Selected Young Scientist: BC Materials & Studies

BC is BC architects & studies & materials. They operate through 3 legal entities: BC architects (architecture company), BC studies (non-profit education laboratory), and BC materials (material production cooperative). BC is a hybrid practice, designing and undertaking “acts of building” towards systemic change in the construction sector. They strive for bioregional, low-tech, circular, beautiful and inclusive design. They work with their minds and hands, undertaking activities such as community organisation, material production, contracting, teaching, prototyping.

BC studies is a research and education laboratory investigating the material environment through processes of construction and production. BC studies manifests itself in teaching & education, workshops, consultancy, exhibitions and published research.

Problem Statement: Delcy Morelos will explore sustainable organic construction materials, questioning how future architecture can draw inspiration from ancient Indigenous building practices. She aims to decolonize bio-construction by rethinking it through ancestral methods and low-tech approaches for a more sustainable future.

Hosted by: Bozar | BELGIUM

Selected Young Scientist: Fabien Louvet

Fabien Louvet did a thesis in Paris on the influence of gas density and shocks on the formation of massive stars. He then conducted two post-doctorates in Santiago de Chile on the influence of the magnetic field on star formation. He continued with a final post-doctorate on numerical modeling of star formation, before being recruited by the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS). Fabien Louvet now works in Grenoble where he is interested in all the physical and chemical processes involved in the transition from a cold, diffuse cloud of gas to a Sun-Planet system like ours.

Selected Young Scientist: Faustine Cantalloube

Faustine Cantalloube is a CNRS researcher at the Grenoble Institute of Planetology and Astrophysics (France). She is a specialist in exoplanet imaging instrumentation, working mainly on three aspects: (1) performance diagnostics for instruments currently in operation, (2) the design of image processing methods to detect exoplanets, and (3) the design of future generations of instruments dedicated to exoplanet imaging. Taking advantage of the fascination that astronomy arouses to discuss different aspects of society, Faustine Cantalloube is deeply involved in scientific mediation. For several years now, she has been studying the impact of climate change on the quality of astronomical observations, in order to alert her colleagues and raise public awareness on the urgent need to change social paradigms.

Problem Statement: Pauline Julier’s challenge explores “life in the universe.” She will investigate the origin of life, the possibility of life beyond Earth, and whether the Universe itself is alive. In a post-Anthropocene era, what can we learn from potential extraterrestrial lives and their implications for our understanding of life?

Hosted by: Bozar | BELGIUM

Selected Young Scientist: Agnieszka Szostok

Agnieszka Szostok specializes in environmental, energy, and sustainability management. She graduated with a degree in Environmental Engineering from the Silesian University of Technology. Her research focuses on the thermo-ecological assessment of energy systems based on renewable energy sources. She provides consulting services for both the public and private sectors in environmental and climate protection and supports local authorities throughout the entire strategy process, from stakeholder identification and data analysis to implementation. Agnieszka is part of the 2024 cohort of Young Energy Ambassadors for the European Sustainable Energy Week. She is passionate about community and civic projects, raising awareness, and promoting community engagement.

Selected Young Scientist:Michał Piasecki

Michał Piasecki is a PhD candidate at the Doctoral School of Humanities, University of Warsaw. He is preparing a doctoral thesis on the visuality of the climate crisis. His dissertation examines the visual representation of environmental processes and the ways in which images, films, and other visual media shape public perception of climate change. His research interests include visual culture, energy humanities, forensic aesthetics, and the aesthetics of the environment. He often works at the intersection of art and science,  most recently contributing to the “From the Ashes” exhibition at the Zachęta National Gallery of Art (2024) also maintains an ongoing collaboration with the Filmoteka of the Museum of Modern Art in Warsaw. He co-runs the Pamoja Press publishing house, which publishes essay on critical theory and contemporary art.

Problem Statement: Climate change drives debates on adapting to a world transformed by heat. Rising carbon levels are changing environments, creating global acclimatization “experiments” by humans. Adaptation may need evolutionary time scales, but changes could also be surprisingly rapid, causing radical transformations within our lifetimes.

Hosted by: Centre for Contemporary Art LAZNIA | POLAND

Selected Young Scientist: Andromachi Gkoulia

Problem Statement: Climate change threatens Mediterranean marine ecosystems by altering sea temperatures, currents, and acidification, creating conditions for invasive alien species. These species compete with native species, spread diseases, and disrupt the ecological balance. A comprehensive approach, including monitoring, research, and public awareness, is essential to protect the Mediterranean’s unique biodiversity.

Hosted by: CYENS Centre of Excellence | CYPRUS

Selected Young Scientist: Raquel Ledo Doval

Raquel Ledo Doval, Galician, and biotechnologist by profession, with a focus on marine microbiology. She is currently working on marine fungi within a circular economy framework to produce alternative proteins from seaweeds. Her passion lies in merging science with art to communicate complex natural systems, aiming to inspire and educate on sustainable practices and environmental conservation. Through the integration of visual, artistic and scientific forms, she aims to showcase the interconnectedness of marine ecosystems.

Selected Young Scientist: Louise Delhaye

Louise Delhaye is an oceanographer working at the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, where she studies the impact of human activities in the North Sea on particles suspended in the water column and on the seabed. When she is not out at sea collecting data, she is trying to understand them using codes and graphs and to make a story out of them. Alongside her love for the oceans, she also has a passion for poles, which led her to become one of the co-chairs of APECS Belgium, an association of early career scientists aiming at communicating and educating on polar science. On top of her scientist’s coat, you will certainly find her wearing her camera.

Problem Statement: The atemporal encounter laboratory “Time Capsule” is an interdisciplinary exploration that blends oceanography, linguistics, and anticipatory storytelling. It serves as a safe space for interaction, experimentation, and provocation, engaging with the evolving marine landscape. The goal is to develop tools for navigating the profound shifts caused by drastic climatic changes, while also imagining possible futures.

Hosted by: GLUON | BELGIUM

Selected Young Scientist: Prof. Dr. Ing. Colas Schretter

Colas Schretter completed the M.Sc. degree in computer science with great honors in 2004 and received an additional Master of advanced studies (DEA) in 2006 from the Université libre de Bruxelles, Belgium. In February 2007, he moved to Germany for a scientist position with Philips Research, Aachen. Meanwhile, he earned a Marie Curie EST fellowship for his doctoral thesis, awarded with magna cum laude in April 2010, at the Otto-von-Guericke University. Thereafter, he won a Marie Curie ERG grant for a postdoctoral project with the RWTH Aachen University and was visiting researcher at the Politecnico di Milano, Italy. He was selected for a M+Vision 2012 fellowship at the MIT in Cambridge, USA and is back in Belgium since October 2013, as senior research scientist at the ETRO department of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel.

Selected Young Scientist: Dr. Marko Ilić

Dr. Marko Ilić is a biologist specializing in animal physiology, with a focus on insect vision since his master’s thesis. As part of a dynamic research team, he has studied the spectral and polarization vision of flies, beetles, butterflies, and moths. His work has driven him to develop creative solutions for calibrated light conditions, sparking an interest in microcontrollers and programming. Most of his data acquisition and analysis is conducted using various programming languages. Passionate about bridging disciplines, he aims to continue his research, with aspirations to explore human physiology and psychophysics, integrating his expertise in vision science and technical innovation.

Selected Young Scientist: Dr. Aiman RAZA

Dr. Aiman RAZA is a Postdoctoral researcher in the third year of his post-PhD research activities; his primary research areas are Lighting, imaging, color appearance, colorimetry and chronobiology. The key theme of his research activities incorporate the human component of light and color perception, with an emphasis on experimentation to formulate empirical evidences.  Currently, he is pursuing a postdoctoral project with INSERM, Lyon on the topic: Influence of light exposure (or the absence of it) on the sleep quality of (healthy) night workers.

Problem Statement: This project will explore the relationship between color, the spectrum of light, and space through biological models of animal vision, computer science, and visual art. Through this, we seek to raise awareness about the consequences of light pollution, inspiring a more conscientious approach to environmental illumination that acknowledges the impact of artificial light on biodiversity.

Hosted by: GLUON | BELGIUM

Selected Young Scientist: Kalliopi Ioumpa

Kalliopi Ioumpa is a neuropsychology researcher and visual artist based in Amsterdam. She holds a PhD focusing on empathy, social decision-making, hierarchy and the brain. Currently, she is a Postdoctoral researcher at Ghent University, studying how artworks that induce perspective shifts can influence social cognition and prosocial behavior. Her artworks, ranging from installations to sculptures and VR, explore themes like memory, absence, collective grief and otherness. Through her practice, she aims to make visible what words cannot, through embodied knowledge. Educated in both science and fine arts, she is invested in cross-disciplinary collaborations, artistic research and alternative ways of knowledge acquisition. She is a co-organizer of the Art of Neuroscience platform and the NeuroNarratives art-science residency.

Problem Statement: Circus artist Fanny Soriano seeks to explore the physical relationship between living humans and the non-humans. Through physical and sensory experiences, she will question the place of the body in our society and its role in our relationship with the environment.

Hosted by: Hexagone Scène Nationale | FRANCE

Selected Young Scientist: Ziggy O’Reilly

Ziggy O’Reilly is a cognitive scientist whose research explores human-robot interaction, moral and social cognition, and the ethics of emerging technologies. She conducts empirical studies on the psychological processes underlying human-robot interactions to inform decision-making around the societal implications of advanced technologies. Ziggy has also collaborated with artists to design experimental stimuli, and investigate the psychological processes evoked by public art installations. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology, a Master’s in Biological Arts, and recently completed her PhD at the Social Cognition and Human-Robot Interaction Line, at the Italian Institute of Technology. Previously, she collaborated with the Australian e-Health Research Centre at CSIRO and was a visiting scholar in the Yale-Hastings Bioethics Program.

Problem Statement: How can we enhance (hack) the brain and expand human perception into multidimensional spaces using body intelligence? By using advanced technology, we aim to explore and surpass the limitations of the human brain, allowing us to accept and integrate non-human forms of intelligence, and to broaden our conceptual frameworks.

Hosted by: Kersnikova Institute | SLOVENIA

Selected Young Scientist: Joan Llort

Joan Llort graduated in Physics from the University of Barcelona and completed his PhD in oceanography at the Sorbonne University in Paris, France. He developed his research career at the University of Tasmania, Australia, and later at the Barcelona Supercomputing Centre where he is currently based. Joan’s research focuses on the effects of desert dust and wildfires on marine ecosystems and the marine carbon cycle by combining models, satellite observations, and marine robot data. In addition to scientific research, he is engaged in art-science projects that aim to rethink oceanographic and climate data from aesthetic and conceptual points of view. His involvement with artistic creation has led to his participation in festivals like Sonar, Biennal of Thought-CCCB, and Eufònic.

Problem Statement: Investigating the dynamic phenomena of marine snow in the Twilight Zone and its oceanic carbon sequestration mechanism, leveraging artistic creativity to analyze and visualize new scientific data, fostering a deeper understanding of marine ecosystems, and possible symbiotic collaborations and alliances between inhabitants, under and over the sea.

Hosted by:  MEET Digital Culture Center | ITALY