TUD Award for Excellent Science Communication: Prestigious jury nominates six projects

These projects show just how diverse and creative science communication at TUD can be. The second TUD Award for Excellent Science Communication will be presented to the winners of the two categories on September 1, 2026: Main award (endowed with EUR 5,000) and the early-career researcher award (EUR 2,500). The awards ceremony will take place during Science Communication Day.

The six projects nominated for this year’s TUD Award for Excellent Science Communication:

digi.farming.lab‘s “Double Harvest” exhibit (Katharina Porepp): The project is part of the permanent "Agriculture of the Future" exhibition at Futurium in Berlin and brings the latest findings from agricultural research to life through interactive experiences. Using virtual landscapes, visitors can explore what sustainable agriculture might look like in the future, for example, from a bumblebee’s perspective.

The exhibition “Invisible Heroes: Between Everyday Life and Care” (Dr. Sandra Schulz): This collaboratively developed exhibition gives visibility to the stories of caregiving relatives, stories that often go untold. Young people who care for family members offer personal insights into the hopes and challenges of family caregiving through moving accounts. The exhibition was created as part of a TUD research project. It was displayed at the COSMO Science Forum, among other places.   

Bakteriopolis experience lab (Dr. Christin Baumgärtel): The world of microbes is everywhere, yet invisible to the naked eye. Bakteriopolis – The Hidden Life of Microbes is a traveling exhibition housed in a converted shipping container that introduces a wide audience to the fascinating world of microbes and their significance to humans and life on Earth.

The Ore Mountains Atlas (Prof. Melanie Humann): Explanatory models that reference geographical factors are gaining traction both in public debates and in academic discourse regarding the causes of the rise of far-right parties and organizations. The objective of "The Ore Mountains Atlas – Science on the Road" is to move beyond media stereotypes and entrenched images of a “dying region.” The project works with local residents to uncover what makes this region unique, how people structure their lives, and how “regional practices” can be integrated into scientific and transdisciplinary research.

Food Facts podcast (Prof. Thomas Henle): This science podcast discusses current and everyday topics related to nutrition, food chemistry, and consumer issues, making these topics accessible to everyone in an entertaining way. The focus is on the scientific aspects of food: from historical and legal classifications, to ingredients and production processes, to nutrition myths and food trends on social media.

Kitty Q Escape Room from the ctd.qmat Cluster of Excellence (Prof. Matthias Vojta): This project immerses visitors in the world of quantum physics and aims to make use of an interactive experience to inspire an interest in physics, especially among children and teenagers. The Escape Room at the Technische Sammlungen Dresden museum makes it possible for visitors to solve exciting scientific puzzles and learn how complex physical concepts work.

TUD offers its warmest congratulations to all nominees!

Prestigious jury

A jury of experts reviewed the 21 projects that were submitted and shortlisted six nominees for the award. The jury includes:

• Marc Hasse, Science Editor at DER SPIEGEL
• Tim Gabel, Editor at Research.Table and Space.Table
• Sonja Kastilan, Head of Science Communication at the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina
• Sebastian Grote, Head of Communication at the Helmholtz Association
• Robert Denk, Head of the Department for Universities at the Saxon State Ministry for Science, Culture and Tourism (SMWK)
• Last year’s winner, Prof. Simon Meier-Vieracker, Chair of Applied Linguistics of TUD

Background: TUD Award for Excellent Science Communication

The award recognizes outstanding achievements by TUD researchers in communicating scientific content to a broad audience. The aim is to strengthen science communication at TUD, encourage innovative approaches, and increase the visibility of the most effective methods. The awards ceremony will take place on September 1 during Science Communication Day.

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