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Crossing Boundaries in Science the Mystery of Risks – How Can Science Help Reconcile Perception and Assessment?

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Crossing Boundaries in Science the Mystery of Risks – How Can Science Help Reconcile Perception and Assessment? Leopoldina-Conference Crossing Boundaries in Science The mystery of risks – How can science help reconcile perception and assessment? 4 – 6 July 2019 Potsdam | Germany Cover picture: © Sisters of Design – Anja Krämer & Claudia Dölling GbR Crossing Boundaries in Science The mystery of risks – How can science help reconcile perception and assessment? 4 – 6 July 2019 Potsdam | Germany The mystery of risks – How can science help reconcile perception and assessment? 2nd Conference “Crossing Boundaries in Science” of German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina 4 – 6 July 2019 | Potsdam/Germany The conference format Crossing Boundaries in Science of the German Na- tional Academy of Sciences Leopoldina is meant to stimulate discussions between areas of research that are particularly dependent on new forms of interdisciplinary cooperation and method transfer. The first internation- al conference, entitled Modeling Nature and Society – Can We Control the World? took place in Weimar in June 2016. Its objective was to provide an overview and discuss current attempts using scientific modeling to under- stand and control complex systems in nature and society. The second international conference The mystery of risks – How can science help reconcile perception and assessment? will focus on the role of science in perception, assessment and handling of risks in our grow- ingly complex world. This includes the frequent overestimation of certain risks associated for example with terrorism, genetic engineering, artificial intelligence or vaccination but also the prevalent underestimation of risks associated with common causes of destruction, illness and death. The scientific community attempting to assess and communicate these risks objectively is often confronted with big challenges since public risk percep- tion systematically follows more subjective and emotional principles. This systematic misjudgment of risks often leads to irrational individual and sociopolitical decisions and the inefficient use of resources. 4 In the three-day conference scientists from areas such as sociology, econo- my, physics, psychology, medicine, meteorology and biology will discuss the following questions: • Did our lives get riskier or do we simply know too much about potential risks to handle them objectively? • How are risks socially constructed? • What are commonly underestimated and overestimated risks? • What are the positive as well as negative consequences of the mispercep- tion of risks? • Does the precautionary principle hinder innovation and progress? • How can science help to reconcile the systematic misperception of risk and promote evidence-based policy in this context? • Are scientists also responsible for creating new risks when providing new knowledge that may be misused for harmful purposes? • What are short term and long term science-based strategies to mitigate risks? • How to promote risk literacy and resilience of individuals and society? 5 Program Thursday, 4 July 2019 Potsdam Museum | Am Alten Markt 9 | 14467 Potsdam 18:30 Keynote Lecture Welcoming Address Jörg Hacker ML German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina Introduction Thomas Lengauer ML Max Planck Institute for Informatics Uncertain risks in an uncertain world Armin Nassehi Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich 20:15 Reception Friday, 5 July 2019 Hotel Mercure | Lange Brücke | 14467 Potsdam 9:00 Welcoming Address Bärbel Friedrich ML German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina 9:15 – 10:45 Session 1: How risks are socially constructed Chair: Ralph Hertwig ML Max Planck Institute for Human Development The paradox of the risk society Martin Schröder University of Marburg Risk as feelings and perception matters Ellen Peters The Ohio State University Discussion (speakers and chair) 10:45 – 11:15 Coffee Break 6 11:15 – 13:15 Session 2: Limits of assessing and communicating risks Chair: Alfons Bora University of Bielefeld Foundations of the precautionary principle and what’s wrong with empirical psychology Nassim Nicholas Taleb New York University Risk information transmission in critical infrastructures Didier Sornette ETH Zurich Risk communication and policy Ragnar Löfstedt King’s College London Discussion (speakers and chair) 13:15 – 14:30 Lunch 14:30 – 16:30 Session 3: Commonly over- and underestimated risks Chair: Thomas Lengauer ML Max Planck Institute for Informatics Between phlegm and panic – underestimated versus overestimated risks Gaby-Fleur Böl The German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment How to advocate for vaccination in a climate of science denial Cornelia Betsch University of Erfurt Can China trigger a crisis of globalization? Heribert Dieter Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik Discussion (speakers and chair) 16:30 Networking Coffee 17:00 Potsdam Palace Tour by Boat ML = Member of Leopoldina 7 Saturday, 6 July 2019 Hotel Mercure | Lange Brücke | 14467 Potsdam 8:45 – 10:30 Session 4: Assessing existential risks Chair: Julius Weitzdörfer Cambridge Centre for Existential Risks Student rapporteurs The challenge of climate change Jochem Marotzke ML Max Planck Institute for Meterology What is the real threat of pandemics? Lothar Wieler ML Robert Koch Institute Discussion (speakers and chair) 10:30 – 11:00 Coffee Break 11:00 – 13:00 Session 5: Coping with risks Chair: Filippa Lentzos King’s College London Coping with uncertainty in a complex world Ortwin Renn ML Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS), Potsdam How to cope with extreme global events and strengthen societies‘ resilience Garry Peterson Stockholm Resilience Centre Discussion (speakers and chair) Student rapporteurs & closing remarks How to improve risk literacy? Ralph Hertwig ML Max Planck Institute for Human Development 13:00 Farewell Networking Lunch Registration Please register via: www.leopoldina.org/risk2019 CVs of speakers and chairs in alphabetical order CVs of speakers and chairs in alphabetical order Cornelia Betsch Heisenberg Professor for Health Communication, University of Erfurt, Germany Affiliation and address: Health Communication | Gesundheitskommunikation Psychology and Infectious Diseases Lab | PIDI Lab Center for Empirical Research in Economics and Behavioral Sciences | CEREB Media and Communication Science | University of Erfurt Nordhäuser Strasse 63 | 99089 Erfurt | Germany [email protected] © Marco Borggreve © Marco www.cornelia-betsch.de | www.pidi-lab.de Academic background and career: since 2017 DFG Heisenberg-Professor for Health Communication, University of Erfurt, Germany 2013 Habilitation at the University of Erfurt, Germany 2007-2017 Researcher at the University of Erfurt, Germany 2006 PhD (Psychology), University of Heidelberg, Germany Further positions, memberships and distinctions (selection): since 2018 WHO working group „Data for vaccination acceptance and demand“, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland since 2018 Scientific Advisory Board of the GErn Study (Health and nutrition monitoring in Germany), Robert Koch Institute and Max Rubner- Institute since 2015 Scientific Advisory Board of the German Science Media Center, Cologne 2012-2018 National Verification Committee for Measles and Rubella Elimination (hosted by the Robert Koch Institute; installed by the German Federal Ministry of Health) 2012-2017 Member of ETAGE (European Technical Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization) Areas of expertise: Psychology, health communication, vaccine decision making 10 Gaby-Fleur Böl Head of Department Risk Communication, German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment Affiliation and address: German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment Max-Dohrn-Str. 8-10| 10589 Berlin | Germany [email protected] www.bfr.bund.de Academic background and career: since 2009 Director and Professor, German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment since 2006 Head of Department Risk Communication, German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment 2005 Habilitation, Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam 1997-2006 Head of Project Group, Department Biochemistry of Micronutrients, German Institute of Human Nutrition, Potsdam-Rehbrücke 1994-1997 Postdoctoral Researcher, Institute of Physiological Chemistry, Heinrich-Heine-University, Düsseldorf 1994 PhD (Biochemistry), Institute of Molecular Pharmacology, Hannover Medical School Further positions, memberships and distinctions (selection): since 2009 Deputy President, German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment since 2006 German Representative for the Communications Expert Network of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) since 2005 Private Lecturer for Biochemistry, University of Potsdam Areas of expertise: Risk communication, risk perception, crises communication, cellular signal transduction 11 Alfons Bora Professor of sociology at the Faculty for Sociology, Bielefeld University, Germany Affiliation and address: Universität Bielefeld Fakultät für Soziologie | AB XI: Recht und Gesellschaft Postfach 10 01 31 | 33501 Bielefeld | Germany [email protected] © Thomas Abel www.uni-bielefeld.de/soz/personen/bora/ Academic background and career: since 1999 Professor of sociology at Bielefeld University 1995-1997 Researcher at the Freie Universität Berlin 1998 Habilitation, Department of Philosophy and Social Sciences of the Freie Universität Berlin, venia legendi: Soziologie 1991-1998 Researcher at the Social Science Research Center Berlin (Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin für Sozialforschung, WZB) 1991 Dr. phil., Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Department of Philosophy 1983-1991 Researcher
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