🌟 “Beautiful Mind” – Organized by the Affective Neuro Lab

The thematic group “Beautiful Mind” was once again organized with great dedication by members of the Affective Neuro Lab: Nils Wehner, Gaia Lapomarda, Anna Gmeiner, Laura Gervais, Christina Grammenou, and Mi Lande.

Preparations began as early as November 2025 and involved months of planning, including speaker coordination 🗣️, venue organization 📍, ticketing 🎫, promotional activities 📢, and interactive audience engagement 🧩. The result was a tremendous success: all three evenings sold out, attracting a diverse audience eager to explore current topics in psychology, neuroscience, and society.

🗓️ Daily Events Recap

• Day 1: 📊 “Between Doubt & Data – How We Really Measure Psychology”

Univ.-Prof. Dr. Matthias Gondan-Rochon examined how methodological shortcomings and questionable assumptions can lead to misleading conclusions in psychological research, using studies on climate activism as an example. Irene Alfarone, BSc MSc MA explored the challenges of measuring psychological phenomena and demonstrated how different methods can shape scientific findings.

• Day 2: 🧠 “Empathy – Real, Simulated, or Programmed?”

Univ.-Prof. Dr. Carmen Morawetz explored empathy from a neuroscientific perspective, discussing how compassion develops in the brain, where its limits lie, and whether machines can truly be empathetic. Univ.-Prof. Dr. Christoph Singer examined whether digital games can function as “empathy machines” and reflected on the cultural debates, opportunities, and challenges of gamifying socially and emotionally complex experiences.

• Day 3: 💬 “Between Intimacy & Norms – Silence, Beliefs, and Their Consequences”

Meike Sorg, MSc explored why conversations about sexuality often remain difficult, even in close relationships, and why communication matters for relationship well-being. Sofia Amaoui, PhD discussed how attitudes toward intimate partner violence influence societal responses, support for survivors, and the broader consequences of violence against women.

🏆 A Celebration of Science, Ideas & Community

Alongside the talks, attendees participated in interactive science quizzes and engaging discussions with speakers and organizers. These exchanges provided valuable opportunities to connect scientific research with everyday life and encouraged meaningful dialogue between researchers and the public.

The audience included students, researchers, and science enthusiasts from diverse backgrounds, all united by a shared curiosity about the human mind and behavior.

With three fully booked evenings, Pint of Science 2026 once again highlighted the strong interest in accessible science communication and the value of bringing research into public spaces. We look forward to returning for the next edition. 🍻