Unsere Wissenschaft Our Science SEITE 4 Eine Natürliche Symbiose a Natural Symbiosis

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Unsere Wissenschaft Our Science SEITE 4 Eine Natürliche Symbiose a Natural Symbiosis 2015 / 2016 Unsere Wissenschaft Our Science SEITE 4 Eine natürliche Symbiose A natural symbiosis SEITE 8 Auf einen Blick MISSION At a glance Wir erforschen die Erde und das Leben im Dialog mit den Menschen. SEITE 10 Neun Leitthemen VISION Nine science themes Als exzellentes Forschungsmuseum und innovatives Kommunikationszentrum SEITE 20 prägen wir den wissenschaftlichen und Forschung Highlights gesellschaftlichen Dialog um die Zukunft Research highlights unserer Erde mit – weltweit. SEITE 68 Das Museum in Zahlen The museum by numbers SEITE 70 Annex Appendix Eine natürliche Symbiose | A natural symbiosis A natural symbiosis. The handwriting, the name, his global collection and Alexander von Humboldt’s life achievements are the inspiration and guidance for the work at the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin: deepening research, communicating knowledge and changing society – for nature / FÜR NATUR. Eine natürliche Symbiose. Die Handschrift, der Name, die globale Sammlung und das Lebenswerk unseres Alexander von Humboldt was the first globally Paten und Inspirators Alexander von Humboldt stehen thinking and acting German scientist. Until today he ab jetzt für die Arbeit und Aufgabe unseres Museums: is remembered and revered all over the globe for his Forschung vertiefen, Erkenntnisse vermitteln, Gesell- groundbreaking work. During his long life he effortlessly schaft verändern – alles FÜR NATUR. interwove 1) excellent science, 2) complex, holistic reflections, 3) thought-leadership in a global context Alexander von Humboldt war der erste global denkende with 4) political ideas and action. His name stands und handelnde Wissenschaftler Deutschlands und proud above our entrance door – small wonder that wird als solcher auch heute noch weltweit verehrt und all over the world, we are, in relation to this association beachtet. Exakt wissenschaftlich arbeitend, global, and our home town Berlin – known as the Humboldt verantwortlich, politisch denkend und handelnd Museum. war sein Leben. Sein Name steht über dem Eingang unseres ehrwürdigen Museums – kein Wunder, dass His signature, his collection and distinguished life, our wir durch diese Asso ziation und unseren Standort welt- work and our motto thus intertwine to form this natural weit als Humboldt-Museum berühmt sind. symbiosis. Seine Handschrift, seine Sammlung, sein Lebenswerk, No question – 2015 and 2016 were T. rex Tristan Otto’s unsere Arbeit und unser Motto bilden damit, wie selbst- years in Berlin. Just eleven months after we were offered Viel mehr als nur verständlich, eine natürliche Symbiose. this unique opportunity, we were able to host the brand- new exhibition “Tristan – Berlin bares teeth”, featuring „Tristan-Jahre“! Keine Frage: die Jahre 2015 und 2016 am Museum für the sensationally well-preserved Tyrannosaurus rex Naturkunde Berlin waren „Tristan Otto-Jahre“. Gerade skeleton with its dark, uncanny aura. Tristan Otto, one einmal elf Monate nachdem er uns angeboten worden of the best preserved specimens of its kind is also the So much more war, konnten wir diesen sensationell gut erhaltenen first original T. rex on display in Europe. This would not und dunkel-bedrohlich wirkenden Tyrannosaurus rex have been possible without the vision and generosity bereits in der Sonderausstellung „Tristan – Berlin zeigt of its owners Niels Nielsen and Jens Jensen combined than just Tristan. Zähne“ präsentieren – das erste jemals in Europa with the exemplary skills and commitment of Museum gezeigte T. rex-Originalskelett. Dass dieses gelang, für Naturkunde staff. Over 70 staff members took up the verdanken wir dem vorbildlichen Einsatz von über 70 challenge and gave everything. Their dedication and Mitarbeiterinnen und Mitarbeitern, die alles gaben, efforts were crowned with success – visitor numbers um alles möglich zu machen. Der Erfolg gab ihnen in 2016 rose by 51 % compared to 2015 – an already recht: das Museum steigerte seine Besucherzahlen record-breaking year. With 821,429 visitors in 2016, im Jahr 2016 um 51 % gegenüber dem bereits selbst the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin became the most- rekordverdächtigen Besucherjahr 2015 und wurde visited natural history museum in Germany and the mit 821.429 Besucherinnen und Besuchern das mit most visited of all 170 Berlin museums. At the same Abstand meistbesuchte Naturkundemuseum Deutsch- time, Tristan became a most fascinating subject for our lands und das meistbesuchte der ca. 170 Berliner palaeontological research. Museen. Parallel dazu erwies sich Tristan Otto als ein hoch spannendes paläontologisches Forschungsobjekt. 4 5 Eine natürliche Symbiose | A natural symbiosis Dass die Jahre 2015 und 2016 außerordentlich erfolg- reich waren, ist allerdings nicht allein Tristan Ottos Verdienst. Der Prozess des Wandels, der 2012 begann, trägt nun deutlich Früchte: eine signifikante Steigerung der Drittmittel um 40 % (= 23 % des MfN Gesamt- budgets), eine Steigerung der Besucherzahlen um 75 % und eine 50 %ige Steigerung ISI-gelisteter Publikationen im obersten Quartil (2016 insgesamt 86 % in 1st (59 %) Ende 2016 gelang dann so etwas wie ein politischer und 2nd (27 %) Quartil). Wie dieser Report anschaulich ‚Ritterschlag‘. Unter der Überschrift „Investitions- zeigt, war das Museum sehr aktiv und sehr erfolgreich pakt für die wachsende Wissenschaft“ führte die bei der Digitalisierung der Sammlungen und Inhalte, The success of 2015/16 is not just due to Tristan Otto. Koalitionsvereinbarung des neuen Berliner Senats der Erfassung und Beobachtung der biologischen Viel- The dynamic transformation that we started in 2012, aus: „Das Museum für Naturkunde ist einer der falt unseres Planeten, der Bildungs- und Beratungs- is bearing fruit: since 2012 income from competive wissenschaftlichen und kulturellen Leuchttürme Following the 2016 Berlin city election we received an arbeit sowie der Förderung der Bürgerwissenschaften grants is up by 40 % (now equaling 23 % of the total Berlins. Die Koalition wird die Voraussetzungen für die important political accolade. The coalition agreement auf Berliner, deutschlandweiter und internationaler MfN budget), 50 % rise in 1st quartile ISI publications zukunftsweisende Entwicklung seiner Aus stel lungen, included an important paragraph under the heading Ebene. Jeder Forschungsbereich arbeitete intensiv (86 % of our ISI publications are now in 1st (59 %) and die Stärkung seiner Forschungskompetenz und ‘Investment pact for the development of science’, which daran, herausragende Leistungen zu erbringen. 2nd quartile (27 %) ) and 75 % more visitors. As this die langfristige Sicherung und Zugänglichkeit seiner reads “The Museum für Naturkunde is one of Berlin’s Auf allen relevanten Konferenzen war der international report will demonstrate we are actively digitizing our wissenschaftlichen Sammlungen als weltweit ge nutzte scientific and cultural beacons. The coalition senate agierende Forschungsbereich Evolution und Geopro- vast collection and other content, discovering and Forschungsinfrastruktur schaffen.“ Ein starkes Ver- will create the right conditions for a forward-looking zesse mit Beiträgen vertreten. Durch den Forschungs- describing the world’s biodiversity, educating young sprechen – das wir meinen verdient zu haben. development of its exhibitions, the enhancement bereich Sammlungsentwicklung und Biodiversitäts- and old, fostering and exercising leadership for citizen of its research competence, as well as ensuring the entdeckung wurden die Sammlungen nach modernsten science at local, national and international level. Und wenn wir gerade bei diesem Stichwort sind: long- term conservation and accessibility of its scientific Prinzipien gepflegt und erweitert und für die Forschung Every team at the museum strives to deliver excellent Verdient haben unseren herzlichen Dank einmal mehr collections as a research infrastructure used by bereitgestellt. Der Forschungsbereich Digitale Welt und results. Researchers in the Science Programme of alle, die mit Herzblut dafür gesorgt haben, dass wir so scientists all over the world.” What a promise – and Informationswissenschaft hat sich zu einem Zentrum Evolution and geo-processes were invited to speak ausgesprochen erfolgreich waren: alle am Museum we believe we deserve it. für die Sicherung, Bereitstellung und übergreifende at many important international conferences. Staff Tätigen, unser Wissenschaftlicher Beirat, unser Stif- Nutzung von Daten entwickelt. Die Themen Politikbe- in the Science Programme Collections development tungsrat, unsere Zuwendungsgeber, unsere Besucher- We owe heartfelt thanks to so many people and friends: ratung, Wissenstransfer und Wissenschaftsgeschichte, and biodiversity discovery re-curate our collection in innen und Besucher und alle weiteren Unterstützer- whether they work at the Museum, whether they are die zunehmend wissenschaftspolitische Bedeutung accordance with modern principles and make them innen und Unterstützer, die in der einen oder anderen part of our Scientific Advisory Board, our Board of gewinnen, wurden vom Forschungsbereich Wissen- even more accessible for scientific inquiry. The Science Weise ihren Teil zum Erfolg beigetragen haben. Trustees, our sponsors and visitors or in other ways schaftskommunikation und Wissensforschung forciert. Programme Digital world and information science is support us – they all can justifiably feel proud for their Unsere Aktivitäten orientierten sich dabei an den neun developing into a centre for innovative solutions for, share in this success story. Thank you! Leitthemen, die den Rahmen für die Aktivitäten
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