Hanns-J. Neubert

Hanns-J. Neubert is the President of the European Union of Science Journalists’ Associations EUSJA, based in the premises of Euroscience in Strasbourg, and Chairman of the Board of the German Science Writers TELI. He generates his income as freelance science journalist and book author (German and English), but also as teacher and seminar organiser in international science journalism, and as communication consultant to institutions and companies. At times Neubert serves the European Commission as expert evaluator regarding the societal impact of scientific project proposals and for science in society themes. Until 2006 he was member of the Grand Jury of the European Descartes Prizes for Science Communication. 
He has about 30 years of experience in science journalism, mainly as a freelancer, but for 7 years during the 1990s also as press officer in the German federal research ministry. His special interests are biology, biotechnology, chemistry, geo and climate sciences, but also general issues like education, science in society, and participation.
After concluding his studies in biological oceanography in the late 1970s, he quit science in order to broaden his own knowledge horizon and to tell people about the world of science. This was facilitated through a renown scholarship from the Robert-Bosch-Foundation. Internships brought him to recognised German papers and he ended up in TV, running his own documentary company between 1985 and 1991.

Hanns-J. Neubert is panel speaker in session 4.3, Lost in Translation and session 4.10, From response to responsibility.

Hanns-J. Neubert: "In times of information overflow it is most important that all people are put into the position to gain and acquire knowledge in learning how to handle and integrate informational bits and pieces. However, knowledge is not necessarily a ticket for the ability to contribute to democratic processes, it can even foster authoritarian developments. Knowledge has to exceed its own borders and lead to literacy -- an improper translation of the German term “Bildung” -- of all people, which effectuates passion, sympathy, tolerance and interest, which are prerequisites of real democracy."