Periodic Reporting for period 1 - LUNA 2014 (LUnga notte della ricerca - Lange NAcht der Forschung 2014)
Reporting period: 2014-04-01 to 2014-10-31
Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project
Science and innovation do not have a long tradition in the Alpine province of South Tyrol (500,000 inhabitants), but as everywhere they are crucial for the future development of the economy.
The 2014 European Researchers’ Night LUNA (Lunga Notte della ricerca , Lange Nacht der Forschung), represented a unique opportunity for the population to get in touch with scientists, to learn about research projects in the region and to have fun around scientific themes.
The main organisers of the action intended creating a tradition for science and innovation in South Tyrol, and in such purpose several different events were organised at planned intervals (science cafés in the summer, school activities throughout the school year, ) of which the Researchers’ Night represents each second year the real cornerstone.
The Researchers’ Night 2014 in Bolzano, the main town of South Tyrol (100.000 inhabitants) was led by a consortium including the European Academy of Bolzano/Bozen (EURAC), the Free University of Bolzano /Bozen (UNIBZ) and Techno Innovation South Tyrol (TIS. The activities were mainly held in the partners’ headquarters.
Beyond this consortium, several other entities joined and actively implemented the project, namely businesses, museums and other research institutions making their premises and labs available to the public at large.
During the event, Bolzano proved transformed in an exciting science park, where children and adults could enjoy science and have fun at up to fourteen different venues connected via a free shuttle service.
From 5 pm until midnight the attendees could take part in all the activities articulated around the main theme “Science makes you fly”, under the form of numerous interactive presentations, games, quizzes, experiments and science performances. Visitors also had the opportunity to exchange, discuss, drink and even dance with the scientists present, coming form several disciplines and from all over Europe.
The 2014 European Researchers’ Night LUNA (Lunga Notte della ricerca , Lange Nacht der Forschung), represented a unique opportunity for the population to get in touch with scientists, to learn about research projects in the region and to have fun around scientific themes.
The main organisers of the action intended creating a tradition for science and innovation in South Tyrol, and in such purpose several different events were organised at planned intervals (science cafés in the summer, school activities throughout the school year, ) of which the Researchers’ Night represents each second year the real cornerstone.
The Researchers’ Night 2014 in Bolzano, the main town of South Tyrol (100.000 inhabitants) was led by a consortium including the European Academy of Bolzano/Bozen (EURAC), the Free University of Bolzano /Bozen (UNIBZ) and Techno Innovation South Tyrol (TIS. The activities were mainly held in the partners’ headquarters.
Beyond this consortium, several other entities joined and actively implemented the project, namely businesses, museums and other research institutions making their premises and labs available to the public at large.
During the event, Bolzano proved transformed in an exciting science park, where children and adults could enjoy science and have fun at up to fourteen different venues connected via a free shuttle service.
From 5 pm until midnight the attendees could take part in all the activities articulated around the main theme “Science makes you fly”, under the form of numerous interactive presentations, games, quizzes, experiments and science performances. Visitors also had the opportunity to exchange, discuss, drink and even dance with the scientists present, coming form several disciplines and from all over Europe.
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
Target audiences
o Public at large regardless of age and scientific background;
o Special attention to be paid to kids and young people, especially those facing or about
to face a career choice;
o Also focus on families and contacts of the 3 main partners, such as researchers,
professors, entrepreneurs, industrial managers, politicians, schools, students... Messages conveyed
o Researchers are amongst us;
o Researchers are ordinary people with an extraordinary job;
o You can talk and have fun with researchers;
o Science makes you fly: research is an adventure;
o Science is made of many complicated and fascinating things which are both possible
and understandable;
o Research impacts on citizens’ daily lives and facilitates it;
o Anyone can embark on a scientific career and help make things better, as well as
contributing to a better understanding of the world and find solutions for all benefits; o In south Tyrol there are also interesting opportunities of findings jobs in science;
o Europe cares for research and researchers;
o European and international cooperation is of utmost importance in research;
Main communication tools to rely on
Off line
o Publication of articles, announcements, advertisements in national, regional and local newspapers and magazines;
o Publication of the detailed programme in the largest circulation daily newspaper “Dolomiten”, also distributed via Italian Daily newspaper Alto Adige, also mailed through partners’ and direct contacts;
o Presentations, mailings and display of promotional material to schools;
o Direct mailing to politicians, industrial managers, educational authorities;
o Airing of promotional spots (both in German and Italian) on national, regional and local
radio stations;
o Pre-event: interactive display stand with experiments hold in a public Bolzano square( in which occasion also display of promotional material and detailed programme);
On line
o Revamping, constant updating and maintenance of project website;
o Links to partners’, institutional and popular websites;
o Revamping, updating an maintenance of social networks profiles (Twitter, Facebook); o Direct electronic mailing to partners’ networks of contacts;
o Banners and advertising in the main local online-portals;
o Youtube-videospot
Promotional material
o Posters, leaflets, postcards, comprehensive booklets with detailed programme;
o Ads, banners, websites;
o Mention of "This European Researchers' Night project is funded by the European
Commission under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions" on all promotional material
displayed;
o Promotional gadgets (such as T-shirts...)(displayed through the European corner
notably), complying with the general guidelines available at
http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/communication/services/visual_identity/index.en.htm(opens in new window)
Overview of the results
o Publication of over 30 articles in printed and on-line media;
o Airing of promotional announcements/spots on radio stations (14);
o Airing of spots/announcements on Tv stations (9);
o Production and display of a YouTube video spot (available at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbfO88ntaiI&list=UURB9KT8gWvJ2foF7Z_tPMMA)(opens in new window); o Over 300.000 people made aware of the Euroepan Researchers' Nights and its
objectives.
ACTIVITIES DURING THE NIGHT
List of locations and venues involved
Bolzano, headquarters of EURAC, Free university of Bolzano and of Techno Innovation South Tyrol KAG, headquarters of additional partners such as Museum of natural history, archaeological museum, Laimburg research centre of agriculture and forestry, Fraunhofer research Italia, Salewa Italy, Medical School Claudiana, hospital, geological office of the province of Southtirol, Hydrogen-center Southtirol, SEL Ecotherm, Center for civil protection, local environmental agency.
Main types of activities planned
Competitions between visitors and researchers, interactive presentations, demonstrations, experiments, quizzes, treasure hunt, science puppet theatre, debates and chats with researchers, European corner, after science party...
Detailed programme of activities
o Common theme: “science makes you fly”
E
UROPEAN ACADEMY OF BOLZANO
o Flying instruments and their view of the environment:
o Interactive presentations, games, experiments/measurements with instruments
of remote sensing and monitoring;
o Cooperation with Bolzano students having built drones and having participated
in the competition organised by EURAC JUNIOR;
o Demo of helium balloon taking pictures from the air, with similar demo
addressing kids;
o The Precious gifts of our Alpine ecosystem:
o Experimental trail with experiences for all senses, interactive presentations,
measurements, quizzes, addressing families;
o Water quality, filter capacity and fertility of the soil, air quality, climate change,
forest as producer of oxygen and timber, significance of landscapes...;
o The participation maze: debate about the possibility offered to citizens to get actively involved in political decisions addressing adults;
o Mummies and the iceman:
o Puppet show addressing kids and families;
o Insight into the mummies in general and Ötzi the iceman in particular;
o Energy efficiency and solar energy technologies in buildings:
o Interactive stand using a wood model-house;
o Examples of innovative building components, instruments for measuring internal
environment qualities...;
o Diversity of language and translation:
o Quizzes addressing both kids and adults;
o Linguistic Italian/English, German/English and Italian/German memory games; o Interactive displays covering translation of special terms in Europe;
FREE UNIVERSITY OF BOLZANO/BOZEN
o “Come on! Let’s fly”: How can design foster creative learning? Interactive activity during which kids and their parents design the new architecture of electric cars and find inspiration in the models designed at the Faculty of Design and Arts and a show of posters made of images and graphics succeed in explaining very complex scientific issues to young people;
o Demonstration of the TERENCE project (adaptive learning system for reasoning about stories with poor comprehenders and their educators): adaptive software package developed by inter-disciplinary and inter inter-university team;
o A concert of a jazz band, a photo exhibition about jazz and a book rally with prizes in the library
o Interactive lab experiments:
o Researchers show visitors how nutraceuticals products are made and explain their qualities with the help of such techniques as the electronic nose and electronic tongue.
o Researchers show to famielies and adults how light can be used to minimize fuel consumption for the warming of buildings.
o Jigsaw puzzles are used to learn what biomass is and how it can be used to produce energy
o A psychological test to find out how each individual is willing to live risky situations like skiing when there’s an avalanche danger
TECHNO INNOVATION SOUTH TYROL
o FabLab: an interactive presentation of our Fabrication Laboratory, where visitors got the chance to see and use a laser cutter, a 3D-printer, a cutting plotter, electronic workbenches, small CNC mills... visitors could either stand by and watch or become active: they could design their own stickers or build a thermometer lamp using the machinery named above
o Flying drones: presentations for families and adults, showing the videos taken by the camera on the drone; due to assurance issues the drones were solely hanging from the ceiling (not flying). Visitors could steer the drones’ cameras and see the pictures and videos taken by them;
o Olfactory marketing: look behind the scenes of marketing strategies in the food industry, interactive presentation;
o Treasure hunt: grouping of 3 people teams with a member of TIS, visit of the various TIS stands for answering the questions, approximate duration 45 minutes; this activity attracted many children who were eager to discover the various stands;
o Show “è solo aria” (“it’s only air”): a theatre crew presented a show which included plenty of phenomena related to air (explosions, wind, candles, balloons, smoke);
o The little doctor: visitors could try to do a endoscopy, using a simulation/training device with the instruments and a camera.
European corner
Number: one;
Location: EURAC headquarters, entrance, nearby the LUNA Info Desk;
Activities:
o Display of informative and promotional material;
o Connection to all relevant EU websites;
o Demonstration of EU-funded research projects;
o Presence of permanent personnel likely answering on all audience’s questions about EU
policies and programmes;
o Testimonials from researchers having benefited of EU support and MC fellows about
their researcher, their experience and research mobility;
o European Researchers' Night MSCA roll-up (entrance of the event) complying with the
following content and format requirements: 200 X 85 cm, and the mentions: "European
Researchers' Night", "Marie Skłodowska-Curie: an inspiration to follow"; o An image to be provided on due time by the European Commission;
Overview of the results
o Offer of hundreds of activities distributed in 140 interactive stations;
o Activties located in 14 different venues within the city;
o Active involvement of about 600 researchers;
o Links between the various venues (10 busses continuously circulating on 3 routes as
from 5 p.m. until 0.30 a.m. on Saturday);
o Around 16.000 attenddes having taken part to the various activities.
IMPACT ASSESSMENT
Description of the current situation
o Currently existing studies and surveys if identified;
o Previous impact assessment exercises conducted in the framework of previous
Researchers’ nights; Tools
o Questionnaires ex ante and ex post;
o Questionnaire displayed at the entrance, visitor identified with QR code, and
questionnaire post-event (with the same QR code) attached at the end of the pre-event
interview ;
o First part (ex-ante)compiled by interviewer, second part (ex-post) by the responder;
Indicators and parameters to be applied
o Quantitative: number of attendees, rating of the event, participation in various activities, hits on the website, friends and followers on social networks, views of the streaming activities, videos uploaded on YouTube, number of promotional items displayed, media coverage;
o Qualitative: public opinion on researchers and their job, (association with “researcher”, characteristics of actual researchers, of desired researchers, interest expressed for
6
science and research, interest expressed in science careers, typology of attendees, intention to take part in future similar events;
Selection of the sample
o Method: “convenience” grub sampling (ex- ante questionnaire: every second person passing by) and
o Absolute figures: at least 800 valid questionnaires filled in (400 ex-ante, 400 ex-post);
Target audiences
o Public at large regardless of age and scientific background;
o Special attention to be paid to kids and young people, especially those facing or about
to face a career choice;
o Also focus on families and contacts of the 3 main partners, such as researchers,
professors, entrepreneurs, industrial managers, politicians, schools, students... Messages conveyed
o Researchers are amongst us;
o Researchers are ordinary people with an extraordinary job;
o You can talk and have fun with researchers;
o Science makes you fly: research is an adventure;
o Science is made of many complicated and fascinating things which are both possible
and understandable;
o Research impacts on citizens’ daily lives and facilitates it;
o Anyone can embark on a scientific career and help make things better, as well as
contributing to a better understanding of the world and find solutions for all benefits; o In south Tyrol there are also interesting opportunities of findings jobs in science;
o Europe cares for research and researchers;
o European and international cooperation is of utmost importance in research;
Main communication tools to rely on
Off line
o Publication of articles, announcements, advertisements in national, regional and local newspapers and magazines;
o Publication of the detailed programme in the largest circulation daily newspaper “Dolomiten”, also distributed via Italian Daily newspaper Alto Adige, also mailed through partners’ and direct contacts;
o Presentations, mailings and display of promotional material to schools;
o Direct mailing to politicians, industrial managers, educational authorities;
o Airing of promotional spots (both in German and Italian) on national, regional and local
radio stations;
o Pre-event: interactive display stand with experiments hold in a public Bolzano square( in which occasion also display of promotional material and detailed programme);
On line
o Revamping, constant updating and maintenance of project website;
o Links to partners’, institutional and popular websites;
o Revamping, updating an maintenance of social networks profiles (Twitter, Facebook); o Direct electronic mailing to partners’ networks of contacts;
o Banners and advertising in the main local online-portals;
o Youtube-videospot
Promotional material
o Posters, leaflets, postcards, comprehensive booklets with detailed programme;
o Ads, banners, websites;
o Mention of "This European Researchers' Night project is funded by the European
Commission under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions" on all promotional material
displayed;
o Promotional gadgets (such as T-shirts...)(displayed through the European corner
notably), complying with the general guidelines available at
http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/communication/services/visual_identity/index.en.htm(opens in new window)
Overview of the results
o Publication of over 30 articles in printed and on-line media;
o Airing of promotional announcements/spots on radio stations (14);
o Airing of spots/announcements on Tv stations (9);
o Production and display of a YouTube video spot (available at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbfO88ntaiI&list=UURB9KT8gWvJ2foF7Z_tPMMA)(opens in new window); o Over 300.000 people made aware of the Euroepan Researchers' Nights and its
objectives.
ACTIVITIES DURING THE NIGHT
List of locations and venues involved
Bolzano, headquarters of EURAC, Free university of Bolzano and of Techno Innovation South Tyrol KAG, headquarters of additional partners such as Museum of natural history, archaeological museum, Laimburg research centre of agriculture and forestry, Fraunhofer research Italia, Salewa Italy, Medical School Claudiana, hospital, geological office of the province of Southtirol, Hydrogen-center Southtirol, SEL Ecotherm, Center for civil protection, local environmental agency.
Main types of activities planned
Competitions between visitors and researchers, interactive presentations, demonstrations, experiments, quizzes, treasure hunt, science puppet theatre, debates and chats with researchers, European corner, after science party...
Detailed programme of activities
o Common theme: “science makes you fly”
E
UROPEAN ACADEMY OF BOLZANO
o Flying instruments and their view of the environment:
o Interactive presentations, games, experiments/measurements with instruments
of remote sensing and monitoring;
o Cooperation with Bolzano students having built drones and having participated
in the competition organised by EURAC JUNIOR;
o Demo of helium balloon taking pictures from the air, with similar demo
addressing kids;
o The Precious gifts of our Alpine ecosystem:
o Experimental trail with experiences for all senses, interactive presentations,
measurements, quizzes, addressing families;
o Water quality, filter capacity and fertility of the soil, air quality, climate change,
forest as producer of oxygen and timber, significance of landscapes...;
o The participation maze: debate about the possibility offered to citizens to get actively involved in political decisions addressing adults;
o Mummies and the iceman:
o Puppet show addressing kids and families;
o Insight into the mummies in general and Ötzi the iceman in particular;
o Energy efficiency and solar energy technologies in buildings:
o Interactive stand using a wood model-house;
o Examples of innovative building components, instruments for measuring internal
environment qualities...;
o Diversity of language and translation:
o Quizzes addressing both kids and adults;
o Linguistic Italian/English, German/English and Italian/German memory games; o Interactive displays covering translation of special terms in Europe;
FREE UNIVERSITY OF BOLZANO/BOZEN
o “Come on! Let’s fly”: How can design foster creative learning? Interactive activity during which kids and their parents design the new architecture of electric cars and find inspiration in the models designed at the Faculty of Design and Arts and a show of posters made of images and graphics succeed in explaining very complex scientific issues to young people;
o Demonstration of the TERENCE project (adaptive learning system for reasoning about stories with poor comprehenders and their educators): adaptive software package developed by inter-disciplinary and inter inter-university team;
o A concert of a jazz band, a photo exhibition about jazz and a book rally with prizes in the library
o Interactive lab experiments:
o Researchers show visitors how nutraceuticals products are made and explain their qualities with the help of such techniques as the electronic nose and electronic tongue.
o Researchers show to famielies and adults how light can be used to minimize fuel consumption for the warming of buildings.
o Jigsaw puzzles are used to learn what biomass is and how it can be used to produce energy
o A psychological test to find out how each individual is willing to live risky situations like skiing when there’s an avalanche danger
TECHNO INNOVATION SOUTH TYROL
o FabLab: an interactive presentation of our Fabrication Laboratory, where visitors got the chance to see and use a laser cutter, a 3D-printer, a cutting plotter, electronic workbenches, small CNC mills... visitors could either stand by and watch or become active: they could design their own stickers or build a thermometer lamp using the machinery named above
o Flying drones: presentations for families and adults, showing the videos taken by the camera on the drone; due to assurance issues the drones were solely hanging from the ceiling (not flying). Visitors could steer the drones’ cameras and see the pictures and videos taken by them;
o Olfactory marketing: look behind the scenes of marketing strategies in the food industry, interactive presentation;
o Treasure hunt: grouping of 3 people teams with a member of TIS, visit of the various TIS stands for answering the questions, approximate duration 45 minutes; this activity attracted many children who were eager to discover the various stands;
o Show “è solo aria” (“it’s only air”): a theatre crew presented a show which included plenty of phenomena related to air (explosions, wind, candles, balloons, smoke);
o The little doctor: visitors could try to do a endoscopy, using a simulation/training device with the instruments and a camera.
European corner
Number: one;
Location: EURAC headquarters, entrance, nearby the LUNA Info Desk;
Activities:
o Display of informative and promotional material;
o Connection to all relevant EU websites;
o Demonstration of EU-funded research projects;
o Presence of permanent personnel likely answering on all audience’s questions about EU
policies and programmes;
o Testimonials from researchers having benefited of EU support and MC fellows about
their researcher, their experience and research mobility;
o European Researchers' Night MSCA roll-up (entrance of the event) complying with the
following content and format requirements: 200 X 85 cm, and the mentions: "European
Researchers' Night", "Marie Skłodowska-Curie: an inspiration to follow"; o An image to be provided on due time by the European Commission;
Overview of the results
o Offer of hundreds of activities distributed in 140 interactive stations;
o Activties located in 14 different venues within the city;
o Active involvement of about 600 researchers;
o Links between the various venues (10 busses continuously circulating on 3 routes as
from 5 p.m. until 0.30 a.m. on Saturday);
o Around 16.000 attenddes having taken part to the various activities.
IMPACT ASSESSMENT
Description of the current situation
o Currently existing studies and surveys if identified;
o Previous impact assessment exercises conducted in the framework of previous
Researchers’ nights; Tools
o Questionnaires ex ante and ex post;
o Questionnaire displayed at the entrance, visitor identified with QR code, and
questionnaire post-event (with the same QR code) attached at the end of the pre-event
interview ;
o First part (ex-ante)compiled by interviewer, second part (ex-post) by the responder;
Indicators and parameters to be applied
o Quantitative: number of attendees, rating of the event, participation in various activities, hits on the website, friends and followers on social networks, views of the streaming activities, videos uploaded on YouTube, number of promotional items displayed, media coverage;
o Qualitative: public opinion on researchers and their job, (association with “researcher”, characteristics of actual researchers, of desired researchers, interest expressed for
6
science and research, interest expressed in science careers, typology of attendees, intention to take part in future similar events;
Selection of the sample
o Method: “convenience” grub sampling (ex- ante questionnaire: every second person passing by) and
o Absolute figures: at least 800 valid questionnaires filled in (400 ex-ante, 400 ex-post);
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)
Analysis of current situation: based on previous impact assessment exercises: improvement of public image of researchers for 47 % after 2010 event, and for 48 % after 2012 event, increased youth stimulation for embarking on scientific careers, overall satisfaction of attendees regarding the events themselves, actual reaching of different community targets;
o Display of a second questionnaire to visitors having completed the first questionnaire;
o Collection and processing of 630 ex-ante questionnaires and of 536 ex-post
questionnaires, leading to the emerging of 518 valid questionnaires; o Main conclusions:
o Typology of visitors: 44% coming from municipalities near the main venue, aged 18-80, various education levels, 69 % without any research involvement, nor relatvies or friedns working in research, important share represented by kids and teenagers;
o Knowledge about the event: media (36 %), word of mouth (22,3 %), direct contact with organising institutions (9,2 %);
o Overall satisfaction about the event (general: 95 %, programme 90 %, availability/ accessibility of researchers (88 %), Logistics (85 %) and information displayed during the event (84 %);
o General will expressed to tka epart in future similar events (95 %);
o Improved public image of researcehrs (52 %), stimulation of young people to embark on scientific careers (82 %), relevance of researchers' involvement in such type of events (86%), convinction of competitiveness and international
relevance of South Tyrol researchers ;
o Awareness about important role played by rsearchers in regional, national and
European development (87 %);
o Display of a second questionnaire to visitors having completed the first questionnaire;
o Collection and processing of 630 ex-ante questionnaires and of 536 ex-post
questionnaires, leading to the emerging of 518 valid questionnaires; o Main conclusions:
o Typology of visitors: 44% coming from municipalities near the main venue, aged 18-80, various education levels, 69 % without any research involvement, nor relatvies or friedns working in research, important share represented by kids and teenagers;
o Knowledge about the event: media (36 %), word of mouth (22,3 %), direct contact with organising institutions (9,2 %);
o Overall satisfaction about the event (general: 95 %, programme 90 %, availability/ accessibility of researchers (88 %), Logistics (85 %) and information displayed during the event (84 %);
o General will expressed to tka epart in future similar events (95 %);
o Improved public image of researcehrs (52 %), stimulation of young people to embark on scientific careers (82 %), relevance of researchers' involvement in such type of events (86%), convinction of competitiveness and international
relevance of South Tyrol researchers ;
o Awareness about important role played by rsearchers in regional, national and
European development (87 %);