ScienceWars - May Science be with you!

Project Information

ScienceWars

Grant agreement ID: 817621

DOI

10.3030/817621

Project closed

EC signature date 25 June 2018

Start date 1 June 2018

End date 31 January 2020

Funded under

• EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Total cost

€ 188 387,50

EU contribution

€ 188 387,50

Coordinated by

INOVA+ - INNOVATION SERVICES, SA
Portugal

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - ScienceWars (ScienceWars - May Science be with you!)

Reporting period: 2019-04-01 to 2020-01-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

ScienceWars – May Science be with you! was the motto chosen for this intergalactic battle towards a more sustainable future with the guiding force of Science, focusing on the concept and reaching out to young people, their families, researchers and the society as a whole by recalling a familiar epic space opera media (Star Wars). The name was used on all communication materials and was adopted for the two editions under the framework of the contract. With the experience and know-how gathered over the years, the Consortium (including INOVA+ and INL) aimed at stimulating the interest and curiosity for science and research through a set of ‘edutainment’ activities (the Science Missions), challenge the communication skills of the researchers present at the event (the ScienceTroopers), and bring together the research community with the public at large, particularly young people and their families (the ScienceFighters). The specific objectives included:
- Raise awareness among the general public of the importance of research and innovation as well as the impact of researchers and their projects for our daily lives (being a researcher is exciting and researchers improve our everyday life).
- Tackle stereotypes around researchers by them personally showing their work publicly and in practical terms (researchers are among us and are ordinary people with an extraordinary job);
- Stress the importance of increasing the number of researchers in Europe for our wellbeing and prosperity in the coming decades;
- Celebrate the event in an educational and entertaining manner through a myriad of science communication activities around Europe and beyond (research is fun);
- Focus in particular on young people and their families (let them become researchers and discover what researchers do and can do);
- Promote the European dimension and gender balance in research and innovation;
- Attract young people to embark in science careers;
- Involve main research and innovation partners coming from various environments (academic, industrial, SME…), and researchers have benefited from EU support (particularly, researchers involved in H2020 and MSCA fellows).
- Promote social media links with the various ERN events in different European countries.

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

WORK PACKAGE 1

*Main targets of the awareness campaign
- Families and the public at large, regardless of age and scientific background;
- Special attention paid to children and young people, especially those about to make a career choice;
- Researchers in different stages of their careers, (expected to be at the centre of the activities, researchers involved in the promotion of the activities and will be also one of the target groups of the project).
- Special attention paid to MSCA fellows and women researchers;
*Communication tools - offline and online
*Messages to be conveyed
*Promotional material

Results (CHANNEL/MATERIAL - ACHIEVEMENT)

WEBSITE OF THE PROJECT
Visualisations: 33.469
Users: 16.890

SOCIAL MEDIA
(FACEBOOK)
Posts: 245
Likes: 3.138
Reach (average by post): 698 (170.908/245)
(INSTAGRAM)
Followers: 357
Posts: 126
Reach (average by paid post):17.946 (35.892/2)
(LINKEDIN)
Followers: 21.218
Reach (average by post): 40
(TWITTER)
Posts: 18
Reach (average by post): 600

MASSIVE MAILING (CONTACTS)
Schools: 580
Researchers: 405
Institutions: 1.163
Sponsors: 170

CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS
Selected applicants: 78

PRE-EVENTS
Visitors and participants: 3.732

TRAINING ACTIONS
Participants (researchers): 41
Participants (volunteers): 66

MEETINGS
Institutional supporters: 30
Scientific and educative supporters: 110
Schools: 90
Sponsors: 56

CONTACTS REACHED THROUGH THE SUPPORTERS
Citizens/Families (news published by Jornal de Notícias, TVI, Porto Lazer, Fundação de Serralves, pre-events dissemination, etc.): 730.000
SMEs (news and mailing sent by INOVA+ and clusters to their associates): 1.500
Researchers (news and mailing sent by the HEIs and research/interface organisations): 20.000


WORK PACKAGE 2

Tasks undertaken:

*Locations | In 2018, the ScienceWars took place in two venues in the beautiful city of Porto – on Friday in Palácio das Artes, a majestic building in the city centre; and, on Saturday and Sunday in Parque de Serralves, a location that hosts the foremost museum for contemporary art in Portugal – where two important and ‘imaginary’ missions to restore the Science Order happened! In the edition of 2019, the ScienceWars Mission I took place at Centro Multimeios de Espinho, a unique place located in the city of Espinho, dedicated to promoting scientific and cultural activities and that has the most advanced planetary of Portugal. During the weekend, the ScienceWars returned to Parque de Serralves, in Porto.

*Results (INDICATOR - ACHIEVEMENT)

SUPPORTING ORGANISATIONS/COOPERATING BODIES ACTIVELY INVOLVED
Institutional Supporters: 24
Scientific and Educational Supporters: 67
Sponsors: 41

RESEARCHERS INVOLVED
Research organisations/groups: 89
Researchers: 155
Volunteers: 78

PARTICIPANTS
Overall number of attendees: 93.811

TYPES OF ACTIVITIES DEVELOPED
Hands-on activities
Workshops
Exhibitions
Competitions
Showcases/Demonstrations
Games/Quizzes
Informal talks with researchers
Guided tours


WORKPACKAGE 3

* Content of the impact assessment methodology
- Quantitative data about the event: number of attendees, typology of attendees (age, gender, occupation, background…), rating of the event, participation in various activities, number of hits on website, number of friends and followers on social networks, number of promotional items displayed and media coverage, evolution overtime if similar events were organised in the past…;
- Qualitative: opinion of participants on researchers and their job (associations with the word "researcher", characteristics of "actual researchers", characteristics of "desired researchers"), interest expressed for science and research, interest expressed for science careers, intention to attend similar events in the future and involvement of researchers funded by Horizon 2020, including Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions in the activities of the NIGHT;

*Implementation of the assessment methodology
- Survey, questionnaires, face to face interviews, all based on short and simple questions;

Prior to the event | During the event | After the event: Evaluation of the outcomes and impact

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)

Results Achieved:

INDICATOR ACHIEVEMENTS (2018-2019)

Nº. of stakeholders involved in the awareness campaign >500.000

Nº of synergies with other regional, national and international events 90 (Estimated reach of ~730.000)

Nº of supporting organisations/cooperating bodies actively involved in the implementation of the project 132

Nº of researchers actively involved in the project 155

Nº of researchers funded by Horizon 2020, including MSCA actively involved in the project 26 (9 MSCA)

Nº of volunteers actively involved in the project events 78

Nº of attendees in the project events
Pre-events: 3.732
Night: 93.811

% of attendants satisfied with the event (coordination, venue, activities offered) ~80%

Nº of participants with the intention to attend similar events in the future ~90%

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