“It takes exceptional role models to show young academics how exciting science can be, and how important it is for society”, said Steinbach. For him, Schellnhuber is such a role model. The TU Berlin has been connected with PIK through their joint involvement in the Climate-KIC (Climate Knowledge and Innovation Community) of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) since 2009 – “an institution, which Schellnhuber managed to bring in for Berlin and Brandenburg.”
A laudation was held by Dean of the department Planning-Building-Environment, Johann Köppel, and Ottmar Edenhofer, who is a professor at TU and in the same time vice-director of PIK. He talked about "The meaning of doubt and the benefits of warning".
Hans Joachim Schellnhuber felt “very honored and touched” by being awarded this title but said that the honorary doctorate will also demand great responsibility from his side. Schellnhuber held a lecture about climate research and stressed that it was “not always a pleasure to vocalize inconvenient truths.” Last year Schellnhuber was already awarded an honorary doctorate of the University of Copenhagen. He was also awarded with the Federal Cross of Merit, first class and the Volvo Prize recently.
Among others, a ceremonial address was held by Julian Nida-Rümelin, professor of philosophy at LMU Munich and former minister of state. He talked about the roots of science and democracy in the age of enlightenment and about the separation of facts and values. Schellnhuber to Nida-Rümelin deserves the “highest appreciation”, because he continuously tries to bring forward both, truths and values.
