13/09/2019 | 16 Postdoctoral Researchers and two Junior Research Group Leaders participated in the second ZMT Postdoc Retreat on “Make an Impact! Science Communication & Outreach Activities for Postdocs”. To enhance interinstitutional cooperation two postdocs from the Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology (BIPS) in Bremen and one Postdocs from the German Shipping Museum in Bremerhaven, which is also member of the Leibniz association, joined the retreat. 

The participants got an insight into methods, how they simplify complex topics and make a personal reference to their topic visible. By doing so, they learned to arouse the attention of their audience and keep it awake. In addition, the scientists learn how to present complex contexts in different scenarios (e.g. Science Slam, Scientific Presentation, interdisciplinary audience etc…) in such a way that they become understandable to the respective public. Moreover, participants learned how to speak and act in front of a (video) camera and how to create a short movie. In the evening there as enough space for informal get together at the wonderful venue of the “Alte Schule” in Lübberstedt, aproximarely 40 km north of Bremen.

For the retreat we recruited two highly specialized trainers: Dr. Julia Offe is a molecular biologist, science communicator and co-founder of the format Science Slam. Andreas Laurenz Maier works as an actor and personal coach and he regularly gives workshops with a focus on authentic stage presence and appealing presentation. Andreas Laurenz Maier has moderated the Science Slam in Cologne since 2010.