Researchers, key drivers of growth in Europe

Project Information

MadridERN 2018-2019

Grant agreement ID: 818528

DOI

10.3030/818528

Project closed

EC signature date 25 June 2018

Start date 1 May 2018

End date 31 December 2019

Funded under

• EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Total cost

€ 227 320,00

EU contribution

€ 200 000,00

Coordinated by

FUNDACION PARA EL CONOCIMIENTO MADRIMASD
Spain

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - MadridERN 2018-2019 (Researchers, key drivers of growth in Europe)

Reporting period: 2019-03-01 to 2019-12-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The European Researchers’ Night in Madrid aimed to highlight the important role researchers’ play in European citizens’ welfare not only as the engine of technological innovation but also by their contribution to the advancement of knowledge in Europe. The MadridERN project was addressed to citizens of the Region of Madrid that aimed to bring researchers and their work closer to the public at large and to promote research careers among young people without gender barriers from very early ages. To achieve this goal a wide and strong awareness campaign were launched combining the traditional communication vectors (written press, radio, tv or street adverts) with the new ones (online). The event aimed to attract as much people as possible by transmitting the main messages of the Night, i.e: Science is for all of us; The diversity of Researchers, Researchers are amongst us.

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

Tasks undertaken (WP1):

Target: public at large regardless of age and scientific background, especially children and young people faced with a career choice or with the option of studying STEM subjects specially girls less willing to choose these subjects

Communication tools
Offline: leaflets and posters displayed in universities, schools, libraries, cultural and tourism centres; publication of articles, promotional announcements, interviews in newspapers; publication of press releases displayed to radio, press, TV channels. Public advertising: adverts in urban furniture, billboards and posters in metro stations; pre-events
Online: the project website and the social networks profiles, other institutional and popular websites, and e- mailing based on coordinator's and cooperating bodies' mailing lists

Results achieved (WP1) 2018-2019
- Over 12.300 leaflets, roll-ups and posters, displayed in over 1.500 distribution points.
- Outdoors advertising circuit in the main and long streets in the centre of Madrid. Advertising in public places and public transport: posters in main underground stations of Madrid
- Interviews, news reports on radio and TV stations. Publication of articles, interviews, in written press
- Sending of a press kit to the main radio stations, newspapers, websites of science and technology and TV programmes
- Publication of press releases, by the coordinator and the rest by some of the institutions involved. Sending of invitations to over 64.500 e-mail addresses, schools, universities, research centres, scientific and technological parks…
- Promotion during public events (Meetings and brokerages of the Enterprise Europe Network and Info days of MSC Actions)
- Organisation of pre events
- Distribution of posters and leaflets in schools and launch of Contests
- Revamping, constant updating and maintenance of the project website and of website of the ERN in Spain. Links with the websites of the institutions involved. Revamping of social network profiles. Special hashtags used for all the ERN in Madrid, Spain and Europe. Instagram: researchers’ profiles were published with information about their hobbies, family. Posting of over pieces of news in print and digital press
- About 3.500.000 were made aware of the ERN objectives

Tasks undertaken (WP2) 2018-2019
Locations: Madrid, Alcalá de Henares, Móstoles and Fuenlabrada, Boadilla del Monte, Pozuelo de Alarcón, Villaviciosa de Odón, Leganés Cantoblanco and Aranjuez.
Venues: University campuses, research centres, museums, botanical gardens, penthouse bar, cultural and innovative centres, including places where researchers carry out their daily work and places where people will not normally expect to see researchers.
Activities: hands-on experiments, exhibitions, workshops, popular science lectures, guided tour, scientific camping, scientific gymkhana, jazz concert, show cooking, lab visits, presentation of prototypes, speed dating sessions, display of films and videos, science shows, demos, crime investigation, games, contest

Results achieved (WP2)
- 56 activities, 48 organized by the participants institutions and 8 parallel activities (2018) 72 activities, 54 organized by the participants institutions and 18 parallel activities (2019)
- Involvement of 626 researchers of whom: 53 having benefitted from Marie Curie scheme, 91 having benefitted from support under FP7/HORIZON 2020 (2018) and Involvement of 665 researchers of whom: 75 having benefitted from Marie Curie scheme, 148 having benefitted from support under FP7/HORIZON 2020 (2019)
- Overall number of attendees of 13.926 visitors (2018) and 15.00 visitors (2019)

Tasks undertaken (WP3) 2018-2019
Display of ex-posts questionnaires; face to face interviews; ex-ante on line questionnaires. Collection and processing of random questionnaires

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)

Display of ex-posts questionnaires; face to face interviews; ex-ante on line questionnaires. Collection and processing of random questionnaires
Overview of the results

Display of: ex-posts questionnaires; face to face interviews; ex-ante on line questionnaires. Collection and processing of 2.100 questionnaires, selected at random among the questionnaires received from all the activities performed;
Main conclusions:
Typology of visitors: 61,5% female and 38,5% male, 74% aged under 45; 41,50% secondary/vocational training education and 56,4% university studies, 21,4% declaring advanced level and 44,1% average level of scientific knowledge
- Children (under 16): 50,7% girls, 48,3% boys. 25% under 9, 32,7% 10-12 and 35% 13. 88,70% declaring interested in science issues.
- Overall positive feedback: concrete organization, themes, scheduling, contacts with researchers, venues, locations, links: 91,80% considered activities interesting and very interesting
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;
- General consideration of the Night as necessary (66,90%) and very necessary (31,90%) to promote the choice of scientific vocations
- Consideration to be seen as weird people by the public for 38%
- 96,9% expressing their intention to participate in future editions;
Modification of opinion about researchers 20,90% interviews, researchers perceived as dedicated creative and intelligent people, not far from the real world
Most successful activities: Industry research activities for society. European Corner; The night of the very young investigators; Night of owls: A camp in the museum.
Improved public image of researchers and their work: 63,30% considering research contributes to improving competitiveness and welfare state, 48,30% to spread knowledge and train future professional people and 52,10% to solve social problems. Nevertheless 54,90% state that the researchers’ role is still unknown in our society.
Impact on interest for scientific careers, in particular among young people: 65,60% under 16 years old declare that they would like to become a researcher in the future, 64,70% adults would like to study science and 62% would like to become a researcher
-80,60% adults and 92,70% children intending to attend future editions of the European Researchers’ Night
-Possible improvements, things to be modified: Difficulty to attract MSC fellows, not always willing to participate; Need for reminding them of the Night's importance; Difficulty to combine huge crowds and direct contact with researchers; Need to simplify and shorten the questionnaires
 

European Researchers' Night 2018-2019 Madrid, Spain

European Researchers' Night 2018-2019 Madrid, Spain

European Researchers' Night 2018-2019 Madrid, Spain

European Researchers' Night 2018-2019 Madrid, Spain

European Researchers' Night 2018-2019 Madrid, Spain