Julia C. Ahrend

Julia C. Ahrend is a Research Fellow at the Department of Art and Design at the University of the Arts Bremen and a Research Assistant at the Kiel Science Communication Network. She is currently pursuing her doctorate on visual science communication, investigating conditions for successful scientific communication through design tools and user experience.

Her educational background includes a Master's degree in Interactive Information Design from Muthesius University of Fine Arts and Design in Kiel, with additional communication design studies in Paris, and participation in a Science Communication Summer Course at the University of Copenhagen. Her research critically examines visual framing in science communication formats, particularly during the corona pandemic, analyzing how design choices in infographics and interactive media influence public perception and cognition.

Julia has led significant interdisciplinary projects including the Robert Bosch Stiftung-funded "Escape Covid-19" digital escape game, which translates scientific processes into engaging puzzle formats, and the "Science Pyramids" public exhibition in Copenhagen metro stations. Her work bridges theoretical exploration with practical application in science communication design, focusing on audience engagement through interactive storytelling and user-centered approaches.

Collaborating with medical experts, neuroscientists, and informatics specialists, she has developed science communication tools that address complex topics like coronavirus mechanisms and antibiotic resistance. Her methodology emphasizes multimodal communication that makes scientific controversies and iterative research processes accessible to diverse audiences.