The Scientists' Experience in Participated Science Communication

TL;DR

This paper describes the evolution and impact of a long-term science communication initiative in Italy, highlighting its growth, methodologies, and successful public engagement over thirteen years.

Contribution

It presents the development, methodologies, and outcomes of a large-scale science communication project involving numerous events and partners across Italy.

Findings

Engaged over 50,000 attendees in Italy.

Expanded from a small event to a nationwide initiative.

Achieved significant media and public impact.

Abstract

Since 2006 a small group of researchers from the Italian National Institute for Nuclear Physics started to realized one of the first European Researchers' Night in Europe: a one night-event, supported by the European Commission, that falls every last Friday of September to promote the researcher's figure and its work. Today, after thirteen editions, the project has evolved by involving more than 60 scientific partners and more than 400 events/year spread from the North to the South of Italy in 30 cities, captivating more than 50.000 attendees with a not negligible impact on the people and the press. During the years, the project has followed and sometimes anticipated the science communication trend, and BEES (BE a citizEn Scientist) is the last step of this long and thrilling evolution that brought to a huge public engagement in our territory. The experience, the methodology, and the major successful examples of the organized events are presented together with the results of the long term project impact.