Digital Science Slam
Freiburg, Jun 16, 2021
The Science Slam from the Academic Society is back. Online this time in the form of a livestream. But even in the digital format, it will run the same way as in previous years. Six scientists will present their research topic to the audience in a simplified, playful, funny or theatrical way. In an interview with Pascal Lienhard, Karl-Reinhard Volz, Chairman of the Academic Society, explains what the audience can look forward to.
Scientific subjects made accessible to the broader public. It’s possible digitally too. Archive image: Patrick Seeger
Mr Volz, this year‘s Science Slam will have a new format. What are you planning for the digital event?
Karl-Reinhard Volz: I’m curious myself as to how everything will go. The big difference is that we won’t have a full house this time. Instead, we’ll be streaming the event from the empty Paulussaal. Also, unlike in the past, there won't be any groups voting together to award points after an entry. Instead, everyone will award points individually via an online tool. But everything else will be the same as before. We will have a moderator, music at the beginning and at the end, and I myself will welcome the audience.
What entertaining research topics will the speakers present this year?
We have two female slammers and four male slammers, all of whom do research at the University of Freiburg. In recent years, the natural sciences were particularly well represented. This year, it is primarily the humanities. We have contributions from medieval literature, English sociolinguistics, musicology, quantum optics, history and archaeology. The researchers will each have ten minutes to share their research with the audience.
Karl-Reinhard Volz from the Academic Society will once again conduct the opening address this year. Photo: Patrick Seeger
What do you like most about science slams?
I believe that science includes science communication. As a rule, doctoral students in any discipline have little problem presenting their research in a complex way. But simplification in a positive sense is, after all, also an important skill. To support this, we offer our slammers a seminar in which they learn what is important. It is important to be able to explain one's own research in a way that lay people can understand. Perhaps as a result, there will also be discussions or follow-up questions after the event that will advance the scientific work.
The Science Slam will take place on Thursday, June 24, 2021, starting at 7 pm via livestream. It will run on the homepage of the Academic Society at the University of Freiburg.