Marine Transdisciplinarity: Co-evaluating the status quo and co-designing the way forward

Call for Abstracts

This conference aims to reflect on transdisciplinary research activities, theories, and results in marine research, with a special focus on the three research missions of the German Marine Research Alliance (DAM). The event will bring together researchers, stakeholders, and practitioners to:

• Exchange experiences and insights from transdisciplinary projects

• Develop a common understanding of terms, methods, and approaches in transdisciplinary research

• Co-evaluate research results and co-design future strategies

• Enhance the effectiveness of transdisciplinary approaches for sustainability transformations

We welcome abstract submissions for oral presentations for the following sessions:

• Transdisciplinarity in large interdisciplinarity joint projects

• Knowledge integration and co-creation in transdisciplinary projects

• Coastal living labs in theory and practice

• Good practices towards coastal resilience: establishing a shared understanding of successful co-design

Submission Deadline: 21 November 2025 via email to: hmuetze@uv.uni-kiel.de

Key Information on the conference:

Dates: February 4–5, 2026 (from noon to noon)

Location: Marine Science Campus, Kiel University

Day 1 (4th of February): English (scientific focus), keynotes, oral presentations in themed sessions, and workshops on practical transdisciplinarity

Day 2 (5th of February): German (focus on co-evaluation), keynote, plenary sessions and interactive workshops

Submission Requirements Abstracts

Title

• Author(s) and affiliation(s)

• Abstract (200- 300 words)

• 3-5 Keywords

• Preferred session (indicate 2 priorities)

Format: Word file (.docx)

Submission Deadline: 21 November 2025 via Email to Henrike Mütze: hmuetze@uv.uni-kiel.de

Session Descriptions

Session 1: Transdisciplinarity in large interdisciplinarity joint project

By accumulating in depth expertise from a broad range of disciplines and individual researchers, interdisciplinary joint projects manifest numerous premises for innovative and socially relevant knowledge creation. At the same time, inherent (thematic, disciplinary and geographical) heterogeneity of such research projects generates specific challenges for transdisciplinary research activities, which are often locally-bounded and rather issue-specific.

The session wants to reflect on and discuss these challenges, as well as possible methodological and conceptual approaches of transdisciplinary research to face them. It aims at presenting and discussing practical experiences of inter- and transdisciplinary marine research approaches within the three research missions of the German Marine Research Alliance (DAM) in a comparative perspective. The session invites contributions from researchers as well as stakeholders involved in one of the DAM missions. Contributions should critically focus on practical challenges of effective transdisciplinary research within large interdisciplinary joint projects from the first phase of the DAM-research missions, and should present approaches and specific methods, which have been elaborated to address these challenges.

Convenors: Annegret Kuhn1, Helmke Hepach2, Maurits Halbach3

1 Center for Ocean & Society, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel

2 GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel

3 Helmholtz Institute for Functional Marine Biodiversity at the University of Oldenburg

Session 2: Knowledge integration and co-creation in transdisciplinary projects

Scientific knowledge and practical knowledge can enhance each other, potentially leading to new research insights and questions, and co-creating sustainable solutions to pressing societal problems. However, in practice this knowledge integration is a challenge!

In this session, we aim to discuss multiple experiences in the field of knowledge integration from a scientific and a stakeholder’s point of view, drawing on different methodological approaches and case studies.

We invite contributions from research projects and papers that present related examples addressing the following questions:

• Why are diverse knowledge types essential in general / for your project? For what purpose and how is it used for co-creation?

• What best practices emerged from your project, and can they serve as guidelines for knowledge integration in transdisciplinary projects more generally?

• Which barriers did you encounter when integrating various knowledge types into transdisciplinary projects?

• What kind of key determinants of successful participation in transdisciplinary processes did you encounter?

• How did you deal with the differences in, for example, motivation, narratives and rationales between science and practice?

• What new knowledge has been co-produced?

The list of questions only presents a selection of potential topics to be discussed.

Convenors: Heike Schwermer 1,2, Marie-Catherine Riekhof 1,2 & Kai de Graaf 1,2

1 Department of Agricultural Economics, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel

2 Center for Ocean & Society, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel

Session 3: Coastal living labs in theory and practice

Real-world laboratories are transdisciplinary research methods that are rewarding but also very demanding. Often it is not possible to realise a full living lab concept in applied transdisciplinary research projects. This session discusses the implementation of different elements of living labs to make up a good transdisciplinary project. Theoretical concepts shall be discussed on examples of past or ongoing projects. What are the criteria for a successful project with or without a real-world laboratory?

Convener: Christian Winter, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel

Session 4: Good Practices Towards Coastal Resilience: Establishing a Shared Understanding of Successful Co-Design

Research projects co-designed with communities are expected to encompass multiple perspectives, acknowledge traditional and local knowledge, as well as balance diverse priorities. While this approach fosters tailor-made solutions, ownership, and uptake, it also complicates the assessment of success. Success can be defined in multiple ways, including scientific excellence, improved livelihoods and ecosystems, revenue generation, or community contentment etc. In co-designed projects, where multiple stakeholders come together, a uniform definition of success is often vague or non-existent.

As marine sciences enter a time when it is expected to co-deliver solutions, an urgent discussion is needed on what a shared set of success indicators could encompass. This topic is central to transdisciplinary research, addressing how diverse knowledge, disciplines, and societal needs can be integrated into shared frameworks for evaluating impact.

Drawing on participants’ experiences, the session intends to get one step closer to establishing adaptable frameworks of success indicators. By looking at takeaways from existing projects, such as the DAM missions, it aims to identify critical aspects for sustainable and effective impact. In doing so, it addresses the practical application of transdisciplinary research i.e., How collaborative approaches can translate co-designed science into measurable success.

The session invites contributions focusing on case studies, conceptual approaches, or methodological reflections on defining and evaluating success in co-designed or community-driven projects. The outcome will be a concise science report to be shared within the broader community. The session will also serve to connect the German community to the All-Atlantic Network of Coastal Resilience Beacon Sites.

Convenors: Alexandra-Sophie Roy, Jonathan Heimer (both German Marine Research Consortium)

Venue

Marine Science Campus, Kiel University, Fraunhoferstr. 16, 24118 Kiel, Germany

Registration

• Registration details will be provided upon abstract acceptance.

• For registered and accepted participants, the conference is free to attend, but participants must cover their own travel and accommodation expenses.

Contact for Inquiries: Dr. Henrike Mütze hmuetze@uv.uni-kiel.de

Organizing Committee: Prof. Marie-Catherine Riekhof, Dr. Christian Wagner-Ahlfs, Dr. Lotta C. Kluger, Dr. Felix Gross (Center for Ocean and Society, Kiel University)

We look forward to your submissions and to welcoming you in Kiel for an engaging and productive conference!