Hello, this is Achintya with my last science and technology newsletter. Our daily newsletters will be on a little summer break in August, before returning to your inboxes in a fresh format.

Today, we speak with EPFL’s Marcel Salathé on the need to build bridges across scientific disciplines to tackle the challenges humanity will face in the coming years.

We also peek into the offices of International Geneva (with face masks, of course) to see how plans to return to the workplace are advancing. And, finally, we turn our attention to the Tokyo Olympics, where EPFL scientist Anna Kiesenhofer won gold in cycling.

Achintya Rao

28.07.2021

Today's stories

Marcel Salathé speaks at a Covid-19 talk in September 2020. Credit: KEYSTONE/Ennio Leanza

🌉 Tackling scientific challenges with transdisciplinarity. The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has demonstrated the value of adopting transdisciplinary approaches to tackle scientific challenges. EPFL’s Marcel Salathé reflects on efforts to bridge computing and technology – particularly new tools like AI and machine learning – with the disciplines of epidemiology and health.

Geneva Solutions (EN)

💼 International Geneva back to work. Following the ease of sanitary restrictions by Swiss authorities, International Geneva organisations are gradually planning their return to work. And the scientists seem to have a head start: CERN is allowing more people back than any other institution.

Geneva Solutions (EN)

Here's what else is happening

Filippo Grandi: UN refugee convention a 'bedrock' for humanity.
Geneva Solutions (EN)
Israeli war crimes apparent in Gaza war, according to Human Rights Watch.
AP News (EN)
US and Russia together in Geneva to reduce grave danger of nuclear war.
Le Temps (paywall) (FR)
Afghanistan: The forever war? An Inside Geneva podcast.
Swissinfo (EN)
UN general assembly must reject Myanmar junta’s attempts to grab envoy seats.
PassBlue (EN)
Tigray refugee camps: food and water running out, says UN.
Reuters (EN)

Image of the day

Anna Kiesenhofer, cyclist and EPFL researcher, raises her arms as she crosses the finish line of the women’s cycling road race at the Tokyo Olympics in first position. (Credits: APA/AFP POOL/MICHAEL STEELE.)

👩‍🔬🥇A scientist in gold. When she is not teaching the wonders of solving differential equations to her engineering students at EPFL, Anna Kiesenhofer travels the roads alongside the world’s best cycling athletes. On Sunday, she clinched Austria’s first cycling medal since 1896, after her stunning victory in the women’s cycling road race.

CNN (EN)

Next on the agenda

📌 20–23 August | CERN Webfest. CERN’s annual hackathon is back, held virtually once again, and with a focus on UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as well as projects for facilitating online science collaboration. You can join one of the existing projects or suggest an idea of your own.

CERN (EN)

📌 25 August | Deepfakes, trust and international security. Deepfakes, manipulative AI-created images and videos, are posing a growing threat to the mutual trust between states. This 2021 innovations dialogue explores the technical process behind their creation, and the underlying governance issues.

UNIDIR (EN)

GS news is a new media project covering the world of international cooperation and development. Don’t hesitate to forward our newsletter!

Have a good day!

Avenue du Bouchet 2
1209 Genève
Suisse