The Puerto Rico community engagement alliance (PR-CEAL) against COVID-19 disparities: outreach and research engagement efforts in disproportionately affected communities.

In September 2020, the National Institutes of Health acted in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, recognizing the critical need to combat misinformation, particularly in communities disproportionately affected by the crisis. The Community Engagement Alliance (CEAL) emerged as an initiative dedicated to fostering reliable, science-based information, diversity, and inclusion; aiming to implement effective strategies to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 nationwide. One of the teams participating in this initiative is Puerto Rico-CEAL (PR-CEAL). Our whose goal was to raise awareness about the coronavirus disease and advance research, mainly focusing on vulnerable and underserved populations. This concept paper seeks to outline PR-CEAL's infrastructure during its initial two cycles, providing insights into the research and community engagement activities designed to enhance prevention, counter misinformation, and foster awareness and uptake of COVID-19 vaccines. Ultimately, our objective is to reflect on the strengths and challenges encountered thus far as we endeavor to sustain this robust infrastructure, addressing ongoing public health issues with a forward-looking approach.

MestreChef nutritional game: an alternative method to promote nutrition facts label reading in obesity outreach activities.

Reading nutrition facts labels is a competency for which training is given in several nutrition education programs, especially in obesity outreach workshops. The Top Trumps-style card game is commonly used in obesity prevention educational programs to engage participants in reading nutrition facts labels; however, the success of TV cooking shows among children and teenagers has not been explored for educational purposes. This paper is a descriptive study of developing a gamified activity as part of the one-time outreach workshop facilitated by the Obesity and Comorbidities Research Center (OCRC) in Brazil. By playing the MestreChef Nutritional (MCN) game, participants followed similar rules as the corresponding TV cooking show. They were challenged to decide to select food items, calculate dietary food intake, and prepare a recipe to visualize the proportion of macronutrients contained in daily diets. The analysis of the nutritional dietary table completed by participants revealed to be a rich source of information, and we identified in our cohort that selecting an adequate number of food items and making healthy food choices was not concerning. However, their lack of competency in performing mathematical reasoning, particularly in calculating serving sizes and converting grams of macronutrients into calories, was evident. Moreover, facilitators of the workshops agreed that the MCN game presents definitively more didactic effectiveness and playability than the Foods Top Trumps, a former game used in the outreach workshops. The MCN game nourishes the engagement of the participants in learning nutrition-related concepts and may be an efficient didactic resource to improve nutrition knowledge in outreach activities when an alternative method is required to stimulate reading nutrition facts labels.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Reading nutrition facts labels is a typical activity promoted in obesity prevention educational programs. By playing the MestreChef Nutritional, participants can immerse in the context of a food TV show game to have the first contact with reading nutrition facts labels for a learning purpose. However, the game can reveal the participant's limitations in mathematical reasoning despite the didactic potential of the game in promoting obesity-related physiology concepts.

Changes in Cancer Screening Knowledge Among a Prospective Cohort of Spanish-Speaking Hispanic Community Outreach Event Participants in Florida and Puerto Rico.

The current study examined cancer prevention and early detection awareness (pre-workshop) and changes in knowledge (from pre- to post-workshop) among Hispanic/Latino (H/L) community members who participated in Spanish-language educational outreach events in Puerto Rico (PR) and Florida (FL). Spanish-language educational outreach events were comprised of an educational session lasting approximately 45-60 min and were delivered to groups in rural and urban community settings by a single trained community health educator (CHE). The research team assessed sociodemographic characteristics, personal and familial cancer health history, as well as awareness and knowledge (pre-test) of a range of cancer prevention and screening topics. Following the presentation, participants completed a post-test knowledge survey which also measured likelihood of engaging in cancer screening, cancer preventive behaviors, and cancer research as a result of information presented during the session. Change in the average knowledge score was evaluated using a paired samples t-test. Post-session likelihood of completing cancer screening and preventive behaviors and engaging in cancer research were examined using descriptive statistics and group/site comparisons. The percentage reporting awareness of screening procedures ranged from 33% (PSA test) to 79% (mammogram). H/L in PR reported higher percentage of stool blood test awareness when compared to H/L in FL (χ2(1)= 19.20, p<.001). The average knowledge score increased from 5.97 at pre-test to 7.09 at post-test (Cohen's d=0.69). The increase was significant across all participants (t(315)= 12.4, p<.001), as well as within the FL site (t(124)= 6.66, p<.001, d=0.59) and the PR site (t(190)=10.66, p<.001, d=0.77). Results from this study suggest that educational outreach events delivered to H/L community members by a CHE are valuable strategies to address challenges regarding cancer screening knowledge and engagement in multiple behaviors.

Developing a Graduate Class on Synthetic Cells at a Minority Serving Institution: Lessons from the University of New Mexico.

This article describes the development, methodology, enrollment, and outcomes of a graduate technical elective course on synthetic cells and organelles offered at the University of New Mexico, a minority-majority institution, in Fall 2022. The course had a significant ethics component and took advantage of readily available, low cost, and no-cost teaching materials that are available online. The course was effective in attracting a diverse enrollment of graduate students and senior undergraduates, some of whom participated in a survey of their backgrounds and motivations after the course was over. The article also provides results from this survey. Courses such as the one described have the potential to increase access and participation in emerging fields of research and technology such as synthetic cells.

[Accessible science outreach] / Divulgación accesible de la ciencia.

When we recognize the importance of disseminating scientific knowledge, we recognize not only the potential it can have in the hands of the scientific community, but also in the hands of society as a whole. From this premise, we first reflect, hoping that such reflection will lead us to commit ourselves to make dissemination actions accessible and non-discriminatory. "Equal access to science is not only a social and ethical requirement for human development, but also a necessity to fully exploit the potential of scientific communities around the world and to guide scientific progress in a way that meets the needs of humanity".

Cuando reconocemos la importancia de la divulgación del conocimiento científico, reconocemos no solo el potencial que este puede llegar a tener en manos de la comunidad cientifica sino también de toda la sociedad.  Desde esa premisa primero reflexionamos, esperando que tal reflexión nos lleve a comprometernos a que las acciones de divulgación sean accesibles y no discriminatorias.  "La igualdad de acceso a la ciencia no sólo es una exigencia social y ética para el desarrollo humano, sino que además constituye una necesidad para explotar plenamente el potencial de las comunidades científicas de todo el mundo y orientar el progreso científico de manera que se satisfagan las necesidades de la humanidad".

Tendencia del programa de intervención en DemoMinga, como estrategia para mejorar las dislipidemias y glucemia en la población Norma Luisa, Minga Guazú

Antecedentes: Las enfermedades no transmisibles siguen siendo un problema creciente en el mundo, sobre todo en los países de mediano y bajo ingresos. Los programas de intervención comunitaria se enfocan en su disminución mediante cambios en estilos de vida más saludables. Objetivos: Analizar la tendencia del programa de intervención en actividad física y nutrición, como estrategia para mejorar las dislipidemias y glucemia en los participantes del proyecto DemoMinga. Materiales y métodos: Estudio con enfoque cuantitativo. Diseño de investigación acción participativa, de carácter longitudinal, prospectivo. La población estuvo constituida por los participantes del Proyecto DemoMinga. Se determinó en cada participante: colesterol total, triglicéridos y glucemia en ayunas. Las muestras fueron procesadas en el Centro de Investigaciones Médicas de la FACISA-UNE. Se determinaron indicadores de tendencia central (mediana) de cada una de las variables. Resultados: Hubo mayor participación del sexo femenino, con predominio de personas con menos de 45 años. Las mediciones químicas arrojaron una tendencia de disminución a partir del quinto año de intervención, con talleres de cocina saludable incluyendo uso de aceite alto oleico, y actividad física. Sin embargo, la prueba no arrojó diferencias significativas de las mediciones entre la línea de base y el corte a los 6 años. Conclusión: El estudio resalta la importancia de los programas de intervención mediante terapias integrales para la promoción y prevención de las enfermedades cardiometabólicas a largo plazo.

Background: Non-communicable diseases remain a growing problem worldwide, especially in middle and low-income countries. Community intervention programs are focused on reducing their prevalence through promoting healthier lifestyle changes. Objectives: To analyze the trend of the physical activity and nutrition intervention program as a strategy to improve dyslipidemia and glycemia among participants of the DemoMinga project. Materials and methods: This study employed a quantitative approach with a participatory action research design, characterized as longitudinal and prospective. The population consisted of participants from the DemoMinga Project. For each participant, total cholesterol, triglycerides, and fasting glycemia were measured. Samples were processed at the Medical Research Center of FACISA-UNE. Indicators of central tendency (median) were determined for each of the variables. Results: There was a higher participation of females, with a predominance of individuals under the age of 45. Chemical measurements showed a decreasing trend starting from the fifth year of intervention, involving healthy cooking workshops that included the use of high oleic oil and physical activity. However, the test did not yield significant differences in measurements between the baseline and the 6-year cutoff. Conclusion: The study highlights the significance of intervention programs using comprehensive therapies for the long-term promotion and prevention of cardiometabolic diseases.

Tendencia del programa de intervención en DemoMinga, como estrategia para mejorar las dislipidemias y glucemia en la población Norma Luisa, Minga Guazú / Trend of the DemoMinga intervention program as a strategy to improve dyslipidemia and glycemia in the Norma Luisa population, Minga Guazú

Antecedentes: Las enfermedades no transmisibles siguen siendo un problema creciente en el mundo, sobre todo en los países de mediano y bajo ingresos. Los programas de intervención comunitaria se enfocan en su disminución mediante cambios en estilos de vida más saludables. Objetivos: Analizar la tendencia del programa de intervención en actividad física y nutrición, como estrategia para mejorar las dislipidemias y glucemia en los participantes del proyecto DemoMinga. Materiales y métodos: Estudio con enfoque cuantitativo. Diseño de investigación acción participativa, de carácter longitudinal, prospectivo. La población estuvo constituida por los participantes del Proyecto DemoMinga. Se determinó en cada participante: colesterol total, triglicéridos y glucemia en ayunas. Las muestras fueron procesadas en el Centro de Investigaciones Médicas de la FACISA-UNE. Se determinaron indicadores de tendencia central (mediana) de cada una de las variables. Resultados: Hubo mayor participación del sexo femenino, con predominio de personas con menos de 45 años. Las mediciones químicas arrojaron una tendencia de disminución a partir del quinto año de intervención, con talleres de cocina saludable incluyendo uso de aceite alto oleico, y actividad física. Sin embargo, la prueba no arrojó diferencias significativas de las mediciones entre la línea de base y el corte a los 6 años. Conclusión: El estudio resalta la importancia de los programas de intervención mediante terapias integrales para la promoción y prevención de las enfermedades cardiometabólicas a largo plazo.

Background: Non-communicable diseases remain a growing problem worldwide, especially in middle and low-income countries. Community intervention programs are focused on reducing their prevalence through promoting healthier lifestyle changes. Objectives: To analyze the trend of the physical activity and nutrition intervention program as a strategy to improve dyslipidemia and glycemia among participants of the DemoMinga project. Materials and methods: This study employed a quantitative approach with a participatory action research design, characterized as longitudinal and prospective. The population consisted of participants from the DemoMinga Project. For each participant, total cholesterol, triglycerides, and fasting glycemia were measured. Samples were processed at the Medical Research Center of FACISA-UNE. Indicators of central tendency (median) were determined for each of the variables. Results: There was a higher participation of females, with a predominance of individuals under the age of 45. Chemical measurements showed a decreasing trend starting from the fifth year of intervention, involving healthy cooking workshops that included the use of high oleic oil and physical activity. However, the test did not yield significant differences in measurements between the baseline and the 6-year cutoff. Conclusion: The study highlights the significance of intervention programs using comprehensive therapies for the long-term promotion and prevention of cardiometabolic diseases.

Experiências em divulgação científica e sensibilização da população: importância do controle mecânico do vetor Aedes aegypti / Experiences in scientific outreach and public awareness: the importance of mechanical control of the Aedes aegypti vector / Experiencias en divulgación científica y sensibilización de la población: importancia del control mecánico del vector Aedes aegypti

Aedes aegypti é o principal vetor dos agentes etiológicos de dengue, zika e chikungunya, doenças para as quais não existem vacinas totalmente eficazes. Alternativas de controle visando mitigar essas arboviroses são primordiais. Entre essas, o controle mecânico aborda práticas de eliminação e/ou limpeza de criadouros do vetor. Neste relato, apresentamos e avaliamos criticamente ações realizadas pelo grupo, ocorridas entre 2016 e 2019, nas quais divulgamos informação científica clara através do diálogo com a população. Os métodos utilizados foram: 1) palestras em escolas (público infantojuvenil) utilizando slides, fotos e vídeos; 2) oficinas (público misto), estande com material in vivo do ciclo de vida do Aedes, jogos e desenhos. Analisamos dez palestras em escolas do ensino fundamental e médio e vinte oficinas realizadas em diferentes regiões do Brasil. Concluímos que tais ações e suas análises críticas devem ser realizadas continuamente para que sejam bem-sucedidas

Aedes aegypti is the main vector of dengue, zika, and chikungunya etiological agents, diseases for which no effective vaccines are available. Control alternatives aimed at mitigating these arboviruses are essential. Among such, mechanical control addresses practices of elimination and/or cleaning of vector breeding sites. Here, we presented and critically evaluated actions carried out by ourselves. These actions took place between 2016 and 2019, where we disseminated clear scientific information through dialogue with the population. The following methods were employed: 1) lectures in schools (children and youth audiences) using slides, photos, and videos; 2) workshops (mixed audience), stand with in vivo material from the Aedeslife cycle, games, and drawings. Ten lectures in elementary and high schools and twenty workshops held in different regions of Brazil were analyzed. It was concluded that such actions and their critical analyzes must be carried out continuously to be successful

Aedes aegypti es el principal vector de los agentes etiológicos del dengue, zika y chikungunya, enfermedades para las que no existen vacunas totalmente eficaces. Las alternativas de control para mitigar estas arbovirosis son fundamentales. El control mecánico, representa una de estas alternativas, aborda prácticas de eliminación y/o limpieza de criaderos del vector. En este informe presentamos y evaluamos de manera crítica las acciones realizadas por el grupo entre los años 2016 y 2019. Presentamos información científica clara a través del diálogo con la población mediante los siguientes métodos: 1) conferencias en escuelas (público infantil) utilizando diapositivas, fotos y videos; 2) Talleres (público mixto), stand con material in vivo del ciclo de vida del Aedes, juegos y dibujos. Analizamos diez conferencias en escuelas (primarias y secundarias) y veinte talleres realizados en diferentes regiones de Brasil. Concluimos que tales acciones y el análisis crítico de las mismas deben llevarse a cabo de manera continua para que resulten exitosas.

Microcosmos explorers: foldscope workshop for science outreach in Mexican schools.

Foldscopes are ultra-low-cost paper microscopes invented by Manu Prakash and Jim Cybulski at Stanford University. They are about as light as a pencil and waterproof, all whilst offering similar optic quality to traditional microscopes. Foldscopes do not require electricity or glass slides to be used, which increases the possibilities of their use in education and outreach activities with children or people with disabilities. In 2019, thanks to a material grant of 100 foldscopes from One World Science and additional purchased foldscopes, I designed and implemented a science workshop called Exploradores del Microcosmos, or Explorers of Microcosmos in English. The aim of the workshop was to help make microscopy more accessible, in particular at underfunded schools, and stimulate active learning about ecosystems and evolution in the participants. Within this article, I describe the workshop and relay my personal insights and reflections on its execution across multiple schools and groups in Mexico.

Effectiveness of a hypertension management protocol in rural Haitian adults and pregnant women.

Background: Haiti's hypertension prevalence among adults ≥40 years of age is nearly twice that of nations in the Americas. Haiti Health Initiative (HHI) developed a hypertension management protocol for use in outreach clinics in Timo, a rural mountainous community in Haiti. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the hypertension protocol for treating adults ≥40 years of age and pregnant women with severe hypertension. Methods: This retrospective longitudinal study included 209 patients across 1148 clinic visits/encounters. De-identified medical records from 11 biannual outreach clinics between April 2014 to April 2019 were reviewed for analysis. Descriptive statistics, paired t-tests, and multilevel models were performed. The primary outcome was systolic and diastolic blood pressure measurements at each clinic visit. Findings: In the study (n = 1148 visits), hypertension and severe hypertension prevalence were respectively 79·8% and 38·4%. Multilevel models showed a decrease of 0·29 mmHg (p = 0·37) in systolic blood pressure and a decrease in diastolic blood pressure of 0·66 mmHg (p < 0·001) per visit. Individual factors and protocol adherence did not predict a reduction in blood pressure. Conclusion: Effective management of hypertension and other chronic conditions among hard-to-reach populations with limited healthcare access requires comprehensive outreach efforts that address care antecedents, structures, and processes. Although outreach clinics made treatment accessible to vulnerable populations, the protocol, which used medications with previously demonstrated efficacy, had little impact on reducing blood pressure in patients with severe hypertension.

The Puerto Rico Community Cancer Control Outreach Program: Developing Capacity-Building Activities on Cancer Screening Guidelines and HPV Vaccination Recommendations for Health Care Professionals.

OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated physicians' knowledge of cancer screening guidelines and human papillomavirus (HPV) recommendations. METHODS: The Puerto Rico Community Cancer Control Outreach Program in collaboration with the Comprehensive Cancer Control Program and the Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program developed an educational activity for physicians who attended a professional annual meeting. This activity consisted of 2 sessions: one about cancer screening guidelines and the other about HPV and HPV vaccination. A survey measuring the attendees' knowledge of the session topics was administered before and after each session. Changes in knowledge were assesed using McNemar's test with a significance level of 0.05. RESULTS: A total of 43 physicians responded to the survey about cancer screening, and 67 responded to the survey about HPV. A significant increase in the mean score of the pre-test (3.3 ± 1.42) and post-test (6.7 ± 1.38) of the cancer screening guidelines was observed as well as in that of the pre-test (7.82 ± 1.44) and post-test (9.66 ± 0.53) of HPV. The results showed that there were improvements regarding the most recent cervical cancer screening and colonoscopy guidelines as well as in the knowledge of HPV serotypes. CONCLUSION: This mid-day educational activity significantly improved knowledge among primary care physicians. Given its feasibility, future efforts should discuss the most recent cancer guidelines and emerging socio behavioral factors that impact vaccination.

Integrated Pest Management Education: a Video-Game to Improve Management of Drosophila suzukii, Soft-Skin Fruit Pest.

The transition from the conventional global agriculture to an agroecological model poses a teaching and learning challenge to facilitate the wide variety of practices and the many biological processes involved. Games, such as board games, video-games, or mobile apps, are elements that may be used for teaching agroecology, environmental education, or animal conservation. Here, we present a video-game designed to contribute to integrated pest management education. The Spotted-Stop-It video-game is a single-player game which encourages participation, disseminates knowledge on the pest problem and its potential solutions (i.e., harvest frequency, sanitation, and management of alternative non-crop plants), and highlights the importance of good practices from an agroecological perspective at the farmer scale. In a farm-tech regional fair, we presented the game to its users and performed a simple retrospective survey. The survey results showed that most participants did not know about the fly prior to playing the game (34 ind., 68%), but were able to recognize the species among other flies after playing (23 ind., ~ 65%). Also, 21 individuals correctly responded about the effects of this pest on soft-skin fruits ("the fly lays eggs inside the fruit"). The training of future generations on new insect invasions and IPM practices with elements of their own environment may prove to be important to transmit concepts and practices at the service of sustainable crop protection.

Neuroscience Outside the Box: From the Laboratory to Discussing Drug Abuse at Schools.

One of the effects of the current COVID-19 pandemic is that low-income countries were pushed further into extreme poverty, exacerbating social inequalities and increasing susceptibility to drug use/abuse in people of all ages. The risks of drug abuse may not be fully understood by all members of society, partly because of the taboo nature of the subject, and partly because of the considerable gap between scientific production/understanding and communication of such knowledge to the public at large. Drug use is a major challenge to social development and a leading cause of school dropout rates worldwide. Some public policies adopted in several countries in recent decades failed to prevent drug use, especially because they focused on imposing combative or coercive measures, investing little or nothing in education and prevention. Here we highlight the role of neuroscience education as a valid approach in drug use education and prevention. We propose building a bridge between schools and scientists by promoting information, student engagement and honest dialogue, and show evidence that public policy regulators should be persuaded to support such science-based education programs in their efforts to effect important positive changes in society.

Gene therapy access: Global challenges, opportunities, and views from Brazil, South Africa, and India.

Gene and cell therapies for a variety of life-limiting illnesses are under investigation, and a small number of commercial products have successfully obtained regulatory approval. The cost of treatment is high, and clinical studies evaluating safety and efficacy are performed predominately in high-income countries. We reviewed the current status of gene and cell therapies in low- and middle-income countries and highlighted the need and current barriers to access. The state of product development in Brazil, South Africa, and India is discussed, including lessons learned from American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy (ASGCT)-sponsored virtual symposia in each of these countries.

Maderas Rainforest Conservancy: A One Health approach to conservation.

Maderas Rainforest Conservancy (MRC) was incorporated as a conservation nonprofit organization in 2008, and manages two sites where biological field courses have been offered since the 1990s: La Suerte Biological Research Station in Costa Rica, and Ometepe Biological Research Station in Nicaragua. MRC employs a One Health approach to conservation education, and can serve as a model for other biological field sites. The Nicaraguan Molina family, who owns the sites, partnered with primatologist Paul Garber in 1994 to develop a primate field course aimed at introducing university students to field research. Through using their land to further conservation education and research, the Molina family has preserved the forest and engaged the local communities near their sites. Eight graduate theses and 46 refereed publications have been completed since 2010 based on research undertaken at MRC sites. While primate field courses have been offered at least once annually since 1994 and remain popular, a range of other ecological courses are now additionally offered. MRC operates from a One Health perspective, engaging in forest restoration and ecological monitoring projects, and has gradually expanded community outreach initiatives. MRC now conducts regular medical and veterinary missions in the communities surrounding the research stations which provide health care to local people and limit the population growth of domestic animals, thereby increasing the survival of wild animals. MRC is also active in ESL-teaching and conservation education, and funds Proyecto Jade, which empowers local women to make and sell organic jewelry. Through these programs, MRC works to help the local communities live more sustainably with the environment around them. MRC's support of research, commitment to education, medical and veterinary missions, and outreach initiatives to the local community all work together for the well-being of both the people and the environment, thus exemplifying the One Health perspective.

Pre-COVID-19 Social Determinants of Health Among Mexican Migrants in Los Angeles and New York City and Their Increased Vulnerability to Unfavorable Health Outcomes During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

COVID-19 has disproportionally affected underrepresented minorities (URM) and low-income immigrants in the United States. The aim of the study is to examine the underlying vulnerabilities of Mexican immigrants in New York City (NYC) and Los Angeles (LA), its correspondence with area-level COVID-19 morbidity and mortality, and to document the role of trusted and culturally sensitive services offered during the pandemic through the Ventanillas de Salud (i.e. VDS, Health Windows) program. The study uses a mixed-methods approach including a cross-sectional survey of Mexican immigrants in LA and NYC collected in the Mexican Consulates at the onset of the pandemic, complemented with a georeferencing analysis and key informant interviews. Data suggested an increased vulnerability to COVID-19 given participants reported health status, health care profile and place of residence, which coincided with the georeferencing analysis. The key informant interviews confirmed the vulnerability of this population and the supporting role of VDS in helping immigrants navigate health systems and disseminate health information. Mexican immigrants had an increased vulnerability to COVID-19 at the individual, geographic and systemic levels. Trusted and culturally sensitive services are needed to overcome some of the barriers and risk factors that increase the vulnerability of URM and immigrant populations to COVID-19.

Zebrafish Beyond the Bench: The 'Plataforma Zebrafish Open Doors' Programme.

The Butantan Institute is a pioneering Brazilian health sciences institution, which also houses a large science park with museums that contribute to ongoing science education for schools and the wider community. In recent years, as part of Butantan Institute's Plataforma Zebrafish™, zebrafish embryos have been used for the dissemination of scientific knowledge during on-site events and as part of outreach campaigns to non-scientific audiences, mostly children. The aim of this work is mainly to demystify the activities of the scientific researcher, highlight the role of science in the furthering of knowledge, and increase public interest and confidence in science. In this article, the Institute's 'Plataforma Zebrafish Open Doors' programme is described, which offered guided tours of the laboratory facilities. The tours gave visitors the opportunity to observe zebrafish research and embryo development, and to use the knowledge gained from this experience as a framework for understanding fundamental ethical issues. During the 2-day event, around 800 visitors (most of them school-age children) attended. Together with the guided tours, our experience of outreach offered meaningful opportunities to bring children and members of the public closer to science and 'real-life' scientists, hopefully inspiring and encouraging the next generation of scientists. It also gave the scientists an opportunity to engage more closely with wider society. We believe that these activities also substantially contribute to the wider dissemination of relevant experimental results that have been obtained with public funding and that impact society in general.