Pint of Science at Vetenskapsfestivalen: Sunday

Sweden aims to become one of the world’s first fossil-free societies. But what happens to the electricity grid when millions of cars become electric, homes install rooftop solar panels, and households start storing energy in batteries? Because detailed grid data is rarely public, researchers build synthetic models which allow us to simulate how electricity demand and local solar power production might evolve across the country. By testing different future scenarios, we can identify where the grid might face challenges—from EV charging peaks to solar power surpluses—and explore solutions such as smart charging, energy storage, and targeted grid reinforcements.

Biography:
Elisabetta Perotti is a postdoctoral researcher at Chalmers University of Technology, Division of Energy Technology. Her work focuses on developing large-scale models of electricity distribution networks to understand how electric vehicles, rooftop solar power, and other emerging technologies will reshape Sweden’s power grid as the country moves toward becoming one of the world’s first fossil-free societies.

Autism is currently diagnosed based mainly on behavioral observations, which means that many children receive a diagnosis relatively late. Scientists are now searching for biomarkers which are measurable biological signals in the body that could provide earlier and more precise insights into autism. In this talk, I explore how researchers study the brain to identify these hidden biological signals. What could biomarkers reveal about autism? And how might they help improve early detection and understanding in the future?

Biography:
Dr. Maryam Ardalan is a neuroscientist studying the biological mechanisms underlying autism. Her research focuses on identifying biomarkers in the body that may help improve early detection and understanding of autism. She works to bridge fundamental neuroscience research with future clinical applications.