Jun 2, 2026
Cutting through the noise: Science journalism in a complex world
Journalist Panel Discussion
Date: June 2, 2026 |
6:00 pm –
7:30 pm
Speaker:
Gemma Conroy, Alasdair Keane, Elise Cutts, Lisa Palmer
Location: Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA), VISTA Science Experience Center auditorium, Am Campus 1, 3400 Klosterneuburg
Language:
English
Time: 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm, followed by a reception
Registration opening soon.
In a complex world overflowing with information, where attention is fleeting and stories travel faster than ever, science journalism stands at a critical crossroads – confronted by new challenges yet finding fresh purpose.
Join ISTA’s 2026 Journalists in Residence, in conversation with counterparts at the Complexity Science Hub and the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), to discuss how science journalism is adapting in a rapidly changing communication landscape, what’s at stake, and why accuracy, depth, and context are more essential than ever.
Drawing on real-world reporting, the panelists will offer practical insights into how high-quality science journalism can continue to thrive, highlighting lessons learned from both successes and setbacks.
The event will conclude with an interactive Q&A and an informal networking reception.
Panelists:
Gemma Conroy is an Australian Journalist in Residence at ISTA whose work spans biology, neuroscience, AI, and physics. Based in Mexico City, her reporting has appeared in leading outlets including The New York Times, Nature, New Scientist and Scientific American. Gemma currently serves as editor of Nature Briefing: Careers, a weekly newsletter for working scientists. She has also worked in Nature’s Asia Pacific bureau and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, producing science stories for both online and radio.
Alasdair Keane is a Scottish Journalist in Residence at ISTA. As a broadcast reporter with the BBC’s Tech Now program, he explores innovation in its many forms and brings complex technological and scientific topics to a broad global audience. His role is very varied, covering everything from self-driving vehicles to the latest medical treatments. Alasdair has been with the BBC for more than eight years and also covered Brexit and the Covid pandemic.
Elise Cutts is an American Journalist in Residence at the Complexity Science Hub whose work appears in leading outlets such as National Geographic, New Scientist, Quanta and Scientific American. With an interdisciplinary beat that spans the physical sciences, mathematics, and fundamental biology, Elise brings complex discoveries to life for wide audiences from her base in Graz.
Lisa Palmer is an American Journalist in Residence and Senior Research Scholar in Science Communication at IIASA, as well as an independent journalist with more than two decades of experience covering science, society, and global challenges such as climate change, food security, and sustainability. Author of Hot, Hungry Planet, her work has been featured in leading international outlets and supported by the Pulitzer Center, National Geographic, and the Rockefeller Foundation. Lisa is based in Washington, DC.
Moderation:
Nadja Hahn, communications professional and former ORF journalist.
