Report

Teaser, summary, work performed and final results

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - SCIMFONICOM2018-19 (SCIENCE IN MOTION FOR FRIDAY NIGHT COMMOTION)

Teaser

\"Our project was dedicated to promotion of science, and we aimed to further improve public recognition of researchers and understanding of science impact on one’s everyday life; promote science, research and careers in science; raise public awareness on significance of...

Summary

\"Our project was dedicated to promotion of science, and we aimed to further improve public recognition of researchers and understanding of science impact on one’s everyday life; promote science, research and careers in science; raise public awareness on significance of research in general; promote scholarships, internships, trainings and summers schools in science offered by EU countries and increase public recognition of pan European dimension of Researchers\' Night and its cause. We wanted to reach general public, with special interest in children in rural communities and underpriviliged groups.
The overall theme of the project was “Connect the dots: Science from B(asic) to A(pplied)” (central themes: 2018 \"\"Begin with basic science\"\" 2019 “Aspire to applied science\"\"). This concept enabled the visitors to follow the path from basic research to the application of research results in everyday life.
We observed stable trend of high positivity of attitudes toward science and scientists during the years we organized ERN. Also, the interestet in science as a career in our young audinece has increased. We saw raised awarness of significance of research and increased public recognition of EU funding of research and overall training.\"

Work performed

Main targets of the awareness campaign
o General public regardless of age and scientific background, with special attention to underserverd groups such as schoolchildren in rural communities and children without parental care, children in group refugee homes; and to young people, especially regarding career choice.

• The project website and social networks common to the 3 Serbian projects namely ReFocus, Reconnect and SCIMFONICOM was maintained and timely updated
• Organisation of one national press conference jointly with two other Serbian EU-funded projects and one Belgrade press conference with another Serbian EU-funded project
• Conception and realisation of a common PR and media campaign with the ReFocus2.0 project in Belgrade; Conception and realization of local PR and media campaign in the other cities where we organized the Night
• Production, distribution and display of promotional material, banner on 22 internet portals; 7 billboards in different locations in the city centre;
• Branding of city buses (on the outside and on LCD screens) in Belgrade
• Display of promotional material on the Weekend media festival (Rovinj)
• Advertisement in 20 newspapers, 31 television stations and 6 radio stations. Information on event in 2 news agencies and 59 portals
• Participation of researchers in TV and radio programmes and broadcasting of announcements (ca. 70 in total – TV, ca. 14 in total - radio)
• 18 announcements by 2 different news agencies
• Publication of around 100 articles in 59 different web portals
• Media partnership with 8 newspapers and 14 portals
• The comments of this years’ media campaign were very positive and the overall awareness achieved through it was very high
• Realization of the SCIelfie competition.
• Exhibition Science in print in Belgrade City Library
• International Microorganizm Day, 17th September
• Visit to kids from refugee group home and hands-on experiments with them.
• Additional promo day at the local school in Belgrade in cooperation with the Olympics Committee that included schoolkids and children from a local refugee camp
• Promotional visit to the centre for children without parental care
• Organization and realization of the EnterPrize competition with Intellectual property office in Belgrade
• Visit to 6 rural schools in May (3) and in September (3)
• Over 2.500.000 people made aware of the Researchers\' night and its objectives.
Locations: Belgrade, Cuprija, Despotovac, Jagodina, Knezevac, Kruševac, Negotin, Smederevo, Svilajnca, Trstenik, Ub, Uzice, Zajecar, Novi Pazar, Mali Zvornik, Pancevo

• We have successfully realized all planned activities.
• More than 500 researchers have taken part in the realization of the activities
• There were 14 different activities organized during the event including the following types of activities: hands-on experiments (125), workshops (8), public discussion and lectures (10), quizzes (5), competitions (2) and exhibitions (4)
• The most successful activities were Treasure hunt, Grand Science andventure (Over 30.000 experiments realised)
• Approximately 2.000 kids involved in the Treasure hunt;
• Significant attendance in cities participating for the first time in the Researchers\' Night namely Novi Pazar and mali Zvornik;
• Approximately 42.000 of attendees in total: 30.000 in Belgrade; Beograd 30000, Ub 500, Uzice 450, Smederevo 600, Kusevac 350, Trstenik 600, Zajecar 300, Negotin 200, Knjazevac 1500, Svilajnac 1500, Jagodina 2500, Ćupija 2200, Despotovac 100, Novi Pazar 500, Pančevo 500, Mali Zvornik 650
• EU corners were realised in all 16 cities, with Belgrade having the interactive hands-on experiments with MSCA fellows presenting their EU funded projects; we took active part in the European Sport Week, and in coordination and cooperation with the Olympic Committee of Serbia our visitors participated in BeActive challenge and Night run (more than 5000 people involved in EU

Final results

• Overall positive feedback on the event (organisation, locations, activities offered, innovation, interest, meeting with researchers, schedule…);
• Significant response from children in rural communities;
• Most successful activities: Treasure Hunt, Grand Science Adventure and OpenLab
• Improved image of researchers, increased interest in scientific career and awareness on social role of researchers that was observed through years improve attitude toward science, and make people perceive scientists as more charming
• Increased public awareness about researchers, their job and its societal impact;
Improved mutual knowledge and understanding between general public and researchers;
• Increased interest for science and science careers in particular amongst young people
• As general conclusion we can say that during the years we see a stable trend of high positivity of attitudes toward science and scientists, even with some quantitatively detected increments. Also we might assume that later events are taking into consideration participants recommendations which leads to event improvements and therefore reflects to increasing attitude positivity
• Lastly, one comment popped-out, and in some sense it can be a sort of a summary of all mentioned results, expressing general positivity toward the events such as Researchers’ night, and science in general: Science is my religion, Universe is my temple!

Website & more info

More info: http://www.nocistrazivaca.rs.