Academic Forum
One central theme of the COMMONS Center is a strong ambition to disseminate the research frontiers in the research field not only to the general public, but to bridge the natural science in focus with social sciences and humanities via an Academic Forum.
The Academic Forum will establish a platform not only for informed discussions on ethical questions related to the industrial utilization of research results, but also for reflect ion ranging from science history to the connection between advances in natural science and humanities.
The Academic Forum will be developed in collaborations with the cultural magazine Glänta and with support from the COMMONS SAB member David Dunér
The purposes of seminars: Societal (mis)conceptions of chemistry
November 19, Chemistry department, Lund
This workshop will discuss two topics;
The seminar as a knowledge practice
The seminar is central to humanities and social sciences, fostering collective reading and discussion that connect research to broader societal questions. But what could chemistry, biology, or physics gain by adopting this format? And how might researchers benefit from seminars as a knowledge practice? This event explores these questions through lectures, practical guidelines, and Q&As
The societal conceptions of chemistry and how these change
This product contains chemicals.’ Many associate this phrase with harmful additives, toxins, or pollutants. Why is chemistry so often linked to danger, while physics and biology evoke progress and medicine? Is this a challenge for chemistry as a discipline, shaping how chemists are perceived in public? This seminar invites discussion of these questions through literature—and illustrates the broader potential of seminars as a format.
The workshop will be led by Julia Ravanis and include talk for Fredrik Höök and others.
More information & registration link will come soon
Oct 20: Workshop essayistic writing in science
The workshop will be held in Gothenburg on Oct 20, afternoon. The program include open lectures and a workshop for a smaller group.
Save the date! More information and formal registration for the workshop will be announced soon.
Panel discussion on the topic Experiments
October 14, Folkteatern Gothenburg
Panel discussion on the topic Experiments
Julia Ravanis and Göran Dahlberg present a series of panel discussions and micro-lectures in collaboration with Chalmers, COMMONS and Folkteatern
Academic Forum Publication
Joakim Stenhammar’s essay ”On starlings and the thermodynamics of life” is now published at EuroZine.
The essay was originally published in Glänta’s issue ”Life ” as part of the collaboration with COMMONS Academic Forum.
The role of experiments
May 5, 2025 @ Chemistry Dept, LU
How has the role of experiments changed over time and between disciplines?
Historical perspectives from Julia Ravanis, followed by a panel discussion to inspire reflections on the structure of science.
WHAT IS LIFE? HOW DID IT START?
Release event of Glänta magazine issue "What is Life".
April 8 at 17.00 @ Pufendorf Institute
This issue is made in collaboration with the COMMONS Center. During the release event, the author Malte Persson will read from his text “Attempts to Live”, followed by a discussion with Jessica Abbott (Biology), David Dunér (History of Ideas) and Joakim Stenhammar (Chemistry, COMMONS PI), led by Julia Ravanis (Glänta editor). The release event is co-organised with the Pufendorf Institute and its Advanved Study Group Neobiogenesis: The Inevitability of Life
The presentations will be run in Swedish, while questions and discussion in English are welcome!
The 1st Academic Forum Public Event takes place on May 6
9.30-12: inspiration lectures on essayist writing in academia
Lecture hall KC:F
9.30 Intro
10.00 Julia Ravanis (Glänta, Chalmers) on (popular science) writing
10.45 Break
11.00 Khashayar Naderehvandi (Glänta) on (literary) writing
19.00 Evening lecture
Lecture hall KC:B
David Dunér (LU): “Historical perspectives on the concept of life”
19.45 Discussions and mingle
Thematically, this lecture coincides with Glänta’s upcoming journal issue on life, published in cooperation with COMMONS.
Julia Ravanis is author of popular science books ("Skönheten i Kaos"), part of the Glänta editorial team, and is currently PhD researcher in technology history at Chalmers.
Khashayar Naderehvandi is author and poet, and part of the Glänta editorial team.
David Dunér is professor in history of science and ideas at the Department of Arts and Cultural Sciences at Lund University.