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A decade of European Researchers’ Night: techniques & formats

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European Researchers’ Night takes place annually with the aim of bringing researchers closer to the general public. It is one of the most well-known public engagement events in Europe and is hosted in universities, science centres, museums and research institutes. European Researchers’ Night has been running for more than 10 years and events have taken place in almost 300 locations around Europe. By the end of 2017, the European Commission will have invested in excess of €40 million worth of funding in this initiative.

This session will highlight key learnings from the past decade of events and facilitate a discussion among attendees on how to ensure best practice for future events. Event organisers from several countries will briefly comment on their experience of Researchers’ Night, its importance to “Life Everywhere” as well as the biggest challenges they have encountered and their greatest learnings.

Facilitator

Joseph Roche
Researcher and Lecturer in Science Education
Trinity College Dublin
Dublin
Ireland

Session speakers

Assistant Professor in Science Education
Dublin
Ireland
Head of Communication Office
Oeiras
Portugal
Bogens, Mathis
Communication Manager
Archimedes Foundation
Tartu
Estonia
Head of Department of programme activity
Project & Communications Manager
Stockholm
Sweden
Industry University Collaboration Manager
University of Huddersfield
Huddersfield
United Kingdom
Senior Project Manager
INOVA+
Portugal
Executive Director
Lagos
Portugal
Leonardo Alfonsi
Director at Psiquadro
Perugia
Italy
The Researchers' Night could be an opportunity to effectively connect two communities that are sometimes paradoxically separated: science communicators and scientists communicators. Based on the experience of one of the European Researchers' Night in Italy (Sharper project 2013 - 2017) some reflections will be developed concerning the following challenges: (a) engagement, motivation and training of the researchers (b) the event as a cultural motor for a city (c) the event evaluation criteria (d) the event as a testbed for new formats
Manel Laporta
Assistant Policy Officer
European Commission