TUM starts new science project: Citizens become research partners!

TUM starts new science project: Citizens become research partners!

By founding the TUM Public Science Lab, the Technical University of Munich (TUM) has taken a significant step to further integrate research into society. The lab, which was launched on October 11, 2025, aims to actively involve people from different areas of society in research. This project is intended to incorporate previously ignored perspectives and expertise into scientific problem discussions and thus identify crucial questions that affect coexistence.

The focus of the TUM Public Science Lab is on developing paths for public decision-making processes and sustainable innovations. The central questions addressed in the lab relate to how research can distinguish relevant social problems from less important ones, how people without contact to universities can contribute their knowledge and perspectives, and how science becomes public to promote coexistence. Professor Sabina Leonelli, who is responsible for the lab, emphasizes that the goal here is not quick solutions, but rather a deeper examination of the topic.

Public participation in research

The lab will not only be active in research, but also in public relations. Planned activities include discussions and participatory activities in clubs, schools and neighborhood management. The aim is to strengthen trust in scientific institutions through long-term presence and collaboration with organized stakeholders. The first thematic areas focus on ecology and sustainable urban development, particularly in relation to water use and the needs of the people in the region.

The TUM Public Science Lab is affiliated with the Department of Science, Technology and Society of the TUM School of Social Sciences and Technology and is also supported by the TransforM Cluster of Excellence. This cooperation promotes research into high-tech innovations and their influence on social change.

Promoting participation

The initiative reflects a broader movement that is emerging in Germany to promote participation in research. According to information from the BMFTR, citizens and civil society groups are actively involved in the discussion about research and research policy. The aim of this participation strategy is to use the jointly developed knowledge for both research policy and science and to exploit the innovative and social added value of participatory research.

The example of the Ideas Run in the 2022 Science Year, in which citizens were able to ask over 14,000 questions to researchers, shows how seriously the dialogue between science and civil society is being promoted. This process should continue to apply to a variety of topics in the future, ranging from health research to community projects.

Through this multi-layered integration of the public and science, the TUM Public Science Lab promises not only to address current problems in society, but also to show ways to solve them. With this approach, TUM would like to contribute to science and society growing closer together in order to better overcome common challenges.

In summary, it can be said that the founding of the TUM Public Science Lab not only creates a new space for research, but also offers a platform to intensify dialogue with society, which is of great importance at the current time. For more information about the research approaches and participation strategies, visit the website TUM, idw online and BMFTR.