Seeking collab, offering expertise: public and policy engagement & participation in research

Addressing multifaceted issues and complex problems in the area of food, natural resources, and agriculture require research-based, actionable solutions through collaborative action. Advancing the necessary socio-ecological transformations depends on effectively bridging the gaps between academia, society, business, and policymaking. This calls for innovative, audience-centred approaches to science communication that foster meaningful engagement, enable constructive dialogue and conflict resolution, support knowledge co-production, and open up spaces for the joint shaping of sustainable futures.

Berlin’s Museum für Naturkunde – Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science is an integrated research museum within the Leibniz Association and one of the most important research institutions worldwide in the areas of biological and geological evolution and biodiversity. Our mission is to discover and describe life and earth – with people, through dialogue. Following this mission, the Museum has established a strong international profile in researching and advancing communication, engagement, and participatory processes at the interface of nature, science, and society.

As part of the Museum’s Science Programme ‘Society and Nature’, I have developed a distinct professional profile in science communication research and practice. My work follows an interdisciplinary approach that connects natural and social sciences with practice-based knowledge. In addition to my years at the Museum, I have worked with and at other academic institutions across Europe, further strengthening my expertise in participatory methods, stakeholder engagement, and transdisciplinary research.

Building on this experience, I aim to support research teams from diverse disciplinary backgrounds in meaningfully integrating non-academic actors – such as civil society organisations, public authorities, policymakers, cultural institutions, educators, and businesses – in research processes. From participatory research design and stakeholder engagement to the systematic evaluation of communication and dialogue formats, I contribute methodological expertise to ensure that all relevant perspectives and voices are substantively embedded in your project.