Field Trip 2: Munich Science Communication Lab – Understanding how Science meets Society

Hey everyone! I’m back again with another post from my Professional Communication course at LMU. This time, our “field trip” was a bit different: we didn’t actually go anywhere. Instead, the speaker came to us…

We met Bernhard Goodwin, who introduced us to the Munich Science Communication Lab (MSCL). It was founded in 2021 at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU) and focuses on how complex scientific topics can be communicated to the public in an understandable and responsible way. Their main topic now is “Planetary Health”, which connects human health with the health of the planet. I found this idea quite unique. Bernhard gave us some interesting examples, such as how heat waves can affect the way medicines work, how they correlate with stress or might even influence crime rates.

The MSCL works together with several partners, such as the Deutsches Museum, Mediaschool Bayern, and Helmholtz Munich, and they often try experimental ways to communicate science. They organize events like open calls on Food Systems for the Future, workshops about heat protection in our neighbourhoods, or even exhibitions and film screenings. What I liked was their experimental approach: they test what works, then adjust their methods based on results.

Another topic we discussed was misinformation. Bernhard said that the best way to fight it is to share true information clearly and be transparent about what is not yet known. I really liked this idea because it sounds simple but it’s actually quite powerful.

Before this session, I didn’t even know that science communication existed as a professional field. In Romania, my home country, I don’t really know any organization that works specifically in this area. Of course, it doesn’t mean that they don’t exist, but it’s not something people talk about much. Topics like climate change or planetary health are slowly becoming more visible, but we still have other social and economic challenges that often take more attention.

Even though I enjoy more the field trips when we actually visit an institution or company, I’m glad I learned about this new field. It showed me how much thought and creativity go into making science understandable and relevant for everyone. Until next time, see you soon!