ASSOCIAZIONE FRASCATI SCIENZA

Their core work

Associazione Frascati Scienza is an Italian science communication and public engagement association based in Frascati, near Rome. They organize large-scale science outreach events, most notably coordinating the European Researchers' Night across multiple Italian cities since 2006. Their work bridges the gap between researchers and the general public through citizen science initiatives, impact assessment of research communication, and hands-on science festivals. More recently, they have expanded into physics research networks through participation in muon physics projects.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In 2014-2017, the organization focused on traditional Researchers' Night events — bringing scientists and citizens together in Italian cities, partnering with research institutions like EGO and several Italian universities. From 2018 onward, their approach matured: BEES introduced citizen science and formal impact assessment, while LEAF pivoted toward climate change, circular economy, and sustainability communication. The 2022 participation in aMUSE (muon physics) marks an unexpected diversification into fundamental physics research networks, though their role there is minor.

Moving from general science celebration events toward thematic, impact-measured public engagement on climate and sustainability, while building connections to international physics research.

How they like to work

Frascati Scienza is predominantly a project leader — they coordinated 4 out of 5 projects, all in the CSA (Coordination and Support Action) funding scheme. Their consortia are modest in size, with 14 unique partners across 7 countries, suggesting they build focused national networks with select European partners. They appear to be a reliable coordinator for multi-city engagement campaigns, comfortable managing distributed events across Italy.

They have worked with 14 unique partners across 7 countries, with a strong Italian core including EGO (Pisa), University of Cagliari, University of Parma, LUMSA University, and University of Sassari. Their network is primarily Italian research institutions with selected European partners.

What sets them apart

Frascati Scienza has nearly two decades of experience running the European Researchers' Night in Italy, making them one of the most experienced organizations in the country for large-scale research communication events. Their location in Frascati — home to major Italian and European research facilities — gives them direct access to a dense concentration of scientists and laboratories. For any consortium needing a strong public engagement or dissemination partner in Italy, they bring a proven track record of coordinating multi-city events.

Highlights from their portfolio

• BEES
  Largest single budget (EUR 360,000) and most methodologically ambitious — introduced formal citizen science and impact assessment into their Researchers' Night format.
• aMUSE
  A surprising departure from their science communication core — their only participant (non-coordinator) role, in a fundamental physics MSCA-RISE project on muon science.
• DREAMS
  Their first H2020 project (2014), establishing the model for coordinating European Researchers' Night across Italy that they would repeat and refine over four funding cycles.