Victoria Shennan (she/her)

Team leader

Victoria.Shennan@mfn.berlin+49 0 30 889 140 - 8119
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Department:
Public Science

As Team Leader of the Berlin School of Public Engagement and Open Science, I am responsible for the development of strategic initiatives that strengthen public engagement in Germany through training, professional community building, and research. I lead the Berlin School team in delivering training programmes for both researchers and professionals, and in developing third-party funded partnership projects that support the integration of public engagement into institutional strategies and policies. My work focuses on building connections between researchers, the public, policymakers, and other stakeholders, to create spaces for dialogue and mutual learning, enhancing the societal impact of research and contributing to long-term cultural and structural change in academia. My research interests centre on evidencing the value of public engagement for researchers and institutions, and on establishing engagement as a recognised and embedded part of the research system.

I am part of the research areas and working groups:
Knowledge for Action

Project(s)

  • Third-Party Funded Project

    Third Mission School

    The Third Mission School strengthens competencies for effective public engagement at Berlin's universities of applied sciences, contributing to a resilient city.

    Several people are sitting at a table, discussing a large sheet of paper during a workshop. Together, they are developing ideas and jotting down their findings, whilst facilitation materials and diagrams can be seen in the background.
  • In-House Project

    Public Engagement Training Portfolio

    The training portfolio is an evidence-based programme supporting researchers across disciplines and career stages in integrating public engagement into their work.

  • In-House Project

    Collaborative Futures Academy

    The Collaborative Futures Academy was an annual online programme (2021–2025) strengthening the competencies of researchers and practitioners in public engagement.

Publications

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.17398553Open Access

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-km40Open Access

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-m683Open Access

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.e105155Open Access

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.17397897Open Access