Dr. Martin Müller
Martin Müller researches at the intersection of cultural history and theory, media studies, history of knowledge and science, and design theory. In the Cluster, he is a postdoc in the projects Symbolic Material and Material Form Function. Furthermore, together with Léa Perraudin is the leader of the experimental laboratory for science communication and speculative design CollActive Materials – a joint project of the Clusters of Excellence »Matters of Activity« and »Science of Intelligence«, funded by the Berlin University Alliance.
He received his doctorate from the Department of Cultural History and Theory at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, where he has been teaching since 2014. In his PhD, he analyses the emergence of synthetic biology and CRISPR as the most recent stage of escalation in the history of zoëpolitics, which begins around 1800 and extends through the ‹molecular revolution› in the 1950th to the current ›will to engineer life‹ in the Anthropocene.
Martin received fellowships from Waseda University in Tokyo (2019), Universidad de Buenos Aires (2017), Université Paris-1 Panthéon-Sorbonne (2013) and Columbia University in New York City (2012). Recent publications: »Nach dem metabolischen Bruch«, in: Texte zur Kunst, 110, 2018; »Neues aus dem Menschenpark«, in: F.A.Z., Nr. 211, 11.09.2019; »The Will to Engineer. Synthetic Biology and the Escalation of Zoëpolitics«, in: Patricia Ribault (Hg.): Design, Gestaltung, Formatività, 2022.
Symbolic Material (Research Associate)
Material Form Function (Research Associate)
Cluster of Excellence
»Matters of Activity«
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
Sophienstr. 22a
10178 Berlin
Monographs & Books
Müller, M. 2023. Leben machen. Die Zoëpolitik der synthetischen Biologie. Berlin, Boston: De Gruyter.
https://doi.org/10.1515/9783111004105
Edited Volumes & Exhibition Catalogues
Müller, M., Neubert, C. eds. 2021. Standardisierung und Naturalisierung. With contributions by Sprenger, F., Echterhölter, A., Mämecke, T., Wilk, N. M., Bless, R., Eichinger, T., Buckermann, P., Schreiber, A., Ribault, R., Lucci, A., Jany, S., Rieger, S. and Macho T. Schriftenreihe des Graduiertenkollegs »Automatismen«, 17. Paderborn: Wilhelm Fink.
https://doi.org/10.17619/UNIPB/1-1108
Articles in Edited Volumes
Müller, M., Tikka, E. 2023. »Mammoths and Reindeer: Speculative Design Imaginaries and Technoscientific Care in the Arctic.« In Material Trajectories. Designing With Care?, edited by Perraudin, L., Winkler, C., Mareis, C., Held, M. Lüneburg: meson press, 103-122.
https://doi.org/10.14619/2201
Müller, M. 2021. »Universale Konstrukteure? Vom αὐτός des Lebendigen zur Affirmation der synthetischen Biologie als universale Ingenieurswissenschaft.« In Standardisierung und Naturalisierung, edited by Müller, M., Neubert, C. Schriftenreihe des Graduiertenkollegs »Automatismen«, 17. Paderborn: Wilhelm Fink, 233–243.
https://doi.org/10.17619/UNIPB/1-1108
Müller, M. 2020. »Nach CRISPR. Zur dritten Proliferation der Biopolitik (1800/1943/2004).« In Milieu Fragmente. Technologische und ästhetische Perspektiven, edited by Ladewig, R., Seppi, A. Leipzig: Spector Books, 331-344.
https://spectorbooks.com/milieu-fragmente
Reviews of Books & Exhibitions
Müller, M. 2018. Nach dem metabolischen Bruch. Review. Molekulares Rot. Theorie für das Anthropozän, Wark, M., Texte zur Kunst, 28 (110): 154–159.
Exhibitions
Perraudin, L. (curator), Müller, M. (curator), Mahouti, M. (exhibition design), Werner, K. (project management and workshop concept), Winkler, C. (collaborator), Nestler, A. (communication and workshop concept), Steinhardt, S. (communication), Bullermann, E. (design assistant). Airbound. Sensing Collective Futures. Exhibition. Cluster of Excellence Matters of Activity, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, CollActive Materials. CLB Berlin at Aufbau Haus. 20 October 2023 - 9 November 2023.
https://www.matters-of-activity.de/en/activities/11645/airbound-sensing-collective-futures
Müller, M. (co-curator) Hypertopia. Exhibition. State Studio, Berlin. 23 October 2020 - 6 December 2020.
https://state-studio.com/program/hypertopia
Public Engagement
Perraudin, L. (project leader), Müller, M. (project leader), Werner, K. (coordinator, moderator), Brock, O. (contributor), Tikka, E. (workshop design), Nestler, A. (science communication), Bullermann E. (project assistant), Steinhardt, S. (science communication). 2023. Speculative Co-Design Workshop »Von Kontrolle zu Kooperation: Luft als Technologie«. Berlin University Alliance, Clusters of Excellence »Matters of Activity« and »Science of Intelligence«, silent green Kulturquartier, Berlin. 16 May 2023.
https://www.collactive-materials.de/workshops/
Perraudin, L. (project leader), Müller, M. (project leader), Werner, K. (coordinator, moderator), Dorniak, M. (contributor), Kim, Y. (contributor), Tikka, E. (workshop design), Nestler, A (science communication), Bullermann E. (project assistant), Steinhardt, S. (science communication). 2023. Speculative Co-Design Workshop "Breathing In, Breathing Out: Practices of Air". Berlin University Alliance, Clusters of Excellence »Matters of Activity« and »Science of Intelligence«, Lobe Block Berlin. Germany. 20 May 2023.
https://www.collactive-materials.de/workshops/
Perraudin, L. (project leader), Müller, M. (project leader), Winkler, C. (host, co-facilitator), Werner, K. (coordinator, moderator), Tikka, E. (workshop design), Nestler, A. (science communication), Bullermann E. (project assistant), Steinhardt, S. (science communication). 2023. Spekulativer Co-Design Workshop: Es liegt etwas in der Luft. Bühne & Umwelt. Berlin University Alliance, Clusters of Excellence »Matters of Activity« and »Science of Intelligence«, Hochschule für Schauspielkunst Ernst Busch, MA program Spiel&Objekt. Hochschule für Schauspielkunst Ernst Busch, Berlin. 6 May 2023.
https://www.collactive-materials.de/workshops/
Talks & Presentations
Perraudin, L., Müller, M. Active Matter(s). Talk at the Research Colloquium »Design and the History of Knowledge«, organized by Mareis, C. and Büsse, M. Cluster of Excellence Matters of Activity, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. Virtual. 30 June 2021.
Events & Workshops
Perraudin, L., Müller, M. (organizers). Sensing Common Grounds. Towards Collaborative Speculation. silent green Kulturquartier. With contributions by K. Lindström, E. Tikka, V. Tkaczyk, A. Jarry, J. Lohmann, C. Winkler, W. Schäffner, C. Mareis, C. Engemann, A. Schmiedel, F. Sprenger, C. Andersson, A. Yildirim Tschoepe, and J. Mehl. Cluster of Excellence Matters of Activity, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. 14 November 2024 - 15 November 2024.
Perraudin, L. and Müller, M. in conversation with Julia Lohmann, Claudia Mareis, Alice Jarry, and Camilla Andersson. Sensing Common Grounds. Towards Collaborative Speculation. Roundtable Discussion. Hermann von Helmholtz-Zentrum für Kulturtechnik. Cluster of Excellence Matters of Activity, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. 14 November 2024.
Perraudin, L. (curator), Müller, M. (curator), Dziersk, Doris (artist). Bound through Air: Finissage of the exhibition »Airbound. Sensing Collective Futures« with participatory performance AIRNSHARE #2 by Doris Dziersk. CLB Berlin Aufbau Haus. Clusters of Excellence »Matters of Activity« and »Science of Intelligence«. CollActive Materials. 9 November 2023.
https://berlinscienceweek.com/event/bound-through-air-airnshare-2/
Highlighted by Exberliner as one of 10 things to do at Berlin Science Week.
Perraudin, L., Müller, M., Werner, K. What are futures made of? CollActive Materials @ SCIoI Thursday. Cluster of Excellence »Science of Intelligence«. 24 November 2022.
Quinz, E., Ribault, P. (moderators), Saraceno, T. (co-organizer), Chiaramonte, X., Hengge, R., Jäger, P., Jarry, A., Jordan, A., Müller, M. (guests). »Dissect« – An artistic research on a more equal balance of human- techno- and biodiversity. Discussion about Tomás Saraceno's Spiders. Tieranatomisches Theater, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. Chaire Arts & Sciences of the École polytechnique, Cluster of Excellence Matters of Activity, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, École nationale supérieure des Arts Décoratifs (EnsAD), Fondation Daniel et Nina Carasso, Tieranatomisches Theater, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. 4 November 2022.
https://berlinscienceweek.com/de/event/dissect-2/
Werner, K., Nestler, A., Müller, M., Duncan, C. Ideenlabor Lebendige Materialien. Mall Anders, Berlin. 20 May 2022.
https://www.matters-of-activity.de/de/activities/8032/collactive-materials-in-der-mall-anders
Werner, K., Nestler, A., Steinhardt, S., Bullermann, E., Müller, M., Perraudin, L. Woraus ist deine Zukunft gemacht? Mall Anders, Berlin. 20 May 2022 - 21 May 2022.
https://www.matters-of-activity.de/de/activities/8032/collactive-materials-in-der-mall-anders
Highlighted by Tagesspiegel.
Werner, K., Tikka E., Nyakatura, J, Rasehorn, F, Vaish, A, Perraudin, L., Müller, M., Nestler, A, Bullermann, E. What is the Future Made Of? A speculative workshop about bio-inspired design. Naturkundemuseum Berlin, Berlin Science Week. CollActive Materials. Cluster of Excellence Matters of Activity, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. 5 November 2022.
https://berlinscienceweek.com/de/event/what-is-the-future-made-of/
Löffler, P., Ribault, P, Müller, M. im/Perfection, Im/ perfect Figurations in Nature. Department of Cultural History and Theory, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. With contributions by Löffler, P., Ribault, P, Müller, M., Bublitz, H., Tikka, E., Kassung, C., De Visscher, E., Quinz, E., Schäffner, W., Bruns, C., Wehrli, P., Allen, J., Lang, C. 18 April 2019 - 11 July 2019.
Teaching & Courses
Perraudin, L., Tikka, E., Winkler, C., Müller, M. Aerial Witness/ing. (Summer) School, Future of Life – Elementals. Biodesign Lab, HfG Karlsruhe / ZKM Karlsruhe. 24 July 2023 - 29 July 2023.
https://biodesignlab.hfg-karlsruhe.de/en/news/future-of-life-elementals
Müller, M. Biologie als Technologie? Historische und theoretische Zugänge zu einer Kultur der Lebenswissenschaften. Seminar, Institut für Kulturwissenschaft, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. 18 October 2021 - 20 February 2022.
Müller, M. Theorien des Metabolismus. Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Institut für Kulturwissenschaft. 1 October 2020 - 31 March 2021.
External Grants, Fellowships, Scholarships & Residencies
Perraudin, L., Brock, O., Coelho Mollo, D., Mareis, C., Müller, M., Nestler, A., Puhlmann, S., Schäffner, W., Steinhardt, S. 2021. »Wenn Materie lebendig wird«. Experimentallabor für Wissenschaftskommunikation »CollActive Materials«. Berlin University Alliance, project funding for 2022-2024.
https://www.collactive-materials.de/
Research Stays at Another Institution
Müller, M. Visiting Scholar/Adjunk Researcher at Waseda University Tokyo, Institute for Science and Engineering. Waseda University Tokyo, Institute for Science and Engineering (Center for Advanced Research). 26 August 2019 - 31 March 2020.
Press Articles
Müller, M. 2023. »Kein Zurück zur Natur. Geo-Engineering oder Selbstversorger-Romantik: Der Klimawandel spaltet die ideologischen Lager. Utopische Erwartungen bestimmen auf beiden Seiten die Lage. Ein Gastbeitrag.« Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, 7 February 2023.
https://www.faz.net/aktuell/karriere-hochschule/kritik-der-klimarettung-kein-zurueck-zur-natur-18641935.html
Müller, M. 2019. »Neues aus dem Menschenpark.« Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, 11 September 2019.
https://www.faz.net/aktuell/karriere-hochschule/die-synthetische-biologie-verlaesst-die-labore-16376611.html