Face of the LIB: Katja Waskow

What led you to biology? Was there a key experience?

About palaeontology: As a palaeontologist, I studied the classic among extinct creatures - the dinosaurs. One of the reasons for this are the dinosaurs that are still alive today, which used to run and fly through my grandfather's garden when I was a child: Pigeons. Birds and dinosaurs are closely related and are therefore the "modern" dinosaurs in our gardens, so to speak. My grandfather was a passionate breeder and so the young pigeons, which could not yet fly, often sat in the meadow with me. Even though I didn't have any specific career aspirations at the time, I think in hindsight that this was one of the triggers for my enthusiasm for nature.

What is a daily highlight of your work, what do you enjoy most?

Learning something new every day, not only in discussions with colleagues, but especially in conversations with people from very different parts of society, when I can give them an understanding of the importance of nature and evolution for our lives in the here and now through dialogue.

What does nature mean to you personally? Is there a favourite place in nature?

Spending time in nature means switching off, taking a deep breath, recharging your batteries. There is more than just one beautiful place for this. But the most important places are undoubtedly those that are right on your doorstep and can therefore be reached every day - for example a nearby lake or the forest.

Crabs, fish, butterflies: Who has their own personal affection and why?

In addition to the dinosaurs and birds that are still alive today, I am particularly fascinated by aquatic life. That's why I specialise in marine reptiles as well as sauropods.

How do you explain the term biodiversity to children?

Quite simply in one word: diversity - diversity of animals, plants, fungi, bacteria, habitats and genes. In short: diversity is the ice-cream parlour of life.

Which area of the LIB is particularly close to your heart?

As you would expect, the education and communication department, including the exhibitions. It is the broad transfer of knowledge to society that gives the new scientific findings that we gain here at the institute a deeper meaning. We can contribute to changing the way people think and act for the benefit of nature.

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

Joie de vivre, sustainability, diversity, research and innovation.

How do we get as many people as possible excited about species knowledge and nature conservation?

People want to protect what they know and love. The main challenge is therefore to get people excited about nature again. Above all, this requires space for contact with nature itself. Above all, we need to actively approach the large group of non-visitors, people who traditionally don't come to our museums. With an emotional connection, the desire to learn about species then arises from the inner drive of those interested. In addition, educational programmes and expert knowledge are needed to quench the resulting thirst for knowledge. This is precisely where citizen science stakeholders can play an important role.

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

Probably make-up artist or veterinary surgeon. At least those were my first intentions after leaving school, but I didn't pursue them after all.

What advice would you give to young biologists at the start of their careers?

Take as much as possible with you along the way and gain experience wherever you can. The numerous excavations, excursions, internships, as well as the work in teaching, exhibition design, taxidermy, museum education and the press and public relations activities that accompanied me during my studies were valuable experiences that I wouldn't want to miss. I learnt a lot from this that is not written in books or taught in lectures.

Do you have a dream of what your work could have achieved in five or ten years' time?

In ten years, together with my FörTax team and the entire LIB, I would like to have contributed to initiating a rethink in society at large about the responsible use of nature. Political awareness of the immense importance of biodiversity for our own existence is essential for this. It is therefore my declared aim to continue the work on the FörTax project even after the end of the current term - and ideally to expand the project further, even beyond the borders of the LIB.

DR. KATJA WASKOW studied geology and palaeontology at the University of Bonn and completed her doctorate in biology on the rib histology of vertebrates. Her work focussed on reconstructing the growth rates and life histories of various sauropod taxa and researching marine reptiles. Her involvement in exhibition and public relations work as well as museum education led her to the LIB. Since 2020, she has been coordinating the FörTax project at Museum Koenig Bonn, which aims to promote the broad social communication of species knowledge as a basis for nature conservation. She is also involved within the LIB as a contact person in the field of citizen science, as a member of the staff council, the festival committee and the sustainability working group.