LIGHTNING ROUND WITH SCIENTISTS
People, planet, and possibility: systems science meets journalism for wellbeing
How can science journalism navigate the complexity of global challenges while staying grounded in human stories?
This interactive session—hosted by the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), in collaboration with science communicator Lisa Palmer and the National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa—brings together journalists and researchers to explore how systems science can support wellbeing for people and planet.
Using a speed-networking format, journalists will engage with scientists working on climate resilience, population dynamics, sustainable development, and social equity. These short, focused exchanges will allow participants to discover new story leads, deepen their understanding of systems thinking, and build global networks of trusted sources.
Rather than presenting research, this session fosters dialogue and trust, helping journalists access the expertise they need to translate complexity into clarity. It is suited to those covering the interconnected issues shaping today’s world—from health and environment, to policy and inequality.
Monika BauerProducer | Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) | United States
Building networks for over 15 years at the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), a leading international research institute that hosts some of the world’s most influential climate and sustainability researchers, Monika Bauer weaves connections between key stakeholders in science, policy, and diplomacy. As Liaison and Partnership Officer in the Communications and External Relations department, she works within IIASA’s network of 36 member countries on topics including climate, energy, biodiversity, demography, and sustainability. She also supports strategic engagement and amplifies regional activities.
Anneliese (Lisa) PalmerSession producer and speaker | International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) | Austria and United States
Lisa Palmer is journalist-in-residence and senior research scholar in science communication at the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) in Laxenburg, Austria, just outside Vienna. She is the author of HOT, HUNGRY PLANET: The Fight to Stop a Global Food Crisis in the Face of Climate Change (St. Martin’s Press; 2017). She was previously a research professor at George Washington University and lecturer in environmental studies at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. Palmer has covered science, the environment and sustainability for over 20 years, and has published in the Nature journals, the New York Times, Scientific American, The Guardian, Yale e360, The New Republic, and many others. Her work focuses on the intersections of science, policy, and the media, and how communication can drive understanding and action on complex environmental challenges. Palmer served as editorial director for the Society of Environmental Journalists’s 2025 annual conference.