University of Tübingen Recognizes Excellence in Science Communication
The University of Tübingen is once again honoring its researchers’ innovative and successful science communication. The Tübingen Prize for Science Communication 2024 goes equally to the Eastern European historian Professor Klaus Gestwa for his intensive explanation of the background to the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine as well as to the AI researcher Professor Ulrike von Luxburg and the two empirical cultural scientists Tim Schaffarczik and Professor Thomas Thiemeyer representative of the team for the “ Cyber and the City ” exhibition in the Tübingen City Museum. This year’s young talent award for science communication goes to the historian Claudia Lemmes.
The jury praised Geshwa’s tireless efforts in the political and historical context of the Ukraine conflict. The historian has used his extensive knowledge of the history, society and politics of Eastern Europe in recent years to educate the German public about the causes of the Russian war of aggression against the neighboring country and to counteract widespread assumptions and errors. He showed courage and did not avoid public arguments and hostilities. With his interviews, videos, magazine articles and lectures, Gestwa reached an audience of millions and thus made a significant contribution to shaping opinion in Germany about the war against Ukraine.
The jury recognized the creators of the “Cyber an the City” exhibition for their innovative approach to the topic of artificial intelligence. “The team around Ulrike von Luxburg, Tim Schaffarczik and Thomas Thiemeyer has productively taken up the discussion that has been going on for years about the opportunities and risks of artificial intelligence in general and about the AI research location Tübingen in particular, processed the content and presented the various aspects of AI excellently “depicted,” explained the jury. The exhibition, in the creation of which master’s students from empirical cultural studies and machine learning as well as employees of the Tübingen City Museum were also involved, is a good example of contemporary science communication in which those involved approach a partly critical public and their communication would align with the principles of participation and dialogue on equal terms.
The historian Claudia Lemmes will receive the 2024 Young Talent Award for communication about the DFG project “Impacts of medieval to early modern urban development on bodies of water using the example of Bad Waldsee” . The jury recognized the researcher’s intensive, multi-year commitment to communicating the methods and results of the interdisciplinary research project to the municipality of Bad Waldsee. Scientists from history, geology, ecotoxicology, paleobotany, archeology and other disciplines were involved in the project. With lectures and newspaper interviews as well as a continuous dialogue with local institutions in Bad Waldsee (Ravensburg district), such as the museum and local history association, the city administration and the city archive, the award winner ensured that the research work met with broad interest in urban society, she said Jury.
The Tübingen Prize for Science Communication is part of the Tübingen Excellence Strategy. The aim is to motivate scientists to communicate more about their research. The main prize is worth 10,000 euros and the young talent prize is worth 5,000 euros. The award for 2024 is expected to be presented at a public ceremony in May. The exact date will be announced at a later date.