Explaining science in an understandable way - for everyone. This is becoming increasingly important. Applied research can achieve this and young researchers have the know-how to break new ground. This was demonstrated by doctoral students from Fachhochschule Dortmund at the DART symposium "Science Communication - Communication in Science" at DASA and at the same time digitally in virtual worlds.
High-profile lectures and a panel discussion introduced the ongoing debates on science communication and doctoral students from universities of applied sciences from all over Germany presented their research work - live in the DASA and simultaneously in virtual worlds. Some of them used new and experimental formats.
Virtual realities for digital guests
In virtual reality, the digitally connected guests of the DART symposium moved around with avatars in a virtual environment designed by storyLab kiU (Fachhochschule Dortmund University of Applied Sciences and Arts)(Opens in a new tab) together with the theater and art collective minus.eins(Opens in a new tab) . Using an internet browser - or even better, virtual reality goggles - the conference participants found themselves in a digital world that resembled a distant planet and depicted parts of the DASA. While Prof. Dr. Volker Helm, Vice-Rector for Research, Development and Transfer at Fachhochschule Dortmund, welcomed the guests live in the DASA, his words were simultaneously transmitted in virtual reality onto a large screen in front of which numerous avatars had gathered.
"The digital participants were able to communicate with each other in this world and wander through the exhibition rooms as if they were there live," reports Dr. Anneka Esch-van Kan, coordinator of the Graduate Center at Fachhochschule Dortmund. When avatars moved towards each other, their voices became louder. This made one-to-one conversations possible, as well as discussions in smaller groups.
Research projects of the doctoral students
The conference focused on the doctoral students' research projects. In the real and virtual world, they presented their work in sometimes unusual, but at least unique ways: a science slam on the agricultural use of rock flour to improve soils, a photo love story on interpersonal communication and social discourse, a snippet video on Alzheimer's diagnostics. In the "Young Science Communication Award", doctoral students from Fachhochschule Dortmund were successful twice and shared the winner's podium with a doctoral student from Bonn-Rhein-Sieg University of Applied Sciences and Arts.
Expert presentations and a panel discussion rounded off the DART Symposium. In total, well over 150 researchers took part in the conference on November 26. The DART Symposium at Fachhochschule Dortmund takes place every two years.
