Citizen Science for Communicating New Genomic Technologies (CEPLAS)
As part of the third funding phase of the CEPLAS Cluster of Excellence, Prof. Dr. Marc Ziegele and Katharina Frehmann are collaborating with the DIID on a citizen science project focused on communicating new genomic technologies (NGT) and plant biotechnology. The project aims to develop new approaches to science communication that are accessible and dialogue-oriented, and to empirically assess their impact.
CEPLAS (“Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences”) is a Cluster of Excellence funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) and jointly run by Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf and the University of Cologne. The project investigates how plants and their associated microorganisms respond to and adapt to environmental changes such as climate change, resource scarcity, and stress. The goal is to gain a fundamental understanding of the biological mechanisms underlying complex plant traits—such as growth, metabolism, resilience, and resource efficiency. Based on this understanding, the aim is to predict plant performance in the future and develop new, adaptable “SMART” plants with optimized traits. Further information about the cluster can be found here: https://www.ceplas.eu
At the heart of this citizen science project is a co-creative approach: working together with a representative group of citizens, new strategies for communicating about NGT and plant biotechnology are being developed and tested. This includes input sessions with scientists, thematic workshops, and the joint development of a public survey. This survey captures both the general perception of NGT and plant biotechnology as well as attitudes toward various forms of science communication.
The results from the workshops and survey will be analyzed jointly by researchers and the participating members of the public. The goal is to develop concrete recommendations for transparent, understandable, and dialogue-oriented communication on these topics. The findings can not only be used to further develop our own communication efforts but also serve as a model for communication in other areas of plant science.
Another component of the project is the scientific evaluation of the communication strategies developed. Experiments are being conducted to examine how differently designed information about NGT and plant biotechnology influences the attitudes and behavioral intentions of recipients. In addition, content analyses are being used to examine how the content communicated in the project is picked up and discussed in news media and social media.
The subproject is part of the CEPLAS Cluster of Excellence and is receiving approximately 240,000 euros in funding. It will begin in April 2026 and is scheduled to run for 48 months.