Periodic Reporting for period 2 - NOCMOC (Noč ima svojo moč, European Researchers’ Night (NIGHT))
Reporting period: 2019-02-15 to 2019-12-14
Over 500 seeds will be sown all over Slovenia and will be the base for the research of comparing growth, plants characteristics and the physical and chemical properties of the flower »Ivanjščica« in 2018 and the flower »Iris« in 2019, along with the shrubbery “Dren” in both years. We expect seeds to grow throughout the Citizens science project awareness campaign and bloom on the Researchers’ night.
The NIGT/NOCMOC will take, in 23 cities and will bring together over 30 institutions from the research field to raise awareness about the research and its benefits to the lay public. Over 40.000 visitors from different target groups will take part in the NIGHT activities spread all over Slovenia. Activities will combine science festival on the main square of four cities, research days in primary and secondary schools, over 30 lectures and workshops in public spaces such as libraries, retirement homes and museums, open doors at the research institutions, science centre and museums and will be supported by a vigorous awareness campaign via TV broadcasts, radio broadcasts, press presence and a social media campaign.
The core objective of the NOCMOC project is to raise awareness about the research and its benefits, overcome stereotypes, stimulate curiosity all over Slovenia and excite youngsters to take up the research careers.
o To bring researchers closer to the general public;
o To bring researchers in public places: museums, schools, city square, gardens...
o To trigger conversations between researchers and members of the public online or in real life;
o To increase awareness of research and innovation activities;
o To increase awareness of the diversity of research and innovation;
o To increase awareness of the importance of European collaborations in research and innovation;
o To support public recognition of researchers;
o To build an understanding about the researchers work via Citizen science project embedded in the awareness campaign;
o To present researchers as human beings with their interests and hobbies and their daily lives via informal science cafes and video presentations;
o To increase the appearance of researchers in national media and online social media;
o To create understanding of the impact of researchers' work on citizens daily life;
o To showcase the impact of researchers' work on citizen’s daily life by presenting their achievements via exhibitions, project showcases, workshops, lectures, documentary movies projections …;
o To build an understanding of the diversity of the research impacts on citizens' life;
o To encourage young people to embark on research careers;
Main target of the awareness campaign
o Public at large regardless of age and scientific background;
o Special attention to be paid to children and young people, especially about making a career choice.
Activities during the Night Work Package 2
We have carried out all the awareness campaign activities and reached planned target numbers, or even overcome them. In 2018 we have:
The activities of the NIGHTMIGT 2019 took place in 22 cities (Ajdovščina, Bistra, Bogenšperk, Bohinjska Bistrica, Celje, Kranj, Koper, Krško, Ljubljana, Maribor, Murska Sobota, Nova Gorica, Novo mesto, Polhov Gradec, Piran, Pivka, Postojna, Ptuj, Ravne na Koroškem, Slovenj Gradec, Tolmin and Trbovlje)all across Slovenia in different venues and institutions as stated in the programme below. The opulent programme consisted of 199 individual activities (pop-up exhibitions, lectures, interactive lectures, science shows, presentations, pedagogical activities, science espressos, door open days, exhibition guides, workshops, observations of the sky, movie projections, treasure hunts, special lessons in primary schools,…).
Variety of disciplines in research and innovation was presented via extensive awareness campaign and trough the activities of the NOCMOC itself.
Through training the researchers and showcasing the results of the research and innovation that translate directly to the public use we managed to enhance the recognition of how important is research and innovation in Slovenia. And what is its economical and societal impact on society.
Through the activities it was stressed that independence of the research and innovation actions has to be secured. Therefore, it is of crucial importance that research is publicly funded and not funded by private stakeholders, who might influence the results of research.
Outputs of the project, events itself, and awareness campaign are resulting in public recognition of research and innovation and more positive attitude towards it.
NOCMOC had an impact all over Slovenia: activities took place in 21 cities in 7 (all) Slovenian regions. Altogether over 30 entities were involved in the project.
General public was divided in7 target groups to maximise the impact on each of these target groups. Activities took various forms: hands-on experiments, science shows, simulations, video projections, interactive lectures, workshops, big experiments, doors open days in research institutions and museums, organised research days in schools, simulations, lectures, EU corners and speed dates with the researchers.
NOCMOC directly reached over 12.000 participants in 2018.
Awareness among the general public of the importance of the research and innovation and a more favourable general attitude towards its public funding was induced by presenting the lay public the common benefits of the research and innovation through different sets of activities and personal contact with the researchers. Successful stories were narrated (both for basic and applied researches), and the rationales of current researches were be underlined in “meet-a-scientist” kind of activities and in materials delivered to the media.
Variety of disciplines in research and innovation was presented via extensive awareness campaign and trough the activities of the NOCMOC itself.
Through training the researchers and showcasing the results of the research and innovation that translate directly to the public use we managed to enhance the recognition of how important is research and innovation in Slovenia. And what is its economical and societal impact on society.
Through the activities it was stressed that independence of the research and innovation actions has to be secured. Therefore, it is of crucial importance that research is publicly funded and not funded by private stakeholders, who might influence the results of research.
Outputs of the project, events itself, and awareness campaign are resulting in public recognition of research and innovation and more positive attitude towards it.