Spaces of Knowledge Creation
Economic geographer Suntje Schmidt explores the development of creative spaces
How do the things work that surround us? Where does innovation come from and which conditions does it need to thrive? These are some of the questions tackled by economic geographer Suntje Schmidt. She recently became junior professor at the Geographical Institute of the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and the Leibniz Institute for Research on Society and Space (IRS).
Her office at the Geographical Institute doesn’t look like a place of geography at all. Two desks, a wardrobe, computers, a plant. “What would it need to look like geography?” the young professor replies. Maps? Soil samples? Stones? Indeed, nature and soil doesn’t really play a part in economic geography.
Professor Suntje looks at how new knowledge and innovation is produced, who is involved in it, and where ideas come from in the first place. Her current research projects all deal with places and spaces that spawn knowledge and facilitate creative activities.
Local Anchors of Translocal Knowledge Communities is the name of one of the research projects at IRS. “The title is a tad wordy,” she says smilingly. “We are looking at how ideas from all over the world come together via the internet. As geographers, we are interested in the nature of the place where they finally meet. We study this by looking at, for example, hackerspaces or co-working spaces.” She looks at who establishes these platforms and spaces and uses them and why.
Another project deals with “Open Creative Labs”. These are spaces often resembling workshops, equipped with CNC mills and 3D printers. “I am fascinated by the diversity of the places that produce new things, often by way of tinkering, experimenting as well as mutual support.” Schmidt and her colleagues at IRS study how such labs produce added value for society. Her studies facilitate better understanding of such processes in order to improve support and the use of funding instruments.
Originally from Güstrow in Mecklenburg, Suntje Schmidt first studied Geography and American Studies at the Technical University Berlin and in New York and became a researcher at the Institute for Research on Society and Space (IRS) of the Leibniz Association in Erkner in Brandenburg in 2002. “I originally wanted to study metrology, but all the cities I lived in inspired me to stick with geography.” Schmidt, who now lives in Berlin-Tempelhof, loves dancing and photography. If the wind is right, the 41-year-old flies her kite on Tempelhofer Feld and enjoys playing with the wind.
Since last September, she has been working at the Geographical Institute in Adlershof on some weekdays, alongside working at the IRS in Erkner. Suntje Schmidt’s newly created junior professorship aims at connecting these two research institutions. She not only commutes between the two institutes, but also creates new projects and joint initiatives to build bridges them. “Personally, these are exciting new tasks and I am really looking forward to learning many new things,” says Schmidt. Getting to know the university’s structure is a challenge as well as breaking down the rather complex research into smaller parts for others to understand. “When you’re teaching, you get unmitigated feedback. I can tell immediately whether I am understood, or not. And it is a lot of fun interacting with the students.”
The Science and Technology Park Adlershof is a very good example of a large-scale development project aimed at bringing together science and business. A place that offers ample space, support and expertise to facilitate the founding of new companies. “As an economic geographer, I can only wish for more spaces where different institutions can get together. I for one really like going to the Long Night of the Sciences,” the young professor tells us. She might even contribute something herself quite soon.
By Jördis Götz for Adlershof Journal