group
Knowledge for Action
Research
The Knowledge for Action working group examines how scientific knowledge is incorporated into social and political decision-making processes and how it can have an impact there.
The focus is on linking research, social dialogue and policy-oriented knowledge work.
The working group sees itself as a platform for experimental, transdisciplinary research. The aim is to develop models in which knowledge is jointly generated, shared and effectively utilised – as a basis for sustainable societal decisions.
Key areas
Putting knowledge into practice
Our work encompasses various, closely interlinked areas: the development of citizen science platforms, the analysis of participation processes, international programmes on public engagement, and research into science-policy interfaces.
Projects such as mit:forschen! or Trust in Citizen Science demonstrate how participation transforms scientific processes and gives rise to new forms of collaboration. International initiatives such as PEX broaden this perspective and foster exchange across national contexts.
The interface between science and policy
A central component of our work is the analysis and design of interfaces between science and policy. Through formats such as the Biodiversity Policy Lab, we investigate the conditions under which scientific findings inform political decisions and how this process can be improved.
Innovation and new methods
At the same time, we are developing new approaches to knowledge production, for example by combining citizen science with digital technologies, as in the IQ Wasser project. Such approaches make it possible to tap into new data sources and combine public participation with scientific innovation.
People
Dr. Susanne Hecker
Head of Department
Email: Susannne.Hecker@mfn.berlin
Marius Oesterheld
Team Lead Citizen Science
Email: Marius.Oesterheld@mfn.berlin
Dr Mhairi Stewart, FRSE
Team Lead Public Engagement and Impact
Email: Mhairi.Stewart@mfn.berlin
Victoria Shennan
Team Lead Berlin School of Public Engagement and Open Science
Email: Victoria.Shennan@mfn.berlin
Publications
Golumbic, Y.N., Oesterheld, M. (2023). From goals to engagement—evaluating citizen science project descriptions as science communication texts. Frontiers in Environmental Science, 11, 1228480. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2023.1228480
Calvera-Isabal, M., Oesterheld, M., Peltoniemi, A., Santos, P., Martínez-Martínez, F., Golumbic, Y. (2025). Understanding learning opportunities in citizen science: a triangulated approach. International Journal of Science Education Part B, 15(4), 1-18. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/21548455.2025.2488403
Stewart, M.L. (2023). Science communication in Germany. A practice in transition. Journal of Science Communication, 22, R01. DOI: https://doi.org/10.22323/2.22010601
Shennan, V., Stewart, M. (2025). Förderung von Transdisziplinärer & Partizipativer Forschung und Public Engagement: Explorationsstudie zu Entwicklungspotenzialen in Deutschland. [Explorativer Studienbericht]. Stifterverband für die Deutsche Wissenschaft e. V.. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/ZENODO.17398553
Bessert-Nettelbeck, M., Bischof, A., Sturm, U., Nagy, E., Schraudner, M., Backhaus, J., Bruckermann, T., Hecker, S., Henke, J., Köpferl, K., Kirschke, S., Liedtke, C., Mahr, F., Maibaum, A., Podann, A., Rössig, W., Schäfer, M., Schröder, C., Schrögel, P., Shennan, V., Steinhaus, N., Stewart, M., Van Den Bogaert, V., Voigt-Heucke, S. (2023). [Report]: Participation as a research approach in academia: a converging field. Research Ideas and Outcomes, 9, e105155. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/rio.9.e105155
Heron, P.J., Dalton, Kath, Shephard, G.E., Hutchins, S., Stewart, M., George, D., Reynolds, R., Sharif, A., Lewis, A., Williams, J.A. (2023). Student perspectives on creating a positive classroom dynamic: science education in prison. Research for All, 7(1). DOI: https://doi.org/10.14324/RFA.07.1.08
Shennan, V., Stewart, M. (2025). Fostering Transdisciplinary & Participatory Research and Public Engagement with Research: Exploratory Study on the Developmental Potential in Germany. (66) [Explorativer Studienbericht]. Stifterverband für die Deutsche Wissenschaft e. V.. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/ZENODO.17397897
Faustino, A., Shennan, V., Wendler, J. (2024). Impact: Definitions, How to Manage It, A case study. (6). Museum für Naturkunde Berlin - Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science. DOI: https://doi.org/10.7479/m82c-m683
Galloway, C., Joubert, M., Milne, R., Monaghan, J., Shennan, V., Spokes, L., Wendler, J. (2024). Emotions in Engagement Toolkit - A practice guide and insights from the Collaborative Futures Academy 2024. (56) [Leitfaden]. Museum für Naturkunde Berlin - Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science. DOI: https://doi.org/10.7479/m1m8-km40
