Report

Teaser, summary, work performed and final results

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - EPICNIGHT (Enthusiasm, Passion, Inspiration, Challenge (EPIC) – join us during the Researchers’ Night and see for yourself how by connecting science and passion one can make a difference!)

Teaser

\"EPICNIGHT indeed consisted of the continuation of the Researchers’ Night projects of the past eight years, which were highly successful, gathering last year approximately 59.000 people willing to meet researchers face to face and to learn new things about their work and...

Summary

\"EPICNIGHT indeed consisted of the continuation of the Researchers’ Night projects of the past eight years, which were highly successful, gathering last year approximately 59.000 people willing to meet researchers face to face and to learn new things about their work and personal lives.
The project relied on last years’ experiences and aimed at enhancing further public recognition of researchers and their work by bringing them closer to the public, underlying their important contribution to the daily life and well-being of the European citizens.
Activities organised during the Night on 26 September 2015 addressed the public at large in all its components; with their even more hassle-free and festive character, they offered a valid alternative to \"\"traditional Friday night activities\"\" while allowing learning more about researchers and research.
Activities also allowed a direct contact between researchers and public, while combining fun and education elements (edutainment), ensuring links with several events organised in various Polish cities and allowing the visitors to take an active and involving part.
Amongst the activities offered one may list: the secrets of scientists and researchers, the measurable, functional assessment in sport and rehabilitation, immeasurable and the invisible, language TRAINing, dancing with robot, ecological rainbow made from milk, screaming competition, High Voltage Festival…\"

Work performed

Overview of the results WP1:
o Conception, realisation of promotional material: project logo, programmes, leaflets, posters of various formats, displayed in schools and partners\' premises as well as several public places, roll-ups, maps ,diplomas,…
o Public advertising: display of programmes and leaflets through Poznan City council distribution points, advertising on public transport (busses), citylugth boards in Poznan frequented areas, banners on partenrs\' premises;
o Publication of articles, announcements and advertisiements in national and regional press;
o Airing of announcements, programmes , promotional psots, interviews, on regional TV and radio stations;
o Official media partnership with Gazeta Wyborcza, TVP Poznań, Radio Merkury, Radio Afera, MC Radio, Focus, AMS;
o Honorary patronage of the Mayor of Poznań, Polish Academy of Sciences, Ministry of Higher Education and Science, Ministry of Education;
o Revamping, constant updating and maintenance of project website, namely: www.nocnaukowcow.pl;
o 1.227.759 calls on project website;
o Revamping, constant updating and maintenance fo social netork profiles (Facebook);
o 5.741 likers on Facebook;
o Links with popular and institutional websites, and posting of electronic banners: on the www.perspektywy.pl , www.put.poznan.pl , amu.edu.pl , puls.edu.pl , www.man.poznan.pl , www.awf.poznan.pl , www.poznan.gazeta.pl ;
o Researchers’ Night banners – 14 pieces, placed in the partners’ seats
o Researchers’ Night LED screens – 3 pieces, placed in key parts of Poznan
o Sending of direct invitations accompanied by posters and leaflets to about 120 schools;
o Promotion during other public events, such as Mali Naukowcy (Small Researchers, event for kids from schools and kindergarten from Poznan held in close date to the Chlidren’s Day in Poland), Educations Fair “Salon Maturzystów”(one of bigget educations fair in Wielkopolska region);
o Pre events: vists to schools and kindergartens (Small researchers);
o Organisation of a press conference 15.09.2015 organized by RN Coordinator combined with a pre even in the premises of Poznan University of Technology, in the Campus Piotrowo at Chemist Laboratory;
o About 2,2 million people made aware of the Researches\' Night and its objectives.

AWARENESS CAMPAIGN
Target audiences
o Public at large regardless of age and scientific background;
o Students, children and young people, in particular those facing a career chocie;
o Adults and parents;
Messages conveyed
o Researchers are amongst us (all);
o Researchers are ordinary people with an extraordinary job (all);
o Learning is fun, places where researchers work are cool (kids up to 6);
o Let’s learn new terms: researcher, library, science (kids up to 12);
o Learning can be fun and scientific experiments are not that difficult youth aged 13-18);
o It is worth becoming a researcher (youth aged 13-18);
o Researchers change the world for the better (youth aged 13-18);
o A researcher career is a valid alternative to the industry (students);
o Occupation researcher makes a difference (adults);

Overview of the results WP2:
o Offer of 33 various types of activries as described in the Anenx I part B to the Grant Agreement, such as :
o Hands-on experiments;
o Science shows;
o Workshops;
o Kids programmes;
o Lab guided visits;
o Star gazing;
o Science cafés, debates;
o Competitions, quizzes;
o European corners…;
o Active involvement of 1.010 researchers, amongst whom:
o 58 having benefitted from Marie Curie scheme;
o 86 having benefitted from another supportRt scheme under FP 7 or HORIZON 2020;

o 59.000 visitos having taken part in the activities offered, distributed as follows:
o PUT : 24 000
o PULS:13 000
o PNCS – 4 500
o AMU :15 000
o AWF : 1500
o PUEB :1000

ACTIVITIES DURING THE NIGHT
List of locations and venues involved
Poznan, 6 different venues, 36 buildings within the participants\' premises, namely:
o PUT University Campus Piotrowo;
o PULS premises;
o PSNC premises;
o

Final results

\"Overview of the results
o Collection, analysis and processing of 2.102 feedbacks, based on both questionnaires correctly filled in and face to face inerviews;
o Main conclusions:
o Typology of visitors: 64% female and 36% male, 83% from the Great Poland Province, 31,7 % Poznan residents, 38 % aged 14-18 , of which 39 % under 13;
o Knowledge about the event: mostly teachers, followed by radio or TV announcements;
o Overall positive feedback about the event itself: activities, interest, contacts with researchers, concrete organisation, venues and location, scheduling…);
o Most successful activities:
o Physics wind show, police academy;
o Laboratory of the crazy chemist, chemia open air, (Not) only Redbull gives you wings, several observations on energy drinks, interactive stands;
o Create furniture!, a trip to follow researchers’ tracks (trips), see the server and the supercomputer, take control of an outdated system, break the system, the life and struggle in the Middle Ages, language TRAINing, Oda di neuro, amazing physics, biomechanical diagnostics in sport, how do people feel their own body?, can human skeletal muscles generate ‘electricity’?, indoor cycling 10x10, money and its evolution, from stone discs to digital currency, earning money via the internet. let\'s design a business model;
o European corners;
o Less successful activities: Who am I really?
o Impact on public image of researchers and their work: important researcehrs\' societal role for 46,9% of respondents;
o Impact on interest for scientific careers, in particular amongst young people: almost every second one of the RN2015 visitors declaring his/her interest for an academic or research-related career;
o Possible improvements, things to be modified: registration system should be improved with a view to similar future events.

Social-economic impact of the action
Clearly the Researchers\'Nights will not, as such, have a measurable socio-economic impact. They nevertheless can have a certain influence about the relationships between research institutions, universities etc. operating in the area and having cooperated for the project, likely to go on after it and generate further synergies and positive impact for the territory concerned.
Researchers\' nights, when involving (whether directly within the partnership or through external cooperation) companies, including small and medium ones operating in the area, can ease the setting up of bridges between research and industry and, as such, lead to employment and innovation.
The project does not directly affect cooperation agreements between researchers and industry but is based on existing contacts and deepening ties. Companies that cooperate with universities are invited to participate in activities, for example by organising workshops and presentations such as “Mały Inżynier”, “Go for Robot, star up”, “Twój Robot”, PGNiG Knowledge Zone.
In case of strong presence of research communities in the territory concerned, the Researchers\'night could also have an impact on the social fabric, strengthening the links between scientific and non-scientific population.
Direct contacts with scientists, such as through joint actions in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere during the RN result in invitations addressed by schools to scientists for demonstrations and chats. Furthermore, scientists do organise competitions, rewarded by shared lectures, and students are invited to join the implementation of projects, which helps discovering talents and interest for academic or research-related career.
The EPICNIGHT project aimed at enhancing further public recognition of researchers and their work by bringing researchers closer together to the public, underlying their important contribution to the daily life and well-being of the European citizens. The activities were focused on public at large and were have a hassle-free and festive character, similarly to previous editions, were a valid alternative to \"\"traditio\"

Website & more info

More info: http://www.nocnaukowcow.pl.