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European Researchers' Night: Researchers' For a Better Future

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - OurFuture (European Researchers' Night: Researchers' For a Better Future)

Período documentado: 2014-12-01 hasta 2015-10-31

The “OurFuture: Researchers For a Better Future” Spanish Researcehrs’ Night 2015 actually consisted of the continuation of several successful actions.

The activities were organised by five universities, three public foundations, one scientific association, one autonomic government and a large scientific infrastructure around Spain as well as a Science Museum. A broad range of activities were offered to the visitors, from science shows, hands-on experiments, demos, simulations, guided tour through labs, dating with researchers, exhibitions, debates, roundtables, conferences, science investigations, workshops, to quizzes and competitions, European corners. About 600 researchers were participating in showcasing their work.
Furthermore, a drawing competition was performed before and after the event.

A special emphasis was set on the 2.0 tools, using games and videos edited in the previous edition of European Researchers’ Night (ERN). These tools, together with the drawing competition, were used to disseminate Friday event activities. The main objective of the project consisted of enhancing the recognition of researchers and their role in society, showing that “Researchers are amongst us”, meaning that they are ”ordinary people” with an extraordinary job, integrated in the social fabric and whose work benefits to the citizens’ daily lives and well-being. As a rule the economic crisis causes all around the world an important budget decrease for research and researchers. This fact is particularly hard in Spain, where the current decrease amounted about 40% in the past three years. Important economic cuts do not help improving the public image of science and scientists; on the other hand, they make people think of what could happen without science and scientists. It consequently proves even more necessary showing the public at large that with no researchers there is no future. On the other hand, the communicative facet of research together with some hands-on experiments were used to bring them closer to the large public enhancing public recognition of researchers and their work, as well as to convince young people to embark on scientific careers. It also allowed settling down amongst researchers that non-communicated research is no research.
AWARENESS CAMPAIGN

Target audiences


o Public at large regardless of age and scientific background;
o Special emphasis will be paid to kids and young people, about making a career choice

Messages conveyed

o Researchers are amongst us;
o Researchers are ordinary people with an extraordinary job;
o Almost anyone can become a researcher;
o Research is fun and fascinating;
o Research is everywhere, including in citizens’ daily lives and well-being;
o Research is especially important in a world faced with economic crisis;
o Stimulate young people to embark to scientific careers;
o Europe cares for its researchers;
o International and European cooperation is fundamental for research activities;

Main communication tools to rely on

Off line

o Publication of articles, announcements, advertising in written press (newspapers and magazines);
o Press releases;
o Direct contacts with regional and local authorities;
o Media relations campaign
o Launch of the drawing competition;
o Direct visits to schools and institutions
o Display of public advertising (public spaces, transport means);
o Display of promotional material;

On line

o Revamping , constant updating and maintenance of project website;
o Links with participants’, institutional and popular websites ;
o Revamping of social networks profiles (Twitter, Facebook, YouTube…),updating and maintenance;
o General electronic mailing;

Promotional material

o Written promotional material such as posters, leaflets, programmes, ;
o Ads, banners, websites, links with other 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 (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

Overview of the results

o Conception, realisation of promotional material based on porject's visual identiy: posetrs of various formats, programme,s flyers, roll-ups, displayed in public places: primary schools, libraries, civic centres, universities, libraries, bars, shopping malls .. .;
o Public advertising: billboards, citylights, display of promotional material in streets…:
o Sending of invitations to regional authorities , as well as to personnel and students at Universities and Research centres;
o Sending of flyers to primary and secondary school students;
o Organsiation of a press conference at CENIEH (Burgos) and Barcelona;
o Publication of pess releases (over 10);
o Publication of articles, interviews, announcements, advertising in written press: about 40 different newspaper articles in different national and regional press;
o Revamping, constant updating of project website, namely http://EuRN.eu linked to partners';
o 32.500 hits and 18.200 unique visitors on projectwebsite website (http://EuRN.eu and some partners’ websites) ;
o Revmaping and constant updating of social network profiles (Facebook, Twitter, Flickr…);
o 1.200 likers on Facebook (different partners facebook pages) and 9.000 followers on Twitter got reached by the information about the celebration of ERN15 ;
o About 1.000.000 people made aware of European Researchers’ Night and its objectives




ACTIVITIES DURING THE NIGHT

List of locations and venues involved

o Àvila: Sierra de Gredos “Pinos Cimeros”
o Badajoz: UEx campus;
o Barcelona: Centre de Culutra Contemporanea de Barcelona
o Burgos: Centro Nacional de Investigación sobre la Evolución Humana and some rural protected zones.;
o Cáceres: UEx Campus
o Cerdanyola: Museo D’Art;
o Girona: Casa de Cultura;
o Las Palmas de Gran Canaria: Parque Santa Catalina
o León: Riolago de Babia (Casa del Parque de “Babia y Luna”
o Lleida: IRBLleida;
o Mérida: Centro Universitario de Mérida, UEx Campus
o Murcia: Cuartel de Artilleria;
o Oviedo: Edificio Histórico de la universidad de Oviedo;
o Plasencia: Centro Universitario de Plasencia, UEx Campus
o Santander: Colegio Público Cisneros, Parque Tecnológico: Edificions IH e IBBTEC, Valdecilla: IDIVAL, Escuela Técnica Superior de Náutica, Paraninfo de la Universidad, Mercado del Este: MUPAC, CASYC, Plaza porticada
o Segovia – Pedraza: casas del parque del Águila Imperial
o Valladolid: Museo de la Ciencia de Valladolid y PRAE, Centro de recursos ambientales

Main types of activities planned

Science shows, hands-on experiments, demos, simulations, guided tour through labs, dating with researchers, exhibitions, debates, roundtables, conferences, science investigations, workshops, quizzes and competitions, concerts, European corners…

Detailed programme of activities

Common elements to all locations/venues

o Common theme: researchers for a better future;
o Common structure: common inauguration video welcoming visitors and partners;
o Topics: crystallography, family farming and biotechnology after the international and Spanish years;
o Common drawing contest;
o European corners in each location, always at the main entrance;

BADAJOZ AND CACERES

o 100 activities, hands-on experiments and workshops on Mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, industrial engineering, agricultural engineering, education, veterinary, ICTs, humanities and sport sciences;
o Science health and sport, practical workshops and experiments;
o Veterinary sciences: playing detectives with food, several workshops on application of chemistry on cooking, chemistry and health;
o Science for food security and quality, chemistry workshops and experiments; brain discovering workshops;
o Rocket launch, optical illusions, chemistry engineering workshops;
o SmartPoliTech project related workshops, Internet of the things, infinite and beyond, several physics related workshops, sensorial workshops, robotics workshop; electromagnetism workshops;
o Minerals exhibition and workshop;
literature micro-workshops;
o Astronomy for children;
o Science and the environment (nitrogen car, dendrochronology, bees strategies)
o Science and health

BARCELONA

o Hands-on workshops: The light in the waves, Plants caching light, Experiment with refracting and diffracting light, calidoscopis, put light on your gens.
o Micro-talks about plant biotechnology and nano-optics
o Round table discussion: “Research on new technologies based on light are tomorrow changes”;
o Scientific dissemination posters and slide show – GoPhoton, Tree of life, …
o Magic with the light explorers
o Musical tentancle: interplaying between color, light and music.
o Drawing corne to scientists;
o

BURGOS

oExhibition "The color of the shadows", an exhibition of photographies whose author is the paleoneurologist from CENIEH Emiliano Bruner.
o Visits to the Laboratory of Microscopy and Computed Microtomography
o Interactive talk: "Watching the light: evolving with new technologies" by a group of 4 scientists specialized in Optics.
o Conferences: "Light and shadow of the life of a pixel: digital graphics between art and anatomy" by Emiliano Bruner; "The magic hour: sunset colors” by Gloria Lopez; “Measuring the time in the Olduvai Gorge (Tanzania)" by Davinia Moreno, and “The chiaroscuro of emotions: light in the artwork and other visual languages" by Maria Luz Calleja de Castro
o Drawing competition aimed at children aged 5-12 years.
o Workshops: “Laboratory of Ratón Pérez, “Dating through light” and “Particle Accelerator”
o II Campaign of collection of teeth organized by the Anthropology Dental Group of CENIEH in order to collect samples to develop studies.
o Handicraft

CERDANYOLA DEL VALLES

o Workshops with scientists, informal presentations (health applications of synchrotron light, history of light, what a synchrotron is and how it works);
o Synchrotron-based research: how has improved our world?: exhibition of panels and audio visual content;
o Demonstrations about diffraction, about properties of light and the electromagnetic spectrum;
o The Synchrotron Game: running like an electron to produce synchrotron light;
o Shadows theatre “The Pied Piper of Hamelin”;

GIRONA

o Workshops fair:
o Be a Scientist for one day:
 Built a RainBow
 What happens with Harry Potter layer: make thinks to be invisible
 Who is the guilty? Forensic chemistry
o Do you want to be a MicroDetective? Identifying microorganisms;
o #NinsLab: Little scientist stracting experiments from tales.
o Francesc Eiximenis and how to have the true powder
o Com to inspect how a waste-water work? What are those little animals for?
o Mathematicians or Magicians?
o The Magic of Healthy food
o Conducted by Dani JIMENEZ, conductor of popular TV programme science-linked, experiments and demos, drawing competition included;

LAS PALMAS DE GRAN CANARIA

Workshops:
o “Ciberlandia 2015 - Bioinspiration robotics ";
o "Archaeology in your hands";
o "A walk through the history of physical activity and sport";
o "Write mini story";
o Gramatics of emotions
o Museo Elder workshops: How machines started? Bridges and materials, !Eureka! Nautic instruments, Using a telescope; Canari Islands sky.
o Playing with light
o Helathy food
Exhibitions:
o The Institute of Technological Development and Innovation in Communications, IDETIC, present different workshops:
o demonstrations audio and data transmission by visible light;
o Radio communications using traditional type modulations telegraphy (Morse), and digital voice chat;
o Use of drones for fire monitoring in real time;
o unveiled how the image processing gesture control;
o eVoice is performed: assessment tool via web of voice quality;
o "Decoding Roman inscriptions in 3D: 3D scanning and printing";
o "Technology: Predictive Techniques and Tacit Knowledge";
o The EITE, School of Telecommunications Engineering and Electronics of the ULPGC, bring us three workshops:
o demonstration of operation with explanation of a 3D printer;
o Demonstration of a system VoIP provider;
o Factory game";

Researchers’ talks:
HELICOID project; Gustavo Marrero, IUMA
PARAGONE project: Jorge Francisco González Pérez ULPGC Investigacion Biotécnologica Parásito-Hospedador research group
Shoreside phenomena, Leopoldo O’Shanahan Roca
Detecting fish quality, ULPGC, Rafael Ginés Ruiz, GIA.


LLEIDA

o Magic of sciencie
o Cooking Science
o Let’s go
o Lab visiting: people could visit the different labs and talk to researchers.
o Drawing contest


MURCIA

o Information about the Murcia´s University European Projects (European Corner)
o Workshops about Technology, Robotics, Maths, Biology, Geology, Edafology, Recreational Physic, Chemistry and Psychology;
o Sustainable vehicles show;
o Colouring and drawing workshops
o Neuroscience’s workshop, brain responses by testing different kind of food;
o Workshop about Forensic Psychology with a polygraph;
o Workshop about Artistic Processes in science;
o Arqueology workshop;
o Memory activities;
o Live recording of “Kitaro: la vida es ciencia” (radio program);
o Several exhibitions and talks during the event;
o Guided visits to the Museum and the Aquarium of Murcia´s University


OVIEDO

Setting up of various booths, each of them dedciatd to a specific topic:
o The sound and the magic of numbers: 3,2,1 … Let’s start
o Light in Miniature: what eyes can’t see
o Revoltionare magnetism: It attracts you!
o Science through food: You will leave with good taste!
o Your home, your lab: !A-Luz-Inate!
o Chemistry in TV: Luminol doesn’t sheet!
o Crystal light: don’t lose any detail!
o Drawing Contest;


SANTANDER

o Organisation of 20 different activities (if relevant in 8 locations/venues), of which:

o 4 workshops;
o “Playing with DNA”
o “Why do the metal change? It is corrosion!!!!!”
o “Playing with fire”
o “The wet”

o 11 hands-on experiments;
o “Ginkhana: Play with science!”
o “Coming back to Neanderthal age”
o “Deciding the age of the fishes”
o “See and read the DNA: what four letters can do and what mutations can do”
o “Playing to research in biology”
o “A day in the life of a scientist”
o “Fotonic or what can I see by the light”
o “Raising the sea”
o “How laboratory studies are applied in the research of social interactions?”
o “Are we rational when we make financial decisions? An introduction to Behaviour Economics”
o “Scientist in a research laboratory”
o “Looking at the sky”

o 1 Science Café;
o Science Café: El año de la luz”

o 2 science shows;
o “Science experiments”
o “The Science Comedy Club”

o 2 guided tours;
o “Guide visit: MUPAC”

o 2 Discussions
o “Talking about science”

o 1 lecture;
o “Personalized medicine in human cancer”


VALLADOLID

o SScientific workshops, gatherings on Mediterranean diet, historic compilation of recipes, food tasting, live radio workshops and interviews, exhibitions, drawing and animation ;

o In the Museum: organization of 12 different activities simulation of rescue, 4 workshops (soils, water, make your own compass, light experiments), 2 participatory performances (chemistry on stage, maths), planetarium live show, guided tours to exhibitions (inventiveness of Castilla y León, informatics), scientific monologues, drawing cotnest

PRAE (Valladolid, Leon, Segovia and Àvila) (rural areas)
o Drawing contest;
o Scientific talks;
o Workshop related to the characteristics of the natural zone;
o Xocolate with cookies.

European corners

Number: 11
Location: in each city involved in the most frequented area;

Activities planned:

o European flag, connections to all relevant EU websites (list to be provided by REA), demonstration about at least one research project EU-supported in the area considered, interactive activities;
o Permanent presence of personnel likely to answer public questions about EU policies and programmes, and promoting the European dimension and gender balance in research and innovation (women in science);
o Testimonials/activities conducted by researchers funded by Horizon 2020, including Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions (having been abroad or being on site), who will also take part in the activities organised outside the EU corner;
o Special website will be set up were different European granted projects will be shown, always with the idea that Europe Cares About their Researchers.
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 the over 250 activities as planned and described in the Annex I part B to the Grant Agreement, amongst which:

o 53 workshops;
o 11 conferences;
o 5 guided visits;
o 60 hands-on-experiments a part of playing with quizzes (the one sent from the commission)
o Drawing contest.


o About 712 researchers actively involved in the different activities, of whom 30 former beneficiaries of Marie Curie grants and 90 from other EU support
o About 25.000 visitors having taken part in the various activities offered, amongst which about the half being young people.

IMPACT ASSESSMENT

Description of the current situation

o Based on existing surveys and studies;
o Also relying on the most recent EUROBAROMETER;
o “Percepción social de la Ciencia” Spanish study performed by FECYT about the social perception of science;
o Analysis of the drawing competition entries related to the image of researchers;
o Surveys about science in high schools;


Tools

o Questionnaires and guidelines for face to face interviews;
o Polls (training provided to pollsters);

Indicators and parameters to be applied

o Qualitative: public opinion on resear
chers and their job (associations with the word "researcher", characteristics of "actual researchers", characteristics of "desired researchers"), interest expressed for science and research, interest expressed for science careers, typology of attendees (age, gender, occupation, background…), intention to attend similar events in the future…;

o Quantitative: number of attendees, rating of the event, participation in various activities, number of hits on website, number of friends and followers on social networks, number of promotional items displayed, media coverage…


Selection of the sample

o Method: random selection
o Absolute figures: at least 10 % of the audience expected to be interviewed.
Overview of the results

o Collection, analysis and processing of about 1.100 feedbacks through on and off line questionnaires, polls, representing about 5 % of the overall attendace;

o Main conclusions:
o Typology of visitors: mostly families, mainly parents accompanied by kids aged 4-16, balcned distribution amongst genders, most of them already interested in science;
o Knwoledge about the event: word of mouth, information displayed thourgh schools, knowledge form the previous edition;
Most successful activities: workshops with researchers, workshops allowing a tangible outcome for the participants;
o Less successful: exhibition of research projects: specific difficulties in making research results accessible in such a way;
o Based on the statements by the responders, increased interest for scientific careers in particular amongst young people;
o Paeticipation of researchers: active involvement, numerous researchers from different scientific fields, of particular attractiveness toards people aged 16-24.
BArcelona Event
Cerdanyola Event
Museo de la Ciencia de Valladolid Event
Murcia Event
Oviedo event
Girona Event
Santander event
Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Event