UG academic teams receive recognition for their structural efforts in science communication

Academic teams from various faculties at the University of Groningen have been allocated funding from the ‘Science communication by scientists: Appreciated!’ pilot fund. Set up by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science and managed by the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), this pilot fund is a step in the right direction of encouraging and rewarding the large group of academics who make structural efforts to improve science communication. Every team will receive €10,000 to further their efforts.

The following UG teams have been allocated funding:

• Faculty of Economics and Business, coordinator Janka Stoker: Popular scientific book; columns; range of media activities; lectures and speeches. The aim is to inform broad audiences about the relevance of scientific insight into the effectiveness of leadership in practice.
• Faculty of Behavioural and Social Sciences, coordinator Jolien Mouw: the GION Teaching/Research, opportunities for sharing and implementing knowledge in the field of education, and connecting educational research and educational practice by boosting the regional network.
• Faculty of Behavioural and Social Sciences, coordinator Anastasias Sarampalis: Mindwise, a blog designed to inform broad audiences, media, academics and students about developments in the field of psychology, and to train students and academics in science communication.
• Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies, coordinator Kim Knibbe: Religion, Conflict and Globalization, awareness of the role of and prejudices regarding religion in conflict situations and global developments. Aimed at audiences including secondary school pupils and teachers.
• Faculty of Arts, coordinator Martijn Wieling: Spraak in Beeld. Introducing the general public to research in linguistics and the wonderful variations in language in our immediate surroundings. See also SpraakLab.
• Faculty of Arts, coordinator Sabrina Corbellini: From (clay) tablet to tablet: a voyage of discovery through the history of reading. Drawing public attention to the importance of the Middle Ages as a key period in cultural and social development processes, and promoting the importance of reading and literacy in the pre-modern and modern periods.
• Faculty of Medical Sciences (UMCG), coordinator Marie-José van Tol: Marvelous Mind, conveying fascination and knowledge about neurosciences.
• Faculty of Medical Sciences (UMCG), coordinator Judith Paridaen: ERIBA Outreach team, raising awareness of the importance of fundamental research into ageing among the target groups.
• Faculty of Science and Engineering, coordinator Marleen Kamperman: Comic book and teaching programme, introducing school pupils to the diverse nature of science.
• Faculty of Science and Engineering, coordinator Peter Barthel: Academic Street Art.

To learn more about the fund and the funding that is allocated, go to the KNAW website.