Meet-Up: Effective ecosystems for science communication

Dr. Alina Loth is the Head of the ‘Berlin School for Public Engagement and Open Science’. The School is part of the new Science Campus (‘Wissenschaftscampus’) and a joint project between Museum für Naturkunde Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and Robert Bosch Stiftung. The School aims to bridge between theory and practice in public engagement and research communication by focusing on research, training and strategy towards a sustainable culture change within the institutions.

Maria Hagardt is the Hub Manager for the Falling Walls Engage Hub Sweden, and the International Relations & Communications Manager at Vetenskap & Allmänhet (VA Public & Science). She works mainly with developing VA’s international collaborations, advocacy on national and European level and managing EU R&I projects. As a former National Contact Point for the European R&I framework programmes and Communication Officer at the European Commission, Maria also has a vast knowledge about EU policy.

Brett Hooton is Hub Manager for the Falling Walls Engage Hub Canada and Senior Writer, Executive Communications, at Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec. Concordia consistently ranks as the best university less than 50 years old in North America. Previously, Brett held various communications and administrative roles over a 15-year career.  He has received numerous awards from the Canadian Council for Advancement of Education (CCAE) and the Council for the Support and Advancement of Education (CASE). A former arts and culture journalist, Brett is particularly proud to be a long-serving member of the Board of Directors of Geordie Theatre, one of Canada’s largest and oldest professional theatre companies for young audiences.

Oscar Contreras-Villarroel is the Hub Manager of the Falling Walls Engage Hub Argentina. He is the president of the Fundación Ciencia Joven and the Vice President and Legal Representative in Chile at the Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT). Oscar’s expertise is in working with companies at a regional level to develop private partnerships. He was responsible for implementing one of the first STEM community engagement programme at the first Google data centre in Latin America. Oscar has been a Falling Walls Engage Winner in 2019 and 2021.

Anja Schoch is the Head of Falling Walls Engage at the Falling Walls Foundation in Berlin, a unique global hub connecting science, business, and society. At Falling Walls Engage, Anja leads the programme to build a global platform for Science Engagement practitioners, activate scientists and policy makers, and foster a global perception change. The core vision is that a better understanding of and more public involvement in science can tackle global challenges through fact-based decision-making, global deliberation, and integration of diverse perspectives. Participation and community engagement contribute to enhanced trust in science, overall societal well-being, and changes in policy.