Science in everyday life

Project Information

SCILIFE

Grant agreement ID: 723006

DOI

10.3030/723006

Project closed

EC signature date 1 June 2016

Start date 1 May 2016

End date 30 November 2017

Funded under

• EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Total cost

€ 159 750,00

EU contribution

€ 159 750,00

Coordinated by

UNIVERSIDADE DE LISBOA
Portugal

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - SCILIFE (Science in everyday life)

Reporting period: 2017-02-01 to 2017-11-30

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The 2016/2017 ERN “SCILIFE consortium” was coordinated by the University of Lisbon through the National Museum of Natural History and Science (MUHNAC). It included major universities in Portugal, such as University Institute of Lisbon, Nova University of Lisbon, University of Porto, University of Minho and the Lisbon Municipality. It was devoted to the “Science In Everyday Life” main theme and had sub-themes related with the RRI objectives: 'open access' in 2016 and 'ethics & science' in 2017.
The main aim was bringing together researchers and general public by offering the public at large the opportunity to discover research in an informal context and by giving researchers the opportunity to understand the public’s perception of their work. Thus, specific objectives of this consortium were: (i) raise awareness of citizens towards the role research plays in finding answers to major issues of European contemporary society; (ii) raise awareness and enlarge the commitment of researchers and universities to RRI aims and the European society needs and values; (iii) showing the importance of science in our daily life quality ; (iv) develop active and responsible dialogues between social actors and researchers; (v) stimulate the participation of citizens in research by promoting collaborative pathways between society and the scientific community; (vi) show the faces and personal dimension of research, contributing to dissipate existing stereotypes; (vii) improve lifelong learning and attract young audiences to scientific careers; (viii) narrow the gap between the Portuguese scientists and society by putting research in the national agenda of policy and industry makers and other stakeholders.
This project reached its objectives and proved to be successful by its growing audiences.

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

WP1-17
Conception, production and display of promotional material, such as flyers, posters, roll-ups, programmes, e-invitation, etc. ; Public advertising material, such as mupis and fly banners for large open spaces; Conception, production of a promotional video spot to display through cities giant screens; Publication of articles in written and online press such as the Time Out and Visão magazines, the Diário de Notícias, Destak, Wilder, SOL, Jornal i newspapers and the Correio do Minho regional newspaper, as well as in city guides and Lisbon cultural agenda; Airing of interviews and event's live transmission through national TV and radio stations (TVI 24, SIC and SIC Notícias, national public TV - RTP1, national public radio - TSF and Antena); 52 broadcasting news; Mailing through participants' mailing list (over 10.000 addresses); Revamping, constant updating and maintenance of project website Information on the aims of the European Researcher’s Night, the main theme, Science in Everyday Life SCILIFE and other Portuguese projects, build-up activities, programmes in the main cities, researchers in Portugal having benefited from Marie Curie grants, etc.; 24.960 unique visitors and 1,257.292 hits on website; Revamping and constant updating of social networks profiles, with 2.924 likes on Facebook and 232 followers on Instagram;
Over one million people made aware of the European Researchers' Night and its objectives.
WP2 - 17
Offering of the activities as planned in the Annex I Part B to the Grant Agreement, namely:
Over 200 activities, of which 37 in Braga;110 in Lisbon; 32 in Porto; 2 in Monsaraz;33 build-up activities allowing previous direct contact with more than 400 citizens;
Main types of activities organised: Debates: Science 'cafés' and round-tables; Demonstrations and hands-on activities in physics and chemistry, mathematics, literature, health and well being, nanotechnology, biodiversity, robotics, society, virtual reality, history, architecture, research and design, veterinary science, among others; Games and paintings about the sea and sustainability;
Astronomic observations using telescopes in open space and two planetarium sessions; Guided visits to permanent and temporary exhibitions; Quizzes about social sciences, society, human
physiology and biodiversity; Various other recreational activities; Active involvement of 151 researchers during the build-up activities and about 838 researchers, 163 in Braga, 555 in Lisbon, 118 in Porto and 2 in Monsaraz, during the Night itself , of whom 4 having benefited from MSC schemes; 77 having benefited from another EU support (FP 7, HORIZON 2020); Over 7.060 visitors having taken part in the activities offered during the Night, and 1.168 during the build-up activities.

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)

NIGHT-17
Collection, analysis and processing of 740 filled in questionnaires (of which 537 in Lisbon, 112 in Braga, and 91 in Porto);
Main conclusions: Overall positive feedback regarding the event itself (activities, interest, contact with researchers, organisation, scheduling, locations), with some criticism about Braga's venue, consider too small; Typology of visitors: major female participation, over half of visitors under 35 (most frequent age group: 15-24 years old in Lisbon and Braga, and 35-44 years in Porto), mostly active workers and students, vast majority having completed tertiary education (a third of the visitors held a BSc), except in Braga where 1/3 respondents lower secondary school education, most visitors studying/working in areas related to technology/exact/natural sciences (over half in all locations), followed by social sciences/economics (16%); Stronger impact in young people, women, individuals with a background in or studying social sciences; however increased interest for science careers at the end of the event expressed by those who studied/study technology/exact/natural sciences; Significant attractiveness of the events towards young people rather than towards elderly; Considerable awareness about science's contribution to the development in Portugal (almost 3/5 agree to a great extent and almost 1/3 to a limited extent);
Relative stability regarding the public image of researcher, (observed through "draw a scientist" activity); Most popular topics in science: biology, astronomy and physics, chemistry, and technology; Most represented science perception: inquiry-based perception regarding science, through concepts such as curiosity, experimentation, observation, and challenging; Results very much similar to those collected in previous similar events.
BUILD-UP ACT. 17
Collection, analysis and processing of 196 filled in questionnaires (68 in Lisbon, 43 in Braga, 42 in Porto, and 43 for the BioBlitz);
Main conclusions: Typology of visitors: major female participation, major representation of 35-44 years old in the BioBlitz, Lisbon and Porto workshops, while major participation of 15-24 in Braga workshops, most respondents having a bachelor degree (or master degree as the second most frequent), most having studied/studying technology/exact/natural sciences followed by social sciences and economics; Overall positive feedback (organization, logistics, topics, contents presented in an accessible way, possibility of commenting, making questions and doing practical experiences); Most successful activities (in number of participants): CSI campus under investigation (Braga), Go by your fingers (Lisbon) and the BioBlitz both in Lisbon and Porto; Increased awareness regarding the scientists' work and the impact of science in everyday life.

Buil-up activity

Debate

ERN event activity

ERN event

ERN event activity

Codind Fest game

ERN event activity

Buil-up activity

ERN event activity