Shane Bergin Says Inclusivity and Connection Strengthen Research

Shane Bergin’s Podcast Challenges the Isolation of Modern Research

In a new six-part podcast series, physicist and science educator Dr. Shane Bergin explores the human side of academic research, framing inclusivity and connection as essential tools for navigating an increasingly polarized world. Writing for Silicon Republic, Bergin argues that while academia continues to function, researchers are not immune to the prejudices and pressures that define the broader social climate.

The podcast, titled We Are Fellowship, was funded by the European Commission’s Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA). Over the course of the series, Bergin sits down with 15 researchers from various disciplines and backgrounds. His goal, he notes, is to move beyond the technical output of their work to understand the personal meaning they derive from their fellowships.

The Reality of Research Beyond the Lab

Bergin, an associate professor in science education at University College Dublin, emphasizes that modern research does not happen in a vacuum. He identifies a significant “anti-intellectual threat” in 2026, noting that universities in the United States and the United Kingdom have struggled to defend themselves against public and political pushback. In some cases, this has led to the closure of entire departments, particularly within the humanities.

The MSCA program, which celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2026, has supported more than 150,000 researchers, with over 40 percent of those individuals hailing from outside the European Union. For these researchers, the experience of moving abroad is often layered with personal and professional hurdles.

One of the podcast’s interviewees, Dr. Karen de la Vega-Hernández, a Cuban researcher who specializes in modifying existing pharmaceutical drugs, shares the complexities of this transition. While the opportunity to work in Europe offers access to advanced facilities, it also comes with the isolation of being the only person of one’s background in a lab and the personal toll of leaving family behind.

It is important that people know that depending on where you come from, you have other struggles…like you are coming from maybe a place that you had a really tough time to get a visa, when for other people that might seem like something that is not even in their minds.

Reframing Expertise for Complex Global Problems

Bergin reflects that his own early career was defined by a focus on narrow, specialist niches. However, he now argues that expertise must be viewed through a broader lens of context and community. He suggests that the most pressing global challenges require a multi-disciplinary approach where researchers connect across traditional silos.

The podcast serves as a call for a more collectivist approach to science. Bergin reports that he was surprised by the level of openness among his interviewees regarding the need for positive change in the academic system. He argues that the diversity and intersectionality of the research community should be viewed as an “epistemic strength” rather than a hurdle.

Rather than expecting individual researchers to be “excellent at everything,” Bergin suggests that the community should recognize the unique strengths each person brings. By fostering these connections, he hopes the podcast will help researchers feel less isolated and help them find common cause in an era where the value of expert knowledge is frequently debated.

The series acts as a reminder that science is not just about the data produced; it is about the people who connect across borders to produce it. In a time of global uncertainty, Bergin posits that these human connections are the foundation upon which academic progress—and its ability to endure—must be built.

Worth a look