T4EU Science Café Brings Research to the Heart of Saint-Étienne
About
On May 19, 2026, Transform4Europe Alliance and Université Jean Monnet hosted the first local edition of the T4EU Science Café in Saint-Étienne, France. Organized as part of the international Pint of Science festival, the event transformed two of the city’s well-known bars into lively spaces for scientific discussion and cultural exchange.
The T4EU Science Café is an annual regional initiative designed to promote science beyond the academic sphere. Its objective is to strengthen public understanding of research and its role in shaping social, political, and corporate decision-making, while showcasing the diversity of scientific expertise across the universities of the Transform4Europe Alliance. Through an informal and accessible format, the event encourages dialogue between researchers and the wider public.
For this first edition in Saint-Étienne, the audience had the opportunity to meet two researchers from University of Silesia in Katowice: Justyna Budzik and Edyta Nieduziak. In front of a diverse audience of all ages, both scholars explored contemporary social issues connected to their fields of research, sparking curiosity and discussion throughout the evening.
Myths and Facts About the Human Brain :
In her talk, Facts and Myths About Our Brain, Edyta Nieduziak addressed the growing public interest in neuroscience and neurodiversity. Drawing on current research as well as references from popular culture, she explored questions increasingly present in public debate: Why are more adults seeking diagnoses for ADHD or autism? To what extent do neurological traits exist on a spectrum? Can creativity flourish in people with intellectual disabilities? And are common stereotypes about autism or ADHD supported by scientific evidence?
Her presentation encouraged the audience to look beyond simplified labels and online misconceptions, offering a nuanced perspective on how neuroscience can help us better understand human behavior without reducing individuals to diagnoses.
Visual Arts, Climate Change and New Communities :
In Beyond Extraction: Visual Arts, Climate and New Communities, Justyna Budzik examined how photography and cinema can shed light on the social and ethical consequences of the climate crisis. Focusing on former mining regions, she discussed how landscapes, collective memory and local identities are transformed through industrial decline and energy transition.
Using photographic projects developed in Poland as case studies, she highlighted the tensions, migrations and processes of identity reconstruction emerging in these territories. Her presentation also emphasized the role of visual arts as tools for dialogue, education and collective reflection in the context of environmental change.
Science in an Informal Setting :
By bringing scientific discussions into public venues, the T4EU Science Café successfully created an open and welcoming environment where research became accessible to everyone. The evening reflected the spirit of both the Transform4Europe Alliance and Pint of Science: making science understandable, engaging and connected to everyday life.
This first edition hosted by Université Jean Monnet demonstrated how international academic collaboration can foster meaningful conversations far beyond university walls, strengthening the connection between researchers and society through dialogue, culture and shared curiosity.
