2007 report
Progress: 25%
The Damocles web site (Contractor involved: CICERO)
The main activity has been to plan and implement a public web site for DAMOCLES (http://www.damocles-eu.org/). The web site was launched in April 2006 and is intended to be the main promotional activity towards the public. The web site has been regularly updated with relevant links to other international Arctic research projects, online educational programs about the Arctic and news about the Arctic. In June a press room with images and contact information for DAMOCLES was established.
There have also been a few contributions from the DAMOCLES partners about ongoing expeditions. Some of the partners have provided updates and images for the web site. We hope these contributions will increase when more of the DAMOCLES activities start next year.
Since the launch, in average 5000 pages have been viewed every month. The DAMOCLES newsletter has 100 subscribers and approx. 16 newsletters have been sent in this period.
The mobile exhibition (Contractor involved: International Polar Foundation - IPF)
The main task of IPT is to plan and develop a mobile exhibition for DAMOCLES. IPF initiated a consultation process with the DAMOCLES Consortium members to identify communication needs and principal contributions to be made to the exhibition by each partner, and by each Work Package. To this end, IPF circulated a questionnaire, contacted WPs directly, and attended a number of DAMOCLES workshops and other events, with the aim of identifying potential contributions in scientific content and material objects for the exhibition. A few consortium members proved particularly helpful.
In parallel, the IPF launched the design process with the first tasks of in-depth study leading to subsequent elaboration of the concept document which contributed to the preparation of the Preliminary Design Study for the Exhibition. This process requires defining target groups, technical qualities required (to achieve optimal use of available funds), key scientific messages and communication supports for these messages.
The IPF has consulted the Steering Committee members in developing this broad conceptual approach for the exhibition within which the Arctic, as revealed by polar research, would be presented as it has been in the past, as it is at present and as it may be in the future.
The IPF went on to develop, with the aid of professional set designers, a Preliminary Exhibition Design study which will form the basis for producing an appealing and stimulating format for the exhibition. Its multi-faceted approach will enable visitors to get a good understanding of the state of the Arctic, as well as research methods and modeling issues.
A short film (10 min) has been put together from existing footage to explain the overall thrust of DAMOCLES to a lay audience in a summarised form. The size of the Exhibition has been extended to approximately 50 sq. m. to take into account the key role of the DAMOCLES project in the European IPY2007-2008 research effort.
It is estimated that around 50% of the task is completed or is currently engaged.
The next phase of work is to:
§ validate the conceptual approach developed with the steering committee,
§ validate the identified content with the whole consortium, to ensure that it meets with their communication needs.
§ collect identified exhibition content in the form of high resolution graphics or artefacts,
§ resolve any IPR issues,
§ design animations for the central installation,
After validation, the final modifications will be made to the preliminary design documents in order to:
§ prepare the Advanced Design Phase,
§ identify and contract with set builders through a tendering process, and
§ have the exhibition built, ready for the start of the IPY in March 2007.
A first Exhibition is planned in Brussels on the 5th and 6th of March, 2007, in the context of the EU IPY Symposium on Polar Research.
