© illustrations by Kristina Heldmann
Societal impact through Interdisciplinarity
It has become evident that research alone is not sufficient to address complex societal issues such as loss of biodiversity and climate change. We believe that interdisciplinary communication and cooperation are the basis for creating a more sustainable future. We apply this in research, teaching and science communication to help establish a dialog between science and society.
¡vamos, simbiosis!
The project ¡vamos, simbiosis! brings together artists and scientists who are working to reconnect humans to the sea and inspire change for a more sustainable future.
In September 2022, an interdisciplinary group of more than 40 people came together to explore the Mediterranean Sea in Águllas in southern Spain. Working together across disciplines, outreach formats ranging from a theatre play, a dance performance, a mural to a children’s book on plankton, were created.
In May 2023, an exhibition about the project was shown at the LMU Biocenter.
Visit the ¡vamos, simbiosis! project for more information and watching the documentary movie.
Thinking Hands
Thinking Hands is a novel method that uses arts as means of (science) communication. It is based on a collective drawing process which strengthens the team spirit, encourages discussions and out-of-the-box thinking, and triggers new questions and synergies.
Since 2014, we explore power in workshops with groups of students ranging from the BSc, MSc to PhD level. The workshops are co-organized with the artist Stephanie Guse. and aim to visualize complex scientific content in a way that it becomes accessible to a lay audience. Typically, the group has a common topic which is jointly explored by artistic means. The final result is a sequence of powerful images representing the core aspects of a particular topic.
Topics realised by Thinking Hands include:
Wie funktioniert Wissenschaft? (2018); Gene Technology (2019); Sugar Talk - Sugar as building blocks for communication (2019) and Kinship (2022).
Discuss & Communicate Biodiversity
This course aims to provide insight into the biological sciences’ role in society and their contribution to a sustainable world, for example in the conservation and the popularisation of biodiversity.
The biology students are exposed to multidisciplinary lectures, guided interactive discussions, practical exercise and creative techniques.
In 2023, groups of students explored specific ecosystems, created a multidisciplinary, science-based outreach format, and presented it to a public audience.
