Accelerating science-based solutions
Science Unlimited 2019 illustrated the real state of the world today (hint: much better than you probably think) and showcased amazing research that’s making tomorrow even better. This inspiring day of talks formed part of the Frontiers Forum 2019 – an exclusive annual event bringing together the world’s leading scientists and other thought leaders to discuss and accelerate science-based solutions.
See the speakers below and watch their full talk videos – and if you haven’t already, take the Gapminder test of your world view!
Global trends
Anna Rosling Rönnlund
Gapminder Foundation
For a fact-based worldview
Anna Rosling Rönnlund, co-author of the bestselling book Factfulness, dismantled the mega-misconceptions shaping our worldview and showed what the world really looks like, in ways everyone can understand.
Bracken Darrell, Logitech
Mehmood Khan, Life Biosciences
Stefan von Holtzbrinck, Holtzbrinck Publishing Group
Henry Markram, EPFL
Amplifying the impact of scientific innovations
Bracken Darrell, Mehmood Khan, Stefan von Holtzbrinck and Henry Markram discussed innovation and how to successfully get cutting-edge science out of the lab to make the greatest possible impact on the world.
Stephan Mergenthaler
World Economic Forum
Our world maps need a system reboot
Stephan Mergenthaler outlined new maps that allow us to more easily see links between, and the latest research on, complex global issues and developments like migration, climate change and social media.
Kamila Markram
Frontiers
SCIENCE UNLIMITED
Kamila Markram described how open science can guide artificial intelligence to exponential innovation and provide new solutions for clean energy, sustainable development and healthy living.
Future humans
Spencer Wells
Insitome
The past, present and future of personal genomics
Leading population geneticist and pioneer of the consumer genomics industry, Spencer Wells, discussed the complex issues surrounding today’s era where more and more people have their DNA sequence, or that of a relative, online.
David Sinclair
Harvard Medical School
Cracking – and reversing – the aging clock
Listed as TIME magazine’s “100 most influential people in the world,” renowned longevity researcher David Sinclair explained his revolutionary findings on why we age – and how we can reverse the process to extend our healthspan.
Christopher E. Mason
Weill Cornell Medicine
Homo galaxias: Preparing our species for space
Christopher E. Mason has a 500-year vision for human survival– and not just on Earth. He presented the latest data from NASA’s astronaut twin study on the effects of space travel and how we may survive on other planets.
Healthy planet
Claire Kremen
University of British Columbia
Designing landscapes that work for people and nature
Claire Kremen believes protected areas are not enough to preserve our planet’s species and habitats. She showed a complementary approach that helps save biodiversity in the spaces people share with nature.
Matthew McCabe
King Abdullah University of Science and Technology
Eyes in the sky for precision food and water security
Matthew McCabe collects high-resolution data from drones and shoe-box satellites. He demonstrated how this advanced aerial imaging, combined with machine learning, is fueling a digital transformation in agriculture.
Anne Bowser
The Wilson Center
Using citizen science to modernize the environmental movement
Anne Bowser is helping to launch the world’s largest coordinated citizen science campaign. She described how millions of people will collect and share data on air and water quality, biodiversity, climate change and health.
Healthy lives
Jayasree K. Iyer
Access to Medicine Foundation
Bringing healthcare to all people
Jayasree K. Iyer celebrated the incredible advances in medicine and global healthcare over the past decade, and efforts to improve access in low- and middle-income countries.
Grégoire Courtine
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL)
From wheelchair to walking after spinal cord injury
Several paraplegics can now walk again thanks to Grégoire Courtine’s wireless implants. He illustrated the technology behind this breakthrough, plus the next steps to develop commonly available treatments.
Mavi Sánchez-Vives
Institute of Biomedical Research Augusto Pi y Suñer
Transforming lives with virtual reality
Mavi Sánchez-Vives demonstrated how our brains can accept virtual bodies as our "own" – and how immersive virtual reality tools can help change people's perspectives and behaviors.
Frontiers leading Open Science
Mirjam Curno
Frontiers
From launch to leader
Mirjam Curno showed why Frontiers is the 4th most cited academic publisher in the world – because its journals are built with data-driven insights, involve the best editors and showcase groundbreaking Research Topics, that create visibility and impact.
Marie Soulière
Frontiers
Benchmarking peer review
Marie Soulière highlighted how Frontiers surpasses industry benchmarks compared to global standards, in the quality and efficiency of its peer review process, the services it provides, and its user satisfaction ratings.
Daniel Petrariu
Frontiers
Powered by technology
Daniel Petrariu talked about how the Frontiers Open Science platform enables its award-winning, rigorous peer review process while providing maximum data insights, and how AIRA (our Artificial Intelligence Review Assistant) supports editors and staff in making the best decisions throughout the process.
Chantelle Rijs
Frontiers
COMMUNICATION FOR INNOVATION
Chantelle Rijs presented how Frontiers’ Open Science platform and post-publication services for authors has been developed for maximum visibility and impact.
Ronald Buitenhuis
Frontiers
CALLING FOR TRANSPARENCY
Ronald Buitenhuis showed how Frontiers' policy of transparency is helping researchers make informed decisions, while bringing benefits of open science to universities, national consortia and funders.
Frederick Fenter
Frontiers
The emerging open science ecosystem
Fred Fenter presented a high-level view of this transformational potential and how it supports the open-science ecosystem that is now rapidly emerging.