Award ceremony for 2024 Swiss science prizes

The award ceremony for the Swiss science prizes is jointly organised by the Marcel Benoist Foundation and the Latsis Foundation. This year’s event was held in the stately National Council chamber, a symbolic setting for awards honouring scientific excellence. The year 1995 was the first and only time so far that the Marcel Benoist Prize award ceremony was held here, marking the 75th anniversary of the foundation. On that occasion, the prize was awarded in the presence of former Federal Councillor Ruth Dreifuss. This year’s venue was a true premiere for the Latsis Prize. Collaboration between the two foundations, which began five years ago, is testament to their shared commitment to supporting cutting-edge scientific research in Switzerland and to their common desire to honour researchers whose work makes a significant contribution to society.

This year, Pascal Gygax and Mackenzie Mathis received the awards for their very highly acclaimed work on societal themes. Marcel Benoist laureate Pascal Gygax was praised for his outstanding research in the field of psycholinguistics, which focuses in particular on gender inequalities in language. Latsis laureate Mackenzie Mathis has gained recognition for her work in the field of behavioural neuroscience, a rapidly growing field of research that seeks to decode the functioning of the human brain. Although different in approach and purpose, their research shares a common objective: improving our understanding of the fundamental mechanisms that shape our perception of the world around us and our interactions with it. As Federal Councillor Guy Parmelin mentioned in his speech, “One of Switzerland’s strengths as a location for intellectual and industrial activities is the diverse range of personalities and backgrounds. Diversity is also a fertile ground enabling each and every one of us to learn from one another and mutually expand our different perspectives and horizons”.

A ceremony honouring scientific research

The event was attended by representatives of academia, politics and civil society. It showcased the importance of supporting scientific research in various fields and the pivotal role played by the researchers themselves, whose work not only helps to expand our knowledge but also contributes to social and technological progress. The choice of the Federal Palace as the venue for the award ceremony is particularly significant, as it symbolises the link between science and policymaking. As National Council President Eric Nussbaumer explained in his welcome address: “The policy decisions that we make here in parliament should be based on sound scientific knowledge. Researchers provide us with the information, analyses and models that we need for this. Without this groundwork, policymakers would be blind and unable to act in this increasingly complex and rapidly changing world”.

Complex interactions between neurons

Mackenzie Mathis, an equestrian sports enthusiast, has always been fascinated by the elegant gait of horses. This placed her on a path to explore the fundamental questions of neuroscience, explained Anthony Holtmaat in his laudatory speech in honour of the 2024 Latsis Prize laureate. As a researcher at EPFL, she seeks to understand how the brain controls our behaviour and adapts to environmental changes in a targeted and effective manner. For this purpose, she developed the open-source software DeepLabCut in 2018, which “stands as a defining breakthrough”, enabling researchers “to literally ‘connect the on the intricate details of movement, varying from a horse’s gait to even the tiny vibrations of a mouse’s whiskers, all with unprecedented accuracy.” Committed to passing her knowledge on to future generations of talented young scientists, Mackenzie Mathis strongly feels that “when the tools to answer complex scientific questions do not exist, one should not capitulate but step up and create them. This ethos has made her one of the finest examples of the modern generation of scientists, who fearlessly combine the latest digital technologies with cutting-edge research tools to study hitherto unapproachable scientific topics”.

Language as a vector for social change

“Pascal Gygax’s work has shown that the way we speak – and listen – often without our knowledge – influences our understanding of the world and our perceptions of gender and identity. This, in turn, affects how roles are attributed in society.” These words by Laura Bernardi, Chair of the Evaluation Committee for the 2024 Marcel Benoist Prize, sum up the importance of the research conducted by this psycholinguist at the University of Fribourg. In her laudatory speech in honour of the researcher, she stated that his career “has always been driven by an immense fascination for the subtle nuances of human behaviour”. She also highlighted Pascal Gygax’s flair for making science accessible to all as well as his tireless efforts to promote a more gender-equal society. One way of achieving this is to encourage inclusive language that, while “it won’t make the streets safer”, can help boost girls’ self-confidence and perception of success in certain occupations where equality has yet to be achieved. “This researcher is working to build an inclusive future by ensuring that language reflects the diversity of today’s society. One word, one sentence, one conversation at a time”, concluded Laura Bernardi. “This is a source of inspiration for each and every one of us”.

Sharing a same commonality: the human brain

After the diplomas were handed over and the Marcel Benoist Foundation’s Golden Book signed, it was time for moderator Olivier Dessibourg to ask questions of the two scientists, who share a same commonality: the human brain as an object of study. Willing to “think outside the box” – to quote Guy Parmelin’s speech – Mackenzie Mathis and Pascal Gygax recognise a certain laziness in this organ, which tends to consume as little energy as possible, whether it be interpreting speech or controlling our movements. When asked about the potential and risks of artificial intelligence, the laureates pointed out in particular the complexity of the brain – and of language – whose performance has yet to be matched by computer-based models. At the same time, they also pointed out that such models are able to reproduce the prevailing social biases of their underlying data. The final point raised in the discussion was how to reinforce trust in science. In the laureates’ view, it is crucial to change our educational culture so that our children do not have to choose one direction too early, thus depriving them of broader and more enriching perspectives.

Engaging with young people

At a workshop organised by the Marcel Benoist Foundation in conjunction with the Science Olympiads and the Swiss Youth in Science Foundation and in partnership with the Reatch Association, young scientists had the chance to meet the 2024 Marcel Benoist and Latsis Prize laureates as well as 2023 Latsis Prize laureate Lesya Shchutska. This event, which took place a day before the award ceremony, gave rise to very fruitful informal discussions on scientific issues, academic careers and the role of science in our society. The participants, who had also been invited to the award ceremony, were enthusiastic about the discussions: “It was a unique opportunity to meet excellent researchers and talk to them practically on equal terms. We would never have dared to ask our professors such questions in a university lecture hall”, said two young students in the Galerie des Alpes, during the aperitif following the official ceremony.

The musical accompaniment for the ceremony was played by the Esprit Quartett.

Gallery
(select photos for full view)

(Copyright: Carmela Odoni)