The ZI Hermann von Helmholtz-Zentrum für Kulturtechnik at the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and the Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz Institute for Evolutionary and Biodiversity Research wish to appoint a W3S-Professorship for “Science and Society/Public Science” at the earliest convenience.

The Museum für Naturkunde Berlin is a world leader in collection-based biodiversity and evolution research and, as Germany’s most visited (natural history) museum, offers an excellent platform for knowledge exchange between science and society. With the “Future Plan” funded by the federal government and the state of Berlin, the museum will undergo a far-reaching transformation over the next 10 years, a key aspect of which is the development of a joint “Science Campus for Nature and Society” with the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. The aim of the joint science campus is to expand and deepen the inter- and transdisciplinary cooperation and knowledge transfer of both institutions. By creating a space for public discourse, participation in research and critical reflection, the Science Campus aims to address – in theory and practice – to solving pertinent and urgent scientific and societal challenges arising e.g. from rapid global climate and ecosystem change.

The professorship will establish a research program on science and society in the interdisciplinary environment of the museum, the university and the science campus. She/he will research and promote the emergence of new forums of collaboration between different societal actors from science, civil society, politics and business as well as new formats of knowledge production and governance of science (e.g. public engagement, participatory research, co-creation/co-production of knowledge, citizen science, science-policy interfaces). She/he is expected to develop the analytical framework for theoretical and practical approaches to these novel forms of knowledge production and their scientific performance and societal impact, including their evaluation criteria. In addition to inter- and transdisciplinary experience and openness, a further desired focus should be an empirical approach, through which both quantitative and qualitative methods of social research can be applied.

The professorship, jointly appointed by the Museum für Naturkunde and Humboldt-Universität, will be based at the Hermann von Helmholtz-Zentrum für Kulturtechnik, which, as the central institute of the HU, is dedicated to inter- and transdisciplinary research into cultural techniques, with a particular focus on collections and exhibitions as formats of knowledge exchange. The professorship thus establishes a conceptual and programmatic link between the two institutions.

The post holder is expected to a) contribute substantially to the museum’s science programme “Society & Nature”, b) to support its impact through a strong connection to the science campus and c) to the museum’s collection development and research activities. In addition, she/he is expected to acquire third-party funding for the strategic development and expansion of the research and transfer/knowledge exchange activities of the Science Campus.

We are looking for persons who represent the topic of the professorship in research and teaching to the broadest possible extent and who are accomplished in the following main areas:

internationally recognised research in one or more areas relevant to the field, e.g. public engagement, knowledge exchange (knowledge transfer), co-production of knowledge, open science; experience in the conception, organisation and delivery of innovative inter- and transdisciplinary research and transfer/knowledge exchange projects; experience in interdisciplinary research and collaboration, especially in/with the life sciences and/or natural history museums; outstanding subject-relevant dissertation and additional scientific achievements, evidenced by publications, project documentation or similar; track record in successful acquisition of third-party funding; experience in interdisciplinary project-oriented teaching.

The applicants must meet the legal requirements for professorial appointments in accordance with § 100 of the `Berliner Hochschulgesetz`.

Application on

HU is seeking to increase the proportion of women in research and teaching, and specifically encourages qualified female scholars to apply. Researchers from abroad are welcome to apply. Several disabled applicants with equivalent qualifications will be given preferential consideration. People with an immigration background are specifically encouraged to apply.

Please send your application (including a list of publications, a complete list of courses, details of previous and current (third-party funded) research projects, a 2-page summary of the research profile), quoting the reference number, to the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Director of the Helmholtz-Zentrum für Kulturtechnik, Prof. Dr. Sharon Macdonald, Unter den Linden 6, 10099 Berlin or preferably by e-mail in a PDF file to hzk.berufungen@hu-berlin.de.

Since we will not return your documents, please submit copies in the application only.

If you have any questions about the professorship, please contact the Genaral Director of the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin, Prof. Johannes Vogel, Ph.D. (generaldirektor@mfn.berlin).

Please visit our website, which gives you access to the legally binding German version.

Further information, can be found here.

via HU-Berlin
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