Science Park Central Institute for Meteorology and Geodynamics

The EMS Outreach & Communication Award 2016 was presented to this project for its success in providing a sophisticated educational experience, its breadth of appeal to a wide target group ranging from small children and students to scholars and interested citizens, and its instructive presentation of the science using interactive tools aimed at increasing interest and awareness for a subject of importance to society. The project is designed as a long-term endeavour, and it is sustainable and already being expanded to additional locations across the country.

Photos: Sebastian Philipp, Thomas Wostal

The main aim of the new Science Park of ZAMG is to offer a state-of the-art science communication (hands-on, minds-on) in the areas of weather, climate, environment and geophysics at ZAMG´s head quarter in Vienna and at the Customer Service Offices (Salzburg, Innsbruck, Klagenfurt, Graz).

The objectives of the concept include

  • To address people of all ages, who visit the ZAMG with guided tours, or during special events;
  • To motivate visitors to participate in ZAMG´s science projects that have a Citizen Science approach (e.g. severe weather, phenology and climate, change, reports of earthquakes, etc.);
  • To encourage to reflect and discuss the connections between science and everyone´s life and the possibilities of interacting;
  • To intertwine the official measurement sites and the route of the guided tours.

The Science Park at the ZAMG head quarters opened on 23 March 2015, World Meteorological Day; the Science Parks in Graz and Salzburg opened this year, also on World Meteorological Day (23 March 2016).
6000 people have visited the Science Park so far, 4000 on giuded tours, 2000 during the Austrian “Night of Science”.

More information on the Science Park: