Periodic Reporting for period 1 - ERN 2020 SVK (Festival of Science European Researchers´ Night 2020 in Slovakia)
Berichtszeitraum: 2020-05-01 bis 2021-01-31
"The ERN addresses several issues:
• Insufficient appreciation of scientists and researchers among people;
• lack of awareness about researchers´ work and its contribution to our everyday lives;
• low interest of young people and students in science and lack of interest in studying STEM majors;
The program and activities of the ERN are designed to approach diverse audience with no scientific background, attract its attention and deepen its knowledge via informal education and popularisation activities. The program was created to be understandable, providing an opportunity for researchers to be visible and approach citizens and kids with popular and educational content at the same time. Online content of the ERN 2020 was available to audience in all over the country for free. To showcase scientific work based on facts and research and its impact is even more important in the age of disinformation and information overload.
The project has main objectives which were achieved by concrete activities and program:
• raising awareness about RDI and bringing researchers closer to citizens;
• understanding of the impact of researchers' work on citizen's daily life;
• supporting public recognition of researchers;
• encouraging young people to embark on research career and stimulate their interest in science;
Focusing on these goals, the ERN contributes to science popularisation in Slovakia and to narrowing the gap between researchers and citizens.
Regardless of age and scientific background the ERN:
• Directly and actively involve both researchers and audience.
• Combines entertainment and ""education to science through researchers"" in a balanced way.
• Contributes to enhancing public recognition and appraisal of researchers and their work."
• Insufficient appreciation of scientists and researchers among people;
• lack of awareness about researchers´ work and its contribution to our everyday lives;
• low interest of young people and students in science and lack of interest in studying STEM majors;
The program and activities of the ERN are designed to approach diverse audience with no scientific background, attract its attention and deepen its knowledge via informal education and popularisation activities. The program was created to be understandable, providing an opportunity for researchers to be visible and approach citizens and kids with popular and educational content at the same time. Online content of the ERN 2020 was available to audience in all over the country for free. To showcase scientific work based on facts and research and its impact is even more important in the age of disinformation and information overload.
The project has main objectives which were achieved by concrete activities and program:
• raising awareness about RDI and bringing researchers closer to citizens;
• understanding of the impact of researchers' work on citizen's daily life;
• supporting public recognition of researchers;
• encouraging young people to embark on research career and stimulate their interest in science;
Focusing on these goals, the ERN contributes to science popularisation in Slovakia and to narrowing the gap between researchers and citizens.
Regardless of age and scientific background the ERN:
• Directly and actively involve both researchers and audience.
• Combines entertainment and ""education to science through researchers"" in a balanced way.
• Contributes to enhancing public recognition and appraisal of researchers and their work."
Work performed within WP 1 – Awareness campaign (AC):
The central theme for 2020: “Science Without Borders”.
Unique graphic design promotional material and all outputs – suitable for online campaign that was dominant in the AC; banners and posters shared with and in cooperation with municipalities, universities, regional self-governing regions, media partners, promotional gadgets such as T-shirts, pencils, face masks and buffs for scientists and competition winners.
Press release published in national and regional media the days prior to the event and promotional spots and announcements via national radios. The interviews on radio and in TV shows also took place in order to promote the event among broad public. Articles in national and regional outlets, interviews in newspapers and magazines were also published, e.g. in print media (SME, In.Ba QUARK).
Media partnership with SME newspaper – special edition of scientific Zoom podcast; advertisement in the podcast; interviews with scientists published as articles; banner campaign and program schedule published on the day of the event.
Cooperation with science popularization activities and influencers.
Invitations via direct mailing were sent to municipalities, regional governments, universities, schools, media, regional media, academic partners, partners among private companies etc…
3 competitions for different age groups took place and quick online competitions for promotial materials.
Strossle campaign, Google AdWords campaign and banner campaign and partners´ websites.
More than 3 million impressions from online campaign.
Work performed within WP 2 - Activities during the NIGHT
Formats:
Online program:
• Online studio
• Science Without Frontiers – science channels
• Visit your school-Get to know your scientist
• Teasing and Accompanying events: Science café and patisserie; Stories that Move; Tekov Observatory in Levice;
• Competitions and Scientific Quizz
Offline program:
• Scientific Courier
Detailed program of activities
• Live program: interactive presentations; live demonstrations and experiments, interviews with researchers;
• debates, discussions, chats with researchers: chance to interact, get more information on science and innovation, and to ask scientists and innovators via sli.do;
• scientific show, 3D visualizations, holograms;
• online lectures of scientist for the large group of people including short interactive talks within Science Espresso format;
• training and preparation of presentations with researchers;
• virtual EU Corner;
• virtual stands of partners;
• science kits with experiments;
• competitions and quizzes;
• laser show.
The ERN 2020 in numbers:
• More than 15 000 unique viewers of the Online studio
• More than 3 000 unique viewers of Science Without Frontiers webinars
• 44 schools participating in the Visit your school-Get to know your scientist format
• 385 schools receiving Scietific Courier boxes (outreach to more than 2 000 pupils)
• 638 competitors in the Scientific Quizzes
• Active involvement of 140 researchers, amongst whom 2 having benefitted from MSCA schemes;
Outputs for dissemination:
• Recordings of the program in the Online studio
• Recordings from 2 channels of webinars Science Without Frontiers
• Photos from the Online studio
• Making-of-video from the Online studio
• More than 2 500 boxes with experiments for kids and teachers distributed within Scientific Courier
• The ERN special published by Euractiv summarising the highlight from expert discussions
• Special 1-hour record from the program of the Online studio broadcasted on national TV (RTVS)
• Recording of presentations within Science café and Science patisserie events
Work performed within WP 3 - Impact Assessment
Collection, analysis and processing of 108 feedbacks from attendees and 14 feedbacks from researchers with common and specific questions. Main conclusions from the Impact Assessment are available in the report on the Impact Assessment (deliverable 3).
Work performed within WP 4 – Management
The management of the ERN was crucial for successful and timely delivery of the project. Overall administrative and financial management was in place in order to achieve proposed goals and stick to the project proposal. The ERN 2020 was challenging in terms of risk management and flexibility of the team to adapt to changing circumstances and health regulations.
The central theme for 2020: “Science Without Borders”.
Unique graphic design promotional material and all outputs – suitable for online campaign that was dominant in the AC; banners and posters shared with and in cooperation with municipalities, universities, regional self-governing regions, media partners, promotional gadgets such as T-shirts, pencils, face masks and buffs for scientists and competition winners.
Press release published in national and regional media the days prior to the event and promotional spots and announcements via national radios. The interviews on radio and in TV shows also took place in order to promote the event among broad public. Articles in national and regional outlets, interviews in newspapers and magazines were also published, e.g. in print media (SME, In.Ba QUARK).
Media partnership with SME newspaper – special edition of scientific Zoom podcast; advertisement in the podcast; interviews with scientists published as articles; banner campaign and program schedule published on the day of the event.
Cooperation with science popularization activities and influencers.
Invitations via direct mailing were sent to municipalities, regional governments, universities, schools, media, regional media, academic partners, partners among private companies etc…
3 competitions for different age groups took place and quick online competitions for promotial materials.
Strossle campaign, Google AdWords campaign and banner campaign and partners´ websites.
More than 3 million impressions from online campaign.
Work performed within WP 2 - Activities during the NIGHT
Formats:
Online program:
• Online studio
• Science Without Frontiers – science channels
• Visit your school-Get to know your scientist
• Teasing and Accompanying events: Science café and patisserie; Stories that Move; Tekov Observatory in Levice;
• Competitions and Scientific Quizz
Offline program:
• Scientific Courier
Detailed program of activities
• Live program: interactive presentations; live demonstrations and experiments, interviews with researchers;
• debates, discussions, chats with researchers: chance to interact, get more information on science and innovation, and to ask scientists and innovators via sli.do;
• scientific show, 3D visualizations, holograms;
• online lectures of scientist for the large group of people including short interactive talks within Science Espresso format;
• training and preparation of presentations with researchers;
• virtual EU Corner;
• virtual stands of partners;
• science kits with experiments;
• competitions and quizzes;
• laser show.
The ERN 2020 in numbers:
• More than 15 000 unique viewers of the Online studio
• More than 3 000 unique viewers of Science Without Frontiers webinars
• 44 schools participating in the Visit your school-Get to know your scientist format
• 385 schools receiving Scietific Courier boxes (outreach to more than 2 000 pupils)
• 638 competitors in the Scientific Quizzes
• Active involvement of 140 researchers, amongst whom 2 having benefitted from MSCA schemes;
Outputs for dissemination:
• Recordings of the program in the Online studio
• Recordings from 2 channels of webinars Science Without Frontiers
• Photos from the Online studio
• Making-of-video from the Online studio
• More than 2 500 boxes with experiments for kids and teachers distributed within Scientific Courier
• The ERN special published by Euractiv summarising the highlight from expert discussions
• Special 1-hour record from the program of the Online studio broadcasted on national TV (RTVS)
• Recording of presentations within Science café and Science patisserie events
Work performed within WP 3 - Impact Assessment
Collection, analysis and processing of 108 feedbacks from attendees and 14 feedbacks from researchers with common and specific questions. Main conclusions from the Impact Assessment are available in the report on the Impact Assessment (deliverable 3).
Work performed within WP 4 – Management
The management of the ERN was crucial for successful and timely delivery of the project. Overall administrative and financial management was in place in order to achieve proposed goals and stick to the project proposal. The ERN 2020 was challenging in terms of risk management and flexibility of the team to adapt to changing circumstances and health regulations.
The ERN 2020 was successfully organized despite the changed date of the event and new concept of the science popularization event implemented. The program aimed at fulfilling proposed goals. The Awareness campaign via social media reached to all target groups and broad public in the whole country. Online program provided educational content complementary to online home schooling. The participation of researchers as well as visitors even in spite of the online version of the program proves the stability and popularity of the event among different age categories. Willingness of visitors to take part in next year´s event on the level of 85 % shows overall satisfaction with all aspects of the event. The approach to young people and students was significant and this target group was provided with varied activities and program sparking their interest in science and innovation. Thanks to Scientific Courier and online version of the ERN we approached also students in remote areas with less opportunities to attend the ERN in festival venues or participate in similar non-formal education activities. Recordings from the online program serve as a science popularization and educational material available for further dissemination and use.