Periodic Reporting for period 2 - MadridERN2016-2017 (Researchers, moving Europe forward. Meet them, join them!)
Reporting period: 2017-02-01 to 2017-12-31
Publication of articles, interviews, announcements, advertising in written press,announcements in science magazines. Organisation of a Press conference. Sending of a press kit to the main radio stations, newspapers, websites of science and technology and TV programmes. Publication of press releases, of which 2 by the coordinator and the rest by some of the institutions involved.Sending of invitations to over 76.000 e-mail addresses, schools, universities, research centres. Promotion during public events. Organisation of pre events: Distribution of posters and leaflets in schools; Launch of Contest ""Scientific Stories"" in May, call for proposals sent to 656 schools, published website of the Secondary School Teachers’ resources, on the ERN website and also on a website for writers;
Revamping, constant updating and maintenance of the project website: www.madrimasd.org/lanochedelosinvestigadores and of website of the Night in Spain www.lanochedelosinvestigadores.es; Links with the 20 websites of the institutions involved; 5558.067 hits from May to the end of Nov.; 54.933 unique visitors;
Revamping of social network profiles: Facebook, Twitter, Flickr; Special hashtag used for all the Night; Twitter 21.900 followers, over 320 posts published: 434.600 impressions and 2.369 interactions, Facebook: 250.000 impressions and 800 likes; Flickr: over 300 researchers’ profiles published with information about their hobbies, family.
Posting over 50 pieces of news in print and digital press; Estimated 3.500.000 made aware of the Night objectives.
Offer of the activities as planned: 49 activities were organized: 40 by the participants institutions and 9 parallel activities; hand on experiments, contests, concerts, gymkhanas, show cooking, games, scientific camping for children; Involvement of over 437 researchers of whom: 39 having benefitted from Marie Curie scheme; 101 having benefitted from support under H2020. Attendance of 11.500 visitors, locations with most crowded activities in Madrid following by Alcalá."
Main conclusions:
Typology of visitors: 58% female, 42% male, 45,1% aged under 35, 38,9% secondary/vocational training education and 58,4% university studies, 20,2% declaring advanced level and 53,1% average level of scientific knowledge, 95% interested in Science, most from Madrid, and also from other Spanish regions, tourists and international travelers (USA, Latin America).
Children (under 16):46,4% girls, 53,6% boys. 36% under 9, 30% 10-12 and 34% 13-15, 53,9% primary school and 45,9% secondary studies and basic vocational training, 85% declaring an interest in science issues; Increasing number of young people attending, notably students of secondary and vocational training education. Knowledge about the event: 36,5% through external ads, social networks and websites, 42,9% by friends and family and 10,8% for previous editions; Overall positive feedback: concrete organization, themes, contacts with researchers, venues, locations. 95,8% considered activities interesting-very interesting, 85 % children stated activity was good-very good, 65,2% attended 1 activity while 23,3% attended 2 and 11,5% 3 or more;
Researchers very positive appreciation on: direct contact with the public, especially with children;bringing together science to the public; involvement of their colleagues; good organization of the event; consideration of Night as necessary -very necessary 99%; contribution to promotion of scientific vocations for 91,6%; consideration to be seen as weird people by the public for 39,2% (44,7 in 2016); 96,8% expressing their intention to participate in future editions
Modification of opinion about researchers 55% perceived researchers as younger than expected, not far from the real world, and ordinary people; 84,6% Night showed the EU support for research
Most successful activities: Industry research activities for society. European Corner; Contest of Scientific stories and Europe moves: migrations and the European construction.
Improved public image of researchers and their work: 91,9% considering research contributes to improving competitiveness and welfare state, 88,2% to spread knowledge and train future professional people and 86% to solve social problems. Nevertheless 89,3% state that the researchers’ role is still unknown in our society.
Impact on interest for scientific careers, in particular among young people: 71,4% under 16 declare that they would like to become a researcher in the future, 67,3% adults would like to study science and 64,6% would like to become a researcher; 88,1% adults and 88,3% children intending to attend future editions
Possible improvements:difficulty to attract MSC fellows, not always willing to participate; difficulty to combine huge crowds and direct contact with researchers; deed to simplify the questionnaires.