Science Slam: Linking Science to Society

DRESDEN, Germany — UNU-FLORES, together with partners, Frauenkirche Dresden and Technische Sammlungen Dresden, held the annual Science4Peace Slam on 14 November 2025 during the International Week of Science and Peace (9–15 November). Celebrated on 10 November every year, the World Science Day for Peace and Development highlights the important role of science in society and the need to engage the wider public in debates on emerging scientific issues. This year, the UN International Day celebrates under the theme Trust, Transformation, and Tomorrow: The Science We Need for 2050. The Science4Peace event brings scientific insights and ideas closer to the community through dynamic and compelling presentations.

According to Atiqah Fairuz Salleh (Advisor, Strategic Initiatives), who organized the event for the third-year running: “We had the highest turnout yet this year, which is very encouraging. In a world flooded with misinformation, science slams provide create a rare space where complex ideas become clear, relatable, and human. These slams help rebuild trust in evidence by connecting people not just to facts, but to the scientists behind them. They show that the science shaping our future is not distant or abstract, but a shared, collective journey.”

Participants and Topics  
The event featured a diverse range of experts from various disciplines:

1. Prof. Dominik Steiger, TU Dresden – International Law
2. Jonas Elpelt, Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies – Computational Neuroscience
3. Dr Neelakshi Joshi, Leibniz Institute of Ecological Urban and Regional Development (IOER) – Urban Planning
4. Jun. Prof. Hani Harb, Universitätsklinikum Carl Gustav Carus Dresden/TU Dresden – Immunology
5. Alavy Kifait Reza, UNU-FLORES/TU Dresden/IOER – Textile Science

The 2025 Science Slam winner is Neelakshi Joshi, a postdoctoral researcher at IOER. She will benefit from expert communications coaching. UNU-FLORES Head of Education and Capacity Building, Prof. Serena Coetzee, officiated the prize ceremony, presenting all participants with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) pins.

Pre-Slam Activities at UNU-FLORES 
An afternoon programme was organized to provide networking opportunities, icebreakers, and energizers for contestants and other researchers. The winner of the 2024 Science4Peace Slam, Susanne Hardt, delivered an impulse talk. Prof. Serena Coetzee also delivered an impulse and underscored that scientific insights should not remain confined to research circles but should be shared widely to inform and inspire the broader public.