NOMIS Fellows Symposium

EMBRACING UNCERTAINTY

Inaugural NOMIS Fellows Symposium

Embracing Uncertainty

Set against the inspiring backdrop of the Swiss Alps, the inaugural NOMIS Fellows Symposium brings together current and former fellows from across institutions, disciplines and generations. Under the theme “Embracing Uncertainty,” the gathering fosters the collaboration and connection that embody the NOMIS spirit — celebrating the curiosity, creativity and bold ideas that unite this community.

At the heart of this symposium lies the conviction that uncertainty is not a challenge to be overcome, but a powerful driver of scientific discovery. While science cannot eliminate uncertainty, it continually transforms the unknown into insight — often through the unexpected paths that lead to novel perspectives and genuine breakthroughs. Embracing uncertainty invites us to revisit assumptions, refine models and explore new possibilities.

Designed as an immersive retreat, the symposium combines thought-provoking keynotes and collaborative workshops with informal moments to connect and share ideas. Over the course of three days, participants will engage in stimulating interdisciplinary dialogue with pioneering researchers and build meaningful connections across fields and career stages. This unique environment offers space for reflection, open exchange and creative exploration.

We invite you to step back from daily routines, spark fresh inspiration and cultivate a deeper sense of belonging within the NOMIS community. We look forward to embarking on this new chapter with you.

Program

Thursday, June 11, 2026

Celebrating the NOMIS & Science Young Explorer Award Winners

Reception, Ceremony, and Dinner

We invite you to join us in celebrating the 2025/26 NOMIS & Science Young Explorer Award winners — outstanding early-career researchers who pursue bold and creative approaches to fundamental questions at the intersection of the life and social sciences.

Thursday, June 11th	Time
Reception & Award Ceremony	17:30 – 19:00
Opening remarks Markus Reinhard, Managing Director, NOMIS Foundation, and Bill Moran, Publisher, Science Family of Journals Keynote address Martin Hetzer, President, Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) Research presentations Rachit Dubey and Jiacheng Miao will present their award-winning research investigating what makes a crisis feel “normal” and how identical twins can have completely different health journeys.
Dinner	19:00 – 21:30
Overnight stay in Zurich at Hotel Ruby Mimi

Friday, June 12th – Sunday, June 14th

NOMIS Fellows Symposium

Embracing Uncertainty

Set against the Swiss mountains, the inaugural NOMIS Fellows Symposium brings together fellows across generations and disciplines to connect, exchange ideas and spark new perspectives. Through open dialogue and shared reflection, the event creates space for bold thinking, inspiration and lasting connections within the NOMIS community.

Friday, June 12th	Time
Bus trip: Zurich to Lenzerheide, departing from Hotel Ruby Mimi	08:15 – 10:30
Welcome from Markus Reinhard	10:30 – 10:45
Introduction round	10:45 – 12:30
Welcome lunch	12:30 – 13:45
Keynote: Foucault’s Pendulum, Michael Hagner	14:00 – 15:00
Science communication session, Dietram A. Scheufele	15:00 – 17:00
Check-in and free time	17:00 – 18:00
Short hike to mountain restaurant	18:00 – 18:30
Traditional Swiss dinner	18:30 – 22:00

Saturday, June 13th	Time
Morning activities (optional): Meditative walk, yoga or mountain biking	06:30 – 07:30
Breakfast	06:30 – 08:45
Keynote: The Cunning of Uncertainty, Helga Nowotny	09:00 – 09:45
Group work	10:00 – 11:30
Presentation of group work	11:30 – 12:00
Panel discussion: Helga Nowotny, Martin Hetzer, Manos Tsakiris	12:00 – 13:00
BBQ lunch	13:00 – 14:30
NOMIS Swiss Olympics	15:00 – 17:00
Free time	17:00 – 18:00
Apéritif and dinner: Gourmet Restaurant Guarda Val	18:00 – 22:00

Sunday, June 14th	Time
Morning activities (optional): Meditative walk, yoga or mountain biking	06:30 – 07:30
Breakfast	06:30 – 10:00
Check-out and individual departure; shuttles to Zurich	Morning / midday

Speakers

Michael Hagner

Professor emeritus of science studies, ETH Zurich

Keynote: Foucault’s Pendulum

Michael Hagner is a professor emeritus of science studies at ETH Zurich, Switzerland, where for more than two decades he explored the historical and cultural dimensions of the human sciences, neuroscience and publishing. Born in Bochum, Germany, in 1960, he studied medicine and philosophy at the Freie Universität Berlin, obtained his doctorate in medicine, and later held research positions at the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science in Berlin before joining ETH Zurich.

His book Foucaults Pendel und wir (2021) examines how even a demonstration device like a Foucault pendulum carries political, social and symbolic weight.

Michael’s work emphasizes that scientific knowledge is not neutral: it is shaped by cultural, economic and political forces, and it plays a key role in how societies understand themselves.

Helga Nowotny

Professor emerita of science and technology, ETH Zurich, and founding member of the ERC

Keynote: The Cunning of Uncertainty

Helga Nowotny is an Austrian sociologist and leading scholar in science and technology studies. She is a professor emerita at ETH Zurich and was a founding member of the European Research Council, serving as its president from 2010 to 2013. She currently serves as chair of the Scientific Advisory Board of the Complexity Science Hub Vienna.

Helga’s work has greatly influenced our understanding of the relationship between science, innovation and society, and she has been a driving force in shaping science policy and research governance across Europe.

Martin Hetzer

President and CEO of the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA)

Panelist

Martin Hetzer is a molecular biologist and president and CEO of the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA). Before joining ISTA in 2023, he spent nearly two decades at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, where he most recently served as senior vice president and chief science officer.

His research focuses on the fundamental mechanisms of organismal aging, with emphasis on the heart, central nervous system, cell differentiation and cancer.

Manos Tsakiris

Professor of psychology in the Department of Psychology, Royal Holloway, University of London

Panelist

Manos Tsakiris is a professor of psychology in the Department of Psychology, Royal Holloway, University of London, where he leads the Lab of Action & Body. He is also the director of the interdisciplinary Centre for the Politics of Feelings at the School of Advanced Study, University of London. Manos is the 2016 NOMIS Distinguished Scientist and Scholar Awardee.

His research explores how our bodily and emotional states shape self-awareness and sociopolitical behavior.

Dietram A. Scheufele

Professor in Science Communication,
University of Wisconsin–Madison

Science Communication Session

Dietram A. Scheufele is the Taylor-Bascom Chair and Vilas Distinguished Achievement Professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and a Distinguished Research Fellow at the Annenberg Public Policy Center. His work explores how emerging technologies and evolving information environments shape the way we understand science—and how societies engage with new knowledge. Focusing on science communication, misinformation, and the broader societal implications of innovation, he seeks to bridge the gap between scientific discovery and public discourse.

He is among the most widely cited scholars in his field and a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.