MULTICULTI SCIENCE · Closing the Gaps between the Researchers and the Large Public

In line with the objectives of the Researchers’ Nights of enhancing large public recognition of researchers as well as their role in society and within citizens’ daily life, the MultiCulti Science project aims at creating a ‘multidisciplinary platform’ to give the general public, especially young people, the opportunity to meet researchers within a fun and unique context. The main strategic objectives of the project are to: - establish a ‘face-to-face platform’ to communicate scientific issues by bringing together at least 35 researchers from several areas and 2000 people allowing them to interact directly; - foster close, informal and creative dialogue between researchers and the public at large, by organising 3 Cafes Scientifiques; - give researchers the opportunity to show the two sides of their lives, through photo exhibitions showing their professional activities and personal interests; - give researchers and the general public the chance to ‘communicate outside the usual labs, through the organisation of multiple activities such as cocktail demonstrations or karaoke sessions; - foster the embarkation of young people on scientific careers by allowing them to ‘touch’ science through multiple hands-on experiments and demos; - give participants the opportunity to get to know more deeply the scientific panorama in Portugal and Europe through several informal, thematic workshops. The consortium of this initiative was built taking into account the experience and ability of each partner to accomplish the objectives above. The consortium is made of one Innovation Agency with large experience in cooperating with and involving SME and universities in RTD activities, one renowned Congress Centre with large experience in organizing large scale events addressed to a large number of people, and Visionarium, an interactive science museum expert in transferring and disseminating scientific knowledge to the general public, through the performance of leisure actions.