Science is rarely simple. Researchers communicate their discoveries to the world through academic journals, and while these reports, in principle, are available to everyone, the technical jargon and intricate details makes most traditional scientific publications inaccessible to lay audiences. So, how do we engage the public and foster an interest in science, if the science is unapproachable?

DDEA invites everyone at Folkemødet to join us for a 45 minute debate and discussion about how to communicate complex scientific topics in a way that excites and engages the public. We will hear from

• a researcher who learned how to use drawings to communicate her research,
• an editor who uses film to demonstrate the impact of science on society, and
• an associate professor who curates exhibitions about metabolic research at the Medical Museion in Copenhagen.

Together, they will share insights on how to tell science-based stories, and debate how we convey the beautiful and spectacular qualities of science, without losing the complexity and nuance

Venue: Strandvejens Debattelt, Allinge, Bornholm, Denmark

The public is invited to engage with the panellists, and ask questions about their experiences.

Read about the event on the Folkemødet website.

Panelists

Adam Bencard, Associate Professor and Curator, Medical Museion, University of Copenhagen

Adam Bencard is Associate Professor in medical humanities at Medical Museion, the University of Copenhagen’s museum for the culture and history of medicine, part of the Institute for Public Health. He is also group leader at the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research. He works at the intersection of research and curation, and has curated a number of award-winning exhibitions, including Mind the Gut (winner of the 2019 UMAC Award) and The World is in You (winner of the 2023 Engagement Award from the Organization of Danish Museums). His current research focuses on health complexity, as part of the interdisciplinary Copenhagen Center for Health Complexity.

Eleonora Nigro, Freelance Illustrator, Eleonora Nigro Illustrations

Eleonora Nigro is a scientific illustrator and live event illustrator based in Copenhagen, Denmark. She is passionate about science, visual communication, and storytelling. With a background in Biotechnology and Quantitative and Computational Biology from the University of Insubria (Italy) and the University of Trento (Italy), respectively, she started her career as a researcher. She studied the microbiome, initially across various hosts such as termites, water, and both human and non-human primates and then in relation to human diets and metabolism at the Novo Nordisk Center for Basic Metabolic Research. While being a researcher – and throughout her life – Eleonora has always been drawing, a passion she is transforming into her daily work. She believes that visual communication plays a key role in making science accessible to everyone.Eleonora’s website: www.eleonoranigro.com
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eleonoranigro/
Instagram: @nigrelex
Twitter/X: @nigrelex

Morten Busch, Editor-in-Chief and Journalist, ScienceNews.dk, Novo Nordisk Foundation

Morten Busch is the Senior Scientific Editor at the Novo Nordisk Foundation. He earned an MSc in Biochemistry and a PhD in Protein Chemistry from the University of Copenhagen. Morten has since 2000 extensively engaged in science communication across print, websites, radio, and TV. From 2006 to 2014, he led the Exhibition and later started the Science Communication Department at the Experimentarium, contributing to the launch of Videnskab.dk and the TV series “Great Danish Scientists.” In 2017, he founded Sciencenews, now a popular science platform with over 400,000 followers, where he serves as editor-in-chief. His work emphasizes narrative-driven explanations of complex science, film portraits of scientists, and hosting live interviews and discussions.

Moderators

• Morten Dall, Platform Manager, University of Copenhagen
• Daniel Ibsen, Postdoctoral Researcher, Aarhus University and University of Copenhagen

Organisers

• Benjamin Lebiecka-Johansen, Postdoctoral Researcher, Aarhus University
• Daniel Ibsen, Postdoctoral Researcher, Aarhus University and University of Copenhagen
• Katharina Herzog, Precision Medicine Specialist, Novo Nordisk
• Morten Dall, Platform Manager, University of Copenhagen
• Pearlyn Toh, Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Copenhagen

Host

Gretchen Repasky, Education & Networking Manager, Danish Diabetes and Endocrine Academy

This event is open for everyone. No registration is necessary.

The DDEA will host two sessions at this year’s People’s Meeting. Read more about the other session DDEA at Folkemødet: Kan foreningslivet give danskerne flere gode leveår?

Please contact ouh.ddea@rsyd.dk in case of questions.