From 13th to 14th June 2018, professionals in communication from all over Europe gathered at the European Communication Summit (ECS) in Berlin, Germany. At this large-scale event, LIH’s Communication Unit won the second prize of the Young Communicator Award, when presenting the innovative concept of the LIH Science Quest 2018 to the audience, a unfamiliar and fun event organised in Luxembourg last February to bring the lay public in touch with biomedical research.
The ECS is a large-scale event held every year by the European Association of Communication Directors (EACD). It is an occasion for communication professionals to get inspired by speeches from luminaries in communication, inform themselves about new developments and network with their peers. The event also gives the opportunity to showcase outstanding communication projects while competing for different awards. LIH had submitted an application for the Young Communicator Award and was selected as one of the three finalists among 30 pre-selected applications. The communication project presented in a 3-minute pitch by LIH’s Communication Manager Juliette Pertuy was the LIH Science Quest.
Inspired from escape and adventure games, the LIH Science Quest is an innovative science-promoting event, the first of its kind in Luxembourg. It aimed at presenting the institute’s biomedical research activities to high school classes and the broad public in an unconventional and entertaining fashion. During three days, more than 300 people were plunged into an unexpected setup that put them into the shoes of a research team looking for a cure against cancer. The participants experienced numerous challenges to complete their mission such as enigmas, virtual reality, pipetting or drone piloting. The event was supported by the Luxembourg National Research Fund (FNR) and involved IBBL - Integrated BioBank of Luxembourg and the Ministry of Health.
The audience at the ECS was impressed by this well-thought-out communication approach. A clap-o-meter recorded the applause following the pitch. Ultimately, the project ranked second for the Young Communicator Award. ‘We are grateful that we had the opportunity to present our communication project at this major event and thus give visibility to Luxembourg and its endeavours in developing and promoting biomedical research’, states Juliette Pertuy. ‘The LIH Science Quest was highly appreciated by the locals and all partners involved. The recognition that we now got at an international level at the summit motivates us even more to design a second edition of this event with new surprises and a new scientific focus.’
