Over twelve editions (2005–2016), The Future of Science hosted more than 300 speakers from universities, research institutes, and international organisations. What follows is not a complete list — we are still reconstructing the full programmes from archived data — but it captures many of the most significant contributors, grouped by field.
Sciences — Life & Medicine
Umberto Veronesi
Oncology · Fondazione Veronesi / IEO Milan
Born Milan 1925, died 2016. Inventor of quadrantectomy. Founded European Institute of Oncology. Italian Minister of Health 2000–2001. Conference founder.
Luigi Luca Cavalli-Sforza
Population Genetics · Stanford University
1922–2018. Pioneer of human population genetics. Author of The History and Geography of Human Genes (1994, 1,032 pp.). Editions V, II.
Pier Giuseppe Pelicci
Molecular Oncology · IEO Milan
Research director at IEO. Appeared in at least five editions (V, IX, XI, XII and others). Expert on molecular mechanisms of aging and cancer.
Teruhiko Wakayama
Reproductive Biology · RIKEN / University of Yamanashi
Developed the “Honolulu technique” for mouse cloning (1998, Nature). Edition I. Profile.
Giulio Cossu
Cell Biology · University of Manchester
Cell therapy for muscular dystrophies. Edition XI.
Julie Segre
Genomics · NIH / NHGRI
Human microbiome research. Edition XI.
Mauro Ferrari
Nanomedicine · Houston Methodist
Pioneer of nanoparticle drug delivery for cancer treatment. Edition VIII.
John Coffin
Retrovirology · Tufts University
Leading expert on retrovirus evolution and endogenous retroviruses. Edition VI.
Giuseppe Ippolito
Infectious Disease · Spallanzani Institute, Rome
Italy’s response to H1N1. Edition VI.
William Haseltine
Genomics · Harvard / Human Genome Sciences
Regenerative medicine and genome-based drug discovery. Edition V.
Carlo Alberto Redi
Biology · Università di Pavia
Bioethics of genetic profiling. Edition XI.
Sciences — Physical & Earth
Peter Atkins
Physical Chemistry · University of Oxford
Born 1940. Author of Physical Chemistry (12 editions). Known for writing on thermodynamics and the chemical origins of complexity. Edition II.
Denis Duboule
Developmental Genetics · EPFL / Université de Genève
Hox gene regulation across 600 million years of evolution. Edition II.
Ingo Potrykus
Plant Science · ETH Zürich
Inventor of Golden Rice (beta-carotene biofortified rice). Edition IV.
Roberto Defez
Agricultural Biotech · CNR Naples
GMOs in Mediterranean agriculture. Edition X.
Paolo Milani
Physics · Università di Milano
Atomic cluster research for energy applications. Edition VIII.
Technology & Computing
Sheila Jasanoff
Science & Technology Studies · Harvard Kennedy School
Born Kolkata 1944. BA math Harvard 1964, JD Harvard Law 1976. Pioneer of STS. Holberg Prize 2022. Edition XII.
Carlo Ratti
Urban Technology · MIT Senseable City Lab
Born Turin 1971. Architect/engineer. Fulbright scholar. “Most influential designers in America” (Fast Company). Edition XII.
Derrick de Kerckhove
Digital Media · University of Toronto
Born 1944, Belgian-Canadian. Directed McLuhan Program in Culture and Technology. Connected intelligence theorist. Edition XII.
Tomaso Poggio
Computational Neuroscience · MIT
Born Genoa 1947. Eugene McDermott Professor, MIT Brain & Cognitive Sciences. Director CBCL. Otto Hahn Medal 1979. Edition VII.
Alessandro Curioni
Cognitive Computing · IBM Research
VP IBM Research Europe. Cognitive computing for drug discovery. Edition XII.
Alberto Sangiovanni-Vincentelli
EECS · UC Berkeley
Semiconductor design automation pioneer. Editions XI, XII.
Mark Horowitz
Computer Engineering · Stanford University
Chip design and the physical limits of Moore’s Law. Edition VIII.
Alfonso Fuggetta
Digital Policy · Cefriel / Politecnico di Milano
Italy’s digital infrastructure gaps. Edition XII.
Humanities & Social Sciences
Giulio Giorello
Philosophy of Science · Università di Milano
1945–2020. Philosopher of mathematics and science. Prolific author on scientific freedom and democracy. Edition I.
Daniel Dennett
Philosophy of Mind · Tufts University
1942–2024. Consciousness Explained (1991), Darwin’s Dangerous Idea (1995). Edition II.
Ian Tattersall
Paleoanthropology · American Museum of Natural History
Born 1945. Curator emeritus. The Fossil Trail (1995). Hominin evolution as contingency, not progress. Edition II.
Telmo Pievani
Philosophy of Biology · Università di Padova
Evolutionary perspectives on food security and consciousness. Editions VII, X.
Partha Dasgupta
Economics · University of Cambridge
Environmental economics, poverty and natural resource degradation. Edition IV.
Massimiano Bucchi
Sociology of Science · Università di Trento
Digital platforms and the relationship between expertise and public opinion. Edition XII.
Enrico Berti
Philosophy · Università di Padova
Aristotelian philosopher. Metaphysical perspective on consciousness. Edition VII.
Sabina Leonelli
Philosophy of Science · University of Exeter
Data curation vs. data volume in biological research. Edition XII.
This list includes 35 of the 300+ speakers who appeared across the twelve editions. Names were reconstructed from archived conference programmes. Additional speakers per edition: Charlie Paton (IV), Marc Hauser (Harvard), Giovannella Baggio (XI), Joseph Costello (UCSF, XI), Edward Dove (XI), Kristoffer Famm (XI), Lars Bäckman (Karolinska, IX), Arif Husain (WFP, X), Anne Roulin (X), Chiara Tonelli (X), Marc Ostfeld (VI), Manuela Kron (VI), Ariane Götz (XII), Paul Kersey (XII), Tony Pridmore (XII), April Rinne (XII), Patrizia Nanz (XII), Gary King (Harvard, XII), Gabriele Beccaria (XII), Emanuele Borgonovo (Bocconi, XII), Margherita Agnelli de Pahlen (IV), Pere Puigdomènech (IV), among many others.
Speaker profiles
This page is based on programme data archived before the domain expired in 2024. Some speaker details may be incomplete.