News

On 9 July 2026, the transSCAPE workshop hosted the 'Riverscapes' event at Magdeburg’s Science Port. Around 50 guests from the worlds of science, the wider community and the university gathered at the harbour steps to explore rivers as natural, cultural and living spaces from a variety of perspectives.

Tiziana Maglia and Dr Nora Pleßke set the tone for the evening, before an ensemble from the Magdeburg Chamber Orchestra of the Georg Philipp Telemann Conservatoire provided the musical opening. The writer Dr Karsten Steinmetz then took the audience on a literary journey along rivers, demonstrating how closely landscape, memory and personal experiences are intertwined.

The focus of the evening was on presentations by students from various disciplines. Master’s students in British Studies, Geography, Educational Sciences and Media Education presented their work and offered new perspectives on river landscapes as cultural, historical and social spaces. The presentations were complemented by two short films from the 'Mobile Reporting' seminar, which highlighted the significance of the Elbe for Magdeburg’s development.

Particular emphasis was placed on the active participation of the visitors. An interactive Elbe quiz and a simulation game on sustainable urban development along rivers encouraged participants to jointly develop future scenarios and make planning decisions across different historical periods.

Further inspiration came from student presentations on international river landscapes, as well as a literary exploration of Claudio Magris’s work *Danubio*, which drew attention to rivers as spaces of cultural memory.

During the break, a watercolour workshop led by photographer Caroline Hake provided an opportunity for creative exchange and socialising.

The Science Port itself also became an integral part of the event. The harbour steps and the 'Denkhütte' served as an open event space, allowing visitors to experience the harbour directly as a place of exchange and knowledge-sharing. Against the backdrop of the Elbe’s current low water levels, it also became clear just how closely ecological changes are linked to issues of urban development and social coexistence.

Riverscapes demonstrated how science communication can succeed in public spaces: by combining research, culture and active participation. Together with students, researchers and members of the public, an evening was created that opened up new perspectives on urban river spaces and once again allowed the Science Port to be experienced as an open space for dialogue and shaping the future together.

On Wednesday, 1 July 2026, the transSCAPE team cordially invites all members of the public to the eighth Town Hall Meeting. This open format brings together stakeholders from the the academic, urban, and cultural communities to actively shape the future of Magdeburg's Science Port.

The ninth Town Hall Meeting will provide an insight into the development of the student agency for the Science Harbour. An initial draft concept was already presented at the eighth Town Hall Meeting. Over the past few months, students have further developed the idea, held discussions, supported projects and devised new perspectives for the development of the Science Harbour. Now, the progress made so far is to be presented, and we will discuss together how the student agency can operate in the future. The concept development is explicitly understood as an open process. The ideas, experiences and perspectives of the participants are sought and will be actively incorporated into the further design.

The event starts at 5.00 pm at the Wissenschaftshafen on the STIMULATE research campus (Building 82), Room 144/140, at Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg (Otto-Hahn-Straße 2, 39106 Magdeburg). Registration is requested.

As part of the Australian War Film seminar run by PD Dr Nora Pleßke, various films will be shown over the course of the semester. The screenings take place from 13:00 to 15:00 in building 40, room 284. all interested parties are invitied to join.

Magdeburg’s former commercial port is undergoing a transformation: from industrial heritage to a vibrant hub for science, innovation and new urban ideas. Directly on the banks of the Elbe and in the immediate vicinity of the university, an exciting environment is emerging in the Science Port where history and the future meet. Where goods were once loaded and industry operated, spaces for research, leisure, culture, living and nature are now developing.

The photography competition ‘Past and Future between City and Elbe’ invites amateur photographers to capture this transformation from their own perspective. What is sought are images that reveal traces of the past, showcase the current upheaval and offer a glimpse into the future of this special place. Selected photographs will subsequently be exhibited in the port's open air gallery. The deadline for entries is 16 June 2026; further information is available here. 

The photography competition is part of the transSCAPE transfer initiative, led by PD Dr. Nora Pleßke. The initiative transSCAPE: Cultural Spaces of Knowledge promotes the development of the Science Port into an open and multifaceted place of knowledge through culture-based transfer formats.

How is medicine portrayed in film – and what does it reveal about our understanding of the body, illness, and healing? The Medicine and Film series, part of the transSCAPE project at Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg, examines the representation of various medical themes in popular cinema and connects them with perspectives from the Medical Humanities.

On 23 April 2026, from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM, the gtransSCAPE team cordially invites all interested parties to a talk by Prof. Dr. Katrin Röder on the topic of "Visualizing Mental and Emotional Complexity: Inside Out (2015)." The talk will be followed by a screening of the film Inside Out in its original English version as well as an open discussion. The event will be held in English and will take place in the Moritzhof Magdeburg.

There is no admission fee!

18:00 – 18:30: Talk on "Visualizing Mental and Emotional Complexity: Inside Out (2015)" (Prof. Dr. Katrin Röder)

18:30 – 20:15: Film Screening Inside Out (O.m.U.)

20:15 – 21:00: Open Discussion (Moderation: transSCAPE)

On Wednesday, 29 April 2026, the transSCAPE team cordially invites all members of the public to the eighth Town Hall Meeting. This open format brings together stakeholders from the the academic, urban, and cultural communities to actively shape the future of Magdeburg's Science Port.

The eighth Town Hall Meeting will provide an insight into key findings: from the refined interim use concept, through engagement formats such as the ‘Kulturbeete’ and the ‘Wissensparcours’, to artistic perspectives, co-creative formats and new approaches such as the student agency.

The event starts at 4 p.m. at the Campus Welcome Center (building 01, lecture hall 6) of the Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg (Universitätsplatz 2, 39106 Magdeburg). At 6 p.m., the Town Hall Meeting finishes with an opening of the exhibition ‘A Journey Through Medical History’. All interested parties are invited to join for an open discussion to learn about the latest research and other initiatives and workshops within the transPORT MedTech ecosystem. Registration is requested.