DISSEMINATION, EXPLOITATION & OUTREACH
Dissemination, exploitation and outreach
MONPLAS commits to applying FAIR Principles to all research outputs (primary data, image databanks, software routines, research publication, policy briefs) and providing full free access to end-users in academia and industry in the interest of re-use and Open Innovation, but in full synergy with standard IPR Practices for commercialisation of research. MONPLAS ESRs will work within the OpenScience framework set out in coordination with our partner FOSTER and Horizon 2020 Open Research data pilot.
The Exploitation Management Committee (EMC), chaired by the WP3 leader, with a deputy to be appointed from amongst its members, will consist of representatives from FOSTER, Aston Business School (experts in IPR) and all commercial participants (end-users and instrument commercialisers) bringing policy and standards prowess. All participants have well-experienced personnel dedicated to IP management and their legal teams will assist with the securing of patents and issue of licenses. The EMC will scrutinise all communication of IP to third parties, particularly publications from ESRs prior to submission to conferences and journals, in order to ensure OpenScience and correct protection of IP for exploitable outcomes. Embedding IP management and its exploitation ’into the DNA’ of the ESRs is important for their development as future leaders.
Outreach activities will target these opportunities:
Project Open Days
ESRs regularly present their project to public audiences (students, researchers from the scientific community, general public)
International Science Events
ESRs participate in events such as, Researchers’ Night (a popular pan-EU annual event taking place simultaneously across universities) and national events such as the Science Festivals (Edinburgh Annual International Science Festival, British Science Week, Fete de la Science, Pint of Science). To ensure coverage for all ESRs, future events are identified through EU Science Events Association (www.eusea.info).
Schools Outreach
We are engaging with schools in two ways. (i) ESRs are participating in programmes and events engaging school-age children in science. Examples include STEMetts (UK) and Girls Day across EU (NL, DE, BE, FR and ES), both of which specifically encourage girls into science. (ii) The involved schools have an ‘ETN Ambassador’; share her/his knowledge about scientific work and outcomes making science understandable. The Northern Ireland Science Festival is one of the largest of its kind in Europe. Working with the organisers, we developed a theme on micro/nano plastics at one event. Additionally, outreach at universities is undertaken to promote a career in academia
Social Media and Blogging
The MONPLAS website is linked to the MONPLAS Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Linkedin and other social media feed, and multimedia (maintained by ESRs). The ESRs frequently produce explanatory video-clips and social media posts focusing on their research topics, conference updates and sharing PhD Life. These videos and posts are promoted to the public at large onsocial media with the full videos, vlogging (video blogging), hosted on the website.
STEM Females
Female ESRs are supporting females in STEM having joined the European Platform of women scientists to improve networking and in attending ‘Women Scientist’s Day’ and ‘Woman in Science Award’ which are held annually across Europe. This enables dissemination for ESRs on a different platform.
Promotion and press
Supervisors are frequently contacted to promote the project, including through articles, and PR offices of their universities, sending press releases for submitted publications. ESRs have also promoted MONPLAS and their project in press articles in EURAXESS United Kingdom and Ostthüringer Zeitung (East Thuringia Newspaper)