The "Science in Dialogue" initiative
"Wissenschaft im Dialog" (Science in Dialogue) is a joint initiative started by the major German science and research organisations and supported by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). The initiative helps German science and research to publicise its work and promotes discussion and informed opinion among as many social groups as possible. This commitment also has a tradition in the Helmholtz Association which extends back to its foundation year 1975. Both the association as well as the individual Helmholtz centres support the initiative by making their own independent contributions to the annual Science Summer and encourage exchange between science and society by offering a wide range of attractive programmes. These include, for example, exhibitions and school projects in which scientists and researchers explain topical questions and research findings to interested non-experts in an easily comprehensible and entertaining way. Such actions are coordinated by a company called Wissenschaft im Dialog GmbH set up in 1999 by the members of the initiative. The Helmholtz Association is represented on the steering committee.
Helmholtz and the Science Years
The Helmholtz Association is particularly involved in the "Wissenschaftsjahre" projects (Science Years), initiated each year by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research to present a core topic of scientific research. The activities carried out within the scope of these "campaigns" focus mainly on the Science Summer held in a different city each year and coordinated by the "Science in Dialogue" initiative.