Malopolska Researchers' Night 2014-2015

Project Information

Power2Nights

Grant agreement ID: 633330

DOI

10.3030/633330

Project closed

EC signature date 13 August 2014

Start date 1 May 2014

End date 31 December 2015

Funded under

• EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Total cost

€ 443 723,50

EU contribution

€ 354 506,00

Coordinated by

WOJEWODZTWO MALOPOLSKIE
Poland

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - Power2Nights (Malopolska Researchers' Night 2014-2015)

Reporting period: 2015-01-01 to 2015-12-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The European Researchers’ Night 2015 “POWER2NIGHTS” actually consisted of the continuation of several successful previous events in the same context (Nine).
Such event, which has become a traditional “fall appointment” expected by the population, has encountered an increasing success from its start in 2007, where it was attended by 3.500 people while over 128.000 visitors took part in 2014 and 2015 editions.
The programme of activities (over 1.000 different activities offered a year) appeared very rich, including hands-on experiments, science shows, demonstrations, presentations, guided visits to labs, workshops, exhibitions, competitions and quizzes, games and plays with scientists, performances, meetings and chats with researchers, European corners… spread between over 45 locations a year within 6 cities in the Malopolska Region, namely Krakow, Tarnow, Nowy Sacz, Niepolomice, Andrychow, Skawina.
The main purpose of the event consisted of enhancing the public recognition of researchers and their work, notably its impact on citizens’ daily lives and well-being, as well as demonstrating the interest of science and research and the potential interest of a research career towards young people.
Through fun, in accessible and understandable way for everybody, visitors were shown that science is all around them, and that scientists in their laboratories are working every day to make citizens' life better, easier and more modern.
Specific successes achieved by Malopolska researchers working in international scientific-research teams were also pointed out, which allowed stressing the importance of international cooperation in research.
Live broadcast via event website also occurred for several locations. About 900 researchers a year were directly and actively involved in the activities as well as 1.000 students, and about 120 research groups from over 30 partner institutions.

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

Overview of the results
o Conception, realisation of promotional material, namely posters of various formats, leaflets notably displayed in schools, Youth Community Centres, public institutions, Turist Information Points …, roll ups;
o Public adversiting (billboards, city lights, advertising pillars) and advertsing in public transport;
o Publication of several articles, interviews, announcements, advertising in written press (science magazines, newspapers, such as. Gazeta Wyborcza, Metro, press for children, eg. Miasto Pociech);
o Organisation of one press conference (gathering both partners institutions' and media's representatives);
o Airing of announcements, advertisement,s interviews and programme on regional and national radio and TV stations (such as RMF Maxxx, Eska, Antyradio, RDN Małopolska, ; regional TVP Kraków, TVN Player…);
o Revamping, constant updating and maintenance of the project website, namely www.nocnaukowcow.malopolska.pl (detailed programme, search of activties' facility, maps and precise locations, compeititons, 10th anniversary's celebrations, participating bodes and sponsors, …)
o 529.356 hits on project website, 143.279 sessions and 47.305 one-off entries;
o Revamping and constant updating of social network profiles, Facebook and Twitter;
o About 4.700 likes on Facebook;
o Over 3,5 million people made aware of the Researchers’s Night and its objectives.


ACTIVITIES DURING THE NIGHT

Overview of the results
1) Offer of over 1.000 different activities as decribed and planned in the Annex I part B to the Grant Agreement, namely:
- 350 workshops;
- 300 shows and demos;
- 140 lectures;
- 60 labs guided visits;
- 50 exhibitions;
- 90 games;
- 20 competitions and specific activities addressing younger audience;
2) Over 900 researchers involved in the implementation of the activities, amongst which:
- 22 having benefitted from Marie Curie schemes;
- 61 having benefitted from another EU support, FP 7 or HORIZON 2020;
3) About 70 000 visitors having taken part in the activities offered.

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)

1) Collection, analysis and processing of 1.500 feedbacks, based on the questionnaires addressed to children/students and adults, an Internet survey through Google Analytics notably, and the analysis of the media content;

2) Main conclusions:
- Typology of visitors: mainly aged under 18 (60%), 60% female and 40% male, 45% pupils from secondary school, majority of newcomers although 20% students and 15 % adults having already taken part in a previous event;
- Knowledge about the event: word of mouth (friends and family), as well as Internet (72%), teachers (60% students), adversting, e media, TV and radio;
- Overall positive feedback about the event itself (activities, interest, venues and locations, contacts with researchers, scheduling, concrete organisation…);
- Stimulation of young people to embark on a scientific career: psotive impact of the event for almost 80% of adult participants and 70% for students and young participants of the event;
- Main reason listed for undertaking a science career: interest of the work (60 % of young responders);
- Improved public opinion about researchers: researchers as perceived by RN participant as wise (75% responders), ingenious (60%) and hard-working (50%) people;.
- Most successful activities (similar to those listed during previous years): worskhops, demos, hands-on experiments, face to face meetings with researchers, in other words those activities with a high interactive dimension.

photo

photo

photo

photo

logo