Erna Hamburger Prize 2025 "Shaping the Future: Decision-making Amid Uncertainty, Contestation, and Inequality in a Rapidly Changing World"
Since 2006, the Erna Hamburger Prize distinguishes influential, leading women scientists who are transforming their field and executing change. The prize is awarded by the EPFL-WISH Foundation (Women In Science and Humanities).
The Erna Hamburger Prize 2025 will be awarded to :
Dr. Rose M. Mutiso
Dr. Rose M. Mutiso is a Kenyan scientist, thought leader, and social entrepreneur. She is the Founder and Executive Director of the African Tech Futures Lab (ATFL), a new institute helping decision-makers across the continent navigate emerging science and technology across energy, climate, AI and digital systems. Previously, she was Research Director at the global think tank Energy for Growth Hub, where she led work on energy transitions and emerging energy technologies in Africa and other energy-poor regions. She currently holds joint appointments as Science Advisor to the Energy for Growth Hub and Senior Fellow of the Conceptual Investigations Unit at Stanford University.
The award ceremony will be held on Tuesday, October 4th at 6:30 pm at the auditorium SG 1138.
The programme will be published soon.
Summary of her presentation: "In a world shaped by rapid technological change, accelerating shifts in Earth systems, contested visions of the future, and profound knowledge gaps, how do we make decisions that shape the world we want? The future is not something we simply inherit - it is something we, directly or indirectly, choose and shape, often under conditions of deep uncertainty, fragmented interests, and unequal power.
Drawing on my work in energy transitions, climate change, artificial intelligence, and science and technology policy across both the Global North and South, I will explore how we can lead and act amidst uncertainty, contestation, and entrenched inequalities. I will highlight the critical role of translators - those who bridge science and policy, global and local contexts, urgency and reflection - in navigating complexity and ensuring that technological and societal transformations lead to more equitable, resilient, and hopeful futures."
Team EPFL Alumni