Kick-Off Science Communication³

Spotlight on Exchange and Networking

Following the invitation of the Volkswagen Foundation, the kick-off event of the funding line Science Communication Cubed took place on September 19th and 20th in Hanover. At the conference center at Schloss Herrenhausen, we had an intensive exchange with the centers from Munich, Tübingen and the Rhine-Ruhr area, learned more about each other and further developed networking ideas.

After the opening welcome by Secretary General Georg Schütte as well as funding officer Cora Schaffert-Ziegenbalg, there were first networking opportunities in small groups: with the help of a map, pins and strings, all participants could once again get an impression of the diverse locations as well as the current and possible future collaborations of the four centers for science communication research. This was followed by a keynote by Anthony Leiserowitz, founder and director of the Climate Change Communication Program at Yale University.

Insights into the Work of the Four Centers for Science Communication Research

After the coffee break, the event continued with an insight into the four funded research centers. In short presentations, the centers introduced themselves, their work and their teams. Once again, numerous points of contact emerged, which were taken up at dinner and at the joint conclusion of the day.

Workshops on the Interaction with Practice, Society and the other Centers as well as on the Impact of Science Communication.

On the second day of the event, the focus was on various workshops. In a total of four groups, we exchanged ideas on the topics of collaboration with practitioners, the impact of science communication, the centers in society, and the networking between the centers. This gave rise to exciting ideas that will enrich both the individual work of the research centers and the work across the centers.

On the Funding Line Science Communication Cubed

Within the framework of the call for proposals “Science Communication Cubed – Centers for Science Communication Research”, researchers from various disciplines will be given the opportunity to work with different stakeholders from the field and the public to explore how effective science communication with non-scientific target groups that is not primarily guided by interests can succeed in the future. The results of these projects are then to be incorporated into the debate on science and society both within and outside academia. With this call for proposals, the Volkswagen Foundation would like to contribute in particular to capacity building in the field of science communication research. Continue reading here