COMMUNICATING RESEARCH ON SUSTAINABILITY AND GLOBAL CHANGE
The Potsdam Summer School 2019 is calling for applications now!
This year’s Summer School will take place from August 20 through August 29, 2019 in Potsdam, Germany. It will address the central topic of connecting science and society.
The 2019 Potsdam Summer School (PSS) will explore the importance of science communication in order to find effective ways of communicating highly relevant topics in the field of sustainability and global change. With its ten-day program, the PSS 2019 will enable participants to create individual as well as organizational communication strategies to various audiences. This includes both the reactive elements of press and media relations as well as the proactive communication via traditional and new media outlets.
Since the sharing of interdisciplinary knowledge and expertise is highly relevant, the following questions will also guide the ten-day programme:
- How can scientists address audiences from other societal areas?
- Can all sustainability topics be communicated equally?
- Should scientists become advocates rather than taking neutral positions only?
- How to deal with incomplete or wrongly presented scientific information?
- How to reduce complexity, without losing the scientific character?
- How to strengthen the credibility of scientific findings?
With its overarching theme – “Connecting Science & Society – Communicating Research on Sustainability and Global Change – this year’s Potsdam Summer School will continue the transdisciplinary and interactive event series that has been held annually in Potsdam, Germany since 2014. The summer school will provide its participants with a comprehensive look into theories and methods of science communication. They will be engaged in discussions and group works and will be provided with tools to develop effective communication strategies.
The aim is to bring together talented early-career scientists and young professionals operating in the private sector, governmental agencies and non-governmental organisations from many different parts of the world to discuss frontier (research) questions on future sustainable development. We also aim to train science communication ambassadors eager to engage with various sectors of the public back in their home countries. Our goal is to improve science awareness and help to develop informed opinions and enhance the transferable skills of current researchers.
In this context, the Potsdam Summer School provides a unique opportunity for all participants to foster international cooperation and an interdisciplinary exchange of ideas. These issues span a multitude of natural and social science disciplines and invite stakeholders from the public and private sector to get involved.
In partnership with Geo.X and the City of Potsdam, the 2019 Potsdam Summer School will be jointly organised by the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI), the Helmholtz-Centre Potsdam – GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS), the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), and the University of Potsdam. Experts, stakeholders, and guest lecturers from high level national and international institutes and organisations will contribute knowledge and insights to the Summer School programme. The programme will comprise lectures, various discussion formats, and interactive group work activities.
The call for applications will start on February 01. The deadline for submitting applications will be on April 30. For further information:Â www.potsdam-summer-school.org
For further information, please contact angela.borowski(at)iass-potsdam.de
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