On 9 May, CRC 1644 "Phenotypic Plasticity in Plants" took part in the Potsdamer Tag der Wissenschaften — one of the region's largest public science events, bringing together researchers from the University of Potsdam and beyond to share their work with a curious and diverse audience.
Our team was present with a hands-on stand at the Forschungscamp, where visitors of all ages had the opportunity to explore how plants sense and respond to their environment. The conversations at the stand were lively and wide-ranging — a reminder of just how much genuine curiosity exists beyond the walls of the lab.
Two talks rounded off our programme for the day. Dr. René Schneider took a creative approach to explain the secrets of plant adaptation — using LEGO® to make the complexity of plant biology tangible and fun. Emilian Paulitz then showed how computational tools and modelling help us understand plant growth in ways that would be impossible without modern data science. Both talks were met with great enthusiasm and sparked lively discussions with the audience.
We are proud of everyone who contributed to making this day a success — from the many hours of preparation to the energy and dedication on the day itself. Public outreach is an important part of what we do, and events like the Potsdamer Tag der Wissenschaften give us a wonderful opportunity to share our passion for plant research with the public.