Outreach

Getting young people interested in the research of Austrian scientist and then provide them with accompanying material for their school classes - this is the aim of FÄKT, an initiative supported by the Austrian Academy of Sciences (ÖAW). Lena Bauernhofer and Ariane Pessentheiner got selected to provide insights into our everyday laboratory life and explain membrane proteins and their research in breast cancer.

You can watch the videos on Instagram and YouTube and of course use them for teaching!

Based on the project "New Nanodiscs for the Study of GPCR Signal Transduction" (in short "NanoBelt",  FWF I5359-N), Ariane Pessentheiner developed a science communication project aimed at young people aged 8-14. The project, which will run for two years, is funded by the FWF (WKP191-B).

In the BioPhysics-Comics workshops at schools or at the university, a knowledge base in the field of biomembranes and their research is first built up in a playful and experimental way. Afterwards, the pupils are guided to implement this knowledge in the form of science comics. This involves developing characters, creating a story, and assembling the individual images.

By dealing with a complex topic in a playful and creative way, prejudices against STEM subjects are reduced, and the importance of basic research is also conveyed. Last but not least, the workshops are designed to spark curiosity and interest in the natural sciences.

You can find out more on the project homepage (at the moment only available in German) or by contacting Ariane Pessentheiner directly.