The interview series "Hands behind COVIDSurg" follows the goal of referencing the study results and findings of the large international research network COVIDSurg in conversation with participating researchers.

In seven interviews altogether, rhetoric student Sarah Polzer, being the author behind the interview series, presents insights into medical research that usually remain invisible to the public: large research networks mostly gain visibility through their results. Accordingly, the inner structure of research groups as well as their specific workings and processes remain hidden - as do the personalities and stories behind these studies and publications.

This series of interviews therefore aims to provide inside views through personal insights and to build a bridge between research and society: the featured experts who present their personal stories promote trust in science. They report on their own experiences from everyday work and explain what has shaped them personally and influenced their own careers so far.

The openness and willingness of the researchers who volunteered to get involved in our university seminar and to be interviewed provided the starting point to realize this project, which took several months to complete. During this time, the author was always in close interdisciplinary exchange with other students of medicine, biology and rhetoric within the framework of the course "Visual Science Communication in Medicine" at Tübingen University. In particular, Franziska Orth and Linda Brake were regularly involved and gave valuable feedback on the development process.

Author contact:
Sarah Polzer
sarah.polzerspam prevention@student.uni-tuebingen.de