Some 250 science and research communicators from Germany and Austria met in Berlin on November 30 – December 2, 2009, at the second “Forum on Science Communication” organized by the initiative Science in Dialogue (Wissenschaft im Dialog, WiD) to discuss current trends and strategies in science communication.

The question of how to get young people excited about science was one of the topics at the “Forum on Science Communication.” Others included the presentation of scientific topics in the media and the evaluation of events. Using the examples of swine flu, stem cells and tsunamis, the speakers and participants discussed how to communicate scientific knowledge in a crisis situation. Another major issue was the question of how one can use scientific topics to reach out to people from educationally disadvantaged backgrounds. A panel discussion on the role of science academies in science communication featuring the presidents of the Leopoldina, the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities, and Acatech also met with great interest. The participants of the three-day symposium used the breaks and the evening reception at the Berlin Museum of Natural History to discuss the ideas and projects presented at the symposium and make contacts.