Annual Report 2025 - Report - Page 55
Leonhard Möckl, Friedrich-Alexander University
Erlangen-Nuremberg
Shane Bergin, University College Dublin
showing that science is not only about results, but also
about people, curiosity, and wonder.
Inclusivity emerged as a unifying concern. Participants recognised that barriers of gender, language, and
circumstance still limit who can contribute to science.
One team proposed an awareness workshop for Young
Scientists to precede future Lindau meetings, creating a
space to reflect on bias and practise inclusive communication. Another group used a roleplay exercise to explore
how caregiving responsibilities affect women’s participation in science, calling for shared community solutions
that make inclusion real and sustainable.
In response to the challenge of misinformation, another team turned to play. They designed a “Family Feud”style science game that turns correction into collaboration.
Scientists guess what members of the public believe about
science before discussing the facts together – a format that
combines humour, curiosity, and learning, showing that
accurate information can also be engaging and joyful.
Across these projects ran a shared conviction that
trust in science grows from humility, openness, and cu-
riosity. Communication is not the final step that follows
discovery; it is a vital part of the scientific process itself.
It demands empathy as much as accuracy, and courage in
speaking clearly even when truth is complex.
For many, the workshop offered a moment to pause
and rediscover the purpose that first drew them to science. Their ideas born at Lindau reflected a group determined to protect the values that sustain scientific life.
At a time when disinformation challenges scientific
knowledge and expertise, Young Scientists chose creativity over cynicism and collaboration over isolation. Their
work affirmed that science is not only about discovery,
but also about dialogue, and that its future depends as
much on how we communicate as on what we find.
Find out more about the
outcome of the Science
Communication Workshop
on our website
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