„Bacteriopolis – the Hidden Life of Microbes“ – A traveling exhibition on bacterial multicellularity –

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Thorsten Mascher
• Subject Area: Microbial Ecology and Applied Microbiology ; Metabolism, Biochemistry and Genetics of Microorganisms
• Term: since 2022
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 503967644

The SPP 2389 aims at nothing less than a paradigm shift that shall be reflected in future textbooks: Bacterial life is multicellular! However, breaking down long-established ideas requires not only clear scientific evidence, as the SPP 2389 will create, but also persuasion in science and society. Facts must not only be constantly questioned, but also prepared and communicated in a way that they can become accepted over time and slowly replace outdated knowledge. In this respect, science communication is an important concern of the SPP 2389. The goal here is not only to convince the scientific community, but to communicate the new findings directly to the general public. This aim is particularly challenging, since over the past few years, we observe an increasing number of people who are sceptical or even hostile towards science and its achievements. In order to bridge the gap between a research-guided, creative shaping of the future on the one hand, and science scepticism combined with social and political disillusionment on the other hand, new forms of participatory research and equal, low-threshold science communication are needed – in and around people’s lives. The SPP 2389 aims to achieve this by means of a multimedia, multilingual and interactive traveling exhibition that explains the topics of the SPP in an easily accessible way and sparks the public’s interest in science even in passing. For this very reason, the exhibition will be presented at busy locations such as markets, in front of train stations or as part of city festivals. It will be exhibited at the locations of the SPP partners as well as in rural areas and will use flaps, drawers, playful and multimedia elements to awaken everyone’s spirit of discovery and to appeal to their senses. The SPP will use a holistic combination of analogue and digital communication tools to promote the traveling exhibition and the accompanying program, which consists of workshops, panel discussions and other event formats. This includes press work, websites and social media channels of interest to the target group. In order to achieve a paradigm shift from bacteria as unicellular to multicellular organisms, special workshops for and with lecturers and students will take place, and the scientific staff of the SPP will be trained in workshops to become future science communicators. In this way, each individual becomes an information multiplier and thus increases the visibility of the Priority Program. Through the support of the communication departments and public relations offices of the SPP partners, the traveling exhibition and the accompanying program will become a beacon in the location’s calendar of events, as well as a multiplier of knowledge about bacterial multicellularity. The SPP will therefore achieve a reduction in scepticism and an increase in scientific interest.

• DFG Programme: Priority Programmes
• Subproject of: SPP 2389: Emergent Functions of Bacterial Multicellularity