‘Space technology should improve life on Earth’ – Barbara Frei-Spreiter on the Swiss space programme, caught between the global market and security policy

Scientific research traditionally relies on objectivity, methodological rigor, and measurable outputs. Yet a growing body of scholarship recognises that these values need not come at the expense of relationships, ethical responsibility, and attentiveness to the people and communities that research aims to serve. “Compassionate Science” was developed to address this gap, and to encourage reflection on how compassion can be meaningfully embedded in research practice, whatever the discipline. We are delighted to announce the publication of our “Compassionate Science” report and the corresponding interview series, exploring how empathy and compassion shape research practice across disciplines.

He brings together people from within and beyond academia – with the aim of helping us respond more effectively to climate change. Benjamin Hofmann is a researcher at ETH Zurich’s TdLab. As a member of the Swiss Young Academy, teaching is particularly important to him.