1st Biological AdVent in-house exhibiton

On 12 December 2013 we opened doors for the 1st Biological Advent in-house exhibition in the framework of the academia-industry cooperation Students Lab "Fascinating Environment".

This event allowed all of our industry partners to present not only their contributions to the lab's equipment but also other products from their portfolio. The audience consisted of colleagues from other biological institutes as well as many interested students.

We could welcome nearly all of our partners: Nikon Instruments, Tecan, Hettich, Büchi, Memmert, Prior Scientific, Integra Biosciences, Promega, BFI Optilas, Mettler Toledo. All representants were pleased with how the exhibition went and showed interest to repeat it.

In the past we had already one "Industry Day 2010", but the following years we found no capacities to organise a second event. With the date fixed to the time before Christmas we want to make this exhibition an annual activity. Next round will also have useful lectures by our partners, e.g., on the very basics of microscopy, weighing practice, functioning of a monochromator and the like.

As a sideeffect, I had another opportunity to create a logo.

On the proper dissemination of findings

I seem to have gained already bit of a reputation as someone who cares about science communication, and also sports sort of expertise or at least can bring in a network that helps. At least, SETAC Europe's education committee learned enough about my activities to ask me to organise "a short course on communication tools" at SETAC Europe's annual meeting in Basel.

Needless to say that I agreed after shortly checking back with some colleagues who could give valuable input as instructors. We submitted a proposal "From quality platform and poster presentations to proper dissemination of findings - learn tools, get practice, gain experience" and promised to "help the participants to improve the quality of their platform and poster presentations and train them to adapt their communication of scientific results".

Together with Ulrike Kammann of Thünen Institute Hamburg, I will try to win the particpants for presentation design based on the presentationzen ideas of Garr Reynolds, but adapted to the needs of environmental sciences. Agnieszka Hunka of University of Twente will then teach the course proper poster design, and Katharina Tarnacki of the Institute for Management Cybernetics at RWTH Aachen University will help shaping written texts to catch the different target groups we have. Knowing a whole lot about successful design and writing the participants will then have the opportunity to train their skills with the production of some draft promotional material - aiming at a self-choosen audience.

The course will take place - given at least 10 people register for it - on Sunday 11 May from 8.00 to 17.30.

All along the Ivory Tower

We got our session! At the SETAC Europe Annual meeting 2014 in Basel, Switzerland, we will try to define a good way to leave the Ivory Tower and make environmental science matter to a broader public. The session will run on Wednesday, 14 May 2014, from 10.45 to 12.50.

Though the session became smaller and shorter than hoped and expected, we will hear 6 interesting and challenging talks about tools for science communication, the current state, and experiences already made within research projects - to pinpoint the best practice for a successful dissemination of scientific results.

Beside the platform presentations the session will provide another 6 authors opportunities for presenting and discussing their specific views to the audience in a short talk within the poster corner session during poster social that same day.

Hence, in total we will have 12 different perspectives to listen to, discuss about and learn from. That's a good step forward towards our goal of a comprehensive communication strategy for environmental sciences.