Fighting back against fake news a priority for new Ecsite president Herbert Munder
The Annual General Meeting was held at the Ecsite conference in Porto, Portugal today, with the announcement of a new president, Herbert Münder.
Making a fight against the proliferation of 'alternative facts' and the rise of the 'post-truth' era central to his aims as Ecsite president, Münder said: "For me, one of the most important roles will be the clarification of scientific facts in times of fake news."
That means uniting the field of science communication and science centres to help enable visitors to be more informed and active in public debate, he said.
Münder is the general manager at Universum Bremen science centre in Germany and is also past president of Eusea, the European Science Events Association, and current president of MINTaktiv, Germany's science museum network.
Münder, who has been a member of the Ecsite board since 2014, takes the reins from outgoing president Michiel Buchel.
Buchel's legacy from his two-year term as president includes a rethink of the organisation's membership structure, allowing many more institutions to join as fully fledged members.
"I'm very happy that my initiative to open up the membership for many more institutions to become full members received such great support," said Buchel. "Full members used to be the minority with most of the rights. Now, they have become the majority. This is more democratic and will bring more engagement and exciting new ideas from all over Europe."
ecsite fake news science centres science alternative factsPortugal's science minister urges science communicators to stick to their 'unique and critical mission'
Ecsite kicks off with Mariano Gago Awards
Europe’s science centre community heads to Porto for sector’s leading conference
'Life Everywhere' for Ecsite as Porto conference programme revealed
UAE’s first Dior Spa debuts in Dubai at Dorchester Collection’s newest hotel, The Lana
Europe's premier Evian Spa unveiled at Hôtel Royal in France
Clinique La Prairie unveils health resort in China after two-year project
GoCo Health Innovation City in Sweden plans to lead the world in delivering wellness and new science
Four Seasons announces luxury wellness resort and residences at Amaala
Aman sister brand Janu debuts in Tokyo with four-floor urban wellness retreat
€38m geothermal spa and leisure centre to revitalise Croatian city of Bjelovar
Two Santani eco-friendly wellness resorts coming to Oman, partnered with Omran Group
Kerzner shows confidence in its Siro wellness hotel concept, revealing plans to open 100
Ritz-Carlton, Portland unveils skyline spa inspired by unfolding petals of a rose
Rogers Stirk Harbour & Partners are just one of the names behind The Emory hotel London and Surrenne private members club
Peninsula Hot Springs unveils AUS$11.7m sister site in Australian outback
IWBI creates WELL for residential programme to inspire healthy living environments
Conrad Orlando unveils water-inspired spa oasis amid billion-dollar Evermore Resort complex
Studio A+ realises striking urban hot springs retreat in China's Shanxi Province
Populous reveals plans for major e-sports arena in Saudi Arabia
Wake The Tiger launches new 1,000sq m expansion
Othership CEO envisions its urban bathhouses in every city in North America
Merlin teams up with Hasbro and Lego to create Peppa Pig experiences
SHA Wellness unveils highly-anticipated Mexico outpost
One&Only One Za’abeel opens in Dubai featuring striking design by Nikken Sekkei
Luxury spa hotel, Calcot Manor, creates new Grain Store health club
'World's largest' indoor ski centre by 10 Design slated to open in 2025
Murrayshall Country Estate awarded planning permission for multi-million-pound spa and leisure centre
Aman's Janu hotel by Pelli Clarke & Partners will have 4,000sq m of wellness space
Therme Group confirms Incheon Golden Harbor location for South Korean wellbeing resort
Universal Studios eyes the UK for first European resort
King of Bhutan unveils masterplan for Mindfulness City, designed by BIG, Arup and Cistri
Rural locations are the next frontier for expansion for the health club sector
Tonik Associates designs new suburban model for high-end Third Space health and wellness club
Across Denmark, a charity is turning industrial buildings into centres for street sport and art. As the concept prepares to go global, we speak to the people making it happen
Bionic leaves, breathable metals and selfgrowing bricks... Biomimicry in architecture has come a long way. Christopher DeWolf takes a look at the latest advances