NEOLAiA

With a new Science Café series, Bielefeld University is once again opening up its research to the wider community. The series launches with a talk on “sonification” – the process of turning data into sound. The series is part of the European university alliance NEOLAiA and invites the public to engage, reflect and join the conversation.

Making research accessible, fostering dialogue and discovering new perspectives together – that is the goal of Bielefeld University’s new Science Café lecture series as part of the European university alliance NEOLAiA.Once a month, on selected Tuesdays from 6:15 to 7:45 p.m., researchers and members of the public meet in an informal setting.

The opening event on 28 April 2026 features Dr Thomas Hermann from the Faculty of Technology speaking about “sonification.” The term refers to the transformation of data into sound. Instead of viewing charts or graphs, audiences can hear data – such as climate patterns, heart signals (ECG) or activity in social networks. This opens up new ways of understanding information: the human ear often recognizes patterns differently, and sometimes even faster, than the eye. The talk will provide insights into how this acoustic form of data analysis works and where it is already being applied.

Future talks in the series will address topics such as weather forecasting in times of climate change and approaches in which children explain science themselves. These are accessible topics designed to spark discussion.

The Science Café series is part of NEOLAiA’s citizen science activities. Its aim is to connect research with society, promote exchange between academia and diverse societal stakeholders, and strengthen trust in scientific knowledge. Dialogue is therefore at the heart of the series: audiences are invited to ask questions, join the discussion and actively help shape research.

Further events in the series will take place on 2 June, 23 June and 21 July 2026 in the Main University Building (UHG), room S1-209. No registration is required.

Read the full blog post on the Bielefeld University website. (In German).