Interviews
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A scientist's opinion: interview with Dr Mònica Mir Llorente on robotic plant roots
In humans and animals, the brain sends signals to indicate hunger, animals go hunting, while humans go to the refrigerator. But in plants, this process is controlled by the roots, which grow toward areas rich in nutrients. This idea inspired the study “Biomimetic Plant-Root-Inspired Robotic Sensor... -
A scientist’s opinion: interview with Dr Michael Hennessy Picard on space sustainability
Dr Michael Hennessy Picard holds a PhD in Law from the University of Quebec in Montreal (Canada) and is a Lecturer in International Environmental Law at the University of Edinburgh (UK). He is working on the regulatory oversight of satellite re-entry, ablation and atmospheric pollution. Can you explain... -
A scientist’s opinion: interview with Prof. Pascale Ehrenfreund on space sustainability
Pascale Ehrenfreund is the President of the Committee of Space Research (COSPAR) and Research Professor of Space Policy and International Affairs in Washington DC. She serves on the Board of Directors of the Space Foundation and as Member of the Global Future Council on Space of the World Economic Forum.... -
A scientist's opinion: interview with Prof. Dr. Nicole Grobert on ‘One Health’
After the Commission had tasked its Group of Chief Scientific Advisors (GCSA) with providing advice on One Health Governance in the EU, a report and a scientific opinion was published end of 2024. It assessed how the EU can align its policies with the One Health approach, improving coordination between... -
A scientist's opinion: interview with Prof. Dr. Jakob Zinsstag-Klopfenstein on ‘One Health’
Epidemiology Professor Jakob Zinsstag (University of Basel, Switzerland) leads a research group focused on the interface of human and animal health, particularly zoonoses and the health of nomadic populations, under the ‘One Health’ approach. He also is a member of the One Health High Level Expert Panel... -
Mirko Bischofberger: ‘AI offers a promise of a better way of communicating’
Dr. Mirko Bischofberger is an expert in science communication. He is a lecturer at the Swiss Federal Technology Institute of Zurich and Lausanne (ETH and EPFL), as well as the universities of Zürich and Basel. Mirko studied molecular biology, specialised in computational biology and worked for the Neue... -
Elisabetta Tola: ‘We need spaces to learn, share, and reflect together’
Elisabetta Tola is a science, data, and investigative journalist. She is the co-founder and editor-in-chief of Facta.eu, an Italian independent media outlet that applies the scientific method to journalism and promotes science journalism as a cornerstone of democratic participation. Elisabetta is also... -
A scientist’s opinion: interview with Sonia Contera on generative AI in science
Spanish physicist Sonia Contera is professor at the University of Oxford (UK) and specialises in physics at the interface of biology, nanotechnology and information processing. She will be a keynote speaker at the STOA workshop ‘Generative AI and scientific development’ on 29 April 2025. We've heard...