Forschung begreifen (Understanding Science and Research)

Project Information

Forschung begreifen

Grant agreement ID: 955377

DOI

10.3030/955377

Project closed

EC signature date 2 June 2020

Start date 1 May 2020

End date 31 January 2021

Funded under

• EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Total cost

€ 99 075,00

EU contribution

€ 89 075,00

Coordinated by

PRACTICAL ROBOTICS INSTITUTE AUSTRIA (PRIA) ZUR FORDERUNG DES WISSENSCHAFTLICH-TECHNISCHEM NACHWUCHSES UBER ROBOTIK IN OSTERREICH
Austria

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - Forschung begreifen (Forschung begreifen (Understanding Science and Research))

Reporting period: 2020-05-01 to 2021-01-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

o Enhancing both public knowledge and understanding of science and research;
o Exxplaining the benefits of research to the public and how it influences daily life;
o Bringing public and science closer together and facilitate a bidirectional flow of information using Citizen Science;
o Offering an exciting learning experience that would increase the climate change awareness and show how researchers but also public can cope with related challenges;
o Motivating and inspiring youth to enjoy, understand and pursue research careers by connecting them with outstanding scientists and innovations;
o Becoming closer to and more involved with art but also show diversity of research in this area;
o Increasing public awareness of the diversity of scientific research and enable a greater visibility for research centres and innovative projects; and
o Enhancing the recognition of researchers and their role in society.

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

"Awareness:
o Conception, production and display of promotional material, namely flyers, banners, etc.
o Promotion videos with the Physicist Werner Gruber were viewed more than 2.319 times in social media channels
o 48 videos were submitted for the #YoutubeChallenge that were viewed 5.233 times, and the channel has by now 54 subscribers.
o We collected 6 contributions for the #citizensciencechallenge
o Publication of over 10 promotional articles in written press (newspapers and magazines)
o Revamping, constant updating and maintenance of project website, namely https://researchersnight.eu/
• 52.816 views by 8.863 unique visitors; 13.641 sessions (June to November 2020), of which 2.391 during the last week prior to the event
• 80,41% (7.136) new visitors from Austria and 50,01% (4.796) from Vienna
o Publication of over 68 promotional articles on online accounts of newspapers and magazines as well as mentions in event calendars
o Publication of over 70 postings on Twitter from European Researchers’ Night Twitter page as well as multiple postings by other institutions such as Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna Center for Logic and Algorithms, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Citizen Science Network Austria, IQOQI-Vienna, Konrad Lorenz Research Center, St. Pölten University of Applied Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, etc.
o 334 followers on Twitter
o Publication of over 80 postings on Facebook (some boosted with financial contribution) on the European Researchers’ Night Facebook page as well as multiple postings by exhibitors and other institutes such as Citizen Science Austria, Kinderuni, Young Science, Austrian Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research, Vienna Open Lab, Wissensstadt Salzburg, Young Science, Vetmeduni Vienna, Zentrum für Citizen Science, Euraxess as well as private persons. The most viewed post has, according to Facebook statistics, reached over 170.000 users also collecting 451 emotions, 69 shares and 59 comments.
o 985 followers on Facebook
o Several postings on LinkedIn
Event:
o Offer of the online activities (deviation from the planned ones in Annex I Part B to the Grant Agreement due to the COVID-19 pandemic), 9 different activities including:
o 45 lectures,
o 25 workshops,
o 1 Citizen Science Café,
o 1 Round Table,
o 1 Science Show,
o 2 Concerts,
o 5 Science Slams,
o 2 Running Workshops, and
o 24 Video contributions.
o The created programme involved researchers from diverse research and educational institutions and companies, namely:
o 22 universities
o 9 non-university research institutes
o 9 non-government organizations
o 7 companies
o 5 government initiatives and organizations
o Active involvement of 170 researchers, of whom
o 88 female and 82 male;
o 2 having benefitted from MSCA schemes;
o 34 having benefitted from other EU support (FP7, HORIZON 2020);
o More than 7.500 visitors took part at the online event on 27.11.2021"

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)

Main conclusions of the impact assessment:
o Visitors:
o Generally, the visitors were very satisfied with the European Researchers' Night. Almost 61,1 % of visitors rated the event with 5 of 5 stars with further 22,2 % that gave 4 of 5 stars stating that the event has fulfilled their expectations.
o The visitors appreciated that we managed to shift everything from the on-site to an online event. They valued that the event was very diversified and there was something for everyone. In this context the visitors liked that we offered so many workshops and that the Children's University TV put together a special program for children. They enjoyed especially the Science Slams, the Werner Gruber science show and the Youth Science Flash. For them the interactivity was a real asset to the event and it was interesting to communicate with the researchers using the rather simple but functional chat function. Finally, the visitors respected that the researchers were well-prepared and put a lot of thoughts into their presentations and workshops to make them interesting and understandable.
o The visitors, which weren’t quite satisfied how the event was organized, experienced technical and organizational problems. They also suggested that we have to work on a user-friendly interface.
o 74% of online visitors rated the participating scientists and further 58% activities at which they participated as great. Besides, 85% valued the amount of knowledge they learned and 77% rated the event organization as great or good. 97,2% of the visitors show interest in participating in a future similar event (86,1% are very interested and 11,1% somewhat interested). After participating in the “Europeans Researchers’ Night”, over 80% participants in the survey stated that they now know more about the work of the scientists than they did before.
o Researchers:
o Generally, all researchers welcomed the organization of events such as the European Researchers' Night. They also noted that this type of events are important to enhance public knowledge and understanding of science and research. The researchers stated the significance of science communication to help share facts and to increase the understanding of the scientific solutions, especially in pandemic times when facing global and local challenges.
o 40% indicated that the event completely met their expectations by giving five of five points and further 50 % rated that the event mostly met their expectations by giving four of five points.
o The scientists prized the interested of the public, the variety of presented research and the good organization of the event.
o When asked to rate for which purposes they could use the event, the researchers answered that they mostly presented research results and new developments/prototypes.
o On the question “how good was the event organized” 42,1% gave us five of five stars, 47,4% gave four of five stars and finally 10,5% gave three of five stars.
o We have got the confirmation of future participation by 94,8%, (63,2% strongly agree and 31,6% agree) of the researchers. Moreover, 90% would recommend the event to colleagues (45% strongly agree and 45% agree).

Contribution in one of the online channels

Contribution in one of the online channels

Austrian Science Slam Finale

Concert

Science Show

Austrian Science Slam Finale

Lecture

Science Show

Contribution in one of the online channels

Contribution in one of the online channels

Contribution in one of the online channels