Interview & Opinion

In the Interview & Opinion column, renowned scientists and researchers talk about developments and perspectives in the world of science. They reflect on regional and European science policy as well as the support of talents and the importance of innovation in a highly competitive international environment.

Mauthausen Memorial, Austria

Interview & Opinion

“These social situations were multi-layered and complex”

Interview: Jonas Vogt

Contemporary historian Gerhard Botz has dedicated his academic life to studying National Socialism. Most recently he has carried out in-depth research on the Mauthausen concentration camp. In this interview he talks about the significance of the camp, its “grey areas” and past episodes that are still taboo today. Continue reading ““These social situations were multi-layered and complex””

Interview & Opinion

Will we make the energy transition happen?

Opinion: Michael Ornetzeder

Austria intends to become climate neutral by 2040. The scale of transformation is momentous and requires multi-layered and complex changes, involving not only new technologies and infrastructures, but also changing mindsets, social practices and new forms of economic activity. Coping with such change necessitates a broad discussion, which has been lacking so far, and attendant […] Continue reading “Will we make the energy transition happen?”

Interview & Opinion

“Your bank balance is not the only indicator of creditworthiness”

Interview: Ingrid Ladner

The ethnologist Silke Meyer is investigating the significance of money in people’s private lives, the social functions it performs and the dependencies arising from debt. In this interview, she explains how social conventions define the “right” way to go about handling money and what correlations there are between debt and ethics. Continue reading ““Your bank balance is not the only indicator of creditworthiness””

Interview & Opinion

Why the smallest organisms play the biggest role

Interview: Isabella Ferenci

Microbiologist Christa Schleper has dedicated her research career to archaea – the tiny unicellular organisms that counted among the first life forms on Earth. The 2022 Wittgenstein Award winner has discovered numerous microorganisms, and specialises in studying the impact of archaea on the nitrogen cycle. Her findings lay the groundwork for determining the impact of […] Continue reading “Why the smallest organisms play the biggest role”