Beyond the Lab Coat - Emiliana Fabbri (Paul Scherrer Institute, Switzerland)
Emiliana in childhood and now - co-leading the Electrocatalysis and Interface group at the Electrochemistry Laboratory of the Paul Scherrer Institute.Did you
dream of becoming a scientist as a child?
Not really.
As a child, I dreamed of many different careers, ranging from writer to
veterinarian or even horse rider. My favorite subjects in high school were
literature and philosophy. However, I was also strong in chemistry and
mathematics, and I always wanted to contribute to a more sustainable world.
For this reason, I studied Materials Science, and during my PhD and postdoctoral journey, I had the opportunity to work in different countries, including the USA and Japan. Over time, reading became my hobby, and science became my profession (but somehow also my hobby!).
What
inspired you to pursue science?
I studied
Materials science because one of my favorite books as a child was “The Big Book
of Why?” I was always fascinated by why different materials have the properties they do. Why is something red and not blue? So now I look at the electronic
and local structure of materials to understand why some materials are good at
converting energy into hydrogen, and use this understanding to develop more
efficient and sustainable materials for hydrogen production.
What do
you love most about being a scientist today?
Changing
our energy system is possible, and contributing to that change is a duty and an
honor. Fundamental science done at PSI can greatly contribute to more sustainable technologies, such as fuel cells and electrolyzers. In addition,
supporting the new generation of scientists is crucial to this transformation.
What’s
one myth about scientists you’d love to bust?
People
usually see the successful results, like developing efficient water-splitting
materials, but behind that are many failed attempts. Each failure teaches us
something new and brings us closer to the final breakthrough.
What’s
your favorite non-science hobby?
Considering
that my new group leader position involves a lot of desk work, I now really
enjoy spending time working in my garden and walking in nature.
If
science were a movie genre, what would it be?
For sure,
science fiction!
What’s
your favorite movie?
It’s
impossible to choose only one!
What’s
your favorite book?
It’s
impossible to choose only one!
What
music or song always inspires you?
I love a
multidisciplinary approach, and the same applies to music—I enjoy many
different styles and genres.
If you
weren’t a scientist, what would you be doing today?
Writer,
philosopher, journalist… There are so many possibilities that I would truly
love to become.
If you
could invite any scientist—past or present—to dinner, who would it be?
Marie
Skłodowska-Curie.