Giovan Peyrotty, PhD - Director, Co-founder
Giovan Peyrotty, PhD - Director & Co-founder at SciencEscape
Where are you from, and what is your educational background?
I am French, originally from Provence in the southeast of the country. I completed a Bachelor's and then a Master's degree in Life and Earth Sciences at Aix-Marseille University, specializing in geosciences during my Master's, with a particular focus on carbonate reservoir geology. [Then], I decided to pursue a PhD. After a few months of searching, I had the opportunity to join a project at the University of Geneva that perfectly matched my interests, where I completed four years of doctoral research, followed by two years as a postdoctoral researcher.
What were your different research projects?
During my Master's, […] while I was particularly drawn to the scientific aspects, the industrial application of the work was less appealing to me. The project focused on studying fossil carbonate rocks around 100 million years old, which today may contain significant offshore oil deposits in Brazil. In contrast, my PhD took a completely different direction, with a stronger emphasis on paleo-environmental studies. I worked on fossil coral reefs dating back 250 million years, formed in the vast ocean that no longer exists today: the Panthalassa. These fossil reefs helped us better understand the environmental conditions of that era, as well as how the reefs evolved over time in response to climate changes. I then continued this fascinating exploration of our planet’s distant past during a two-year postdoctoral fellowship.
For your Master’s thesis you completed a six-month internship in the private sector, at Total. How did you find this position. Was the private sector your first choice after your Master’s thesis?
This internship was part of the final stage of my Master's program. During my Bachelor's, I had already explored various aspects of geosciences through several laboratory internships, including volcanology, structural geology, and hydrogeology. These experiences sparked my interest in the topic I would later pursue during my Master's internship. Through the contacts of my professors, to whom I had expressed a desire to explore fields beyond the standard coursework, I was offered the opportunity to join a research project jointly conducted by the CNRS, where I was studying, and Total. […] The private sector was initially my first choice, as it offered the chance to work on interesting topics while providing professional and financial stability. However, this experience quickly showed me that it was not the path I wanted to follow, mainly due to the work approach, the limited operational freedom, and the lack of choice over the projects I could engage in. This led me to explore academic research instead, which, while very different, also comes with its own structure, limitations, and challenges.
During your postdoc, you founded the non-profit association SciencEscape, where you now serve as director. Could you walk us through the story of founding SciencEscape and explain its goals?
At the end of my PhD, I was uncertain about the direction I wanted to take in my career. I had spent four incredible years in research, enjoying a great deal of freedom, access to valuable resources, and exceptional field experiences. On one hand, I wanted to continue along this path, which led me to pursue a postdoctoral position. However, I was not particularly drawn to the traditional academic trajectory, with its succession of postdocs before one could hope to secure a permanent position in a location not of one’s choosing. I therefore envisioned a project that would combine everything I loved: science, education, teaching, fieldwork, creativity, and art (an element often missing in academic research), where creative freedom is limited. During my postdoc, I co-founded SciencEscape with two colleagues. The association’s mission is to strengthen the connection between science and society through visual storytelling. We produce documentary content on a range of scientific topics, accompany researchers in the field, and train young scientists to communicate their research through video. SciencEscape is a non-profit initiative aiming to become a recognized media platform in the scientific domain, accessible to everyone. Our work goes beyond content production: we also strive to engage diverse audiences through multiple channels to achieve a meaningful impact. It is a project I am deeply passionate about and that continues to grow.
You are also a Research Partner at the University of Geneva. What are your responsibilities in this role?
I am currently a research partner at the University of Geneva. This status means that I remain affiliated with UNIGE, but without an employment contract. I chose to maintain this affiliation in order to continue contributing to research on a part-time basis, collaborating on projects that interest me and bringing my expertise to the work of fellow researchers. This arrangement allows me to stay active in a field I value, working on projects of my choosing without pressure. It also helps me maintain a strong professional network and stay up to date with ongoing research, which is particularly useful for developing SciencEscape projects in collaboration with scientific teams. I am very satisfied with this balance, as it allows me to fully pursue all my areas of interest.
What advice has made the biggest difference in your professional development?
I don’t think I have ever received a single piece of advice that decisively shaped my career. Rather, it has been a series of experiences that helped me clarify what I wanted to achieve professionally. Once that goal was defined, the challenge became identifying and building the right project from scratch, without being deterred by potential obstacles. The key was maintaining motivation while relying on careful organization.
What can I wish you for the years to come?
You can wish me that SciencEscape continues to grow, undertaking more engaging projects that reach a wide audience and have a meaningful impact on society through our productions and their dissemination.
Giovan’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peyrottyg/
