Science Communication
The Science communication group at the Freudenthal Institute provides the science communication courses in the master SEC program and supports related science communication research. The group has its roots in specialized, biology-related study tracks at Utrecht University in the 1980s and 1990s. These were aimed at educating environmental and health education professionals. The endowed professor position of nature and environmental education was held by Marjan Margadant-Van Arcken and subsequently Kris van Koppen. Arend Jan Waarlo held the endowed chair of personal and societal decision-making on human genetics and health issues from 2003 until 2014. In 2003, when the Dutch University system was reformed into the Bachelor / Master system, a new Master program combining Science Education and Communication was established, in which Nature and Environmental Education and Health Education were integrated. To broaden and deepen the Master program, science communication courses were integrated, including courses on science communication in general, the dynamics between science and society, public engagement of science and communication skills.