Page - 90 - in Critical Issues in Science, Technology and Society Studies - Conference Proceedings of the 17th STS Conference Graz 2018

A world without mosquitos? Communication aspects on one of the latest techniques DIEKÄMPER, Julia, VOHLAND, Katrin FB Wissenschaftskommunikation und Wissensforschung, Institut für Evolutions- und Biodiversitätsforschung, Museum für Naturkunde Leibniz, Germany Abstract The research project GenomELECTION is a collaborative project involving the University of Halle and the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin. It is funded by the Ministry of Education and Research in the so called ELSI-program: Observing the ethical, legal, social aspects of life science. The museums task in the consortium is to investigate aspects of communication science with regard to the methods of genome editing. In this context, we have developed various formats that address the question of a world without mosquitoes against the background of gene-drive- systems. In our paper we present first findings and reflect on their significance, for example when reflecting processes of public negotiations. And it includes the question why a place like a natural history museum is suitable to reflect on these issues. Genome Editing goes public? Reflecting where – physically – debates and negotiations on challenging techniques impacting nature-humans relations can take place, we argue that the Museum für Naturkunde (MfN) can be used as a hub for the endeavor to communicate genome editing to and with a broader public. Our key argument is that here an audience can be encountered that is different from those who already have shown a long-standing interest for the specific topics. In concrete terms: In concrete terms: it is a matter of freeing genome editing from the embrace of solely science- driven debates on the one hand and theory-driven moral reflections on the other (Vohland et al. 2017). In the debates on genome editing references to “nature” or “naturalness” play a central role. Here, the museum offers very different readings of the related concepts paired with a multi- sensory approach, thus preparing the ground for a fruitful discussion. The museum site provides a contextualized space that places participants within natural history and science; the tactile and visual cues of this dedicated and safe space support, enhance, and inspire the discussions. With its public exhibitions and its educational program, the MfN is an ideal place to authentically convey current scientific research results and to enter into dialogue with various demographic groups. The MfN is undergoing a period of upheaval, in which it is rethinking its relationship with its visitors and the public as part of a participatory turn, both in its museum work (especially Simon 2010) and its scientific communication and policy (Jasanoff 2013). At the same time, museum visitors increasingly see museums as a platform for public participation in political decision-making processes (Bandelli and Konijn 2015). The MfN is one of the most visited museums in Berlin, 800.000 visitors came here in recent years on average (Museum für Naturkunde 2016). Although the visitors structure is diverse in relation to for example age or education – we do not assume that these visitors represent "the" public. However, the fact that the visitors are probably different from those who are searching directly for topics in the field of genome editing, gives us the first clues. In this sense it might be helpful to distinguish between a “public” who is created by meeting the issues and an interested public, 90