Face of the LIB: Katharina Schmidt-Loske

What does nature mean to you personally and do you have a favourite place in nature?

For me, nature means being outdoors. I enjoy listening to the skylark or looking at butterflies. I live in the northern Eifel and love the view of our wooded local mountain, the Hochthürmer. The mist often rises from the neighbouring valley or you can watch cranes. It's great to feel part of this impressive nature.

What drives you as a researcher?

My strongest motivation is my curiosity. Deciphering the historical context of documents and illustrations appeals to me immensely. That's why working with primary sources is a matter close to my heart. In doing so, I always come across surprising insights that I would never have expected before. I consider it a great privilege to be able to work in such an important specialised library and to be able to immerse myself in the world of biological diversity of yesterday and today in a very special way with the books.

What is special about the Biohistoricum at the LIB?

There are many treasures on the shelves: from handwritten, unpublished letters to artistic illustrations and copperplate engravings, some of which were produced several centuries ago in such detail that they can now be assigned to individual specimens in the collections. Many of the books and documents have been made available to us by the Natural History Society. Volunteer members of the association, which is based at the Museum Koenig, are now helping to make the knowledge from the books accessible to the public. We want to make the results of citizen science from the past - many of the historical books were compiled by interested citizens at the time - usable for today's citizen science. In my view, the illustrations are wonderfully suited to stimulating interest in animals.

What led you to biology and then to working at the Biohistoricum?

My path to biology began in my youth in the nature conservation organisation. Working in the field and interacting with biologists had such an impact on me that nature research became my life's work. This enthusiasm also accompanied me throughout my studies. Later, I became increasingly fascinated by the interface with historical works. A key moment was an exhibition on Maria Sibylla Merian: I was determined to find out what was scientifically accurate about her insect drawings and what was artistic licence.

This research task appealed to me so much that I dedicated my doctoral thesis with Clas Michael Naumann to precisely this topic. Since then, I have been fascinated by exploring the visible and invisible in natural art. The Biohistoricum is the perfect place for me to continue this passion. My motto is: don't restrict your view, but open it up. It is precisely this interdisciplinary view between history, art and biology that I would like to contribute here.

To what extent is your research socially relevant?

The social relevance of my work lies in the bridge between the past and the future: by transcribing and analysing historical works, I make forgotten knowledge visible again and usable for modern research. This enables comparisons to be made between biodiversity in the past and today, showing how nature has changed and how we can protect it. I therefore see myself not only as a scientist, but also as an active advocate for nature. Because you can only actively protect what you know and appreciate.

What would you have become if science hadn't worked out?

I think I would have become an artist, because I really enjoy painting myself. Or a teacher, because I like teaching young people about nature and getting them excited about nature conservation.

How would you explain your work to people who have nothing to do with science?

I am a kind of translator for the secrets of natural history. The history of biology is incredibly exciting, but it is often hidden in old languages, complicated scripts or historical works of art. I bring the knowledge of the past into the present so that we can compare the state of nature in the past and today. International collaborations also result in multilingual books that reach a wide audience worldwide.

What do you want people to associate with the LIB and its museums in ten years' time?

In ten years' time, the LIB and its museums should be vibrant places where social issues are addressed. I would like to see a completely new crossover of cooperation - away from pure specialisation and towards an intensive interdisciplinary exchange. If we look at knowledge and science from different perspectives, this will bring the greatest increase in knowledge and the greatest joy in research and nature for everyone. People should leave our museums with an understanding of the value of nature and the feeling that together we can all make a huge difference and make a significant contribution to preserving our environment.

What advice do you have for young scientists starting out in their careers?

My most important piece of advice is to always remain curious and always dedicate yourself to the topic that gives you the most pleasure and for which you feel a real passion. Then you can survive the dry spells that occur from time to time in science. If you are genuinely enthusiastic about your research, you are also authentic and professionally satisfied and can achieve the most.

What goals do you have for the future?

A central project for me will be the digitisation of historical literature to make it accessible online worldwide and enable modern research. I would also like to motivate young people to get involved in our Biohistoricum. For example, they can help with the transcription of old letters, which is like real detective work. Not only do you learn something about nature, but you also discover the flowery language of the past, which was often incredibly accurate. My aim is to create a living archive from which every person - whether schoolchild or researcher - comes out a little smarter in the end.

Dr. Katharina Schmidt-Loske was born in Soest in Westphalia. She studied biology in Münster, Bonn and Frankfurt am Main and was awarded her doctorate at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences at the Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn with the topic "Die Tierwelt der Maria Sibylla Merian. Species, Descriptions, Illustrations". She has been working as the scientific director of the Biohistoricum at the LIB Museum Koenig Bonn since 2008.