As part of the dissemination strategy, Ambassador* activities were proposed to disseminate towards public and young students:

• the interest and advantages of ActInPak,
• ActInPak results (consolidated or related to the partner’s activities),
• active and intelligent solutions in general,
• science and research in general.

Activities were not all documented and often re-occurred during the Action’s lifetime. Below an excerpt of the ambassador activities that were undertaken by ActInPak members:

Introduction to research and science for young people

• Introduction for elementary school students, such as the introduction to laboratory and paper research by LGP2 Pagora Grenoble, France, or the presentation on functional printing during the Graphic Days in collaboration with the Technical Museum in Slovenia  by Ljubljana University (https://www.ntf.uni-lj.si/igt/news/peta-dneva-grafike/)
• Workshops for high school students, such as ‘Understanding Packaging’ by FH Campus Wien, Austria
• Information days for future students and outer public, such as the information days by Ljubljana University, Slovenia (https://www.ntf.uni-lj.si/igt/en/event/information-days-2019/), but most partners have had open days at their university or institute
• Mixed audience: INNOVATE, presentation of innovations and technology in general to mixed audience of science as well as young people, by Bumaga, Netherlands (https://innovatearnhem.nl/)
• Teaching to university students, such as the lectures to Erasmus students about packaging, packaging technology, packaging design and of course active and intelligent packaging at University of Ecology and Management (http://eng.wseiz.pl/) done by Greg Ganczewski, Poland, but most partners are involved in teaching or giving guest lectures on the topic of the Action.

Knowledge transfer

• to industry
  • Austria: ECR group, resulting in joint conference in November 2018 (https://www.fh-campuswien.ac.at/die-fh/veranstaltungen/oesterreichischer-verpackungstag.html)
  • Slovenia: Presentation of food sector to Chamber of Commerce and Industry (https://www.gzs.si/Portals/Panoga-Kmetijska-Zivilska/Vsebine/dogodki-priponke/Veliki%20spomladanski%202018/Diana%20Gregor%20Svetec.pdf)
  • Green Slovenia: logistic and packaging
• to mixed audience of science, industry, policy makers, general public:
  • Netherlands: Innovation expo, to present Dutch innovation potential to tackle societal challenges on several topics, by Bumaga (https://www.innovatie-estafette.nl/)
• to general public
  • Finland: presentation of ActInPak during European Researchers’ Night (boosts public awareness of the positive role of research in society, especially among young people) (https://www.tutkijoidenyo.fi/en/european-researchers-night/)
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • blog on Smart Packaging by Dr. Diana Gregor Svetec http://www.zelenaslovenija.si/zeleni-blog/izbrani-prispevek

Part of the follow-up strategy to sustain the network and its results, the ActInPak StarterPack targets different audiences and transfer the knowledge on active and intelligent packaging. It can be used as a teaching tool, or dissemination tool. The StarterPack will contain local representatives to reach out to when more information on either ActInPak or active and intelligent packaging is needed.

*This strategy is based on the Outreach and Communication strategy of Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) and is relatively new to COST Action participants. MSCA fellows acting as “Ambassadors” organise activities with the aim of promoting their research to all public audiences. MSCA researchers visit schools and universities or assist educators in preparing teaching materials, participate in conferences or events targeting the large public. A MSCA fellow acting as Ambassador can act as a role model to inspire the young generation to become a scientist/researcher, and can also promote the MSCA brand by sharing their testimonial and encourage other researchers to apply.