European Reseearchers Night: Researchers in Real Life.

Project Information

ESC

Grant agreement ID: 633260

DOI

10.3030/633260

Project closed

EC signature date 7 August 2014

Start date 1 May 2014

End date 30 November 2015

Funded under

• EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Total cost

€ 287 850,00

EU contribution

€ 110 000,00

Coordinated by

ESCIENCIA EVENTOS CIENTIFICOS SL
Spain

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - ESC (European Reseearchers Night: Researchers in Real Life.)

Reporting period: 2015-01-01 to 2015-11-30

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

“Researchers in Real Life”, the European Researchers’ night 2015 event in Aragon, aimed at showing to the general public researchers as ordinary people, while pointing out the impact and influence of their work on citizens’ daily lives.
The event took place in a festive mood with activities in City Centre streets. Worth noting that since the last three years, the Researchers’ Night has become a kind of traditional Fall event in Zaragoza.
The activities were specifically designed to address the public at large in all its components, with a strong focus on young people.
Local researchers were actively and directly involved in the activities from the very start.
The activities related to topics such as “how researchers are in real life”, their hobbies, the sports they like, and their common interests with the public at large. They also showcased the current research developed in Aragon and its potential benefits for economy, employment, well-being…
The event consisted of a real “Science party” involving most of the research entities in Aragon within a tag “Researchers in Real Life” that has become popular for people in the Community. The regional stakeholders’ involvement is also worth noting, allowing also the taking on board of participants initially not planned and consequently reaching a broader audience than expected.
Special attention was paid to promotion of scientific careers towards pupils and students, notably by illustrating the various roles possibly played by researchers in both industry and academia.
The management team of project was the same as last editions, namely: Esciencia Eventos Cientificos as coordinator, the University of Zaragoza, ARID Foundation (Government of Aragon), which employ half of researchers of Aragon. Furthermore, cooperating bodies such as The Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), and Dinopolis Foundation (managing the Teruel science museum) got involved in the implementation of the action and consequently allowed reaching further researchers and sponsors.

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

WP 1. AWARENESS CAMPAIGN

Target audiences
o Public at large regardless of age and scientific background;
o Special attention to be paid to young people , especially those facing or about to face a career choice;

Messages conveyed
o Researchers are amongst us;
o Researchers are ordinary people with an extraordinary job;
o Research is indispensable;
o Research is everywhere;
o Research is up to you… better research it yourself!;
o Research is fun and exciting;
o Researchers and research are fun;

Main communication tools to rely on

Off line
o Publication of articles, announcements, advertisement in regional press;
o Publication of press releases;
o Airing of promotional spots, interviews by researchers, programmes on radio and TV programmes;
o Direct meetings and phone contacts with authorities of Education within Aragon government;
o Direct meetings with partners and sponsors, media, on line agendas managers, researchers, , bloggers and editors of science news and science communication;
On line
o Revamping, constant updating and maintenance of project website;
o Revamping, updating and maintenance of social networks profiles;
o Links to partners’ websites, institutional and popular websites;
o Publication of banners and ads (websites and social networks);
o Mailing to several lists of researchers, schools and associations;
o Realisation of video podcast “meet a researcher (researchers in daily lives);

Promotional material
o Posters, flyers, programmes;
o Banners and ads, 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: posters, roll ups, programmes, invitations, flyers, flags;
o Public advertising: billboards, totem, display of promotional material in streets and downtown shops, public places and public transport;
o Street marketing (city tram, Zaragoza);
o Sending of invitations to regional ministry of science, rector, director and deans of University of Zaragoza, media;
o Publication of 21 press releases of which 15 at national level;
o Publication of artilces, interviews, announcements and advertising in written press at regional level;
o Airing of promotional post, interviews, announcements on national and regional radio and TV stations :
o Revamping, constant updating and maintenance of project website namely programme, science fair, sport competition, activities through public objective, local programmes…;
o 8.339 hits on project website, 6.250 unique visitors, , 20.723 pages visits, 55.800 searches in Google;
o Revamping and constant updating of social network profiles (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram…), namely Facebook.com/researchersLife twitter.com/ResearchersLife Instagram.com/ResearchersLife;
o 441 likes on Facebook, 264 followers on Twitter, 199 followers on hashtag nocheinzgz 2.200 prints;
o About 350.000 people made aware of the Researchers'Night and its objectives.

WP2.- ACTIVITIES DURING THE NIGHT

List of locations and venues involved:
Teruel: Teruel square centre and Dinopolis museum.
Zaragoza: St Francisco square, tram of Zaragoza, sport facilities Council of Zaragoza, streets and public spaces in the City;

Main types of activities planned:
Hands-on experiments, demonstrations, games, sports, workshops, tastings, short talks, concerts, shows, competitions, special kids’;
Detailed programme of activities

ZARAGOZA
o Researchers’ fair: showcase of research projects and work outdoors by researchers, simulations, exhibitions (robotics, science of materials, nanosciences, engineering), science investigation shows, competitions (mathematics, statistics);
o Table games: chess, maths, quizzes;
o Workshops: DNA extraction, quirality (aged 6-8), chemistry, physics, genetic (aged 8-12), optics, magnetism (aged 12-14), cartography, 3D, new technologies (adults);
o The researchers’ wall: possibility to draw a researchers on a huge wall;
o Chocolate point: explanation of the food/chocolate science around a cup of chocolate;
o Short talks on research themes and researchers’ lives (1à minutes);
o Scientific life demos about chemistry, physics on the Zaragoza tram;
o Sport tournament; football championship, paddle, basketball…;
o Kids competition and children’s entertainment (display of films/animations);
o Concerts, shows, humor famelab monologues and closing ceremony;

TERUEL
o Workshops for all ages showing science methodology;
o Race the science: competition for building one’s own prototype of flying models;
o Researchers’ coffee: talk session about research in paleontology;
o Dinopolis show: show of how dinosaur lived in our region;
o Visit the paleontologic site by researchers: visit the paleontological site by researchers;
o Children’s entertainment: display of films/animations;

European corners
Number: one in each city involved;
Location: most frequented areas;

Activities planned:
o Display of informative and promotional material;
o Connection to all relevant EU websites;
o Permanent presence of personnel likely answering on audience’s questions about EU programmes and policies;
o Testimonials by MC fellows and researchers having benefited from EU support about their experience and research mobility;
o Demonstration/presentation of research results of EU-funded projects:
o Games and demos
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 provided by the European Commission;
Overview of the results
o Offer of 68 different activites as described in Annex I Part B to the Grant Agreement, namely:
o 27 science talks;
o 8 different workshops. 6 hands-on experiments;
o 2 workshops;
o 11 demonstrations of science work;
o 1 session of famelab monologues, 10 monologues.;
o 6 guided visits;
o 4 theatrical visits in public transport (tram);
o 1 science hot chocolate, 1 science cinema café;
o 3 competitions: sport, chess and science fair;
o 2 specific kids programmes;
o 2 researchers'concerts;
o 1 science taste catatruck;
o 2 European corners;
o Active involvement of 98 researchers of whom:
o 12 Researchers having benefitted from Marie Curie schemes;
o 10 Researchers having benefitted from another EU support;

o 17.590 visitors having taken active part in the activities offered, distributed as follows:
o San Francisco Square: 5.500;
o Tram visits: 3.900;
o Caixa Forum: 950;
o Las Armas square and arts building: 3.200;
o El Corte Inglés culture Centre. 150;
o Sala Cai Luzán. 350;
o Padel Sports: 90;
o Teruel square: 950;
o Teruel Dinopolis: 2.500.

WP 3.- IMPACT ASSESSMENT
Description of the current situation
o Eurobarometer, national study about science and technology perception (NSSTP);
o Recent studies carried out by European Stimula project
o Surveys conducted by coordinator in the framework of previous Researchers ‘nights notably;

Tools
o Six different kinds of surveys (each including §-è questions);
o Conducted ex-ante, in-itinere and ex-post;
o Coordination under course with other projects, notably Spanish, with a vew to collecting comparable data;
Indicators and parameters to be applied
o Qualitative: public opinion about researchers and their job, associations with the word “researcher, characteristics of actual and desired researchers, interest expressed in science and research, interest expressed for research careers, typology of attendees (age, gender, occupation, background), intention to attend similar events in the future, involvement of researchers having benefited from EU support and MC fellows…;
o Quantitative: number of attendees, participation in the various activities, rating of the event, number of hits on the website, of friends and followers on social networks, of promotional items displayed, entries in competitions, media coverage…
Selection of the sample
o Method: selection of various types of public: public at large (people in street), people registered for activities, similar age distribution during the event, pupils having signed up in contests(ex- ante, in- itinere and ex- post)
o Absolute figures: 140 ex-ante surveys , 140 ex-post and in-itinere, 70 surveys of registered people and 140 pupils’ surveys.

Overview of the results
o Collection, analysis and processing of 772 feedbacks, based on 285 on-line ex ante questionnaires and 487 face to face interviews druing the event;
Main conclusions:
o Typology of visitors: aged between 18 and 65 for 70 % of them, 30 % being teenagers, major participation of familes with kids, rzelatively high educational level 57 % having a university degree;
o Knowledge about the event: 45% internet and social media, 40 % mass media, 15 % schools, office (word of mouth) and others;
o Overall positive feedback about the event (activities, interest, contacts with researchers, locations and venues, scheduling, concrete organisation);
o Most successful activities: hands-on activities and experimental demonstrations;
o Strong awareness about the usefulness of research and researchers (95 % of respondents);
o Increased awareness about researcehrs , their job and its potential socieal impact after having taken part in the Night activities for 88 % of respondents;
o Increased interest expressed for science and particularly science careers (75 % of respondents);
o Possible improvements: stronger focus on university students and pre doctoral students through the European corners.

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)

Collection, analysis and processing of 772 feedbacks, based on 285 on-line ex ante questionnaires and 487 face to face interviews druing the event;
o Realization of interviews of 8 researchers;
Main conclusions:
o Typology of visitors: aged between 18 and 65 for 70 % of them, 30 % being teenagers, major participation of familes with kids, rzelatively high educational level 57 % having a university degree;
o Knowledge about the event: 45% internet and social media, 40 % mass media, 15 % schools, office (word of mouth) and others;
o Overall positive feedback about the event (activities, interest, contacts with researchers, locations and venues, scheduling, concrete organisation);
o Most successful activities: hands-on activities and experimental demonstrations;
o Strong awareness about the usefulness of research and researchers (95 % of respondents);
o Increased awareness about researcehrs , their job and its potential socieal impact after having taken part in the Night activities for 88 % of respondents;
o Increased interest expressed for science and particularly science careers (75 % of respondents);
o Possible improvements: stronger focus on university students and pre doctoral students through the European corners.

kids suprise

demos

EU MSC researchers

science fair kids

pollsters

EU_Marie Slodowskca Curie Researchers corner

concert

theatetrical show