In the Science Year 2022 – Participate! the focus until April is on the "Flow of Ideas", i.e. the collection of questions. This is also the case in the project "POP-UP-KNOWLEDGE – Knowledge creates Dialogue". The official start of the "collecting questions" in the project is the winter holidays in Saxony.

From 14 to 25 February, schoolchildren hungry for knowledge will be able to address their questions to science in holiday camps at the Technical Collections in Dresden and at the Station Weißwasser e. V. in Lusatia. From 14 to 18 February, young people will combine art, culture and mathematics in an ornament workshop at the Technical Collections. At the same time, the "Learning Workshop Nature and Animal Park" is taking place in Weißwasser, which also addresses young people and children and will awaken the "urge to ask questions".

The second week of the holidays at the Station Weißwasser is all about painting. In the Technical Collections, children and young people find out how easy programming can be in the course "Coding Ozobot". With a sheet of paper and coloured pencils, they can show little robots where to go. Questions are "strictly" encouraged!

The municipal libraries in Dresden also offer a varied programme – from developing adventure games to stop-motion films. During all these stimulating events, questions are sure to pop up in the minds of young and old alike, which can then be submitted in the question boxes on display and digitally. So no good thought is lost and can then be answered from April/May.

The "Flow of Ideas" in the Year of Science 2022

Questions received in the Flow of Ideas by 15 April will be discussed by scientists and selected citizens chosen via the umbrella campaign of the Science Year 2022, bundled and put into their professional context by means of supplementary texts.

Afterwards, it is once again up to the citizens. In an online consultation as a digital participation process, they can contribute to the discussion and comment on previous results. In the end, a pool full of new ideas will emerge. These will be processed and handed over to politicians and researchers in autumn 2022. Through this participatory approach involving the population, new ideas for research and research policy in Germany will be developed and implemented beyond 2022. This format is THE opportunity for all citizens to provide important impulses for tomorrow's research and politics by asking their own questions and to help shape them.

More about the "Flow of Ideas" on YouTube