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Location

K.U.Leuven - Audiovisuele Dienst
Kapeldreef 62
B-3001 Leuven, BELGIUM
http://www.kuleuven.ac.be/

Date

May 03, 2006

17h00-19h00

Cutting edge science and the dialog with the public
Jörg Naumann, Hygienemuseum, Dresden, Germany

The world is divided: On one side, in an upgraded ivory tower scientists spend their time (and public money) to carry out cutting edge research in different areas. They have been taught special skills to generate more and more knowledge about living and dead matter. The other side is the world outside of the laboratories where the public is watching what the scientists are doing. They do not understand the language the "ivory tower people" speak, and they often look suspicious at the news and discoveries coming from the scientists to them.

Should the public come into the ivory tower or are the scientists to go out to the public? What is the goal? Who can help that both sides communicate successfully with each other?

Public debates have been demanded by different stakeholders for several reasons. But the process of communication between science and public is difficult and often fails.

The lecture will focus on the needs and the challenges for an appropriate dialog between research/science and the public. Coming from a museum focussing on - among other topics - science and technology, I will draw my conclusions from the experiences our museum has made by promoting the public dialog.