Dialogue with Science

On December 6-8, 2011, the Gürzenich in Cologne hosted the 4th Forum on Science Communication. With this annual symposium, “Science in Dialogue” (Wissenschaft im Dialog, WiD), a joint initiative of major German research and science organizations, provides science and research communicators with a survey of current issues and strategies in science communication. This year’s topic was science communication between the conflicting demands of politics, society, and science.

27.04.2012, Berlin | Nobody likes to stay in the hospital. Especially not children who often don’t even understand why they have to remain in the hospital and what happens to them there. The doctors and nurses are strangers, the medical examination equipment often seems scary, and, after all, nothing beats being at home with one’s family.
With that in mind, Milly Orthen and Ursula Meisinger, the photographers of the Children’s Hospital in Munich-Schwabing, have designed a children’s book with the goal of helping children be more relaxed during their hospital stay and taking away their fear of medical examination equipment and therapies. The book will be published on May 3, 2012.

On October 23-26, 2011, the Campus Charité Mitte of the Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin hosted the third World Health Summit. Under the auspices of German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy, 1200 leading international experts from medicine, science, government, business, and civil society gathered under the guiding theme „Today’s Science – Tomorrow’s Agenda“. The Ernst Schering Foundation supported the World Health Summit 2011 again as an important international forum for discussing the 21^st century’s global challenges in the fields of health and research.

24.04.2012, Berlin | Innovation literally means „novelty“ or „renewal“. The „new“ is much in demand in many social fields but it is most important in science. Jürgen Mittelstraß and Harald zur Hausen will discuss the question „How does innovation work?“ at the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities (BBAW ) on May 7, 2012, at 6pm. The lecture and discussion is hosted by the Ernst Schering Foundation in cooperation with the BBAW in order to foster an interdisciplinary dialogue on innovation development.

On September 27, 2011, the GeoUnion Alfred Wegener Foundation presented new Earth science findings in health research at an interdisciplinary conference at the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities. As part of the “Science Year 2011 – Research for Our Health,” it seeked to create awareness for the various ways that our environment impacts on our health.

The long-term project “Galen of Pergamon. The Transmission, Interpretation and Completion of Ancient Medicine” at the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities invited to the 3rd “CMG Lecture on Ancient Medicine.” The lecture series aims to present selected topics in ancient medicine, and their current relevance, to a broader public. This year’s guest speaker was Sir Geoffrey Lloyd, Needham Research Institute, Cambridge, who gave a talk about “The Scientificity of Ancient Medicine” at the BBAW on March 17, 2011, at 6:30 p.m. The lecture was made possible by the Ernst Schering Foundation.

From November 29 until December 1, 2010, the Congress Center Rosengarten in Mannheim hosted the 3rd Forum on Science Communication, which was again supported and co-conceptualized by the Ernst Schering Foundation. With this Forum, Science in Dialogue (Wissenschaft im Dialog; WiD), an initiative of the major German science and research organizations, provides science and research communicators with an overview of current trends and strategies in science communication.

On October 10-13, 2010, the Campus Charité Mitte of the Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin (Charité) hosted the second World Health Summit. Under the auspices of German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy, the conference is organized by the Charité in cooperation with the M8 Alliance of Academic Health Centers and Medical Universities. The Ernst Schering Foundation supported the 2010 World Health Summit as an important international forum for discussing global challenges in the fields of health and research. During the opening ceremony of the Summit, Nobel Prize winner Ada E. Yonath presented the art project LIFE FLAG by artist Sabine Kacunko, which is also sponsored by the Ernst Schering Foundation.