Going onto the Stage and sharing the Adventure of Research

By etavares On 31 December, 2009 Events | 2009 Comments Off No tags

“Scientists doing theatre? To talk about research?”

It’s true. All of this and much more took place on Researchers’ Night 2009 simultaneously on stages in four Portuguese cities, where over 11,000 people went to share the adventure of research with researchers. The event, which we called Scientists on Stage, was organised by nine Portuguese partners, including research centres, a science museum and small and medium-sized company, and was financed by the European Commission. The IMM, through its Communication and Training Unit, was involved in the organisation of the project from the beginning.

The Researchers’ Night is an initiative by the European Commission, and is always held on the last Friday of September. On this date the researchers reveal a new side to scientists, a more real and human one, taking them out of the stereotypes of fiction and bringing them closer to citizens. The different scientific areas are shown in a more relaxed and stimulating manner so that everyone can easily understand the language and concepts used and feel encouraged to debate the issues of science with researchers. The Scientists on Stage project was chosen by the European Commission for the 2009 edition, and was classified among the tem best events this year.

At the beginning the idea was received with some skepticism, perhaps even reservation by the community in general (including the scientific one), but soon the about eighty researchers-actors who joined the project right at the beginning showed that the challenge was a serious one, and that – just like for scientific projects – the level of quality would be high.

And so it was. For about five months, with the valuable involvement of professional theatre directors, the researchers from the most varied areas of knowledge explored their artistic streaks in order to share that which they most enjoy doing: researching.

The result of this common creative process was eleven plays that explored different areas of the performing arts, from puppet theatre to comedy, including the physical theatre, among others, which had their premieres on the 25th of September on the Researchers’ Night 2009. Alongside these plays prepared for and presented in Oporto, Coimbra, Lisbon and Olhão, there was also a series of interactive activities that the public could try out. Research, debate and essentially discovery and dialogue were dealt with in activities such as Scientific Cafés and bars; discussion groups; speed-dating with scientists (get to know a scientist in a few minutes and his life in and outside of science); art-science exhibitions, workshops and hands-on scientific experiments.

Public participation was surprising, and one could see an increasing interest in science subject on the part of society. During the day visitors of all ages came to see Scientists on Stage. Many people participated in the event, from secondary school children to whole families. In Lisbon, for example, approximately 4,000 people visited the gardens of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation.

At the end of this what remains is to thank all the entities that supported the organisation of the project. A special word of thanks for the researchers who took the stage on the night and who devoted themselves to the creative process over several months, but also for the scientists and institutions that were present in the events and in direct contact with the public.

“It went far beyond all my expectations!”, “Fantastic!”, “very good!”, are some comments we have received about Scientists on Stage. Enthusiasm about the Researchers’ Night 2009 has been prolonged over time, with performances on other stages (for example at the Dona Maria National Theatre and at Chapitô). The researchers-actors themselves state that they came out of this experience with an increased desire to collaborate with colleagues from other areas, to interact directly with the public, to share the adventure of science. Having completed the first challenge – getting onto the stage and talking about science – what other flights of fancy can the public expect from this generation of researchers?