VENUE: Makroscope, Friedrich-Ebert-Str. 48, 45468 Mülheim/Rühr
Theme of the event:
With its Green Infrastructure Charter, the Ruhr Regional Association aims to transform the Ruhr metropolitan region into a green industrial region in the coming years. In this context, green initiatives are conceived as an integral part of the process—not as a supplementary element, but as a central component of socially, ecologically, and economically sustainable change. Green infrastructure is intended not only to improve quality of life but also to serve as a driving force for profound transformations such as the mobility and energy transitions.
This requires a societal shift in mindset toward embracing a sustainable future that can offer a good quality of life for everyone. Many stakeholders from the fields of science, urban planning, civil society, the arts, and education are already working toward this goal—through real-world laboratories, acceptance research, artistic interventions, and neighborhood engagement.
Against this backdrop, the Graduate Network of the Competence Field for Metropolitan Research (KoMet) and the ARL’s Forum for Young Researchers in North Rhine-Westphalia invite you to the third edition of the Transformation Talks, titled “Mindshift Ruhr – How can we shape the green transition of the Ruhr region in a collaborative and equitable manner?”
*****************************
Our schedule for September 5, 2025
1:30 p.m.: Optional bike tour (led by Mirko Sehnke from ADFC, Essen) (You can still join if you bring your own bike! Just come to the meeting point!))
Topic: Mindshift in Mobility: The Case of the Regional Infrastructure Project “Radschnellweg 1” (RS 1) – Challenges and Successes in Planning and Implementation, as Well as Public Acceptance.
Meeting point: We’ll meet at 1:00 p.m. at the Essen campus (corner of Gladbecker and Universitätsstraße; Essen (by the red columns)).
The bike tour is about 12 km long and takes us along the RS1 model route to the Mülheim train station (near Makroscope).
PARTICIPATION IN THE FIELD TRIP IS AT YOUR OWN RISK!
*************
3:30 PM: Get-together with snacks and drinks* in Makroscope (Friedrich-Ebert-Straße 48, Mülheim/Ruhr)
4:00 p.m.: Welcome and agenda
Enes Derin, Markus Gornik (ARL Forum for Young Talent) and Sebastian Schlecht (lala.ruhr) as moderator
4:15 p.m.: Three 10-minute case studies
- Martina Nies (herdenintelligenz): “Where’s the enthusiasm? A mindset shift requires motivation that goes right to the core!”
- Benjamin Greulich (IGA Metropole Ruhr 2027): „Transformation erlebbar machen: Wie die IGA 2027 und ‚MEIN GARTEN‘ den kulturellen Wandel in der Grünen Infrastruktur stärken will“
- Johannes Dabringhausen (Solidarische Landwirtschaft Mülheim e.V.): „Mindshift in der Ernährung durch gemeinschaftsgetragenes Wirtschaften in Solawi und Wandelwinkel“
4:45 p.m.: 5-minute research presentations
- Ömer Demir: “A Mindset Shift in Everyday Life: Three Leverage Points for the Green Transition in the Ruhr Region”
- Felix Fastenrath: „Welche Transitionen werden als (un)gerecht diskutiert? Ein Text-Mining-Literaturreview zum Begriff Just Transitions“
- Mara Hinse: “Health-Promoting Living Conditions in Gelsenkirchen”
- Aliona Melnicenco (UDE): “Soldering Sustainability: How Education Brings the Green Transition to Life”
- Leonie Bianka Reiber & Niklas Michel Holzwar (RUB): “Sustainable Land Use Planning in the Ruhr Region – A Data-Driven Approach Using ESG Indicators from a Seminar Incorporating Challenge-Based Learning”
- Deborah Stolten: “Promoting Diversity – Shaping Change: A Conceptual Study on Schoolyards as Transformative Spaces for Biodiversity”
5:30 p.m. World Café on key topics of Mindshift Ruhr
6:15 p.m. Coffee & Tea Break with Snacks*
6:45 p.m. Presentation of the discussion results
7:15 p.m. Closing remarks & award ceremony hosted by Sebastian, Enes, and Markus
7:30 p.m. After-work party with a buffet* and DJ set (Moritz Ridder)
8:30 p.m. End of the even
* The meals are vegan/vegetarian. Alcoholic beverages are at your own expense!
Theme of the event:
With its Green Infrastructure Charter, the Ruhr Regional Association aims to transform the Ruhr metropolitan region into a green industrial region in the coming years. In this context, green initiatives are conceived as an integral part of the process—not as a supplementary element, but as a central component of socially, ecologically, and economically sustainable change. Green infrastructure is intended not only to improve quality of life but also to serve as a driving force for profound transformations such as the mobility and energy transitions.
This requires a societal shift in mindset toward embracing a sustainable future that can offer a good quality of life for everyone. Many stakeholders from the fields of science, urban planning, civil society, the arts, and education are already working toward this goal—through real-world laboratories, acceptance research, artistic interventions, and neighborhood engagement.
Against this backdrop, the Graduate Network of the Competence Field for Metropolitan Research (KoMet) and the ARL’s Forum for Young Researchers in North Rhine-Westphalia invite you to the third edition of the Transformation Talks, titled “Mindshift Ruhr – How can we shape the green transition of the Ruhr region in a collaborative and equitable manner?”
For information about the format and all Transformation Talks, please visit HERE.
*****************************
The partners for this year’s Transformation Talks 3.0 are Regionalverband Ruhr and the NRW.BANK.
Thank you very much for your support!
