Grant Agreement No 101162229
Science and technology are present in various forms in nature and society. However, these realities are often hidden from non-experts, creating a gap between citizens and scientists. For science to thrive, it needs support, communication, and discussion.
The Co.Science project aims to bridge the gap between science and society by promoting research and innovation, making scientific education attractive to young people, and providing researchers with effective communication tools to engage citizens.
The project is supported by a strong consortium of key players in research, academia, science education, public interaction, and municipalities in Lombardy, integrating formal and informal contexts. The Co.Science consortium is composed by National Research Council (CNR), Museo Nazionale della Scienza e della Tecnologia (MUST), Università degli Studi dell’Insubria (UNINS), Consorzio Italbiotec (ITB) and Federazione delle Associazioni Scientifiche e Tecniche (FAST). Comune di Milano (MIL) joined the Consortium as a Partner Associated.
The Co.Science project has four main objectives:
Creating Accessible Public Spaces for Two-Way Dialogue (#O1) Objective 1 (#O1) is to create accessible public spaces for a "two-way" dialogue between the research world and the community. Science should be experienced as a common good shared among different actors in society. Through active citizen participation in knowledge formation, science can reflect plural interests, expectations, and needs. Co.Science aims to implement inclusive engagement areas to establish a “two-way” dialogue between researchers, the general public, and the world of education.
Meet the younger generation through activities conducted by researchers in schools (#O2) Young people have a general curiosity about the world and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) topics. However, their expectations and curiosity often do not translate into a genuine scientific interest in the world or a desire to pursue a career in science. Through the school activities carried out during the two years of the project, Co.Science aims to create an ecosystem of people and institutions capable of stimulating and nurturing the curiosity of young men and women toward STEAM topics and promoting careers in science.
Design training modules to improve the communication skills of researchers and teachers (#O3) Scholarly communication is an essential component of research work and enthuses a substantial portion of the scientific community, which typically relates to researchers in a limited academic environment. Its involvement in communication with non-experts is relatively uncommon and often not supported by adequate training within institutions. Co.Science aims to help researchers improve their communication skills and understand their role in society.
Presenting European research and innovation perspectives to the public (#O4) The EU Research and Innovation Framework Programs have been, are, and will continue to be the main instruments to support European scientific development and the scientific careers of the younger generation. The goal of Co.Science is to strengthen this European horizon by informing individuals, particularly the youngest, of all the career opportunities that are available to them.
The European Researchers' Night (ERN) will be held on September 27, 2024, and September 26, 2025 (#I1) The activities during Co.Science's ERN will cover a wide range of topics and will take place in six different Lombard cities (Milan, Como, Varese, Busto Arsizio, Lodi, and Lecco). These events will take place in the evenings or as satellite events that are targeted towards the public and students. The goal is to explore unusual contexts and hybrid communication tools, aiming to improve "two-way" dialogues with citizens, rebuild trust in science and research, and achieve #O1.
School Initiatives (SIs) (#I2) The SIs will target all levels of school education, developing various educational activities and promoting and enhancing the scientific interests of the researchers involved. The inclusion of male and female students in social, cultural, and gender aspects will be prioritized, including incorporating language, and role models, and discussing gender biases in science and technology. Face-to-face dialogue with female and male researchers in schools will demolish barriers, enabling easier relationships and mutual trust with younger and younger students and paving the way for achievement #O2.
Science Communication and Public Engagement Training Pathways (#I3) The Co.Science consortium recognizes that successful activities and goals can only be achieved if researchers develop skills in science communication. The project will aim to support and improve their competence in communicating their research and, inclusively, share ideas and values, paving the way for the achievement of #O3.
Grant Agreement No 101162229
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