The second KIT Science Week from October 10 to 15, 2023 will address climate, environmental, and species protection, the saving of resources, ecologically compatible growth, green entrepreneurship, and global justice. Under the heading of “Making the Future Sustainable. Together.” the Science Week will combine a top-level scientific conference with numerous events for all groups of society. Internationally renowned researchers will meet interested citizens and discuss transformation towards a sustainable society.
“Without excellent research and the resulting innovations, we will not be able to reach our sustainability goals,” underscores Professor Oliver Kraft, Vice President Research of KIT. “For this reason, I am very happy that our researchers will not only communicate their findings during the KIT Science Week, but also put them up for discussion.” The Science Week will cover all facets of sustainability and climate protection and will also consider the perspective of the citizens affected. For a week, international researchers will meet citizens, families, pupils, trainees, prospective students, students, decision-makers from politics and industry, as well as cultural workers in Karlsruhe. Researchers will report their findings, classify figures and facts, provide orientation, and take new ideas back to their work.
Scientifically Substantiated and Dialog-oriented: Program with Various Events
The KIT Science Week will combine top-level expert forums with big and small in-person and online events addressing all groups of society. Among others, the program will include escape rooms, open labs, concerts, discussions, excursions, practical exercises, and serious games. Some of the highlights will be:
Opening of the KIT Science Week
Tuesday, October 10, 2023, 19.15 hrs, Audimax, Straße am Forum 1, 76131 Karlsruhe (translation into English by lecture translator)
Following the keynote by marine biologist and polar researcher Professor Antje Boetius, a panel of renowned experts will discuss the contribution of science to a sustainable society. The market of opportunities will present innovative climate and environmental projects.
https://www.scienceweek.kit.edu/english/opening-2023.php
Trinational Expert Conference of the KIT Science Week
Wednesday, October 11, 2023, to Friday, October 13, 2023
International researchers will share their research results and discuss how sustainability can be implemented in practice.
https://www.scienceweek.kit.edu/english/scientific-program-2023.php
Panel Discussion “ Globales Umdenken: Innovationen für mehr Klimagerechtigkeit“ (Global Rethinking: Innovations for more Climate Justice)
Thursday, October 12, 2023, 19.00 to 21.00 hrs, Kulturzentrum TOLLHAUS, Alter Schlachthof 35, 76131 Karlsruhe (translation into English by lecture translator)
Dr. Insa Thiele Eich, climate researcher and astronaut-to-be, and experts from science, industry, and politics will discuss a just climate policy.
https://www.scienceweek.kit.edu/english/panel-discussion-2023.php
Climate Slam – Competition with Facts
Friday, October 13, 2023, 19.30 to 21.30 hrs, Kulturzentrum TOLLHAUS, Alter Schlachthof 35, 76131 Karlsruhe (in German)
Researchers from all over Germany will present their research in an entertaining, clear, and comprehensible way.
https://www.scienceweek.kit.edu/english/calendar-of-events.php
Dialog with Citizens “Klimaschutz belohnen! Aber wie?“ (rewarding climate protection! But how?)
Saturday, October 14, 2023 (in German)
Together with scientists, citizens will think about how every-day climate protection can be rewarded.
https://www.itas.kit.edu/english/events_2023_buergerdialog_klimaschutz.php
This year’s Helmholtz Sustainability Summit will also take place in Karlsruhe as part of the KIT Science Week.
Sustainability in Research, Academic Education, Transfer, and Innovation
Sustainability is an integral constituent of KIT’s transfer and innovation strategy as well as of KIT’s research and academic education. All nine KIT Centers that pool KIT’s research activities are working on implementing the sustainable development goals of the United Nations. Last year, KIT won the National Award – Education for Sustainable Development of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the German UNESCO Commission. It is the declared objective of KIT to be a model institution, to live sustainability, and to foster exchange with the society.
Participative Shaping of the Future
“We will only be able to make the future of our planet sustainable, if we all are pulling in the same direction,” says Professor Thomas Hirth, KIT Vice President Transfer and International Affairs. “That is why we use the KIT Science Week to build bridges between science and society.” The innovative events of the KIT Science Week provide space for participative shaping of the future. It is here, where exchange and dialog take place between excellent science and society. The Science Week will also serve to take the ideas from the public and make them part of KIT’s research. The in-person and online events of the first KIT Science Week on artificial intelligence in October 2021 were attended by about 9000 citizens of Karlsruhe and the region.
More Information on the KIT Science Week 2023
Click Here for the Program (in German)
Being “The Research University in the Helmholtz Association”, KIT creates and imparts knowledge for the society and the environment. It is the objective to make significant contributions to the global challenges in the fields of energy, mobility, and information. For this, about 10,000 employees cooperate in a broad range of disciplines in natural sciences, engineering sciences, economics, and the humanities and social sciences. KIT prepares its 22,800 students for responsible tasks in society, industry, and science by offering research-based study programs. Innovation efforts at KIT build a bridge between important scientific findings and their application for the benefit of society, economic prosperity, and the preservation of our natural basis of life. KIT is one of the German universities of excellence.