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WPK-Geschäftsstelle, Ahrstraße 45, Wissenschaftszentrum, 53175 Bonn

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The German Science Journalists' Association (WPK) - an association of active, competent, critical, science journalists representing print, radio and television, independent, with their "fingers on the pulse"

The German Science Journalists' Association (WPK)

What's going on in research? Where are new developments leading? Are they significant and what are the likely consequences? These are the kind of questions the WPK addresses at the events it organises. But it also gets involved in current controversial debates: what's the hidden message? What are the important issues lurking behind the headlines? What are the real pros and cons? Who are the interested parties? And what sights are being set?

To discover the answers to these questions, the WPK organises its own events, relying on its own independence to select competent experts. The academics invited are the leading people in their field. If the emphasis is on examining conflicting points of view, those chosen are outstanding representatives of the various positions; if it is the evaluation and direction of a topic that is supposed to be scrutinised, the relevant top politicians, practitioners and academics are invited to participate.

The WPK's main task is to create the right sort of framework for a fruitful exchange of information. Depending on the motivation and aim of the event, the WPK organises:

- Scientific press conferences
Since it was founded 20 years ago, the WPK has arranged more than 500 scientific press conferences during which a total of about 1700 scientists, politicians and representatives of business and industry have faced journalists' questions.
- Debates
- Background briefings
These are designed to allow an exchange of information and views with outstanding people as well as discussing hot topics not necessarily ripe for publication - so that WPK science journalists are the first to find out what is likely to become important.
- WPK "on site"
Occasionally, press conferences are combined with on site demonstrations, at special research facilities for example.
- Investigative trips
Members of the WPK have been on trips to research centres in Germany and other European countries, including visits to the European Commission and Joint Research Centres, as well as Asia, Australia and South America.

If the results of recent studies are to be believed, science journalism is gaining in significance. This means higher expectations on the one hand and greater pressure on journalists to increase their efficiency on the other. The challenges faced by the growing number of science journalists are immense: the complexity of the topics, their careers, the cross links to all fields of the modern knowledge-based society make responsible, independent and appropriate reporting ever more difficult. Consequently, the WPK tries to find new ways of identifying and meeting its members' needs:
- Workshops
This is where colleagues can get hold of background information and research aids of use to them in their day to day work.
- The Website (www.wpk.org). The WPK is currently developing a modern communication platform to make "networking" in difficult times easier for everyone.

With its 200 or so members from all over the country the WPK runs events at various places in Germany, especially in Bonn, Berlin, Cologne, Hamburg, Leipzig and Munich. But the WPK has more to offer than this: together with the 60-odd members of the circle of friends and the 30 trustees a "science journalism network" has grown which provides numerous opportunities to make contacts and get information both for experienced colleagues and, especially, for those just starting out in journalism.

The Foundation of the WPK

The Wissenschafts-Pressekonferenz e.V. (WPK) is an independent institution, founded on the initiative of journalists for journalists from all academic disciplines, reporting on the sciences, medicine, technology, ecology, the humanities and social sciences as well as educational and research policy as their regular occupation.

How it all began: 1986 - the definitive year

In April, an atomic reactor explodes in Chernobyl. Clouds contaminating whole landscapes with radioactive fall-out pass over Germany, too.
In November, an agro-chemical store belonging to Sandoz in Basle catches fire. The fire water washes noxious substances into the Rhine, kills millions of fish and endangers millions of people's drinking water supplies.

Two quite different events - and yet they do have something in common: the public only gradually finds out what is really going on. What a contrast to reporting at the height of the AIDS-discussion. Public debate goes wild, in the media, too. But how serious is this mysterious illness really? What risk is there for the individual of getting infected? How much is scaremongering and what are the dangers of playing it low-key?
Three examples of topics which dominated media reporting for months in 1986. And yet: people are left with an uncomfortable feeling. Is that the whole truth? Are those really all the points you need to know to come to a proper assessment? Or have things been manipulated? This was the atmosphere which brought committed journalists together. They felt it incumbent upon themselves to enlighten people about the complicated relationships, to ensure that readers, listeners and viewers were able to put together as complete a picture for themselves as possible and come to a competent assessment of the situation. In October 1986, they founded the Wissenschafts-Pressekonferenz (WPK) e.V. In the preamble they wrote:

"The objective of the Wissenschafts-Pressekonferenz (WPK) e.V. is to promote encounters, understanding and the exchange of information between science, the economy, politics and the public. Through its activities it hopes to contribute to responsible, appropriate and independent reporting on all the fields of science, medicine and technology in the entire publishing media."

Members and friends

Only those whose main occupation is science journalism or publishing, and who report on all the fields of science and research in the print or electronic media, are eligible to become members of the WPK.
Colleagues in the press offices of foundations, research establishments, universities, ministries and enterprises as well as individuals and organisations which support the WPK's objectives may join the circle of friends. They are eligible for the same benefits as WPK members but do not have the right to vote at the members' annual plenary meeting.

The board of trustees for the promotion of the Wissenschafts-Pressekonferenz e.V., WPK

Since January 1990, the WPK's activities have been supported by the board of trustees for the promotion of the Wissenschafts-Pressekonferenz e.V. The members of the board of trustees are well-known representatives of science organisations, ministries and research-oriented enterprises. The preamble to the statutes of the board of trustees includes the statement, "At a time when science and technology are increasingly governing today's and tomorrow's world, mediation between science and the broader public is one of the most important aspects of journalistic work. To promote this in the spirit of the preamble to the statutes of the Wissenschafts-Pressekonferenz e.V. is the whole purpose of the board of trustees for the promotion of the Wissenschafts-Pressekonferenz e.V. The board of trustees should be an organ for facilitating and promoting dialogue between science and politics."

Der aktuelle Vorstand der Wissenschafts-Pressekonferenz e.V.

		Christiane Götz-Sobel ist Leiterin der Redaktion Naturwissenschaft und Technik im ZDF. Sie hat Biologie, Mathematik, Pädagogik und Publizistik studiert. Zunächst war sie einige Jahre als Lehrerin und freie Journalistin tätig. 1990 ging sie zum ZDF als Redakteurin bei Abenteuer Forschung und der Knoff-hoff-show. Weitere Stationen im ZDF waren das Wirtschaftsmagazin WISO und das Wissensmagazin Abenteuer Wissen. Seit 15 Jahren ist sie Mitglied der WPK und seit 2003 Erste Vorsitzende.
Christiane Götz-Sobel
		Claudia Ruby,  Jahrgang 1967, arbeitet seit 1999 als freie Umwelt- und Wissenschaftsjournalistin für TV, Radio und Printmedien. Nach dem Biologiestudium volontierte sie beim Westdeutschen Rundfunk in Köln. Ihre Schwerpunkte sind Umwelt & Entwicklung, Klimaforschung, Evolution und Artenvielfalt.
Claudia Ruby
		Alexander Mäder, Jahrgang 1972, leitet seit einem Jahr das Wissenschaftsressort der Stuttgarter Zeitung. Zuvor war er Volontär und Redakteur bei der Berliner Zeitung und betreute die Themengebiete Physik und Technik. Er hat in Heidelberg und Bielefeld Philosophie studiert und sich dabei auf Schnittstellen mit den beiden Nebenfächern Psychologie und Physik konzentriert.
Dr. Alexander Mäder
		Dagmar Röhrlich ist freie Wissenschaftsjournalistin und seit 2002 Schatzmeisterin der WPK. Sie hat Geologie/Paläontologie studiert und arbeitet vor allem für öffentlich-rechtliche Hörfunksender.
Dagmar Röhrlich
		Martin Schneider, Jahrgang 1960, ist stellvertretender Redaktionsleiter der Fernseh-Wissenschaftsredaktion des Südwestrundfunks in Baden-Baden (Sendungen: „W wie Wissen“, „Odysso“, „nano“). Er hat nach dem Studium der Philosophie, Biologie und Germanistik zunächst zwei Jahren in der Pressestelle der Deutschen Forschungsgemeinschaft und danach acht Jahre als freier Wissenschaftsjournalist für verschiedene Printmedien, Hörfunk und Fernsehen gearbeitet. Seit 1999 festangestellter Redakteur beim SDR bzw. SWR. Daneben nach wie vor ein paar Print-Aktivitäte
Martin Schneider