Download Great success for Kieler Forschungswerkstatt Horizon 2020

Great success for Kieler Forschungswerkstatt
Horizon 2020-project “Marine Mammals” obtains funding of almost two million Euros
To further increase young people’s interest in natural science and to prevent shortage of
specialists in the STEM area nine scientific educational and research institutes from
Germany, Poland, Sweden, Belgium and Denmark joined forces in the Horizon 2020-project
“Marine Mammals”. The school laboratory Kieler Forschungswerkstatt is coordinating the
project that receives 1.8 million Euros from the European Union. “We are extremely pleased
about the three-year grant for our project”, says project coordinator Dr Katrin Knickmeier.
“For the first time we are able to pool internationally recognized expert knowledge in the field
of marine mammals and environmental issues here in Kiel. Together we tackle our goal to
inspire young people for natural sciences and careers in the STEM area.”
One focus of the project “Marine Mammals” is to provide learning material for school
teachers and students developed by an international team of experts consisting of marine
scientists, educational researchers and teachers. The material is based on current research
questions and introduces the students to scientific topics as well as research methods.
Marine mammals are the main theme because they exemplarily reveal problems such as
noise and plastic pollution of the oceans or the impact of bycatch in commercial fishing. “Next
to a high intelligence marine mammals have strong social and communicative skills which
draws worldwide attention to these sea dwellers”, explains Dennis Brenneke, project
manager at the Kieler Forschungswerkstatt. “Furthermore, they are most popular which
engages the young not only professionally but also emotionally with the discussed issues.”
Extracurricular activities to arouse students’ interest in natural science include digital media,
3D models, poster or expedition boxes which can be borrowed by school classes.
“Marine Mammals” was able to succeed within the EU application procedure as one of only
six projects against more than 200 competitors from all over Europe. German project
partners are Kiel University (CAU), the Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research
at the University of Veterinary Medicine Hanover Foundation (TiHo), the Leibniz Institute for
Science and Mathematics Education (IPN) and the network Meeresmedien. International
partners include the University of Liège (Belgium), the Foundation for the Development of
Gdansk University (Poland), the University of Southern Denmark (Denmark), the Havets Hus
(Sweden) and the WWF Poland. The project coordination is carried out by the Kieler
Forschungswerkstatt in the ozean:labor.
Bild Schweinswal zum Download und als Vorschaubild: Marine mammals like the porpoise
give the EU-project its name. Foto/Copyright: Peter Verhoog, Fjord&Bælt
Bild Kick-Off zum Download: The first project meeting with more than 20 participants was
held at the Kieler Forschungswerkstatt from September 28 to 30, 2016. Foto/Copyright:
Kieler Forschungswerkstatt
Logo zum Download
Link to our webpage: http://marine-mammals.com/
Contact:
Kieler Forschungswerkstatt
Dr Katrin Knickmeier
Project coordination "Marine Mammals"
Telefon: +49 (0)431-880 5914
E-Mail: [email protected]
Kieler Forschungswerkstatt
Dennis Brennecke
Project management "Marine Mammals"
Telefon: +49 (0)431-880 5916
E-Mail: [email protected]
Project coordination
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Kieler Forschungswerkstatt (ozean:labor)
Project partners:
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Kiel University (CAU)
Foundation for the Development of Gdansk University (FRUG/Poland)
Havets Hus in Lysekil (Sweden)
Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research at the University of Veterinary
Medicine Hanover Foundation (TiHo)
Leibniz Institute for Science and Mathematics Education (IPN)
Meeresmedien Hamburg
University of Liège (ULg/Belgium)
University of Southern Denmark (SDU/Denmark)
WWF Poland
Promotional volume: 1.8 million Euros
Funding period: 2016 to 2019
About Kieler Forschungswerkstatt
Kieler Forschungswerkstatt, the school laboratory of Kiel University and the Leibniz Institute
for Science and Mathematics Education (IPN), is an out-of-school place of learning that
focuses on various topics, such as energy, life on earth and nano-technology. Its key
functions are to support grass-roots and elite science, as well as teacher training and
development. At the ozean:labor laboratory, school pupils explore the habitat of seas and
oceans and get to grips with current issues in the field of marine research. The laboratory
looks at the influence of people on the ocean ecosystem, using examples such as
eutrophication and overfishing, and undertakes projects and activities connected with the
issue of plastic waste in oceans. The Cluster of Excellence “The Future Ocean” supports the
ozean:labor at Kieler Forschungswerkstatt.
Further information can be found at: www.forschungs-werkstatt.de (in German only).
This project is funded by the Horizon 2020 Framework Programme of the European Union under Grant
Agreement no 710708.