Graphene is a two-dimensional material made of a single layer of carbon atoms. Because of its unique mechanical and electrical properties, graphene has a number of potential industrial applications. Each year, representatives of both industry and academia interested in graphene take part in an international conference known as the Graphene Week.

The 2016 conference was hosted by the Institute of Electronic Materials Technology (ITME), now the Łukasiewicz Research Network’s Institute of Microelectronics and Photonics. The Polish research institute works on the commercial applications of graphene, including transparent heating devices made out of graphene that can heat borosilicate glass up to 500°C and graphene magnetic heat sensors that can measure high-voltage currents.

WORLD-CLASS GRAPHENE SPECIALISTS IN WARSAW

For four days in June 2016, the University of Warsaw campus hosted several hundred world-class graphene specialists representing both industry and academia. Organised as part of the Graphene Flagship research initiative and funded by the European Commission, the event was dedicated to research on graphene and other two-dimensional materials and served as a knowledge exchange platform, with presentations of results by research groups and companies working to commercialise scientific research.

EXHIBITION OF POLISH GRAPHENE INNOVATIONS

The Polish edition of the Graphene Week was also a launch event for the Graphene in Poland research initiative, established by the Institute of Electronic Materials Technology (ITME), the Łódź University of Technology, the Warsaw University of Technology, the Faculties of Physics of the University of Warsaw and the University of Łódź, and three companies: Nano Carbon, Advanced Graphene Products (AGP), and SECO/WARWICK. The aim of the initiative is to develop commercial uses for research on graphene carried out in Poland. A special exhibition space was dedicated to the Graphene in Poland during the conference.

PROMOTING THE CONFERENCE AND POLISH GRAPHENE RESEARCH

By partnering with ITME, we faced a double challenge. Our goal was not only to promote the event and provide professional PR support, but also to use the event’s potential to build the institute’s image and reach out to businesses that could be interested in Polish graphene initiatives.

To that end, we prepared a complex communications plan and ran a professional press office during the event. We were also responsible for photography and video production as well as the social media infrastructure during the event. 

With our help, ITME became recognised as a leader in graphene research and the European Commission conference organisers received professional support, which made them more visible in the media. We crafted nearly 300 media pitches focused on the institute and the conference, including 50 pitches for broadcast media.

As a PR agency that works with research institutes, we knew how to communicate with doctoral students to improve their presentation skills. One of the goals of the project was to foster partnerships between science and business. That’s why our PR skills for R&D and innovations were so effective.

The conference in numbers:
7,450 shots taken
3,500 final images
Over 2,200 minutes of video time
2,220 views of all YouTube videos
48 minutes of uploaded videos
45 events filmed throughout the conference
17 videos produced

Press releases:
https://proscience.pl/newsroom/grafen-czas-na-polski-produkt/
https://proscience.pl/newsroom/polski-grafen-polaczyl-sily/