Good question.
Back in my school years, I loved two things: writing and science. Now I write about science, and I could not be happier with the work I do.
To get here, I completed a PhD in biophysics at the University of Basel, Switzerland. Before that, I spent a year working in quantum technologies, where I initially started a PhD before changing direction. I also earned an MSc in physics at the University of Fribourg, Switzerland, specializing in atomic physics, and a BSc in physics at the University of Insubria in Como, Italy.
A PhD is neither a necessary nor a sufficient condition for becoming a science journalist or communicator. What it really takes, at least in my humble experience, is building experience little by little and getting to know more and more people.
My first article appeared in the Swiss Italian newspaper Il Corriere del Ticino in 2018, while I was still studying. Even then, it was clear to me that I wanted to do this in the future, so I asked a friend who worked as a journalist whether he had any contacts. On the one hand, I was bold enough to send that cold email. On the other, I was lucky enough to find someone willing to read it and give me a chance. It was about “the second quantum revolution”, in case you are wondering.
From there, it became a series of small steps, with a few bigger leaps here and there.
One major event, which may or may not have made a difference, was winning the Prix Média Newcomer in 2021 with my documentary Forgotten Data: The Leftovers of Science, filmed and edited by my brother Lorenzo. Let me see if I can embed the trailer right here for you.
This was so much work! But open data is one of those topics I really care about.
Besides making this documentary, throughout my PhD I did my best to gain experience and connect with the community. It paid off.
If you made it all the way through this page and got here, I want to suggest a few great movies to watch, since we just talked about a documentary:
- Grand Theft Hamlet, Sam Crane and Pinny Grylls, 2024
- Toxic, Saulė Bliuvaitė, 2024
- Aftersun, Charlotte Wells, 2022
- Fallen Angels, Wong Kar-wai, 1995
- Do the Right Thing, Spike Lee, 1989
- Kids, Larry Clark, 1995
- Night on Earth, Jim Jarmusch, 1991
- Paris, Texas, Wim Wenders, 1984
These are my favorite watches from more or less the past year.
What else can I tell you about my bio? I’m half Swiss and half Italian, born in Switzerland but raised in Italy, and now back in Switzerland. Everything else, such as my current professional positions, my current side activities, or my portfolio, is available in the dedicated sections.
Thinking of professional events in my bio that are not already covered in other sections, I could tell you about the time I went to Swissnex in San Francisco for an intensive course on AI applied to journalism, or about the many scientific conferences I attended. Or maybe I could tell you how working in an elevator company helped me make ends meet before I started working in communication alongside journalism. But we can save all these topics for a coffee together. I’ll probably have tea, though. Just reach out at simone.pengue[at]ecfrasi.ch.