Record numbers participate in Swedish Researchers’ Night activities

During this year’s ForskarFredag (European Researchers’ Night in Sweden), held from 25 to 30 September, over 37,000 people seized the opportunity to delve into the world of research, engaging in experiments, discussions, workshops as well as borrowing researchers in the classroom.

Cancer researcher named Sweden’s best science communicator

Sofie Mohlin, a cancer researcher at Lund University, has won the 2023 Researchers’ Grand Prix. The final of the contest, in which researchers present their research in just four minutes, was held on 23 November in Stockholm. The winner was decided based upon the combined votes of the audience and expert jury.

Current activities

New EU project to support implementation of ERA policy
Inspiring ERA is a new EU Horizon Europe project seeking to support and promote the successful implementation of the ERA Policy Agenda. VA is one of six European partners, who will be coordinating community building and communication activities within the project, which runs from December 2023 to November 2026. Project partners met in Bonn on 13 December to kick-start the project. Read more.

New virtual exhibition on new and emerging technologies
New and emerging technologies, such as climate modification and AI, create both opportunities as well as challenges. In the EU project TechEthos, VA has been exploring how ethics and societal values ​​can be prioritised in the design, development and deployment of new technologies. Resources produced by the project, including a new virtual exhibition, are now available. Read more.

2023/24 VA Barometer English version available soon
The results of the 2023/24 VA Barometer, VA’s annual survey into the Swedish public’s general attitudes towards science and researchers, were announced at a breakfast seminar on 15 December. The English version of the VA Barometer will be published in January.

VA’s recent activities

My future city: young people’s perspectives on sustainable urban development 
In a series of activities run during the autumn, VA and researchers from Södertörn University and RISE have been working with pupils at Huddinge Gymnasium to develop future visions for their local neighbourhoods. These activities were part of Tenacity, an EU project testing methods to foster collaboration between higher education institutions and local communities. Read more.

AI and the future of science communication
What implications do advancements in AI have for professional science communicators? How are these tools currently used, and how might their usage evolve in the future? These were some of the questions explored at the 2023 Forum for Science Communication on 28 November. Organised by VA, the conference attracted over 200 participants with an additional 250 people joining online. Read more.

GENDERACTIONplus consultation gathers stakeholder insights
The EU-funded GENDERACTIONplus project hosted its second stakeholder engagement event on 29 November to gather input and feedback on draft guidelines for establishing Gender Equality Plan (GEP) monitoring systems at the national level. Representatives of national authorities from 14 European countries participated, sharing valuable insights, needs and challenges. The event was organised and moderated by VA as part of its stakeholder engagement work in the project. Read more.

Guest blog: Stepping outside the lab and into dialogue with the public
In this guest blog, Johanna Mayer, a PhD student at Karolinska Institute talks about her experiences of participating in the Researchers' Grand Prix and how it made her view her Alzheimer’s research from a different perspective. Read more.

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