Science Communication

I have over 10 years of experience in science communication and educating people in a public space. To learn more about each format and section, click on the pictures below.

Falling Walls Science Breakthroughs of the Year

For over 10 years Falling Walls brings together some of the world’s best researchers to discuss and celebrate the latest breakthroughs in science and society from around the world that are helping to solve some of our biggest challenges.

In ten categories ranging from life sciences to social sciences and humanities to science in the arts, outstanding research projects are honored annually as the Falling Walls Science Breakthroughs of the Year. These breakthroughs represent significant advances, groundbreaking developments, innovative ideas, and achievements that remove barriers to progress in the nominees’ respective fields. In 2020, the ten breakthroughs were identified by a prestigious global jury chaired by Helga Nowotny, President Emeritus of the European Research Council. The juries chose the scientific breakthroughs of the year from 940 research projects that were nominated by academic institutions from 111 countries on all continents.

Museum für Naturkunde Berlin

Research museums, like the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin (MfN Berlin) are places of education, teaching and knowledge transfer, as well as public scientific discourse.

The MfN’s exhibitions, educational programs, and approach to public engagement are regarded internationally as state of the art and I am extremely proud to be part of such a great team. The department of Science Communication and Outreach aims to create a range of innovative, targeted programs designed to engage the public with science, build long-term visitor relationships, and unleash visitor potential. To do this, one of the department’s ongoing tasks is to prepare and present research findings and the museum’s collections in a way that promotes dialogue between society, scientists, and policy-makers.

The exhibition that I am a part of, “Tristan – Berlin bares teeth”, takes visitors on an exciting expedition around Tyrannosaurus rex. Tristan Otto, the only original skeleton of a T. rex on display in Europe to date, is the heart and soul of the show. The predatory dinosaur is twelve meters long. Extraordinary media stations (see video below) and original exhibits tell riveting stories relating to the discovery of – and research on – the illustrious predatory dinosaur from the Upper Cretaceous period.

I also had the chance to engage with the public and join educational programs and scientific talks during events such as Long Night of Science and Long Night of Museums, where visitors enjoy an enormous variety of educational programs and take a peep behind the scenes of museums and are able to talk directly to scientists and educators.

Lange Nacht der Museen / Long Night of Museums

The Long Night of the Museums has been invented together by Berlin’s main museums and the city marketing in the middle of the ’90s. The first Long Night in February 1997 attracted 6,000 visitors and a total of 18 museums join the event. Until 2012, the Long Night took place twice a year (in January and August). In 2017, the museums together with more than 32,000 visitors celebrated the anniversary “20 Years Long Night” under the motto “Made in Berlin”.

The variety of programs is enormous and it gives visitors a look behind the scenes of the museums, personal encounters with museum educators and scientists. The popularity of the Long Night was evident from the beginning in the unabashed copying of this Berlin invention.

Around 120 cities around the world are currently holding museum nights, including Amsterdam, Buenos Aires, and Paris. Other social areas have also successfully adapted the format. The Long Night of Museums is the highlight of Museum Summer, which in 2018 invited to open-air events in museums throughout Berlin in July and August. On August 25, another 80 museums will be inviting around 800 events. The Long Night of the Museums is a joint event of the museums with the state-owned society Kulturprojekte Berlin.

The program of the Long Night of the Museums from 2001 to 2017 can be found here.

– During my time at the Museum Für Naturkunde, I joined this event every year from 2009 – to 2016, where I assisted in leading guided tours in the museum collections and educating adults and kids about the different exhibitions.

Lange Nacht der Wissenschaften / Long Night of Science

The Long Night of Science in Berlin and Potsdam, which takes place annually – usually on a Saturday in late May / early June – is a joint project of about 70 scientific institutions of the region. The organizer is the Long Night of Sciences e. V., in which scientific and science-related institutions have joined forces.
I have volunteered at this annual event at the Museum für Naturkunde and the Biology Department of Freie Universität Berlin during my Master studies:

• June 2015: Freie Universität Berlin – Institute of Biology
  „Evolution Today – How does Evolution work? Everyday Examples “presentation  (Info)
• May 2014: Museum für Naturkunde
  Ask a Scientist:” The Food Culture of the Dinosaurs – Herbivores & their Changing Teeth„
  presentation (Info)

Other Science Communication Involvement