Insight } Exhibition: »VALUABLE EARTH« in Munich
Issue 02/2013
} Knowledge transfer: Network between research and museums
} Conference: Joint Confe- } Politics: rence on Earth system reResearch and science search with the GeoUnion in party campaigns
GEOTECHNOLOGIEN
Supplying the modern globalized society with raw materials is set to become one of the most important issues for the decades to come. The coordinating office of the GEOTECHNOLOGIEN program has tackled this topic in the form of a touring exhibition. It presents important findings and effective geophysical exploration methods, such as those under investigation in the program topic of »tomography of the Earth’s crust«. The exhibition, which has already been a great success in the Senckenberg Natural History Collections in Dresden, has currently been showing since July 17th in the Museum of Man and Nature in Munich. The exhibition opened with an introduction by the Bavarian Minister for Science, Dr. Wolfgang Heubisch and a talk titled »raw materials at any price?« by Dr. Rupert Hochleitner, head of the Mineralogical National Collections in Munich, the focus set particularly on the domestic resources and our tremendous demand for raw materials. The exhibition, which deals with the origins, the exploration and production, as well as the use of geological raw materials, is open to visitors in Munich until November 10th 2013. It will then visit the German Mining Museum in Bochum and the Museum Koenig in Bonn. More information about the exhibition, current events and background information on the topics can be found at www.wertvolle-erde.de. ¢
GEOTECHNOLOGIEN
»VALUABLE EARTH« raw material exhibition on tour
The exhibition in Munich is accompanied by exhibits from the State Mineralogical Collection, Munich.
Dear GEOTECHNOLOGIEN program partners,
In order to publish the most important findings that have been achieved within the individual projects of the various topics of the GEOTECHNOLOGIEN R&D-program, this year two further books will be published as Science Reports within the Springer book series »Advanced Technologies in Earth Sciences«. There will be a volume on the subject of »Observation of the System Earth from space CHAMP, GRACE, GOCE and Future Missions«, as well as another on the subject of »Tomography of the Earth's crust«. The next two issues reflect the funded topics in their entire bandwidth and highlighting the added value of such an R&D-program. I would like to thank all parties involved in particular the editors and authors for their support and their contributions and hope that next year we will produce at least another volume.
Your Ute Münch
GeoEd – geoscience teaching & learning modules and concepts for teacher training Geoscientists, educational researchers and practitioners, as well as representatives of the museums and museum pedagogy will meet for the first GeoEd-Workshop at the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies e.V. (IASS) on September 17th in Potsdam. The aim of the workshop is to address; the needs of teachers, the potential of museums and to link the geoscience fields amongst each other and reinforce them in the school curriculum. The far-reaching economic benefits, but also the longterm environmental aspects of geoscientific research (e.g. raw materials, water, climate, land use, tourism) are under-represented in the schools in comparison to their importance for society. Promoting young talent in this area not only has an educational value in itself, but is also very important in terms of economic benefits and sustainability . Through the initiative of the GEOTECHNOLOGIEN program, the GeoUnion, Progress and the IASS new strategies are to be developed in the GeoEd project, to promote geoscientific knowledge more widely in the society and ensure a sufficient supply of well educated professionals as an economic and a knowledge base for Germany. The objective is to contribute to an interesting, interdisciplinary school curriculum which integrates the current level of research and technology. In order to achieve an appropriate and effective implementation existing, local projects and initiatives will be approached with the help of the good contacts the natural history museums in Germany maintain. Therefore GeoEd gives us an opportunity to connect the natural history museums in Germany, with research institutions to a network together, dedicated to the development of Earth science teaching modules and associated teacher training . ¢
Imprint: Coordination Office GEOTECHNOLOGIEN, Telegrafenberg, 14473 Potsdam, Germany, Tel.: +49 (0)331 288 1071, www.geotechnologien.de, Dr. Ute Münch (VisdP)
Naturkundemuseum Berlin
GEOTECHNOLOGIEN is a geoscientific research and development programme, supported by the German Federal Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF) and the German Research Foundation (DFG). You can find our newsletter in both English and German in the download area. Our newsletter is published twice yearly. Should you no longer be interested in receiving this newsletter, simply send us an email at: info@geotechnologien.de Picture Source Header (left to right): GEOTECHNOLOGIEN, Educational Insights, ESA - AOES Medialab, M. Rehmeier Issue: 02/2013
Where else? Teacher training on geo-topics in the natural history museum
H.A. Treff
In this issue of Insight we are not going to introduce you to two scientists, but rather two places where new, amazing and surprising experiences from the sciences can be »understood« in the truest sense of the word.
Museum of Man and Nature, Munich Idyllically located in one of the side wings of the Nymphenburg Palace, the Museum of Man and Nature offers everything you need to know about the versatile interacti-
ons between the earth and life. Thus, anthropogenic and natural changes in the environment are at the heart of the permanent exhibition. Again and again exciting experieces are added by special exhibitions. Following an exhibition on Spiders in spring 2013 the touring Exhibition »Valuable Earth« from GEOTECHNOLOGIEN is a guest here from July 17th to November 10th 2013 . The museum, which opened to visitors in 1809, has become a very modern museum in recent years and is very popular with children and young people in particular because of the diverse range of multimedia and the experience-oriented presentations on offer.
State Museum of Natural History, Karlsruhe the State Museum of Natural History is located in the heart of the city of Karlsruhe. It is both a presentation museum as well as a collection for research and enjoys an excellent international reputation. The museum itself, which is very dedicated to the
topic of biodiversity, in addition shows preparations, artefacts and dioramas and even live animals in it’s in-house vivarium. Visi-
Astrium Stadtmarketing Karlsruhe
Who is Who ...
tors are welcomed in the atrium by a lifesize model of a prehistoric Quetzalcoatlus. The museum has plenty of space for special exhibitions: Under the motto »Bodenlos - durch die Luft und unter Wasser« from April 25th until October 27th 2013 visitors can see exciting aircraft, airworthy animals, submarine robots and marine life. As early as, 1785 the collection of the Margravine of Baden was open for visitors. The museum in Karlsruhe is one of the oldest natural history museums in Germany. ¢
From space to the centre of the Earth – a joint conference with the GeoUnion The GeoUnion, the umbrella organization of the geoscientific associations in Germany, will carry out its annual meeting this year, together with the GEOTECHNOLOGIEN program. The exploration of the Earth from space has not only provided researchers from a huge range of disciplines with new insights into our planet. Extremely diverse data is collected, not only in the geo-, climate and marine research, but it can also be used to estimate of forest and agricultural land as well a detecting environmental damage. In addition, data transmitted in real time via satellite, for example, is essential for the operation of early warning systems against natural hazards . The early identification of natural hazards such as floods, landslides or tsunamis in a densely populated world is becoming increasingly important to minimize victims, but also economic damage. Increased use of the subterranean space also plays an important role for example in the production of mineral resources, which are used for energy supply. Therefore, 3 - 4 introductory presentations into the topics »Monitoring the system earth from space: measurements of the Earth's
gravity field make it possible to evaluate tectonic processes and ocean currents and climate change«, »the development of early warning systems against natural hazards« and »the geotechnical use of the subsurface«. A 45 - 60 minute podium discussion with the speaker from the respective subject areas will follow the topic, moderated by either a peer reviewed researchers or a science journalist . The event is aimed primarily at the interested public, teachers, pupils and students, as well as journalists and representatives from politics and industry. The meeting should give an insight into different areas of the earth sciences and the relevance that findings in research reflect on our daily lives. You are all kindly invited. ¢
The event will be held as a one-day conference on November 22nd 2013 from 10:30 to 6:15 p.m. in the State Library Berlin.
GEOTECHNOLOGIEN speaks to … Stephen A. Macko
Dan Addison / UVA
Macko: It is clear that working with and teaching the educators about the most current concepts in geosciences is a rapid way to expand the audience for dissemination of our work. At the same time we can communicate our passion for being a scientist, how we work, and pursue our path for addressing our curiosity in a logical manner. The GIFT workshops achieve the goal of putting the most current understanding into the minds and hands of educators far more rapidly than textbooks can.
Stephen A. Macko Stephen A. Macko is a member of the Committee on Education of the European Geoscience Union (EGU) and he is part of the organization and developing board of the well-established EGU-GIFTWorkshops (Geoscience Information for Teachers). He is also the education representative for the American Geophysical Union (AGU) fall program committee and editorial board member for education of EOS, the membership publication of the AGU. Before coming to UVA, he was a professor at the Memorial University in St. Johns, Newfoundland, Canada. He was elected a fellow of the Geochemical Society and European Association of Geochemistry in 2003. In addition, he has been featured on Discovery and National Geographic television programs as well as in a number of public and commercial radio and television interviews.
GEOTECH: Mr Macko, you are an established and highly recognized Earth Scientist in Geochemistry. What was your motivation to make the transition from "hard science" to education? Macko: I don’t think of it as a transition, since my lab is still very active in research; rather I like to believe I am doing a natural and necessary expansion of my science to include education and outreach. As a scientist, I have the luxury of being able to ask and answer questions about how the Earth works. Researchers have a responsibility to stimulate others, especially students, to ask questions and seek answers as well. Antworten zu suchen. GEOTECH: Do you think, that educational programs such as the EGU- GIFT (Geosciences Information For Teachers) workshops and others make a difference? To what extent?
GEOTECH: You have conducted educational workshops for teachers from all over the world. Do you see differences in geo-education efforts and demands throughout different cultures? How can Earth Scientists respond to these differences? Macko: There are commonalities and some differences. It seems the teachers share an incredible energy and enthusiasm for acquiring a clearer understanding of what they teach. They desire insights into the concepts so that their task of communication is made easier. Sometimes it is simply a new perspective that will open the door to that comprehension. As one teacher once said to me, »I had never heard that explanation before. Now I understand«. The main difference across the variety of cultures is the amount of resources that are available for education, both within a country, and between countries. I believe programs like the GIFT workshops try to bridge those disparities GEOTECH: While politicians around the world identified Earth and Space science as a key element in sustainable policy, there is only limited support for educational programs. What do you think is necessary to convince politicians to increase their support? Macko: It does seem like a contradiction, doesn’t it? We want citizens of this planet to make sustainable practices part of their daily lives, yet the support for informing them about what are better ways of doing things is not as forthcoming. This is changing. Organizations like the EGU and AGU are investing in communicating with policy makers and governmental leaders to make them aware of the problems and our programs in educating students, teachers and the public. Individually, I tell 200 stu-
dents in my oceanography class they have a personal responsibility to be both an informed and active citizen of the planet. A simple, yet sustainable philosophy. GEOTECH: Do you think, that the involvement in education and outreach should be part of the career-plan of young scientists? Do you see chances for education and outreach becoming honored as valuable skills by universities, research institution and industry? Macko: Is there another viable option? Education and outreach are the path that will keep the public as participants in our quest for more and better knowledge. This is true across all disciplines, not only geosciences: medicine, and engineering face this challenge. We depend on the support of the public for the resources to continue our work. So to make this part of the career-plan of a young scientist is not only practical, it is by all accounts necessary GEOTECH: Are there differences between education and outreach programs in Europe and the US? How would you rate the success of Germany's education and outreach programs? Is there a program you would highlight as one of the most successful programs in Earth and Space science education? Macko: Again there are similarities in the goals of raising public awareness at all levels, starting with the children all the way to the parents. In the US there is less of the »natural« international perspective that Europeans grow up with, and the need for international cooperation. In the US we have differences in approaches, but under one federal system. It can mean that the scope of change can be immense. Often you find the individual states are where programs get started. I have been much impressed with the education and outreach programs in Germany. In particular, the Future Ocean Group of the Kiel-Cluster for Excellence comes to mind. They cooperate with the International Ocean Institute to advocate for sustainable uses of the ocean while having a strong program in raising public awareness.
Mr. Macko, thank you very much for the interview.¢
Science in the Bundestag – The election campaign 2013 With parliamentary elections coming up, we thought we would take a look at the different parties election manifestos. We have focused our view on the concepts surrounding the topic of research and science. Therefore, we have gathered together some of the principal programme points of the five largest parties. What all the major parties have in common, is that they use science and research in the context of energy and the search for a storage of nuclear waste. They all want to promote transparent and unbiased technological development. The strategies vary greatly from intensive information to the public (CDU, FDP, and B90/Grüne), to a science forum with its own research budget (SPD) through to the participation of NGOS, trade unions and civil society stakeholders in the science political decision-making (Die Linke). A key issue is also the improvement of the employment situation in science and research. All established parties have concrete plans for the modernisation of the terms of research employment and to increase the planning security of scientific careers. On the topic of publication practices of scientific results, the parties have widely diverging strategies. The FDP is the only party positioned against the strengthening of the open access (OA) movement. B90/Grüne and Die Linke even call for an obligation of science to publish in OA-media. The SPD, on the other hand, are
banking on a general second publication right. All parties represented are for free access for research to publications, including those protected by copyright. SPD, B90/Grüne and Die Linke also criticise the under-representation of women in science. B90/Grüne and Die Linke call for restrictions, such as, cutbacks in funding, if research institutes do not achieve a 50% employment quota for women in the medium term. B90/Grüne, Die Linke and FDP also have a position on the so-called civil clause (Zivilklausel) in science and research. While B90/Grüne and Die Linke support the restriction to civil research, the FDP categorically rejects such a clause as an interference in the freedom of science. The SPD is the only established party to touch on the permeability of faculties between universities of applied sciences and the established universities, as well as the chance to study without a high school qualification (Abitur). Die Linke explicitly demands for the abolition of the Bologna-System and a consistent and comprehensive transparency in relation to research collaborations between publicly funded institutions and economically active companies.
CDU
SPD
B90/Grüne
Die Linke
FDP
Decrease temporary job contracts to improve the employment situation
Yes
Yes, but in accordance with the law on temporary job contracts in science
Yes, by modernising the law and creating 1000 new junior professor posts
By restriction to qualification project and the creation of 100,000 new permanent positions
Making employment structures more flexible
Open Access (OA)
OA strategy is to be developed
General right to second publication
OA obligatory for publicly funded research, including Open Data, free use of publications in science
Strengthen Open educational resources, OA obligatory for publicly funded research
No OA-obligation, researcher’s responsibility
Increase transparency
Through intensive communication with the public
Own research forum
More dialogue and information with the public
Yes
Restricted cooperations between Federal Government and the federal state levels
Abolish
Women in research
Target 40%
Restrictions (funding cutback) if quota of 50% not achieved in the mid-term
Sanctioned quota of 50%
Initiative for excellence
Phase-out, but keep grade schools
Discontinue, more wideband funding
Continue
Not necessary if transparency rules can be implemented
Make it Legislation
No civil clause
Transition from; science for society to science with society
Abolish Bologna-System for more responsibility in research; make cooperations between Universities and Companies transparent
More research freedom, more researching companies with modern working conditions and strengthening start-ups (EXIST)
Civil clause
Other features
Ease of transition between colleges and universities, studying without school leaving certificate
More basic and less third-party funding
A list of links to the election campaigns of the different parties is available at http://www.bundestagswahl-bw.de/wahlprogramme1.html
More funding from the federal government, also project independent
New brochure published in the GEOTECHNOLOGIEN series "Blue Booklet"
The Exploration of the Earth's gravity field The gravitational field of the Earth is one of the central topics in the GEOTECHNOLOGIEN program and was funded both by the German Research Foundation (DFG) as well as the Federal Ministry for Education and Research for over 10 years. In recent years satellite missions, such as CHAMP, GRACE and GOCE have brought our image of mass distribution in the Earth to a new level. To demonstrate the enormous increase in information for science and everyday applications, the project co-ordinators took on the commitment to publish »Observation of the System Earth from Space« a new information brochure drawn together with the co-ordination office GEOTECHNOLOGIEN program, targeted in particular at schoolchildren. They are presented with the basic idea of gravity field monitoring, the importance of satellite mis-
sions for the measurement of the Earth's gravitational field and the influence of this data on everyday life with simple text, informative graphics and impressive images. The brochure »The gravitational field of the earth« is available online at: www.issuu.com under the keyword GEOTECHNOLOGIEN or you can order a free copy from the co-ordination Office. Send us an e-mail to info@geotechnologien.de. ¢
Sch Das w der ere feld Erd e
Astrium
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Joint tender on the subject of »early warning« The deadline for the submission of project outlines on the topic »Further development of methods for the early detection of natural hazards in Germany through innovative sensor and information technologies« was at the end of February. There was a flood of submissions due to the wide-range and actuality of this research area. A broad-based international team of professional experts will now examine the sketches until the end of August. Then, the bodies of the funding organizations as well as the steering committee of the GEOTECHNOLOGIEN program will make an assessment and request a number consortia for full proposals. The applications will then be submitted by the end of this year for a further evaluation round. The aim is for the projects to start at the beginning of July 2014. This new topic will start in the GEOTECHNOLOGIEN program and in 2015 will be carried on in the follow-up program Geo:N (see first newsletter »Insight« 2013). ¢
The outlook to future missions - here the GRACE follow-on project - is a subject in the Blue Booklet
Calendar }
August 27th and 28th 2013 Status seminar on the topic »geological storage of carbon dioxide« in Potsdam
»The Earth in Sight« final spurt }
} nd
November 25th 2013 Exhibition »VALUABLE EARTH« opens in the German Mining Museum Bochum December 9th – 13th 2013 Information booth »Research in Germany« at the AGU Fall meeting in San Francisco (USA) together with the German Research Foundation (DFG) and universities
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November 22 2013 GeoUnion symposium »GEOTECHNOLOGIEN« in Berlin
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Autumn 2013 The book »Observation of the System Earth from space - CHAMP, GRACE, GOCE and Future Missions« will be published by Springer, which reports on the projects of the GEOTECHNOLOGIEN-commitment to »Observation of the System Earth from Space«.
For three years now the traveling exhibition »The Earth in Sight« has informed about the monitoring of the Earth System from space. The exhibition is currently open until February 23rd 2014 in the focusTerra at the ETH Zurich (Switzerland). An extensive program of presentations accompanies the exhbition. More information can be found on the web site: www.die-erde-im-visier.de. ¢