Ear to the future: acatech launches the podcast “Late Night Tech” with guest Jan Wörner
Munich, 20 September 2023
Would you like to hear about important technology and listen to the people behind it? In the new podcast “Late Night Tech”, acatech talks to experts, going in-depth and getting personal. In the first episode, Jan Wörner speaks about the circular economy, about his position in relation to the widespread civil clauses in research and about the best experience of his life.
acatech’s aim in launching the podcast “Late Night Tech” is to provide a forum for in-depth conversations about technologies and innovation issues that are on many people’s minds. In a relaxed atmosphere, guests from the world of science, research companies and organisations give their personal perspectives on current developments and the technologies of today and tomorrow. In this episode, acatech President Jan Wörner talks to Christina Müller-Markus and Sandra Fendl about various stages of his career and gives his views on current issues relating to technology.
About the circular economy, civil clauses and his stint in Japan
On the subject of the circular economy and recycling, structural engineer Jan Wörner makes the point: “The market follows the customer. We are the customers and we should say: I would like to see recycled structures, recycled concrete or recycled steelwork because I know that’s good for the world. And what’s good for the world is good for me. This has to apply to the public sector first and foremost!”
Jan Wörner’s attitude to civil clauses is unambiguous: “Almost every area of research – in all disciplines from the natural sciences to the engineering sciences – can also be used for military purposes. The most obvious examples of this duality are navigational systems, Earth observation and telecommunications. But, of course, it also applies to material developments, technologies in many sectors, even to research on the brain and studies on the formation of public opinion. Universities and research institutions should therefore be clear in their communication and not hide behind a civil clause that, in reality, cannot really be fully enforced.”
The episode also gets personal. Mr Wörner said the following about his research stint in Japan, where he studied the earthquake-proof construction of nuclear power plants: “It was the best experience of my life.”
The episodes are available from acatech and on all the usual platforms – free, anytime, anywhere.
Latest episode with acatech President Jan Wörner
Further information
The podcast “Late Night Tech” is available here and on the usual podcast platforms.
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Contact
Dr. Sandra Fendl
acatech - Deutsche Akademie der Technikwissenschaften
Wissenschaftliche Referentin
Tel.: +49 89 520309874
fendl@acatech.de
Christina Müller-Markus
acatech - Deutsche Akademie der Technikwissenschaften
Wissenschaftliche Referentin Horizonte
Tel.: +49 89 520309-840
mueller-markus@acatech.de
Verena Küstner
acatech - Deutsche Akademie der Technikwissenschaften
Redakteurin Online/Social Media
Öffentlichkeitsarbeit
Tel.: +49 89 520309853
kuestner@acatech.de Topic
