Questions about the new projectResearch Communication at the HRA

2 March 2020

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Communicate your research successfully: The new Research Communication Project (Projekt Wissenschaftskommunikation or WissKomm for short) from the Hamburg Research Academy aims to enthuse academics in Hamburg for communicating their research work by teaching them practical techniques and establishing a platform for communication between the academic community and society. The Claussen Simon Foundation initiated this project and will fund it for 3 years.

What is research communication and why is it important?

Research must be communicated, both within the academic world and from research institutions to the general public. Many people benefit from the successful communication of research. Society benefits because research findings often inform political decisions and important debates, and researchers benefit because their scientific work becomes more visible. You are now expected to communicate your research, no longer just in international contexts but also by German funding providers.

What is purpose of the HRA project?

The Hamburg Research Academy is creating a portfolio of offers to address various facets of research communication. A broad general training offer is set to begin in Summer Semester 2020. It will consist of interdisciplinary workshops in which doctoral students and postdoctoral researchers can develop or strengthen their expertise on a variety of special topics. We are developing new formats so that you can practice the skills you learn in the workshops. We are also seeking to pool and provide a platform for existing ideas and expertise in the area of research communication.

Upcoming events:

Why is research communication important to the HRA?

Ideally, communicating your research is a skill that you should develop at the start of your career, whether out of sheer enthusiasm for your work, with a view to future funding applications, or to promote successful cooperation in interdisciplinary working groups. As a central point of contact for early career researchers at 9 higher education institutions in Hamburg, the Hamburg Research Academy is also able to establish the topic as an important one at higher education institutions throughout the city. The project builds on the Hamburg Research Academy’s existing offers.

I have an idea. Who can I turn to?

We are pleased to offer a platform for new ideas and will be happy to answer any questions you may have. Please contact project consultant Julia Panzer: julia.panzer"AT"hra-hamburg.de