Co-designing research into culturally responsive AI for extracurricular activities in primary schools: dual workshops in Germany and China

Contact peson: Dr. Haiqin Ning (Freie Universität Berlin)

The project investigates the possibilities and limitations of AI in increasing the cultural sensitivity of extracurricular activities in primary schools in Germany and China. Two co-design workshops—one in Berlin and one in Beijing—will bring together researchers, educators, children, parents, policymakers, and AI developers. Participants will identify needs, possibilities, and priorities that will result in a participatory research agenda.

Reuse, negotiate, design: Governance and material pathways for circular construction

Contact persons: Jesco Lippke, Püren Bahcivan, Jonathan Hoff  (Technische Universität Berlin): campuscommonscollective@gmail.com

This work package delivers a series of transdisciplinary workshops to further develop and implement reuse-based approaches for affordable student housing. It builds on designs and analyses from the Campus as Commons studio. The aim is to consolidate, concretise and make these results actionable together with practitioners, university administration and academia. Through co-creative formats (scenario canvas, design thinking, co-design board), we identify and refine technical, legal, organisational and governance-related transformation pathways for adaptive conversions.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/campusascommons

HOPE-IBD: Including the lived experience of patients for relevant preclinical models in the field of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases

Contact persons: Dr. Emma Luise Pietsch, Dr. Natascha Drude, Sophia Rotter (Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin)

The aim of this work package is to improve the translation of results from preclinical studies (animal/cell culture models) to clinical practice in the field of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD). Based on a systematic analysis of the measurements taken in the respective studies, patients, clinicians, researchers, industry representatives, and regulators, are brought together in focus groups and a subsequent consensus workshop to jointly discuss which parameters are particularly important in clinical practice and to the patients, and how these can be meaningfully represented in preclinical models. The results are developed into a guidance document for researchers and lay information material.

More information on the background: https://www.bihealth.org/de/translation/innovationstreiber/quest-center/projekte/projekt/einstein-center-3r-ec3r

Civil Society Co-Audits (CAS): Building an AI Audit Resource with and for Civil Society Organizations

Contact person: David Hartmann (Technische Universität Berlin)

The project addresses some of the key challenges civil society organizations face when dealing with and analyzing artificial intelligence: opacity, lack of access to data and models, and limited technical knowledge and organizational resources. Based on interviews and a participatory workshop, the project is working with civil society organizations using a co-research methodology to develop a repository of audit and analysis strategies for artificial intelligence that combines technical and social perspectives and supports information exchange.

More background information: https://www.weizenbaum-institut.de/en/research/digital-technologies-in-society/data-algorithmic-systems-and-ethics/

 

Citizen Science and Participatory Mapping for Transport Justice

Contact: Marek Sierts (Humboldt Universität Berlin)

Mobility justice is a key challenge in Berlin. Building on the BUA research project TransformMobility, this work package involves residents and civil society organizations in workshops to make visible and discuss different perspectives on mobility justice in specific spatial contexts. In addition, a citizen science approach is used to collect data that underpins these perspectives. A central goal is to empower local residents through data-driven advocacy and evidence-based participation in debates on mobility justice. The expected results include a tested methodological toolkit for participatory geoinformation research.

More information on the background: https://www.berlinbequem.de/

Participatory research on civil society heat protection practices and networks II

Contact person: Leonie Reuter (Freie Universität Berlin)

Health risks associated with extreme heat are increasing, especially in urban centers. In addition to individual, institutional, and infrastructural measures for heat protection, the role of collective action and mutual care in neighborhoods is repeatedly emphasized. Nevertheless, for the German context, there is to date neither comprehensive research nor an established body of best practices. In this work package, a prototype neighborhood heat protection plan will be jointly designed, tested, and evaluated in collaboration with stakeholders from Berlin. The aim is to advance both research and practice in strengthening collective (heat) resilience.

From Margins to Momentum: Leveraging Social Capital Networks for Bottom-Up Change in Madagascar’s HIV Response

Contact persons: Anne Neumann, Dr. med. Nadine Muller (Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin)

Madagascar faces a growing risk that HIV will spread beyond high-risk groups into the wider population, which would have serious health consequences – particularly for pregnant women. However, various community-based solidarity networks exist to support marginalised populations. These networks are crucial for an effective response to the spreading HIV epidemic but remain largely unrecognised in research and programming. This project aims to contribute evidence on the structures, mechanisms, and potential of solidarity networks and to co-create advocacy strategies to strengthen their action and platform the role of bottom-up-driven change in the HIV response. (93 words)

More background information:

Associated umbrella project (funded by GLOHRA/BMFTR)

Background on the spreading HIV epidemic in Madagascar (article written with collaborators of the project)

Employee-centered personnel planning – satisfaction as a strategic success factor

Contact persons: Nils Katzke, Prof. Dr. Natalia Kliewer (Freie Universität Berlin)

In light of demographic change and increasing staff shortages, companies are facing the challenge of attracting and retaining employees in the long term, especially in shift work. Until now, personnel planning optimization approaches in public transport have focused primarily on efficiency and cost minimization. The work package aims to establish satisfaction as a strategic success factor within the framework of employee-centered personnel planning. Workshops, in-depth interviews, and scenario formats are conducted together with employees, works councils, unions, management, and external experts to contribute their respective expertise in needs, co-determination, and organizational requirements. A socio-technical process is used to develop a satisfaction index that consolidates the needs of all stakeholders.

More background information: https://www.wiwiss.fu-berlin.de/fachbereich/bwl/pwo/kliewer/forschung/Projekte/TD-LAB26_NK/index.html

Fostering neo-lives. Everyday techniques for improving neonatal care and family lives with hospitalized newborns

Contact persons: Prof. Dr. Annekatrin Skeide, PD Dr. Antje Tannen, Prof. Dr. Julia Lühnen (Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin)

The work package prepares a research project aimed at collaboratively developing recommendations to improve care and everyday lives of families with newborns receiving inpatient treatment. To achieve this, participatory and creative methods such as body mapping, photovoice marketplace, focus group interview, and a World Café will be applied. The research objectives for the planned project will be specified, and a transdisciplinary research network will be built. The goal is to identify adaptive and creative repertoires of practices, knowledge, and experiences among parents, nurses, midwives, and researchers. The project will collaboratively address how techniques of ‘good’ family life, ‘good’ care, and ‘good’ research can be coordinated in such a way that they mutually promote and further improve each other.

 

A toolkit for Responsible Protein Innovation

Contact persons: Dr. Rosalyn Old, Dr. Dagmara Weckowska (Freie Universität Berlin)

The project addresses the ethical, environmental, social, and health challenges of current and emerging protein production systems. Exploring alternative protein innovations from plant-based meat alternatives to cellular products, the scientific concepts of “responsible innovation” and “protein transitions” are brought together and translated into practice. With the help of design thinking workshops, a toolkit is being developed in collaboration with civil society organizations and interest groups, start-ups, and representatives from politics and administration, in order to support the responsible innovation of alternative protein products.

More information on the background: https://www.ri-prot.de

 

Solidarity-based cultural production: alternative organizational and financing models in international comparison

Contact person: Dr. Janet Merkel (TU Berlin)

Together with stakeholders from academia, cultural initiatives, administration and the social economy, the project is developing new models of collective organization and financing for solidarity-based cultural production. The focus is on community-oriented forms of organization such as associations, foundations, cooperatives, public benefit corporations and commons-based structures, which are combined with alternative financing practices such as solidarity-based contributions or public benefit funds. The aim is to develop practical approaches that provide concrete support for cultural initiatives and at the same time form a basis for cultural policy recommendations. The results will be incorporated into a toolkit for cultural initiatives, a policy brief for politicians and administrators, and a public closing event to raise awareness and promote networking.

 

Exploring heat in the neighborhood together: Establishment of a neighborhood research council as a local experiment

Contact person: Dr. Catharina Lüder (Technische Universität Berlin)

The project is a transdisciplinary initiative focusing on municipal heat transitions. Every two weeks, a neighborhood research council will meet to explore the social dimensions of the heat transition in two districts of the Altkreis Bitterfeld. A group of citizens will gather and analyses exploratory qualitative data. They will experience social science methods firsthand, and their local expertise will benefit the topic. The findings will be presented to other citizens, as well as to representatives from housing associations, the local administration, and municipal utilities, in order to generate new research questions. An accompanying photo competition will offer further insights.

More background information: https://www.energieavantgarde.de/qfr/

Kiosk of Solidarity – transdisciplinary research into interventionist effects in urban spaces

Contact persons: Dr. Moritz Ahlert, Prof. Dr. Anna Steigemann (Technische Universität Berlin)

The Kiosk of Solidarity is an interventionist urban practice format that connects marginalized groups in Berlin and supports solidarity-based urban initiatives in their work. At the heart of this transdisciplinary project is a collaborative research approach involving five initiatives from the existing kiosk network as citizen scientists: Using participatory mapping, qualitative interviews, and critical, partly collaborative evaluation formats, the practice and effectiveness of the kiosk is analyzed and documented, and based on this, perspectives for action for a (more) socially just urban development are developed.

More information on the background: www.kioskofsolidarity.net 

Riparian Struggles II. Transforming Knowledge and Action for Urban Waters

Contact person: Garance Maurer

Project team: Prof. Dr. Robert Stock (Humboldt Universität Berlin), Prof. Dr. Laura Kemmer (University of Sāo Paulo), Prof. Dr. Jamie Baxter (HafenCity University Hamburg), Dr. Frank Müller (University of Sāo Paulo)

Riparian struggles emerge when rivers are being polluted, covered-over, and threatened. Research recognizes the central role of water courses or wetlands for planetary health, but rarely examines how riparian communities inspire new ways of thinking and acting. Building on a previous project, in which researchers, artists, activists, and citizens worked together to circulate tactics for confronting water conflicts, in 2026, the team will work with new partners to secure results in the form of a recipe book. To deepen the methodology of Planetary Design, a series of workshops will be organized, which make tactics transferable to other sites of struggle.

More information on the background: riparianstuggles.org