Diana Hummel will chair a panel discussion to share experiences and insights into the efficient design of transdisciplinary research projects. While the discussion format focuses on a panel of key experts from the NiddaMan project context, it is intended to be open for participants to join in. NiddaMan project partners such as Gerd Hofmann, Jörg Oehlmann and Carolin Völker as well as TD experts like Alexandra Lux will be part of the discussion.

The proportion of audio-visual materials is rising sharply in science. Videos can increase the visibility of the presented research and can also provide easier access for non-scientific researchers or interested laypersons. In addition, they enable complex and dynamic phenomena to be presented in a form that is difficult or impossible to transport through other media. Dr Drees will give an overview of the possibilities, status quo and best practice examples regarding videos in science.

“Real world laboratories” and “sustainable living labs” are increasingly becoming established as new research infrastructures designed to initiate social-ecological transformations. However, it remains to be seen whether they go beyond established research approaches. This lecture will explore how these methods can serve as a reality check for transdisciplinary knowledge and whether they can fulfil the associated expectations. The lecturer will critically and constructively discuss with junior sustainability scholars opportunities and pitfalls in conducting impactful real-world experiments in support of sustainability transformations/transitions.

When collaborating in a TD-project, scientists are challenged as key terms and concepts vary from one discipline to another and might even have different meanings. It is essential in the beginning of a TD-project to create a common ground for communication. Scientists have to understand and adapt their colleagues’ scientific languages. Dr. Berger will give an overview on methods to facilitate the communication over disciplinary boundaries.

Science communication can mean many different things - an evening lecture, an entertaining science festival of a dialogue on societal perspectives regarding a new technology. Whar are the trends? And what does this mean for young researchers? Philipp Schrögel gives an overview on the field together with selected insights from his science communication research projects.

Evaluating research projects is a challenging task. This is particularly true for TD-projects that incorporate a larger set of scientific disciplines, challenging the evaluators as they need to cover larger knowledge domains. In order to address these challenges, Dr Lux will present state of the art evaluation techniques with reference to several TD projects.

Diana Hummel will welcome the participants and give a brief outline on the summer school’s agenda. She will introduce the ISOE as the convening institution and the organizing team.

Jörg Oehlmann will introduce the NiddaMan project as a local example of a transdisciplinary research project that developed and implemented a sustainable water resources management scheme along the river Nidda. Therein, citizens, administrative bodies as well as stakeholders from policy and science were engaged. Jörg Oehlmann will specifically reflect upon the scientific challenges in collaborating with non-scientific partners against the background of both interdisciplinary and essential disciplinary research work.

As a NiddaMan project partner from the regional council, Gerd Hofmann will specifically reflect upon the experiences in the collaboration between scientists and societal stakeholders. He will critically draw conclusions on the project collaboration activities.

The integration of knowledge is one of the key tasks to ensure a sustainable project outcome. How do disciplinary project partners integrate their knowledge rather than just working alongside? And how to engage relevant stakeholders in an efficient and equitable manner? Dr. Libbe will elaborate on these challenges and identify key methodologies to overcome respective challenges.

Alexandra Lux will provide a profound overview on transdisciplinarity, its origin, major evolutionary steps and current shape. She will highlight today’s challenges and carve out the necessity for inter- and transdisciplinary collaboration among and beyond scientists. Special emphasis will be given to the role of young researchers to shape our future.

The four days of intensive work on TD methodologies and research experiences should be critically reflected upon. For this purpose, this time slot serves to prepare the sub-sequent world café by opening the floor via a 20 minutes panel discussion and an associated open round. From the issues raised in this session, topics can be identified that are discussed in more detail at specific tables in the world café. Special emphasis is given to the role of TD research in the context of inevitable disciplinary science.