Faces of the LIB – Oriana Wojewski-Yelle
At Museum König, I can get involved in a new way for the “good cause” by actively supporting our researchers in nature conservation and biodiversity topics, for example.
© Eva Niephaus
Oriana Wojewski-Yelle is learning at Museum König how to communicate innovative research with exciting events. She is training to become an event manager at the LIB site in Bonn. Here she supports the “Press and Communication” team in the organization and implementation of a wide variety of event formats – currently with a focus on public relations. In her private and professional life, she likes to be around people and – when she’s not busy at work – she loves to travel.
She answers our questions in the new edition of our series “Faces of LIB”. Each month, we feature a personality who makes their own individual contribution to the success of LIB at the Bonn or Hamburg sites.
What have you learned so far during your training?
Due to special circumstances, unfortunately no events have been able to take place in person since I started – only digitally. In this situation, it was important to respond flexibly to the circumstances and find new event formats. In addition, I am involved in social media for the LIB Bonn site: Here I post information about scientific articles, news about press releases or from the museum. It was also really exciting to see how the LIB site in Hamburg grew together with us. Here, I experienced first-hand the complicated processes that are necessary for a merger of two locations to succeed.
What brought you to the LIB Museum Koenig?
I enjoyed going to the Museum Koenig as a child and have fond memories of it. The variety of different tasks has persuaded me to start my career here: from exhibition openings and press events to seminars and lectures, I was attracted by the opportunity to implement these different formats for all people – young and old alike. The museum also offers me a wide range of topics in terms of content: Whether scientific, political or social – here I also find my personal interests. For each event, I adapt to new people, learn new topics and accompany it holistically from start to finish – these are my personal highlights during my training so far.
Where is your favorite place in the museum?
I like the “Savannah” section of the exhibition best: located in the middle of the museum, you can hear not only the animal sounds of the savannah itself, but also the rainforest sounds of the adjacent area. This creates a very special atmosphere here, from which you can take in all that is happening in the museum. Beyond the museum, there is still a lot for me to discover: I hope to take another look at the labs and collection rooms in the future. Much of it was now difficult to access during the pandemic.
Where is your favorite place in nature?
That’s not at all easy for me to answer: I like to go hiking in my free time – whether on the coast or in the mountains. When planning vacations, I’m drawn to places in the world that offer the most untouched nature possible. For example, I went to the Jordanian desert and was deeply impressed by the clear starry sky and the silence. I was also completely captivated by the fresh air, clear waters and dense vegetation of the Slovenian forests.
Is there a favorite animal?
Orcas are highly intelligent with a distinct social behavior, but also a sophisticated hunting strategy. Nevertheless, they are threatened with extinction and must be actively protected. The fact that researchers here at Museum König are working for biodiversity and trying to ensure the survival of endangered species – that’s an area I wholeheartedly support.
What path led you to the Museum König?
During my schooling, I had already worked in the restaurant industry for several years. Here I learned how to professionally manage an event. This led me to take this path professionally as well. Within an aid organization, I also volunteer at festivals, for example, where I provide medical care to people in need: Organizing and implementing outreaches as well as working together with the organizers – that’s how I discovered that I enjoy as well as have a talent for planning. At the Museum König, I can get involved in a new way for the “good cause” by actively supporting our researchers in nature conservation and biodiversity topics, for example.
What other plans would you like to pursue in the future?
At the moment, I am still very happy with my tasks here: For the next two years, my professional path at the LIB is already mapped out and I am looking forward to being able to come into personal contact with people again. I am also looking forward to the fact that events with larger groups of people are possible again. After that, I could imagine studying. But I don’t know what exactly yet. But I definitely want to continue working in a creative environment like the one I have here at Museum Koenig. Privately, I would also like to continue traveling and getting to know the world in the future. I would even like to combine my passion for travel and my profession – I am curious to see what life has in store for me.
Oriana Wojewski-Yelle is 22 years old and was born in San Francisco. She came to Germany when she was only two months old and has lived in the Bonn area ever since. She completed her vocational baccalaureate at Robert-Wetzlar-Berufskolleg. She has been working at the LIB site in Bonn since October 1, 2020. She lives in a large shared apartment in Bonn’s old town.
