The TRANSENS project, funded by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV) and the Volkswagen Foundation in cooperation with the Lower Saxony Ministry for Science and Culture, ran from 2019 to 2024 under the grant number 02E11849A‑J. It is the first large‑scale transdisciplinary effort in Germany that brings together 16 institutes and research areas from nine German and two Swiss universities and research institutions to address the challenges of nuclear waste disposal. The core aim is to combine natural and social science perspectives, to improve the design of disposal facilities and to enhance public understanding and acceptance of nuclear waste management.

Within this framework, Roman Seidl of the Institute for Radioecology and Radiation Protection at Leibniz University Hannover led a series of interviews with members of the Arbeitsgruppe Bevölkerung (AGBe), the population working group that represents lay partners in the project. The interviews, carried out in 2021, were designed to uncover how non‑scientists perceive science, what they consider to be a scientific experiment, and how they distinguish legitimate science from pseudoscience. The first workshop focused on trust in everyday life and in scientific contexts, exploring whether social scientists and natural scientists are trusted differently and what criteria underpin that trust. The researchers noted that they had limited knowledge of the AGBe’s scientific understanding, especially regarding the communication of model uncertainties, and that this gap prompted further inquiry into expectations for transdisciplinary collaboration.

The findings show that, although the AGBe’s language sometimes diverges from formal scientific terminology, the underlying concepts align closely with those used by scientists. For instance, participants described an experiment as a method that constructs a specific arrangement to achieve a predetermined outcome under defined conditions. This similarity suggests that lay partners can grasp scientific procedures when communicated in accessible terms. The interviews also revealed that discussions about nuclear waste disposal are often dominated by a small group of proponents or opponents, with the middle ground rarely represented—a pattern that mirrors broader public engagement challenges in this field. Nevertheless, the study demonstrates that productive dialogue is possible, provided scientists adapt their language and explicitly address the expectations and mental models of their partners.

The technical contribution of the report lies in its systematic mapping of lay perceptions of science within a transdisciplinary nuclear waste disposal context. By documenting the mental models of AGBe members, the study offers a foundation for designing more effective communication strategies and for structuring participatory processes that respect both scientific rigor and public concerns. While the report does not present quantitative performance metrics, it provides qualitative evidence that the integration of social science insights can enhance the legitimacy and societal acceptance of nuclear waste solutions.

Collaboration-wise, the project involves a broad consortium of German and Swiss universities, each contributing expertise in fields ranging from radiation protection to environmental policy. The AGBe serves as the bridge to the wider public, ensuring that the voices of citizens are incorporated into research agendas. The project’s timeline, from 2019 to 2024, allowed for iterative workshops, interviews, and the development of a transdisciplinary framework that can be applied to future nuclear waste management initiatives. The partnership model, supported by federal and foundation funding, exemplifies how large‑scale, cross‑disciplinary research can be organized to address complex societal challenges.