Aboutus slide 1

The plenary lectures, which will be held every afternoon at the Victoria Eugenia Theatre, are the hallmark of the festival. For a week, the city inhales scientific spirit as we celebrate our passion for knowledge with all society.


Thanks to the presence of some of the leading figures on the international scientific arena, including several Nobel laureates, the public is attracted into the fascinating world of the advances and discoveries that have revolutionised the understanding of the world we live in. The plenary lectures combine both knowledge and emotion and invite the audience to share a unique experience.

In 2023, we will once again be exploring a wide range of scientific topics alongside with some of the world’s leading scientists in each field.

The plenary lectures will also travel around the Basque Country, with some of our guest speakers participating in activities at Bilbao.

Access to plenary lectures is free of charge although capacity is limited, which is why we recommend prior registration.

Simultaneous interpreting will be available in Basque, Spanish and English.

We are looking forward to celebrate with you this festival of science!

Aboutus slide 1

SEDES

Victoria Eugenia Theatre, Donostia / San Sebastian

Euskalduna Conference Center, Bilbao

Monday

02 OCT

18:00-20:20 Plenary lectures - Victoria Eugenia Theatre, Donostia / San Sebastian

Özlem


18:40

Molecular communication with the immune system



Özlem Türeci

Biotechnology
Princess of Asturias Award 2021
BioNTech


Donna


19:20

Generating high-intensity, ultrashort optical pulses



Donna Strickland

Photonics
Nobel Laureate in Physics 2018
University of Waterloo


Tuesday

03 OCT

18:00-20:00 Plenary lectures - Victoria Eugenia Theatre, Donostia / San Sebastian

Juan Ignacio


18:00

Quantum technologies: from Schrödinger's cat to a new era in computing



Juan Ignacio Cirac

Quantum Physics
Prince of Asturias Award 2006
Max Planck Institut für Quantenoptik


Sandra Myrna


18:40

About Plants and People: vegetable biodiversity and its connections with human beings.



Sandra Myrna Díaz

Biodiversity and Climate Change
Princess of Asturias Award 2019, Nobel Peace Prize 2007
National University of Córdoba


Didier


19:20

The exoplanet revolution



Didier Queloz

Astrophysics
Nobel Prize in Physics 2019
University of Cambridge


18:00-19:30 Plenary lectures - Euskalduna Conference Center, Bilbao

Francesca


18:00

Atoms approaching absolute zero temperature: the hardware of future quantum technologies



Francesca Ferlaino

Quantum Technologies
Feltrinelli Award 2017
University of Innsbruck


Jean-Marie


18:40

Steps towards complex matter: Chemistry!



Jean-Marie Lehn

Supramolecular Chemistry
Nobel Laureate in Chemistry 1987
University of Strasbourg


Wednesday

04 OCT

18:00-20:00 Plenary lectures - Victoria Eugenia Theatre, Donostia / San Sebastian

Francesca


18:00

Atoms approaching absolute zero temperature: the hardware of future quantum technologies



Francesca Ferlaino

Quantum Technologies
Feltrinelli Award 2017
University of Innsbruck


Maria


18:40

Biomaterials: what they are and why we need them



Maria Vallet-Regí

Biomaterials
Rey Jaime I prize in 2018
Complutense University of Madrid (UCM) CIBER-BBN


Jean-Marie


19:20

Steps towards complex matter: Chemistry!



Jean-Marie Lehn

Supramolecular Chemistry
Nobel Laureate in Chemistry 1987
University of Strasbourg


Thursday

05 OCT

18:00-20:00 Plenary lectures - Victoria Eugenia Theatre, Donostia / San Sebastian

Joaquin


18:00

On comparative linguistics and on the origin of Basque



Joaquin Gorrochategui

Indo-European Linguistics
Professor of Indo-European Linguistics
University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU)


Jocelyn


18:40

Interview by Pedro Miguel Etxenike with Jocelyn Bell, discoverer of the pulsar.



Jocelyn Bell Burnell

Astrophysics
Breakthrough Award 2018
Oxford University


Jack


19:20

From DNA breaks and telomeres to the origins of life: endless fascinating puzzles in science



Jack Szostak

Aging and Artificial Life
Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2009
University of Chicago


Friday

06 OCT

18:00-20:00 Plenary lectures - Victoria Eugenia Theatre, Donostia / San Sebastian

Dario


18:00

What´s Next in quantum computing



Dario Gil

Quantum Computing
IBM Senior Vice President and IBM Research Director
IBM Research


Cristina


18:40

Facing Basque Country’s future: the transformative path of research and innovation



Cristina Uriarte

Scientific Policy
Commissioner for Science, Technology and Innovation
Basque Government


Jean-Pierre


19:20

Molecular machines and motors: from biology to chemistry



Jean-Pierre Sauvage

Molecular Machines and Motors
Nobel Laureate in Chemistry 2016
University of Strasbourg


Saturday

07 OCT

18:30-20:20 Plenary lectures - Victoria Eugenia Theatre, Donostia / San Sebastian

Adela


18:30

Ethics and technology



Adela Cortina

Ethics and Philosophy
National Essay Prize 2014
University of Valencia


George


19:10

Current cosmology



George Smoot

Cosmology
Nobel Prize in Physics 2006
DIPC, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory USA