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30 Years Bonn Science Shop WILA Wissenschaftsladen Bonn ANNIVERSARY EDITION 30 YEARS BONN SCIENCE SHOP il Society Civ fer ans Tr ge act led o w t o Kn w o n y k it to il b a n e i t a a t c s u u d S e o t 2 Guiding Principles Education - Knowledge - Action: All the projects and events at Bonn Science Shop (WILA Bonn) are governed by the aim of enabling people to use their knowledge in order to make social changes in their natural and societal environment possible. But action can only be undertaken by those who have understood the societal challenges and the Education options available for action. This is why people‘s education is one of Bonn Science Shop‘s most important concerns, i.e. to support the acquisition of knowledge and foster the ability to act. This applies to all citizens who are thereby enabled to get involved in all societal concerns in a more competent manner. However, it also applies to scientists whom we would like to motivate so that they deal quite consciously with civil society concerns and requests. 1 German Nature Conservation Prize Action Knowledge Preamble | 3 30 Years Bonn Science Shop Motivation History Funding For (now) thirty years the work of the Indignation about the fact that The Bonn Science Shop is a non-profit Bonn Science Shop has been dedicated scientists were doing their research organization, working on a cost- to societal challenges: the enormous in an ‚ivory tower‘ and citizens had covering but not profit-orientated consumption of land, the phasing out no benefit from it at all - that was the basis. The institution as a whole does from nuclear and fossil-fuel energy, motivation for a handful of students not receive any official funding. The sustainable spheres of work, social to found the Science Shop in 1984. Bonn Science Shop only receives justice - just to mention a few. Science Shops in these days were regular part-funding for its Education also set up in 7 other German towns, Centre because - according to the Such challenges can only be met if following a Dutch example. Landesweiterbildungsgesetz NRW2 - it science and research is making them is a accredited institution for further one of its concerns and citizens are But different from the situation in education and training. able also to understand complex issues the Netherlands, Science Shops in in such a way that they are able to act Germany have not received any public Basically we finance our work accordingly. This is the interface for funding to date. Bonn Science Shop, through information, measuring Bonn Science Shop‘s work. too - with around 35 employees and a and consultancy services as well as turnover of around three million Euros research projects supported by third Bonn Science Shop thereby sees itself as the largest Science Shop worldwide - is party funds. The projects of the Bonn a mediator between science, research economically standing on its own feet. Science Shop are funded - amongst and civil society: new scientific findings others - by the European Commission, are incorporated into our projects. We German Federal and State Ministries, try to link Higher Education Institutions Federal Offices, and funding networks with community-orientated questions. such as Klimakreis Köln, and also by foundations and single local authorities. 2 Continuous Education/Training Act of the State of North-Rhine Westphalia We would like to take you along this timeline, past ”milestones“ 30 YEARS WILA of our history – past challenges, awards, innovations, changes … 4 We work … independently in a transdisciplinary manner with an innovative approach Since the foundation of Bonn Science We can only do our work successfully if When renewable energy boomed at Shop, the role of civil society has we cooperate with scientists of various the beginning of the millennium, it become ever more important. More disciplines - within the Science Shop was already foreseeable, beyond the than in former days it is a question of and beyond. enthusiasm: finding the experts will citizens and community groups being turn into a bottleneck which can slow able to get involved in an informed As important to us as inter-disciplinary down the phasing out from nuclear and competent manner and that - cooperation with scientists is our and fossil-fuel energy. A typical subject when public decisions on projects and transdisciplinary work, i.e. the inclusion for Bonn Science Shop: how to bring developments are to be made - there of those without whose actions the companies, Higher Education Institutes should be a mediation of interests challenges of society could not be met: and the potential workforce together, between civil society and public the people who in their locality or in close information gaps, or motivate decision makers. The inclusion of Bonn their profession make sure that the the young to become the workforce Science Shop and also of public policy energy revolution is making progress, of tomorrow and part of the energy makers in such processes guarantees that land consumption is reduced, revolution? that citizens‘ interests are taken into that children turn into discoverers and account in a competent and targeted scientists are confronted with citizens‘ Land consumption - largely unnoticed manner. requests and needs. by the public - threatens biodiversity. Who are the actors? How can Bonn Science Shop and its staff have municipalities, district administrations, a social, an ethical approach. We are farmers, tourism or even environmental value-driven. At the same time we are campaigners be induced to jointly and independent of any individual interests systematically approach and discuss and party-political perspectives and the usage of their land areas? thus develop concepts to show the way to sustainable action. A HANDFUL OF STUDENTS ESTABLISH STUDY FOR THE TRAINING 1984 BONN SCIENCE SHOP 1987 OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANTS Ihr Ziel: Als kritische Vermittler wissenschaft- Environmental consciousness is growing liche Erkenntnisse für Bürger/innen nutzbar zu but knowledge of environmental problems machen und gesellschaftliche Fragestellungen is scant, even amongst the experts. WILA in die Uni zu ”tragen“. develops task profiles and training require- ments for environmental consultants. How we work | 5 ”PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY AND ROOM TO MANOEUVRE“ People who only wish to work scientifically or need a fixed routine will not be happy at at the Bonn Science Shop. To colleagues like myself, who have only recently joined, this is quite clear: Your job is only safe in the long run if it is refinanced through projects. Two examples show what our work Which means I have plenty of personal responsibility, consists of: To early recognize gaps in but also a lot of room to manoeuvre. information and action - as in these Pia Spangenberger, Renewable Energies cases - and then deal with them using the appropriate instruments, methods and materials. As far as methods are concerned, this can be done in many different ways: from job fairs to ”SOMETIMES A DIFFICULT BUSINESS“ online debates, from communication Self-administration is sometimes a difficult campaigns to computer games, from business. For such a large number of colleagues courses for advanced vocational to come to a joint decision takes a lot of time. training to teaching materials, from On the other hand I would not like to miss it: Open Space to Science Cafés. With us, everyone can help to shape things. It’s no wonder, nobody wants to leave. In every case we are searching - both regarding content and methods - for Karin Chlupaty, Accounts innovative solutions which do not only deal with the individual case. It is much more a question of developing model ways and results, which encourage others to follow. FOUNDATION OF AWILA INFORMATION SERVICE 1991 Amalgamation of German Science 1994 Weekly evaluation of current job Shops to become the ”Arbeits- advertisements in ”arbeitsmarkt“ gemeinschaft der Wissenschafts- Umweltschutz & Naturwissen- läden“3. schaften4 by Bonn Science Shop. 3 Consortium of Science Shops 4 ”employment market“: Environmental Protection & Natural Sciences 6 Science Shop in practice PROJECT EXAMPLES Who will manage the energy revolution? Responsible Research and Innovation Tools THE SITUATION THE SITUATION Whether the energy transition in Germany is a success does Climate change, use of risk technologies, food security, IT not depend on the political framework conditions only. security – only a few areas where successful research is Equally important: sufficient numbers of qualified experts the decisive factor for well-being worldwide. But to date are needed. research frequently operates quite detached from the values, needs and expectations of society. THE SOCIETAL CHALLENGE But the necessary technical progress can only be achieved if THE SOCIETAL CHALLENGE far more young people than up to now decide to enter the Research should be carried out responsibly, be governed by corresponding professions/ occupations. certain values and include all the important actors of the ”Research and Innovation Value-added Chain“ – such as THE PROJECT (2014 – 2016) scientists, industry, civil society and educational institutions. The aim is to motivate as many young people as possible to choose a profession/occupation with helps to advance the THE PROJECT (2014 – 2016) energy transition. The Bonn Science Shop is the German project partner of the EU project ”Responsible Research and Innovation METHODS AND INSTRUMENTS (RRI) Tools“. The aim of this 7 million Euro project, in Which professions/occupations can be considered part which institutions from 30 countries take part: working of the energy transition at all, what is their profile, which out a common understanding throughout Europe, what qualifications does one need to have? Questions to which responsible research and innovation means and identifying there are barely any answers to date. The basis of WILA’s ways in which such responsible research can be put into communication campaign is therefore first of all a study of practice.
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