Coffee with Scientists

The goal of this series is to provide an informal, relaxed setting where scientists—broadly defined—can share current challenges, puzzles, or opportunities in their fields. By fostering meaningful conversations between scientists and scholars of science (historians, philosophers, etc.), we hope to encourage a constructive exchange of perspectives. (NB: The inspiration and name are taken from Cambridge HPS's Coffee with Scientists series.)

Events 2026

If you wish to be notified of upcoming events, please subscribe to the HPS Seminar Mailing List. (There is no separate mailing list for this event series) If you have questions, contact Cristian Larroulet Philippi.

Coffee with Scientists events are in person.

UPCOMING EVENTS

2026

Friday 29 May 2026
15:00-16:00
Arts West Building, West Wing, Room 213 Digital Lab

Control theory for biological systems
Michael Kearney, Iman Shames, Rafael Schouten, Pau Egré and Robin Evans

A fundamental way in which biological systems are distinct from physical systems is that they behave with a goal to remain in a non-equilibrium steady state; in biological terms, they aim at homeostasis. In biology, the field of ecology aims to understand the relationships between organisms and their environments so that predictions can be made about when and where life can persist. This research aim can be tackled via the principles of physical sciences, by treating the organism as a thermodynamic system and applying principles of energy, mass and momentum transport. In this way we can ask questions like: What temperature would an animal be in a specific environment? How much water or energy would it need to regulate its temperature? How much energy does it take to move? Biologists have collaborated with mechanical engineers in the past to develop the necessary methods. But to truly resolve this problem we need appropriate models of the regulatory behaviour of organisms and their target states. This work raises interesting technical and philosophical problems. The pursuit of this second research aim is now being tackled through collaborations between biologists, electrical engineers and philosophers through the application of control theory and associated methods of statistical inference. In this “coffee with scientists” session we will discuss the work we are doing and how we are going about it from an interdisciplinary context.

Michael Kearney is a professor in ecology and evolution in the School of Biological Sciences who studies the environmental limits of organisms. He has additional interests in evolutionary problems, including the loss of sexual reproduction, and dabbles in Whiteheadian metaphysics.

Rob Evans is an emeritus professor in Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering. He has worked in the areas of signal processing, control systems and target tracking.

Iman Shames is a professor in the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering. His whose work sits at the intersection of control theory, optimisation, and complex systems engineering, with strong applications in autonomous systems, cyber-physical security, and networked systems.

Raf Schouten is a postdoctoral researcher in the School of Biosciences. He is a spatial ecologist who has worked on a variety of problems including species distribution modelling, extinction and connectivity. He is a major developer of spatial tools in the Julia programming environment.

Paul Egré is a Directeur de recherche in philosophy at CNRS and is visiting the University of Melbourne. He is a philosopher who studies logic, language, epistemology, and cognitive science. Much of his work concerns vagueness in language and in perception.

PAST EVENTS

Earlier Coffee with Scientists Events

Friday 24 October 2025
15:00-16:00
Arts West Building, North Wing, Room 553 (Level 5)

From embryos to stem cells and back again: revisiting past debates and anticipating future impact
Megan Munsie, University of Melbourne

Twenty years ago, the use of human embryos in research was big news. Scientists spoke of the promise of stem cell research, with many in the community supportive, while others remained adamant that constraints needed to be placed on this research to protect the sanctity of life. Since then, the adoption of new technology means scientists rely less on human embryos. However, recent reports of the creation of 3D embryo-like models from stem cells has reignited community debate around what type of research is scientifically justified and who decides. In this talk I will reflect on my involvement in embryo research law reform over the decades and explore the ethical and regulatory issues raised by stem cell-based embryo models now and potentially in the future. I will also share what is known about how those outside the scientific community view this issue and ask how they could be involved in shaping oversight of this area, thereby avoiding some of the mistakes of the past.

Professor Megan Munsie combines her scientific expertise in developmental biology with a deep understanding of the ethical, legal, and societal implications of stem cell science and its clinical translation. Findings from her research have influenced policy reforms at an Australian and international level, and informed the design and delivery of educational resources for patients, healthcare professionals, and school students for more than a decade. Her innovative approach to science communication, public engagement and responsible innovation in regenerative medicine and related technologies is internationally recognized. She is a Principal Investigator in the transglobal Novo Nordisk Foundation Centre for Stem Cell Medicine (reNEW) where she leads the humanities and social sciences research theme, and a group leader of the Stem Cell Ethics and Policy Group at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI), Melbourne. Megan is on the Board of the International Society for Stem Cell Research and is the immediate past President of the Australasian Society for Stem Cell Research. She completed her Masters and PhD at Monash University; her science degree at the Queensland University of Technology, and in her early career worked as a clinical embryologist in Australian IVF clinics.

Friday 6 June 2025
15:00–16:00,
Digital Lab (Arts West, West Wing, Room 213)

Concept Creep: Understanding Harm Inflation
Nicholas Haslam, Psychology, University of Melbourne

I will present an overview of my research program on "concept creep", the tendency for harm-related concepts to broaden their meanings over time. This program includes studies of historical semantic change that apply natural language processing methods to large text corpora, as well as correlational and experimental studies of the implications of holding expansive harm concepts. Paying special attention to evolving concepts of mental illness, I will argue that concept creep reflects an important cultural shift that contributes to the current mental health crisis. This work raises interesting questions about how conceptual change can create changes in personal identity and social reality.