The advent of AI in robotics, and systems research, and teaching

In this episode we hear from two members of the Swiss Young Academy: Pamela Delgado, Assistant Professor at the HES-SO and lecturer at EPFL, and Emmanuel Senft, research scientist and group leader at the Idiap Research Institute. They talk to us about important challenges and benefits of using AI in their research. From improving human-robot interactions to helping find ways to manage the growing need for computational resources powering our everyday lives.

Pamela and Emmanuel also give their insights on how new AI tools can help shape the AI researchers of tomorrow. They share what it takes for motivated individuals to get into this field, and how other branches of science like social and human sciences can help bring about new fields of AI research to face the challenges of tomorrow.

Exploring the evolution, impact and future use of AI

In this episode, Andrea Emilio Rizzoli, director of the Dalle Molle Institute for Artificial Intelligence (IDSIA) and professor at the University of Applied Sciences of Southern Switzerland (SUPSI), addresses the dual nature of AI in helping to solve global challenges, such as climate change, while also acknowledging the environmental impact of AI technologies. An impact that needs to be transparent to the public.

He discusses the evolution of AI from rule-based to data-driven approaches and the impact that the bias in training data might have, as well as what could constitute a useful regulation of AI.

Listen to Andrea talk about the importance of educating the next generation to become expert AI users, which should help increase productivity, however still develop core abilities that generative AI can do, as well as logical thinking.

For more information, visit the IDSIA website or follow Andrea on LinkedIn, Instagram as @andrearizzoli and Bluesky as @rizzoli.bsky.social.

How important was/is the human intervention for its adoption and future

In this episode, Silvia Quarteroni, Current Chief Transformation Officer & Head of Innovation at the Swiss Data Science Center (SDSC), talks about the origins and evolution of AI as well as the active part we all have in shaping its future.

She also discusses past, current and future possible applications of AI, with an accent on potential development of personalisation for medicine.

Listen to Silvia talk about the importance of embracing AI and how the professional path of many disciplines can lead to AI, due to the importance of solving problems in a pragmatic way.

For more information, visit the SDSC website or follow Silvia on LinkedIn.

How collaboration across disciplines and outside academia is needed to address climate change.

In this episode, Janet Hering, former Director of the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science & Technology (Eawag) and Professor at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zürich (ETHZ) and Lausanne (EPFL), shares her experience in leading one of the world’s leading water research institute and working at the interface between science and policy.

Learn how interdisciplinary research is needed to address climate change and its consequences, and how universities need to change to encourage collaborations between researchers and outside academia to have a practical impact.

Listen to Janet talk about her work at the interface between politics and science, the role of scientific institutions in society, how to include citizens in policy-making, and the power of young generations.

For more information, visit the Eawag website, follow Janet on bluesky and LinkedIn, read her publications or read her blog series at: https://www.epistimi.org/blog.

In this episode, Arnaud Nussbaumer-Laghzaoui, president of Avocat.e.s pour le climat and partner at Jacquemoud Stanislas, shares his experience in defending cases related to the climate crisis in Switzerland.

Dive into his work including defending the protesters who staged tennis matches in Credit Suisse branches, holding FIFA accountable for greenwashing practices during the 2022 world cup in Qatar, and an upcoming case against the Swiss government representing Swiss farmers impacted by climate change.

Learn about the creative legal work required for climate change cases, the growing role of young lawyers and judges, and why he continues to take on these complex cases.

This episode was recorded before the decision from the European Court on the case brought by the Senior Women for Climate Protection Switzerland against the Swiss government.

More information on Avocat.e.s pour le climat here, the Credit Suisse Protesters Trials here and on the case against FIFA here.

Mirko Winkel, an artist from the Institute of Geography of the University of Bern, talks to our hosts Julia and Tanish about his work at the mLAB. It is a unique space that explores novel roles of art in geography research and community outreach. From using cartographic methods, to applying artistic mapping techniques in scientific studies, the mLAB fosters transdisciplinary collaboration and helps students bring creative ideas to life.

Discover how art made climate change more tangible through an immersive project in Bern focused on “heat islands” – urban areas that trap heat due to human intervention. In a project developed for Bümpliz, participants rode bikes equipped with thermometers to track temperature shifts across the city. They then analyzed the data with mathematical models in a Ansermetplatz square and experienced the cooling effect of noble infrastructure like a public pool and increased tree coverage in this notorious heat island. This project made climate science accessible and intuitive for the public and policy makers alike.

For more information, visit the mLAB website, and follow them on Facebook, Instagram (@mlab.unibern) and X https://x.com/bernmlab.

Hosts for this Episode: Julia Knuchel and Tanish Shinde