Display of: 368 ex posts questionnaires; 258 face to face interviews; 152 ex-ante on line questionnaires; collection and processing of 1.136 questionnaires, selected at random among the ones received from all the activities
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.
