SciLux

In our recent discussions with physicists we have often ended up discussing beauty. Wikipedia says that beauty is a feature that makes objects pleasurable to perceive. And what does prof. Alex Tkatchenko think?
Prof. Alex Tkatchenko (University of Luxembourg), who is a chemical physicist, not only took the time to tell us what is beautiful in physics and chemistry, but also focused on his research interests such as dark energy, drug development and protein folding. A truly enjoyable episode for people who like science!
USEFUL LINKS
About Alex Tkatchenko - https://www.uni.lu/fstm-en/people/alexandre-tkatchenko/
Theoretical Chemical Group at the University of Luxembourg - https://www.uni.lu/fstm-en/research-groups/theoretical-chemical-physics/

Today we embark on a new journey exploring European researchers and their contributions to science and society. Our first European guest, Tina de Gendt, a public historian, curator, writer and journalist recently received the European Heritage Europa Nostra Award for the Square Kilometre Project coordinated and funded by STAM Ghent City Museum and the Ghent Heritage Cell.
Tina shares her insights on the concept of public history, a field dedicated to involving the public in the historical narrative. She discusses the challenges and rewards of engaging with diverse communities, the importance of negotiating narratives, and the ethical principles guiding her work. Discover how Tina's unique approach as a freelance historian allows her to bridge the gap between institutional history and the lived experiences of people in super-diverse urban neighbourhoods.
We also explore Tina's innovative projects, such as the Square Kilometre Project, and her work as a historian in residence, where she collaborates with local communities to uncover hidden histories and bring them to life through exhibitions, podcasts, and more. Learn how these initiatives foster a deeper understanding of migration, urban transformation, and the past that connects us all.
USEFUL LINKS
Tina de Gendt: https://sites.google.com/view/tinadegendt/homepage
STAM Ghent City Museum: https://stamgent.be/en
Square Kilometre Project: https://stamgent.be/en/thesquarekilometre
European Heritage Awards: https://www.europeanheritageawards.eu/winners/the-square-kilometre/
About the 'Turkey on the Lys' book: https://www.journalismfund.eu/supported-projects/turkish-people-belgium
Master in Digital and Public History at the University of Luxembourg: https://www.uni.lu/fhse-en/study-programs/master-in-digital-and-public-history/

For this episode we caught up with Ben Thuy, the paleonthologist from the Museum of Natural History on the last day of the "Lost Ocean" exhibition at the museum. We took the opportunity to talk a bit about it, but mainly focused on paleonthology and his research focus - brittle stars. We also could not avoid mentioning the recent excavations in Bascharage.
USEFUL LINKS:
Science meets rock music FNR article
Paleontological collections of the museum

When we started the interview, we had no clue how much we'd learn ourselves! You can count on that if you listen to prof. Markus Ollert from Luxembourg Institute of Health talking about allergies and our immune system. The field of allergology is developing very fast and it's good to get a small glimpse at where we are now. Plus - you can count on a very relevant pub quiz question!

This episode felt a little like going back to school as Dr. Archibold Mposhi from LIH was nice enough to first explain very basic genetics and only then moved to his specialisation, epigenetics - the study of the influence of environment and behaviours on genes. So much going on in the field that we did not know about!
SHOW NOTES
About Archibold's research: https://researchportal.lih.lu/en/persons/archibold-mposhi
LIH Website: https://www.lih.lu/en/
Video about Archibold's mentor, Jonathan Turner: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqT2BOB7jOI