Research for Societal Impact: Transdisciplinary Approaches to Tackle Real-World Challenges
Everybody talks about impact - and so do we! In this one-day interactive workshop, you will learn how integrating a variety of perspectives from inside and outside academia helps you to increase the societal impact of your research. We will take a closer look at relevant funding calls, provide you with inspiration for your project planning and explore ways for successful stakeholder engagement.
If you are starting to become involved or are preparing your first project proposals and would like to include participatory or transdisciplinary approaches, this workshop is for you – but of course also more experienced researchers are very welcome to join! The in-person workshop will be conducted in English and give you plenty of time for questions and additional conversations.
Participants of this workshop will also have the opportunity to meet in smaller groups in early summer to work more closely on project ideas or proposals. Please indicate your interest in such a follow-up format when you register.
To participate in the workshop on 27 April 2026, please register here by 31 March 2026:
https://events.geomar.de/event/1016/registrations/415
Agenda
09:30
Welcome
Maike Nicolai, GEOMAR Knowledge Transfer
09:45
Introduction: The whys and hows of transdisciplinary and participatory research
Philipp Schrögel (Technical University Chemnitz/PartWiss – Partizipation in der Wissenschaft)
Questions
10:15
Interview round: benefits and challenges of stakeholder integration
Including questions from the audience
- Ulrike Bernitt, CDRmare
- Daniel Egli, FUTURO
- Daniela Henkel, CONMAR, CAMMera
- Helmke Hepach, INSYST, CREATE
- Nicole Köstner, BioGeoSea
- Esther Rickert, SOOP/OOS
- Esther Thomsen, Seastore
- Moderation: Philipp Schrögel
11:00
BREAK
11:15
Funding logics for participatory research at BMFTR and EU
Karen Ranke (Projektträger DLR)
Funding application process at GEOMAR
Anja Wenzel, Eva-Maria Zetsche (GEOMAR Research Funding)
Questions
12:15
Impact-oriented project planning: “Input-Output-Outcome-Impact” model (IOOI), Theory of Change
Maike Nicolai
Excercise
Feedback and questions
12:45
LUNCH BREAK (bring your own)
13:30
Stakeholder engagement and responsibilities
Lena Rölfer (AWI) and Louis Celliers (GERICS)
Excercise
Feedback and questions
14:30
Wrap-up
14:45
GET-TOGETHER
Background
The workshop is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) through "mit:forschen!", the central German platform for citizen science.
Background information on participatory research can be found on the GEOMAR Intranet.