Europlanet 2024 RI Evaluation Report
This evaluation report provides a summary of the impact of Europlanet 2024 RI. The purpose of the evaluation is to assess the effectiveness of the RI for its user community. Although the analyses have been broadly structured around the five impact areas identified by the OECD’s Reference Framework for Assessing the Scientific and Socio-Economic Impact of Research Infrastructures (2019), this report places particular emphasis on providing information that speaks to the sustainability of the RI. That is, the success of the RI is clear and this report aims to draw out what contributed to its impact, in order to support considerations of what would be needed to sustain as much of the impact as possible.
While evidence has been found for impact in all five impact areas (Scientific, Technological, Training and Education, Economic, Social and societal), evidence is particularly strong in the first three. There can be no doubt that the TA programme in particular has led to substantial scientific impact. This impact is ongoing, as the new lines of research and collaborations catalysed by the visits continue. In the area of technological impact, the VAs have developed their capacity to provide high quality scientific data and services.
Across scientific and technological impact, the TA visits – which form the cornerstone of the RI in many ways – make possible impacts, particularly scientific, that simply would not be possible without the support of the RI, due to the access to facilities, both equipment and expertise, that it provides. These impacts are amplified due to the participation of early career researchers in the programme, ensuring impact into the future. Such impact is only enhanced and strengthened by other areas of scientific impact from VA (e.g. ML JRA activity, SPIDER’s support for planetary exploration, VESPA’s development of the EPN-TAP protocol) and NA (e.g. Expert Exchange programme, Telescope Network) activities.
Impact in the area of training and education is also substantial, via the Mentorship programme, Expert Exchange programme, GMAP Winter Schools and training workshops by VESPA, SPIDER and the Telescope Network. One distinguishing feature of the 2024 RI is the extensive support for students and early career researchers in particular, and amateur astronomers as well. In addition to the various programmes and workshops, the TA visits make a large contribution to this impact via the participation of early career researchers and students – the visits provide opportunities that are not otherwise available to them, thus accelerating their career development.
Economic impact of the RI is more challenging to evidence. However, the funding for early career researchers within the activities – particularly the TA visits – is noteworthy. In addition, some of the JRAs in particular have provided increasing support for local infrastructure and associated employment, and there has been at least one SME company that was developed as a result of the TA programme.
The Social and Societal impact has also been considerable, albeit more challenging to measure. There has been substantial outreach activity undertaken by TA facilities and TA visitors, and there has also been development of educational materials for school use. Both the management of the RI, as well as leaders of multiple TA facilities have engaged with policymakers and policy initiatives. Impact related to social responsibility is also notable. The mentorship programme and support provided for amateur astronomers widened the reach of those who could participate in and benefit from the activity of the RI. Direct support in the form of conference bursaries and workshops to support applications to the TA programme achieved similar goals. Some of these efforts also contribute to impact in the area of education and training and again highlight the multifaceted nature of the RI’s support for the international community of planetary researchers.
Across many of the RI activities, collaboration and networking emerges as key to impact, both as a pathway to impact and an indicator of its attainment. The network element provides support for researchers at all levels and strengthens the community, which in turn contributes to sustainability and improving the science. Put differently, the evaluation has identified not only the impact that the RI has achieved but also the way in which it does so – through its support of the community. In particular, the RI provides access – access to expertise, to equipment (labs, field sites) and to people. This access is supported by a host of interlocking activities that clearly impact on individuals – from doctoral students to amateur astronomers and beyond – and the science that they engage in, now and in the future. All of this, critically, does not just lead to good science, but the outward facing nature of much of the RI activity means the impacts will be broader than just on the scientists participating directly and their science, but vitally strengthens the planetary science community – and beyond.
