The ECH's Climate Month: Our April Between Conferences, Audiences, and Playful Scientific Outreach

In April, the Environment and Climate Research Hub (ECH) of the University of Vienna once again demonstrated what sets it apart as an interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research network: climate change, biodiversity loss and environmental pollution are not merely studied here, but are consistently brought to the forefront in various social spheres. During the University of Vienna’s ‘Climate Month’, the ECH was present at several locations simultaneously: in conference halls, in public spaces, in the Botanical Garden and at the University of Vienna’s Long Night of Research. For the ECH, outreach is not merely a side event, but an integral part of its mission and working methods - namely, that research should be accessible without losing any of its complexity.

The University of Vienna’s Climate Month began with an important scientific gathering: the 26th Austrian Climate Day. For three days, the national climate research community met at the University of Vienna with clear backing from the ECH, which had played a key role behind the scenes in bringing the conference back to the University of Vienna.

‘Building Bridges – From Knowledge to Change’ was more than a conference theme; it felt like a mission statement. ECH Co-Director Thilo Hofmann summed it up:

‘Scientifically, we have long known where the journey must lead. What is crucial, however, is to bring this knowledge into politics and society in order to develop sustainable and fair solutions. Communication and exchange are central to this, and it is precisely these bridges that we must build.’

Between keynotes, panels, and urban formats such as the Climate Walk, one thing became clear: climate research has gone beyond the mere acquisition of knowledge and become a permanent project of translation between different disciplines, interests, and perspectives.

Things became even more public during the Long Night of Research, when the University of Vienna opened its doors at five locations. More than 12,000 visitors came not just to learn about science, but to experience it.

The ECH was particularly prominent in the main building of the University of Vienna, which was transformed into an interactive science landscape. At the central ECH stand, the Hub launched its newly developed game on the topic of ‘Oceans’ - which quickly proved to be a crowd-puller: here, players could experience how interdisciplinary collaboration generates new knowledge and, with it, potential solutions.

ECH members were active in the main building and at other university locations simultaneously: With lectures, experiments and discussions covering a wide spectrum ranging from climate communication and ecology to political emotions. 

Timo Bühler, coordinator at ECH and responsible for the design and implementation of all outreach and event activities, also developed the idea for the interactive game. ‘The aim,’ says Bühler, ‘is not to simplify the complexities surrounding biodiversity, marine conservation and social action, but to make them tangible.’ Decisions should be structured in such a way that their consequences become visible: ‘Anyone who plays the game quickly realises that there are no easy options for the current challenges. However, those who think and act in an interdisciplinary way have the better cards,’ says Bühler.

At the Botanical Garden of the University of Vienna, a few days earlier: During the Rare Plants Fare – an annual event providing plant lovers with the opportunity to purchase special items – the ECH proved once again that science communication can work perfectly well in a setting far from the lecture hall.

Here too, the ECH was present with its game – this time focusing on the topic of biodiversity – and adopted a similar approach to that used at the Long Night of Research: visitors slipped into the role of scientists from various disciplines and, by cleverly combining perspectives and methods, were able to help gain new insights. In doing so, they had to make decisions that made ecological interrelationships concrete. The game demonstrates that what initially appears playful quickly develops a serious dynamic: protecting biodiversity is not merely a matter of observing nature, but of weighing different options and engaging in inter- and transdisciplinary collaboration.

As Lena Schmidlechner, co-developer of the game at ECH, explains, the concept has been deliberately designed to be flexible: ‘The game interface is modular, allowing different thematic worlds to be represented: from marine conservation and biodiversity to other environmental issues.’ This flexibility is key, adds Timo Bühler, as the game is set to be used at various events and with different target groups across Austria in the future.

The focus shifted to young people’s perspectives with the LCOY Austria – the national youth environmental conference. Through workshops, discussions, and a joint Youth Statement, the participants demonstrated their commitment to contribute in shaping the public debate around environment and climate issues.

For the ECH, LCOY was another building block in the month’s outreach mosaic: central to the aim of opening the University of Vienna as a venue for the systematic exchange between different social groups.

Looking back, what makes April special is not necessarily the number of events but their interconnection. The ECH did not pursue isolated activities but combined various levels of communication and participation: from the specialist community to the general  public and across different age groups.

Sabine Pahl, ECH Co-Director, emphasises the importance of such multi-layered formats, in which science is not merely communicated but reflected upon together, and where meaning is developed with heart and mind. ‘This,’ she says, ‘is precisely where the strength of current climate communication lies: in opening up spaces for exchange and a diversity of perspectives, hope and future orientation.'

‘It’s wonderful to see that science communication has worked simultaneously at very different levels and for different target groups: in the lecture theatre, in the garden, in urban spaces and through play,’ says Nora Gau, communications officer of the ECH team, summing up the month on a positive note. It is precisely this breadth that is crucial, because it also reaches young audiences early on, namely ‘those who will be making tomorrow’s decisions.’

Climate Month in April demonstrated just how consistently the Environment and Climate Research Hub understands its role: not as a scientific centre in the traditional sense, but as an organisation that sets research in motion and fosters exchange, that connects research with hope and solutions sometimes literally, sometimes figuratively.

It wasn’t just a matter of talking about bridges between knowledge and change, but also about building new ones – bridges that were crossed by a surprisingly large number of visitors.