Technologist: a new magazine Covering science in Europe
A new European science magazine is being launched today. Technologist is the fruit of a partnership between independent journalists and universities. It is available in three languages and in sold in 20 countries in Europe.
A new scientific magazine is hot off the press. Technologist explores science with a modern and avant-garde attitude, fully embracing its European position. The first edition will run 45,000 copies in French, English and German. It’s the fruit of a unusual partnership between a team of independent journalists and four leading universities in the area of technology and innovation: Technical University of Denmark, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Eindhoven University of Technology, and Technische Universität München. From today, Technologist is available for purchase in 20 European countries, including Germany, Switzerland, the UK, France, the Netherlands and Denmark.
“Europeans hear about research done in their own country and in English-speaking countries, but often have no idea what’s going on in neighboring countries,” says Daniel Saraga, Executive Editor of Technologist. “The result is a general impression that most science is done in the U.S., whereas European research is incredibly dynamic.” The ambition of the new magazine is an attempt to rebalance the scales.
Technologist’s model is one that is not often seen in the media: it is edited independently but funded by the partner universities. “One of our models is the MIT Technology Review,” explains Saraga. “It has proven that information can be treated objectively and in an interesting manner even though it’s funded by an institution. We discuss content with our partner universities, but we maintain our independence as to the way in which we present the information.”
Fracking: comparing the U.S. and Europe
Although Technologist has a distinctly European tone, that doesn’t mean it ignores the rest of the world. The first edition covers “augmented reality” and describes research on robotic prostheses being developed in Switzerland, Germany and Brazil that could give paralyzed individuals the ability to walk again. A special section on shale gas compares the situation in the U.S. and Europe and looks at the political and scientific controversies surrounding hydraulic fracking. “Europe is home to some of the most interesting scientific programs in the world, and we have access to top experts in every subject from the universities on the continent,” says Saraga.
The magazine calls upon the contributions of a fleet of high-caliber journalists based throughout Europe who write for magazines such NewScientist, Nature, Spiegel and La Recherche, and well-known graphic designers and illustrators who contribute to publications such as Domus, Wallpaper and Newsweek. The team is coordinated in Switzerland by the LargeNetwork Press Agency, and the website is managed in Copenhagen by a scientific editor.
For the partner universities, it is critical that Europe’s scientific face has a strong media presence and that citizens are informed of scientific progress on the continental scale. This is why the project was included as part of their Eurotech consortium.
Launched on June 24, 2014 at the EuroScience Open Forum (ESOF) in Copenhagen, Technologist aims to bridge, even modestly, the gap in language and culture. Science has no frontiers, and this new magazine is dedicated to satisfying the curiosity of all science enthusiasts – Europeans and non-Europeans.
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EPFL students and staff can receive Technologist free of charge: subscribe here
Technologist webiste: www.technologist.eu