Draft:Mirko Bischofberger
Swiss-Italian science writer, communication specialist and filmmaker
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Mirko Bischofberger (born 1980 in Morcote, Switzerland) is a Swiss-Italian science communication expert, science writer, and science journalist. Currently he acts as the Head of Knowledge Exchange for the Swiss National Science Foundation's Plant Breeding Innovation Programme[1] and and as the Co-Manager for the Swiss National Science Foundation NCCR "Children & Cancer".[2][3] He is also the organizer of the first IG Nobel Prize edition outside the USA.[4][5] Previously, he served as the Head of Communication at EPFL (École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne).[6] He is also a filmmaker and film policy activist.[7]
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Submission declined on 5 December 2025 by Superboilles (talk).
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Submission declined on 11 May 2021 by Scope creep (talk). This draft's references do not show that the person meets Wikipedia's criteria for inclusion for people. The draft requires multiple published secondary sources that:
Declined by Scope creep 4 years ago.
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Comment: Glorified CV Superboilles (talk) 19:55, 5 December 2025 (UTC)
- Comment: As he is not a professor and as a WP:BLP, the article needs excellent WP:SECONDARY. There is nothing there in the first 10 references. scope_creepTalk 11:21, 11 May 2021 (UTC)
 | This is a draft article. It is a work in progress open to editing by anyone. Please ensure core content policies are met before publishing it as a live Wikipedia article. Find sources: Google (books · news · scholar · free images · WP refs) · FENS · JSTOR · TWL Last edited by Quaenuncabibis (talk | contribs) 8 days ago. (Update)
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Mirko Bischofberger | |
|---|---|
Mirko Bischofberger in 2020 | |
| Born | 8 May 1980 |
| Citizenship | Italy, Switzerland |
| Known for | Science communicator, director |
| Academic background | |
| Education | Biochemistry |
| Alma mater | ETH Zurich, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) |
| Academic advisors | Gisou van der Goot, Félix Naef |
| Academic work | |
| Discipline | Science communication, biology, biochemistry |
| Main interests | Science communication, film policy |
| Website | https://science-studios.ch |
Education
Bischofberger studied biology and biochemistry at ETH Zurich and in 2005 obtained his Master's degree for his thesis supervised by Yves Barral. He then joined the laboratories of Gisou van der Goot and Felix Naef as a PhD student and graduated in 2010 with a thesis on Assembly Mechanisms and Cellular Effects of Bacterial Pore-Forming Toxins.[8] Some of his research appeared in Science, specifically concerning a paper describing one of the first temporal feedback loops in patterning, A Self-Regulatory System of Interlinked Signaling Feedback Loops Controls Mouse Limb Patterning.[9]
Career
In 2012, after receiving a grant from the Stiftung wissenschaftliche Politikstipendien (Foundation scientific grants in politics), he joined the Services of the Swiss Federal Assembly as a Science and Policy Fellow in the commissions for science, education, and culture.[10] From 2013 to 2016, he acted as Scientific Advisor for the then President of the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) Martin Vetterli.[11]
In 2017, he joined EPFL as scientific advisory of EPFL's president Martin Vetterli. He then served as the Head of Communications at EPFL, Lausanne, from 2019 to 2022. In this role, he managed the institution's media relations and communication strategy.[6]
Upon leaving EPFL in 2022, he founded Science Studios, a science communication agency based in Zurich.[12]
In 2024, the Research Council of the SNSF elected Bischofberger as the Head of Knowledge Exchange of the National Research Programme "Plant Breeding Innovation" (NRP 84). In this capacity, he is responsible for promoting the transfer of knowledge and dialogue between research, politics, and society, as well as communicating scientific findings to a broader public.[1]
In 2026, he was appointed as Co-Manager of in the newly created National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) "Children & Cancer" project by Jean-Pierre Bourquin and Raffaele Renella, funded by the SNSF with a an initial funding of almost CHF 34 million over four years.[3][2]
Science journalism, communication and teaching
Since 2005, he has regularly written articles for the Neue Zürcher Zeitung (NZZ).[13][14] He has also contributed articles to Aeon[15] and Blick.[16][17][18] Interviews with him appeared in platforms such as Schweizer Klub für Wissenschaftsjournalismus,[19] European Parlament's European Science-Media Hub,[20] and Wissenschaftskommunikation.de,[21] and in the podcast SciComm Palaver.[22]
He is a regular lecturer at several Swiss institutions such as EPFL,[23] University of Zurich,[24] University of Basel,[25] and ETH Zurich.[26]
Bischofberger also co-initiated the Science Booster initiative alongside Luc Henry, which resulted in a partnership between the Crowdfunding platform Wemakeit and the Gebert Rüf Stiftung. This platform supports scientific projects that may be too small or unconventional for larger grants, allowing them to gain visibility and funding.[27]
Ig Nobel Prize
In March 2026, it was announced that Bischofberger would assume the role of the European organizer for the Ig Nobel Prize ceremonies, partnering with the prize's founder, Marc Abrahams. This appointment coincided with the historic relocation of the ceremony from the United States, where it had been held for 35 years, to Zurich, Switzerland.[4][5]
Distinctions in science communication
- SNSF Agora Optimus Prize (2022): Awarded for the best Science Communication project of 2022 (by SNSF and swissnexSF). The project, titled “El Dorado 2.0 – unlock the gold in your pocket,” co-developed with Wendy Queen, aimed to raise public awareness about the importance of recycling electronic waste to recover precious metals like gold.[28]
- Prix Média Newcomer 2021: Awarded to “The Galactic Chloé Show”, which was co-created and produced by Chloé Carrière and Bischofberger.[29]
Film and film politics
He is the co-founder of the Swiss Fiction Movement, an association and think tank of young filmmakers advocating for more democratic film funding and promotion in Switzerland, that was active from 2014 to 2025.[7][30] His activism has been featured in news outlets such as NZZ am Sonntag,[31][32] SRF Kultur,[33] Tages-Anzeiger,[34][35] Cine Bulltin,[36][37] St. Galler Tagblatt,[38] and Le Temps.[39]
Bischofberger advocates for the use of Crowdfunding in filmmaking, stating that it leads to radically more independent films in Switzerland compared to those primarily funded by the state. He believes that while this might lead to some unpalatable films, it is essential for fostering an unconventional cinema movement. Contributors to Crowdfunding campaigns act as "micro-producers" and "ambassadors" for the project.[33][37]
Cinematography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Shot in Italy | Director, Screenwriter, Editor, Producer | Short docs-fiction co-directed with Martin Boyer, and written in collaboration with Dauda Kabia. It was screened at the Ferrara Film Festival 2022 and the Montecatini International Short Film Festival.[40][41] |
| 2018 | Katrina's Dream | Director, Screenwriter, Editor | Directed with Dario Bischofberger.[42] The film was selected for the 18th Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival (NIFFF) in the Amazing Switzerland section.[43] The project raised CHF 28,000 via the Wemakeit Crowdfunding platform, about one-third of the budget, partially to pay an orchestra for the soundtrack. The filmmakers used an idea called "Oil for Film," where supporters received Olivenöl produced on their land in Southern Italy.[44] The soundtrack was composed by Hugo Lippens and played by L’orchestra di lecce conducted by Realino Mazzotta.[45] |
| 2015 | Dog Men | Director, Screenwriter, Editor | Directed with Dario Bischofberger.[38] This experimental Science-Fiction film raised nearly CHF 12,000 through Crowdfunding.[46] The film, which cost CHF 60,000 in total, was shot on the island of Favignana, Sicily, mostly in an old marble quarry. The film stars two dancers from the Zurich Opera House ballet, Irmina Kopaczyńska and Daniel Mulligan, and Swiss actor Nils Althaus.[47] |
| 2012 | Old Is The New | Director, Screenwriter, Editor, Casting, Production Designer | Directed with Dario Bischofberger.[48][49] |
| 2008 | Imesta Griki | Director, Screenwriter[50] |
Memberships
Bischofberger serves on the boards of several organizations, including Wikimedia Switzerland,[51] Foundation Science et Cité,[52] and Expedition Zukunft.[53] He is also a member of the Eidgenössische Filmkommission,[54] the American Swiss Foundation,[55] and serves on the advisory board for CH++.[56]
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