Science at the blackboard: Prof. Bartelheimer gives a “chalk talk” in the Forum Wissen

On February 6, 2026, Prof. Dr. Christian Bartelheimer swapped the traditional lecture hall for the "Forum Wissen". As part of the popular „Chalk Talk“ event series, he provided insights into his research without the digital aids that are normally taken for granted.

The format challenges scientists to make complex topics accessible to a broad audience using only chalk and a blackboard. Prof. Bartelheimer visualized the core elements of digital ecosystems and the emergence of data monopolies step by step on the blackboard.

Thematically, the lecture explored the tension between the dominance of large platforms and the goal of data sovereignty. The lecture and discussion impressively demonstrated how modern business informatics can also be presented in a completely analog way and that there is still much to be researched and implemented on the path to data sovereignty for citizens.