The Transformation Slam translates research on social upheavals into a creative and accessible stage format for a wide audience – and brings science into direct dialogue with society. This collaborative project between the Leibniz Institute for Educational Trajectories (LIfBi) and the Germanisches Nationalmuseum (GNM) is funded as part of the Leibniz Lab ‘Social Upheavals and Transformations’ and helps to raise public awareness of the Lab’s key themes.

A key component of the project is the training of researchers: through workshops and individual coaching sessions, they learn to present their topics in a clear and accessible manner, tailored to their audience, and to deliver compelling presentations. The insights gained are compiled and made permanently available to researchers and institutions.

Social transformations are shaping education, knowledge and science. Their effects affect many people, yet are often complex and not easily understood. The Leibniz Lab “Social Upheavals and Transformations” brings together the expertise of 28 Leibniz Institutes to examine key changes of our time from various academic perspectives and to present them in a way that is accessible to the public.

The collaboration between the LIfBi and the Germanisches Nationalmuseum brings together different perspectives on knowledge and its dissemination: whilst the LIfBi empirically investigates societal developments in education and learning, the GNM contributes its experience in cultural mediation and in engaging with a broad audience. This partnership gives rise to a shared approach to presenting scientific content in a way that is understandable and accessible. The Science Slam offers a suitable format for this by translating research into vivid, incisive presentations and opening up new approaches to current topics.

The project involves designing, organising and staging a public science slam. Researchers from the partner institutions and other Leibniz institutions will receive support through workshops and one-to-one coaching to help them translate their research on societal transformations into an accessible and creative stage format. Entries will be selected based on the criteria of thematic relevance, scientific rigour, clarity and creative execution.

The Science Slam evening is expected to take place in Nuremberg and will feature several short presentations, from which the audience will select the best contribution. Afterwards, there will be an opportunity for direct exchange between researchers and the audience. A multimedia record will extend the reach of the format beyond the event itself. The experiences, materials and selected contributions gathered will be developed into transfer and learning resources to firmly establish the Science Slam format within the context of the Leibniz Lab.

• Project lead at LIfBi: Dr Florian Mayer
• Grant application [joint]: Dr Florian Mayer (LIfBi) and Dr Natalie Boonyaprasop (GNM)
• Project duration: June 2026 – May 2027
• Funding body: Leibniz Lab “Social Upheavals and Transformations”
• Link to this page: www.lifbi.de/transformation-slam