First Digital Long Night of Research
Like many other events in 2020, the Long Night of Research will be held virtually this year. Although the live experiences will be missed, the digital format offers a variety of other advantages to the interested public.
The Vienna University of Technology will open its virtual doors for the interested public during the Long Night of Research. / Picture: © Wikimedia Commons / Peter Haas / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)
In 2020, the Long Night of Research (Lange Nacht der Forschung [LNF]) will take place digitally for the first time.
The largest domestic research event is not feasible as usual in times like these. For this reason, the organizers have decided to offer an excerpt of the program virtually, in accordance with the motto "Digital Transformation".
More than 200 contributions from all over Austria will be shown on www.langenachtderforschung.at.
On October 9, 2020 from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m., numerous live streams will be launched, reflecting the interactive character of the LNF. The entire online program will be available until December 30, 2020.
The spectrum includes topics from education, digitalization, energy, health, art, technology and economics.
The contributions can be selected by topic and type: Videos provide information about current research projects, as well as interviews with local researchers.
Virtual tours of laboratories and research facilities allow a look behind the scenes.
Explanatory videos, instructional videos and live demonstrations show in a comprehensible way how research works and are also suitable for children.
The offer also includes interactive participation such as quizzes, games or apps as well as lectures.
Even though the live experience cannot be precisely translated into the virtual format, the organizers are convinced that this form offers many advantages.
The video contributions can be clicked on conveniently from home, regardless of location and at any time of day or night.
For the first time, all those interested have the chance to discover research contributions in any part of the country and to visit more stations than usual for almost three months.
The next Long Night of Research in its original form as a face-to-face event is planned for spring 2021.
Details of the Long Night of Research
The Long Night of Research 2020 (LNF20) is the largest domestic research event at which researchers present their achievements to a broad public for the first time digitally.
The nationwide measures of the LNF20 are financed by the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research (BMBWF), the Federal Ministry for Digitalization and Business Location (BMDW) and the Federal Ministry for Climate Protection, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology (BMK).
The presentation of services is carried out by the scientists and researchers.