How to create a great SciFest activity

For all acitivities

1. Define the purpose of your activity

What do you want visitors to learn? You probably have a lot you want to share and explain, but visitors cannot learn or do everything during one activity. Choose your focus first – and then build your activity around it.

2. Activate the participants

You need to actively engage your visitors. This does not necessarily mean they must always do something hands-on. It can also involve short discussion questions or tasks to solve together. Quizzes, games or voting activities can also work well. Even if you do not have exciting experiments or equipment, there are always creative ways to communicate your research.

3. Don’t talk too much

Scrap any plans to give a lecture. It can be difficult for students to stay focused at Fyrishov, with so much happening around them. Of course, you can give a short introduction – especially for a workshop – but keep it brief.

4. Don’t work alone

SciFest is great fun, but the days are long and intense, so you will need breaks. It is also much more enjoyable if you are several people working together.

5. Be flexible

Things rarely turn out exactly as planned – and that is perfectly fine. It is always a good idea to have a plan B in case something does not work. Many exhibitors adjust their activities between days at SciFest.

6. You are the greatest asset in your activity

Do not forget that you and your colleagues are the most important part of your activity. Visitors come to SciFest to meet and interact with you.

7. Attract visitors to your stand

Think about how you present your stand. You will of course need the materials required for your activity, but consider whether you need something more. Put up something eye-catching or intriguing. Include objects that make visitors curious and encourage them to ask questions.

8. Check how much space you have

Measure your stand area so you have a realistic idea of how much space you can use. If you are running a workshop in your stand, you will have more space than for a drop-in activity.

Especially for workshops

If you choose to run a workshop, there are a few additional things to consider.

9. Decide on your target audience

Think about which audience your workshop is best suited for – younger or older students. If you are unsure, you could try out the activity with a group of children or young people first. You may also choose different target groups at different times and adapt accordingly.

10. Make sure you finish in time

A workshop is typically 30–60 minutes, but you never know what might happen. A class might arrive late, and different groups work at different speeds. Make sure participants can complete the workshop in the time available. It is better to finish early than to run out of time. If they finish early, you can add a short optional activity – or simply allow them to leave a little earlier.

11. Offer drop-in when you are not running workshops

When you are not running a workshop, your stand will function as a drop-in activity. Visitors usually stay for a shorter time, so you may need to adapt your workshop activity. Consider offering a smaller part of the activity for drop-in visitors.