Life is Science, Science is Life: LET'S DO THE SCIENCE!

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - Let's Do The Science (Life is Science, Science is Life: LET'S DO THE SCIENCE!)

Reporting period: 2015-01-01 to 2015-11-30

The Let’s do the science Turkish Researchers’ Night 2014 aimed at bringing closer to one another researchers and public at large in all its components.
The purpose consisted of improving the mutual understanding between scientists and general public, and also illustrating the positive influence of researchers’ work on the citizens’ daily lives and well-being, while also convincing young people to consider embarking on scientific careers.
In such a context, a broad range of activities were offered to the attendees, covering several science topics and including a wide range of scientific disciplines; attendees were offered guided visits to university labs, meetings and workshops with researchers, conferences, edutainment facilities, seminars and entertainment activities related to science subjects, observing and discussing ideas of public about science and hot topics of their life related to science and EU.
25 different disciplines were actually covered during the event and the activities covered the whole university campus (210.000 m2) while being on line broadcasted. The programme defined allowed continuous rhythm and activities likely attracting any component of the public at large whichever scientific background or age.
An intensive awareness campaign had been launched, including press mobilisation as well as airing of promotional TV and radio spots and several interviews. IT facilities were also highly mobilised through banners campaign, the project website and the social networks which proved very active.

I.1.1. AWARENESS CAMPAIGN
Tasks undertaken
Target audiences
o Public at large, regardless of age and scientific background;
o Special attention to be paid to kids and young people, especially those about to face or facing a career choice;
o Also focus on women, not educated people, elderly adults, groups from disadvantaged regions;

Messages conveyed
o Researchers are amongst us;
o Researchers are ordinary people with an extraordinary job;
o Science is everywhere in daily life ;
o European Union is accessible to all;
o There is a place for everybody for research and education in EU ;
o Science is for everyone and anyone can be a researcher;
Main communication tools to rely on

Off line
o Publication of articles, interviews, announcements, advertisements, in national and regional press;
o Airing of promotional spots, interviews, announcements, programmes on national and regional radio and TV stations;
o General mailings to households and stakeholders;
o Direct visits notably to public education centres;
o Direct meetings with press representatives;
o Meetings with provincial Directorate of national education;
o 7 Researchers’ Night and European corners in various different crowded popular landmarks of the city one week prior to the event ;
o Mobile Researchers’ night and EU corner on road one month prior to the event in various districts of the city , providing info;
On line
o Setting up of the project website, constant updating and maintenance;
o Setting up of social networks profiles (Twitter, Facebook);
o General mailing relying on Metropolitan Municipality’s and Children university’s database;
o Links to institutional and popular websites ;
o Advertising via banners on various websites and profiles ;

Promotional material
o Folders, brochures, programmes, posters, banners;
o Ads and banners, websites;
o Mention of "This European Researchers' Night project is funded by the European Commission under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions" on all promotional material displayed;
o Promotional gadgets (such as shirts, pens, key chains)(displayed through the European corner notably), complying with the general guidelines available at http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/communication/services/visual_identity/index.en.htm

Overview of the results
o Conception, realisation of promotional material: posters of various formats, banners, roll up, flyers, programmes, invitation cards, give away (T-shirts, key chains, balloons);;
o Public advertising: billboards, roll ups displayed in city, public transport (busses and subways), participating institutions, campuses); and though EU corners, LED advertsing screens (displayed in various civil society organisations (Women’s Education and Employment Association, Environmental Volunteer Foundation, Mamak Municipality etc, public education centres...);
o Airing of announcements on national radio;
o Invitations sent to all schools , institutions and NGOs in Ankara, local governmental institutions, municipalities;
o Announcement of 2 competitions (paintings and pictures around the themes "How European are we?" and "Tell me science"), addressed to primary, secondary and high schools as well as universities;
o Conception and production of a promotional film based on last year's events' videos, displayed through project website;
o Publication of a press release (displayed to Ankara Metropolitan Municipality, Ankara
University and Ankara University Children’s University database);
o After the event, event was published nearly 10 national newspaper and nearly 50 local newspaper.
o Setting up, updating and maintenance of the project websites http://www.letsdothescience.com/ www.letsdothescience.ankara.edu.tr. (and links to insitutuonal and popular websites (notably Ankara's University and Ankara's University Children University);
o Over 10.000 unique visits on project website;
o REvazmping, and constant updating of social network profiles (Facebook): https://www.facebook.com/groups/letsdothescience/?fref=ts;
o Over 3 million people made aware of the Researchers’ night and its objectives.

ACTIVITIES DURING THE NIGHT
Tasks undertaken
List of locations and venues involved
Ankara:
Tandogan campus of the university (Blue hall, red hall, recreation area, recreation hall (or sports hall in case of bad weather conditions), labs of pharmacy, biology, dentistry, physics, chemistry, geophysics, engineering departments, herbarium, gemmology museums, stuffed animals samples exhibition, university‘s hall and cafeterias…

Main types of activities planned
Seminars and discussions, science ateliers and workshops, laboratory experiments with researchers, museum activities, dinner with scientists, display of movies, theatre and stand-up performances, sport, European corners, concers
Detailed programme of activities
o Common theme: “Life is science, science is life”;
o Folk Dance Show
o Opening speeches;
o Reward ceremonies for paint and picture competitions (Tell me science, How European are we?);
o Science Fair on several very varied subjects: mathematics, insects, DNA, drama, astronomy, water, investigation, oil soil, creative ideas, life sciences, forests…;
o Dental health, women and women health, child care information;
o Nutrition , hiygiene education, protection of mental health, adolesecent and reproductive health wokrhsops;
o Booths dedicated to National sivil Society organization: LÖSEV, SERÇEV, ZİÇEV, University of Turkish Aeronautical Association Model Aircraft;
o Exhibitions and sport events : science gallery (mini science museum), photo and pictures exhibition, dedicated to the theme “what is science ?, sport –related events, university through the eyes of children painting exhibition, past and present Ankara photography exhibition;
o Workshops on topics such as: mathematics, insect, energy saving and renewable energies, energy sources, creative ideas, astronomy…;
o Interactive theatre performances;
o Geology museum tour;
o Stuffed animals samples exhibition;
o Herbarium and pharmacy museum,
o Panel debate: "How European are we"?
o Conferences at 100th year hall: Natural Human Relations in Socio-economic development by Ediz Hun- national famous artist and biologist, and Relationship between nutrition, health and disease byProf. Dr. Yavuz Dizdar, national famous doctor;
o Display of science movies ; * New life documentary, * Stop motion Film Workshop, * Astronomy Stars
o Panel debate dedicated to the subject: “what is science and who is a scientist?”
o Panel debate dedicated to the subject: Current Situation of Popular Science Journalism in Turkey (national journalists)
o Panel debate dedicated to the subject: Information, child and philosophy
o Activities and experiments in labs: pharmacy, biology, chemistry, geology chemistry;
o Sport activities: basketball, voleyball
o Astronomy events and jazz concert;

European corners
Number (beyond the 7 prior to the events in crowded popular landmarks of the city one week prior to the event and the mobile one a month before): One;
Location: most frequented area of the campus;

Activities planned:
o Display of informative and promotional material;
o Permanent presence of personnel likely answering on all questions from audience regarding EU policies and programmes, especially those related to education, science and culture;
o Launch of competitions and discussions on “How European are we?”
o Connections with all EU relevant websites;
o Testimonials by researchers having benefited from EU support and MC fellows, about their research, their experience and research mobility;
o European Researchers' Night MSCA roll-up (entrance of the event) 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";
o An image provided by the European Commission;
Overview of the results
o Offer of activities as described in the Annex I part B to the Grant Agreement, namely:
o 120 workshops addressing both kids and adults, related 25 different research disciplines (nutrition, hygiene education, protection of mental helath, adolesxcent and reproductive health…)
o 20 hands on experiments (pharmacy, chemistry, chemical engineering, biology, geology);
o Display of various science movies ; * New life documentary, * Stop motion Film Workshop, * Astronomy Stars;
o Demos and information: women and women health, child health, dental health;
o Debates: “How European are we?” with the participation of both children and EU-specialist, “What is science and who is scientist” with the participation of scientists and srudents;
Panel debate dedicated to the subject: “what is science and who is a scientist?”; “Current Situation of Popular Science Journalism in Turkey” with the participation of important national journalists; “Information, Child and philosophy” with the participation of philosophy professors and students. o Conference at 100 th year hall: “Natural Human Relations in Socio-economic development” conducted by Ediz Hun-National famous artist and biolog, “Relationship between nutrition, health and disease” conducted by Prof. Dr. Yavuz Dizdar- National famous doctor in Turkey. o Interactive theatre performance (science related theme); o Guided visits: exhibition (stuffed animal samples), geology museum, herbarium, pharmacy museum, photo and picture exhibiton, dedicated to the theme “what is science?, “how European are we?”; o Sport activities: basketball, volleyball; o University of Turkish Aeronautical Association Model Aircraft Stand; o Dinner with scientists, jazz concert, Researchers'Night booth celebrating the Night's 10th anniversary; o Active involvement of 496 researchers, of whom none benefitted either from MSCA schemes or from FP 7/HORIZON 2020 programmes; o Attendance of about 20.000 visitors having taken part in the activities offered.

IMPACT ASSESMENT
Tasks undertaken
Description of the current situation
o Relying on existing studies and surveys to be identified;
o Survey ex-ante, interviews and questionnaires;

Tools
o Questionnaires available both on site and on line ;
o Internet and blogs surveys;
o Polls on site;
o Phone calls after the event;
o Face to face interviews;

Indicators and parameters to be applied
o Qualitative: public opinion on researchers and their job (associations with the word “researcher”, characteristics of current and desired researchers, interest expressed for science and research, interest expressed for science careers, typology of attendees (age, gender, occupation, background), intention to attend future similar events, involvement of researchers funded by FP 7 and HORIZON 2020, including MSCA actions ;
o Quantitative: number of attendees, participants in various activities, number of hits on website, friends and followers on social networks, promotional items displayed, media coverage…

Selection of the sample
o Method: selection of equal number from 5 pre-defined groups, i.e. kids, women, young people, adults, disadvantaged;
o Absolute figures : at least 900 questionnaires filled in, 30 face to face interviews;

Overview of the results
o Collection and processing of 2.153 feedbacks , either prior, during and after the event, namely 2.118 questionnaires and 35 face to face interviews, as well as 1.056 pre and post tweets;

o Main conclusions:
o Typology of visitors: 48 % female and 52 % male, almost 40 % attendees under 18;.
o Overall positive feedback regarding the event itself (interest of activities, concrete organisation, contacts with researchers, location and venues, scheduling);
o Particular positive feedback about the informative character of the activities, the equipment displayed, the interactivity offered, the entertaining character, concrete examples shown, particular accessibility and attractiveness towards children;
o General intention expressed by attendees (90 %) to take part in similar future events;
o Improved image of researchers and their job in particular amongst children;
o Increased interest for science and science careers, in particular amongst young people,
o Increased awareness about science and scientists specifically amongst ypung people, about EU programmes in education, culture and research, as well as regarding the Ankara University.

letsdothescience-logo-kopya-2.jpg

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - Let's Do The Science (Life is Science, Science is Life: LET'S DO THE SCIENCE!)

Share this page

Download