TU Dresden in Dialogue
Science and society
As a social actor, TUD pursues the goal of increasing the impact and visibility of its research achievements in society and contributing to public discourse. With the excellence measure "TUD in Dialogue", it therefore promotes innovative, target group-oriented and contemporary science communication. Special emphasis is placed on topics such as the promotion of democracy and democratic values, social cohesion, participation, anti-racism, diversity and inclusion as well as sustainability.
More conversations at eye level and more participation
With the Excellence Measure, TUD is creating spaces for low-threshold dialogue and participation formats between researchers and citizens in Dresden and its region. The aim of the mostly outreach formats is to promote a constructive culture of debate and contribute to reducing skepticism towards science.
Call for proposals
TUD units planning such a project can apply for "TUD in Dialogue"-funding. Please find the call for proposals and the application documents in the internal web area (with ZIH login).
Funded projects
We are funding the following projects in the current year:
Project management:
- Stefanie Schroeder, Directorate 8, ServiceCenterStudies, Mentoring Program.
The Architecture Talks project invites students from grades 7 to 12 who are interested in architecture and landscape architecture to take part in a project week. The aim is to work together on a vision for a sustainable redesign of the school grounds while at the same time increasing the quality of stay. We are looking for ideas for exercise facilities, seating or play areas, cooling and shading, biodiversity and planting.
Project management:
- Dr. Doreen Pretze (Carus Teaching Center of the Carl Gustav Carus Faculty of Medicine)
- Stephan Wiegand (Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Press Office
With the "YOU ASK we explain" project, society will have the opportunity to ask doctors and scientists their questions on critical medical topics. Topics such as gender-sensitive medicine, radiotherapy, palliative medicine, AI in the operating theater or errors in medicine cause fear in many people and make them think. In a 60 to 90-minute podcast moderated by students, questions submitted are discussed by a team of doctors and scientists. The focus is not always on the clear answer, but on the ability to critically examine a topic.
Project management:
- Nadja Bauer (Directorate 8, ServiceCenterStudy, School Contact Point)
Pupils from Saxon climate schools become climate courage makers! This new format offers committed pupils the opportunity to further develop their ideas for action and awareness of their impact, to network with like-minded people and thus to perceive themselves and their commitment as effective. They are supported and motivated by TUD scientists from suitable departments and accompanied by the latest scientific findings.
In 2021, the Directorate University Culture launched the TUD Lectures event series, in which experts from various disciplines at TU Dresden take a close look at current topics. In lectures lasting up to 1 1/2 hours, the experts present their knowledge in a clear and understandable way. The TUD Lectures are aimed at the TUD community and all interested parties.
The project "East German migration history in the museum: exhibiting, mediating, intervening" (OMiM) serves to expand and revise the existing exhibition at the Cottbus City Museum. The aim is to create an exhibition that presents migrant perspectives and themes from Cottbus' recent past and present. The concept for the new exhibition was developed together with the participants of the MigOst city labs.
Project management: Prof. Dr. Wolfgang E. Nagel, Center for Interdisciplinary Digital Sciences (CIDS)
The Interactive Science Lab is planning a pilot exhibition on the topic "//DataSpaces. Experience Science". The exhibition will bring together current research from CIDS and TU Dresden with interactive elements and historical computing and computer technology from TU Dresden.
The digital transformation is changing our society in many ways. It makes everyday life easier through smart technologies, improves access to information and promotes global networking. At the same time, however, it harbors dangers in terms of security and manipulation. Research areas such as artificial intelligence not only accelerate processes in science, but also social developments. Science plays a key role in understanding and positively shaping profound change.
The Center for Interdisciplinary Digital Sciences (CIDS) at TU Dresden is dedicated to research on these topics. The exhibition offers insights by communicating complex interrelationships in an understandable way. It allows a change of perspective, which also enables a critical view of the research.
Contact at TUD:
- Dr. André Lindner, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering
United Nations Day has been celebrated for ten years. The focus is on a key theme of the United Nations. This year, UN Day will focus specifically on Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8 "Decent Work and Economic Growth" and SDG 17 "Partnerships for the Goals", specifically "Measuring progress towards sustainable development that complements gross domestic product".
- Curated by: Philippe Fanghänel and Dr. Anna Kraft (National Center for Tumor Diseases Dresden (NCT/UCC)), Gwendolin Kremer (Custody of TUD)
In drawings, paintings, pictorial objects as well as installative sculptural works and a film essay, artists reflect on therapeutic procedures and innovative approaches in cancer medicine and research. In a very personal way, the artworks invite the viewer to engage with the possibilities and advances in oncological research and therapy.
- Curated by Tanja-Bianca Schmidt (Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Science, Institute of Art and Music )
The project deals with the topic of European (external) borders as spaces characterised by violence. As part of the DFG-funded research project ‘Image protests in the social media’, Prof. Dr. Schankweiler and Tanja-Bianca Schmidt are organising an exhibition in cooperation with the Kunstverein Dresden e.V. They are bringing together three artistic positions that deal with images from Europe's border zones. The selected works open up a new perspective on migration and on the questions of who can cross borders, how borders are constituted and what functions images fulfil in the process.
- Project coordination: Prof. Dr. Markus Tiedemann (Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Science, Chair of Didactics of Philosophy and of Ethics)
From 3 to 7 June 2024, Prof. Tiedemann and TUD students will be canoeing along the Elbe from Königstein to Torgau. ‘Theme evenings’ will be offered at each station. Didactically, the evenings are prepared in such a way that radical positions can be expressed in discourse, but a) must endure contradiction and b) are not given a stage. On the following day, up to four people are invited to accompany the group from the TUD in the canoe. The conditions are compliance with the rules of dialog and the willingness to travel in the same canoe with a person who holds a different opinion.
The aim of the initiative is to counteract the increasing polarisation of society. Ever larger sections of society are retreating into isolated social and political bubbles. Exchange and productive debate are becoming impoverished. The aim of the theme evenings is to listen to each other, exchange arguments, question one's own convictions and foster discourse.
- Project coordination: Erik Vollmann, Stefanie Gerstenberger (Institute of Political Science)
On November 5, 2024, the Chair of International Politics and the Chair of Political Systems and Comparative Politics are organizing an Election Night on the occasion of the US presidential election. The event will bring together academic experts and voices from politics, society and business. In addition to exciting lectures and interdisciplinary workshops, the program includes a panel discussion and live broadcasts to the USA. The event will conclude with a live watching of the first projections.
- Project coordination: Dr. Christin Baumgärtel (Faculty of Biology, Chair of General Microbiology)
This exhibition, part of the DFG-funded special priority program (SPP 2389) "Emergent Functions of Bacterial Multicellularity", offers an insight into the world of bacteria. Bakteriopolis transforms an existing TU Dresden container into an interactive experience that appeals to visitors of all ages. Thus, in collaboration with the Interactive Media Lab, using an augmented reality app, visitors will enjoy an interactive exploration of the different bacterial components, bacterial organization, and social interactions. The exhibition emphasizes bacteria's omnipresence and presents their versatility in different fields.
The "TUD in Dialogue" funding enabled readings to be held in Dresden and Leipzig with the author and microbiologist Susanne Thiele on the subject of the exhibition.
- Project coordination: Anne Bruder, Nadja Bauer (Directorate 8, Central Point of Contact for Schools at TUD), Monique Rust (Directorate 9, Unit University and Society)
Students in grades 9 to 11 from various schools learn about history right on the TU Dresden campus. Author Dr. Renatus Deckert reads from Victor Klemperer's diaries and provides an insight into Klemperer's life and times in his reading. Klemperer had close ties to TU Dresden, where he taught and researched as a Professor of Romance Studies before being dismissed from the university in 1935 due to his Jewish heritage. In addition to extracts from Klemperer's work, pupils are also provided with historical context. Dr. Hagen Schönrich, historian and scientific coordinator of the research project “Technical College of Dresden under National Socialism”, gives an overview of the history and the role of the university in Klemperer's time and then lead the young people on a tour of the campus, linking the history with the actual historical sites.
- Coordination: Liane Drößler (Directorate 9, Unit University and Society), Anja Wiede (Complaint Office in cases of discrimination harassment, violence at TUD)
The International Weeks Against Racism is a nationwide campaign promoting solidarity with those affected by and those fighting against racism. The campaign takes place annually around March 21, the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.
The theme of this year’s International Weeks Against Racism is “Human Rights for All”. This year's focus at TU Dresden is on anti-Asian racism.
Funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the Free State of Saxony as part of the Excellence Strategy of the Federal and State governments.