InScience On Tour in Wageningen

Saturday 20 November / 11:30
Sunday 21 November / 13:45

In 2009 the highly ambitious Human Brain Project was announced by Henry Markram, resulting in a lot of publicity and attention. This extremely expensive project was aimed at developing a complete computer simulation of the human brain, within ten years. Director Noah Hutton was granted full access to everything that happened from the start and has managed to relentlessly capture what it was like to work on a project where there was a lot at stake – maybe even too much. In Silico immerses the viewer in the world of scientific top sport, multimillion-dollar investments, enormous egos, and even grander ambitions.

TALK

Does the increasing focus on ‘impactful research’ nowadays affect the boldness of researchers? Do researchers still dare to dive into the unknown? And how measurable can and should impact even be? Let’s explore these questions together with some inspiring WUR researchers.

Saturday 20 November / 14:00
Sunday 21 November / 11:45

Citizen Nobel is an inspiring portrait of Jacques Dubochet, who won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2017. As a physicist that was previously virtually unknown, how should he react to his unforeseen fame? What are the possibilities of the fact that his voice is suddenly heard by all? In his old age, he decides to reinvent himself to become a key figure in the battle against climate change. His secret? A lust for life.

TALK

When do scientists have the right to speak? Or might they even have the duty to speak up? Let’s talk about the role of scientists in light of the big societal challenges of this time, like climate change and biodiversity loss. Professor Liesje Mommer (plant ecology and nature conservation) and upcoming determined scientist Kathleen Uyttewaal both experience the empowering effect and the barriers of speaking up as a scientist. How do you see the role of a scientist and how do they see their role? Are they already a Citizen Nobel – even without winning a Nobel prize?

You can join the full program (movie and talk) on 20 November, 14:00 in the Heerenstraat Theater Wageningen. The movie will be screened without a talk on Sunday 21 November, at 11:45.

Saturday 20 November / 13:45
Sunday 21 November / 11:30

Identity: we construct it from our origins, our looks, our passports, or from what we consume. A more subtle form of revealing ourselves is through our pronunciation. The way in which we pronounce words has been used to separate friend from foe since language originated. The surprising documentary By the Throat explores our vocal limits through science, technology, cultural prejudices, and politics.

TALK

Let’s use our throats to talk about language, culture, and integration. How hard is it to actually master the Dutch language? And what are the pitfalls and misconceptions of integration to the Netherlands? An expert of Wageningen in’to Languages, the language institute of Wageningen University & Research, invites both Dutch and internationals to learn from their insights and all of your experiences. Let’s see if these insights can bring people closer to each other.

You can join the full program (movie and talk) on Sunday 21 November, 11:30 in the Heerenstraat Theater Wageningen. The movie will be screened without a talk on Saturday 20 November, at 13:45.

Saturday 20 November / 11:45
Sunday 21 November / 14:00

Natural historian and artist John James Audubon worked on his influential book ‘Birds of America’ between 1827 and 1838. In this book, he tried to describe as many birds in the United States as possible, and also to capture them in beautiful drawings. Now, after almost 200 years, the filmmakers try to follow Audubon in his footsteps. What can we learn about our changing ecosystem from drawings that are almost 200 years old?

TALK

But what’s the essence and importance of documenting the world around us? And how can it be done in creative ways? We open up a conversation with Anneke Groen, curator of WUR’s special collections, and filmmaker Melchert Meijer zu Schlochtern, who will show some footage of the forthcoming movie Grutto! for the first time in a cinema.

You can join the full program (movie and talk) on Sunday 21 November, 14:00 in the Heerenstraat Theater Wageningen. The movie will be screened without a talk on Saturday 20 November, at 11:45.