key background information needed to understand the motivation behind the project and the problems and needs it aims to address.
The description should be seen as “setting a scene for the story” of the project. After reading this section the reader should be able to understand how the results of the project are expected to contribute to tackling the identified problems and needs. If possible, you may wish to include an indication of the significance of your project’s expected impacts.
If applicable, for projects tagged as indicating the need for the integration of social sciences and humanities, please show the role of these disciplines in the project.
Researchers worldwide are struggling nowadays to solve some of the critical issues which pose a threat to our future life on Earth. While everyone has heard about the present challenges with climate change, digital cities, pollution of freshwaters and oceans, soils degradation which lead to poor quality of food, or cancer, not many are aware of the efforts and the difficulties that researchers are confronted with trying to identify practical solutions for all these threats. They are actively involved in developing devices and systems to monitor, control and diminish their effect, and to cure people and Earth, but their mission will not have the chance of becoming effective unless ReCoNnect-ing the researchers to the society, by developing a mutual respect and understanding. To find new paths of evolution one needs a will to listen, to be open to the new and to explore. As such, we promote the adoption of a special life strategy, that of continuous and active learning, in which all those engaged in thinking about the future, scientists, communicators or the general public, are active learners interacting with each other.
The ReCoNnect consortium is made up from 5 research institutes, some of the largest and most prestigious in the country, 4 universities, with high scientific expertise but also including journalism faculties and one public scientific body, that have been participating in previous research outreach events and coordinate some of the largest STEM educational networks
(teachers and pupils) derived from the European programmes. We propose the organization of 20 European Researchers’ Night events in places ranging from the largest city to small towns and even rural areas, and also a strong program of involving researchers at school in the next 2 years of the project. We are confident that by strengthening and connecting the existing science communication and educational programs (summer schools, conferences, workshops, fairs, contests, open days programs, webinars), the number of researchers involved in outreach activities will increase as well as the quality of the activities. The common resources and energies put together will allow us to look to the future with new hopes of an active and cultured society towards solving the humanity issues through science and awareness.
