BE a citizEn Scientist

Project Information

BEES

Grant agreement ID: 818728

DOI

10.3030/818728

Project closed

EC signature date 9 July 2018

Start date 1 April 2018

End date 30 November 2019

Funded under

• EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Total cost

€ 360 000,00

EU contribution

€ 360 000,00

Coordinated by

ASSOCIAZIONE FRASCATI SCIENZA
Italy

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - BEES (BE a citizEn Scientist)

Reporting period: 2019-02-01 to 2019-11-30

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The main objectives of the BE A CITIZEN SCIENTIST project are:
- to increase the public awareness of research and innovation
- to understand research key benefits
- to encourage scientific carriers
- to support society to better understand the researcher’s jobs
- to support the public recognition of researchers

It is important for society:
o bringing researchers closer to the general public
o reducing and possibly deleting the stereotype about researchers’ work
o understanding of the impact of researchers' work on citizen's daily life
o spreading the scientific culture, experiencing the thrill of discovery
o showing science as fun and accessible to everyone
o improve the scientific literacy of the whole society at different socio-cultural and age levels
o encouraging young people to embark on research careers
o underling the National and European dimension of the NIGHT, showing the European Commission the impact of the activities on society and research
o improving the relationship of researchers with policy makers and stakeholders.

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

A wide extensive media campaign about the European Researchers' Night succeeded to reach over 43 million people.
Main target was public at large regardless of age and scientific background.
Awareness campaign was carried on by online and offline tools and promotional materials:
• Conception, production and display of promotional material in schools, universities, research centers, shops and public spaces of the cities involved:
• More than 500 posters and 5.000 brochures
• European Researchers' Night MSCA roll-up, complying with the following content and format requirements: 200 X 85 cm, and the mentions: "European Researchers' Night", "Marie Skłodowska-Curie: an inspiration to follow"
• Promotional gadgets (11000 t-shirts, 5000 pins and hundreds of different gadgets, such as notebooks, bags and pens) with link to relevant EU websites and social networks (European Researchers' Night website, Facebook, etc.)
• Publication of articles, interviews, announcements advertising in main national and regional page press, periodicals, free press. The whole press review (33 articles offline, 425 online articles) is available at this link:
https://www.frascatiscienza.it/pagine/notte-europea-dei-ricercatori-2019/stampa/
• Advertising on subway (metro of Rome, line A and B) and on newspapers website: Repubblica.it messaggero.it
• A national press conference at the venue of Ministry of Education together with all the national ERN representatives and the Deputy Minister of Education.
• A dedicated press office (10 press releases, coordination of national/international press offices, promotion of ERN message throughout the contacts networks, promotion of European research projects, coordination of web content and newsletters)
• 4,760,000 people reached by radio campaign.
• Media partnership with all the partners involved: 65 articles focused on their research activities
• 15 newsletters sent to 12.000 contacts
• Constant updating and revamping of the project websites and relative social networks profiles
• A cartoon dedicated to Marie Curie realized in collaboration with a regional middle school https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3oN2UvCGnS4&t=154s
• A comic campaign
• A complete pictures gallery is available at the following link https://www.frascatiscienza.it/pagine/notte-europea-dei-ricercatori-2019/gallery/

Events:
• Approximately 40.000 people participated in the activities organised by Frascati Scienza in 34 Italian cities: Alghero (SS), Anzi (PZ), Ariccia (RM), Brisighella (RA), Cagliari, Campobasso, Carbonia (CI), Cassino (FR), Cave (RM), Colleferro (RM), Forlimpopoli (FC), Frascati (RM), Frosinone, Gaeta (RM), Gorga (RM), Guarcino (FR), Latina, Marina di Carrara (MS), Matera (MT), Modugno (BA), Nuoro (NU), Palermo, Piombino (LI), Pompei (NA), Potenza (PZ), Rocca Di Papa (RM), Roma, Santeramo in Colle (BA), Sassari (SS), Scicli (RG), Segni (RM), Sovicille (SI), Ventotene (LT), Villanova d'Asti (AT).
• 352 activities (seminars, shows, hands-on activities, exhibitions, various performances, guided tours inside the labs and outside the research centres, workshops, books presentation, science shows, competitions and quizzes, multimedia activities, science games, European corner)
• 5 pre-events launching the European Researchers’ Night 2019; among them, the most important was Scienza da favola (Fairy-tale science) https://www.frascatiscienza.it/pagine/notte-europea-dei-ricercatori-2019/programma/?evs=2746&bytarget=&bycategory=&bytown=&byday=&byorgs= visited by 800 attendees
• More than 1000 people involved in the organization, including 945 researchers or workers in scientific sectors: 18 researchers having benefited from Horizon 2020 support, 19 H2020 fellows and 2 researchers having benefited from Marie Sklodowska-Curie schemes.

Impact Assessment was evaluated by quantitative and qualitative surveys:
• The total of questionnaires collected is 2278 (625 Ex-Ante, 921 Ex-Post and 732 Kids).
• The majority of the respondents to the ex-post questionnaire are female (57%), 40-49 years old
• Most of the respondents to the ex-post questionnaire has a Master Degree (29%) and knew about the ERN 2019 thanks to friends (49,9%), websites (27,7%) and Facebook (13%).
• More than half of the respondents to the ex-post questionnaire of ERN 2019 has already participated in previous editions of the event.
• Most of the respondents thinks that the ERN 2019 has contributed to let people understanding that science is fun (62,4%), doing research is important (59,4%) and to know the researchers’ work (53,1%)
• A qualitative analysis about the objectives of ERN was set up through the creation of a Role-playing Game (RPG), “Dungeon, Dragons & Researchers - Spreading Science By Playing”. The participants played in the role of researchers, enjoying an immersive experience, with the aim of creating and understanding the various phases of research. In order to achieve the set goals, we have created an original gaming system, thanks also to the use of scenic materials (newspaper clippings, website printouts and social media accounts), leading players to face real problems in research.

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)

The majority of the attendees to the ERN 2019 believes that the role of research is very relevant for our country (89,33%), as like as importance of research in Europe (87,60%).
ERN 2019 has strongly contributed to show why it is important doing research (59,4%). The event is a good way to have citizens actively involved in science (41,7%) and to show the benefits it generates for the society (60,43%).
54,1% of people joined the ERN 2019 to get to know the researcher’s work in different sectors.
During the events, the most common comment was about the importance to have funds dedicated to Research, as it is the only way to assure the progress of a country.
Most of the attendees knows that Italian public research is supported by European funds. There still is a crisis of public confidence in national political decision-makers that have to invest more on research and promote the research culture.
Among young attendees, most of the respondents to the questionnaire would like to become researchers (76,77%).
It is evident from the data analysis that kids learned a lot about the researcher work thanks to the ERN 2019, as most of them replied positively to the question.

Science is fun

Little archeologists

Citizen scientist 1

Citizen scientist 2

Surgery for kids

European Space Agency