Bridging Spheres Pop-up Campus

Fridays for Future calls on politicians to follow the science. Scientists are willing to speak out and provide information. Some policymakers are interested in learning more because they have little background in climate science and climate modeling. In this scenario, the three could be natural partners in a unique situation of a severe global problem. However, all sides experience difficulties in getting information across, acquiring the information they need, or communicating in a way that is useful for all partners. In fact, some typical difficulties can be observed regardless of the research sphere and regardless of the group with which exchange is planned. The spheres of science, the media, the public, and policymakers each operate and function according to their own very specific values and logic sets.

In this pop-up campus, we open a window into a deeper understanding of the other spheres and build strong bridges between the different spheres. Participants will learn to understand the needs and requirements of the other spheres and how to build bridges between their own research and the different spheres. Based on this understanding they will develop their individual toolbox, which will be fed from 3 learning areas:

1. creating a personal scientific statement,
2. contributing as an expert guest in a podcast and
3. authoring a position or advisory paper

What's in it for you?

• Understanding the complexity of bridge building and the needs of the addressed spheres
• Extending your competencies in communication, dialogue and knowledge transfer
• Developing your career by exploring different career pathways in science communication
• Networking with fellow researchers, media professionals, policymakers, potential employers and stakeholders beyond the scientific sphere

The up-coming Bridging Spheres Pop-up Campus is a first event in a series that will be hosted at one of the 7 Helmholtz Centers in the research field Earth and Environment over the next years, accompanying the research within the program-oriented funding (POFIV).

Moderation: Dr. Susanne Gatti, AWI

Impulse lecture (Day 1, UFS Schneefernerhaus): Prof. Dr. Armin Nassehi, LMU, Chair of General Sociology and Theory of Society 

Impulses and working phases (Day 2 and 3, KIT Campus Alpin):

1. Impuls and working phase I ‘Creating a personal research statement’: Dr. Viola Gerlach, Research Institute for Sustainability RIFS, Potsdam
2. Impuls and working phase II: ‘Authoring a position or advisory paper’: Matthias Tang, Research Institute for Sustainability RIFS, Potsdam
3. Impuls and working phase III: ‘Contributing as an expert guest in a podcast ‘: Marie Heidenreich, SynCom, Berlin

Evening event ‘Best practice stakeholder dialogue’:

Dr. Viola Gerlach, Research Institute for Sustainability RIFS, Potsdam

Evening event fireside chat ‘Career pathways on science communication’:

• Dr. Susanne Gatti, AWI, & Dr. Annett Hüttges, GFZ, moderators
• Marie Heidenreich, SynCom
• Laura Schmidt, Public relations officer, UFS Schneefernerhaus
• Florian Diepold-Erl, Climate protection manager, Landratsamt Garmisch-Partenkirchen

The event will be held in English.

The Bridging Spheres Pop-up Campus is held from Monday, April 8 to Friday, April 12, 2024, starting on Monday at 6.30pm with an icebreaker and closing on Friday at 13.00pm after lunch. Prior to the event, a half-day online introductory workshop will take place in February or March 2024.

The Bridging Spheres Pop-up Campus will take place at KIT Campus Alpin in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. A 1-day working session is held at Germany’s highest research station Environmental Research Station (UFS) Schneefernerhaus on Mount Zugspitze.

Bridging Spheres is open to 30 participants from the 7 Helmholtz centers in the research field Earth & Environment. It is targeted towards

• late PhD candidates (2 years completed),
• postdocs,
• science managers,
• senior scientists.

Participants need to have a high interest in science communication, feel a strong connection to questions related to climate change, have a contract at one of the 7 Helmholtz centers and be comfort­able with English as working language.

Online application is open from December 1, 2023 – January 15, 2024 . To apply please complete an online application form on LimeSurvey’.

Interested candidates will be asked a couple of questions on motivation and interest for this event. For the questions see here.

A steering committee will select participants from the centers to set up a diverse group with respect to gender, age, nationality, POF Topic, experience in science communication and career level end of January 2024. Applicants will be informed about their acceptance by end of January 2024.

Participating Helmholtz centers in the research field Earth & Environment will decide individually about the sharing mode of costs, i.e. whether costs are covered by the local Career Center or the respective program or the research group. Please enquire with your local Career Center on how the costs regarding participation, travel and accommodation (for 4 nights) will be covered.

The participation fee of 500,- € includes training, a 1-day-work session at Environmental Research Station Schneefernerhaus on Mt. Zugspitze, lunches, refreshments and two evening events.

The event is organized by KIT’s Institute of Meteorology and Climate Research – Atmospheric Environmental Research in Garmisch-Partenkirchen (IMK-IFU). For questions please contact Dr. Elija Bleher (Elija bleher∂kit edu, 08821-183-111).