HITS Public Talk – Monika Mondal: The catch 22 of science & development

by Monika Mondal, 2026 HITS Journalist in Residence

In the developing world, science is often presented as a ladder to social and economic upliftment. Like many Indians, Monika Mondal, trained as an engineer, climbed that ladder, only to realize that ladder is leaning against the wrong wall. Seeking a more meaningful path, she embarked on a quest to understand: Why is the world the way it is?

As an independent journalist, Mondal spent years investigating questions of the modern times — from biofuels to genetically modified crops, from pollution caused by industrial giants, to the elimination of daily problems — müll, monkeys, mosquitoes and money. 

Her reporting took her to places where solutions were proposed — from the negotiation rooms of UN climate summits to regional discussions on renewables, circular economy etc. Everywhere, one phrase echoed: „Scientific Thinking.“

But what does that truly mean in a fractured world? Tracing the trajectory of science from the Enlightenment to today, this talk interrogates the narrative of modern development. It asks: Can science become a genuine tool of liberation—and if so, how?

Monika Mondal, the 2026 HITS Journalist in Residence,  is an award-winning freelance reporter from Delhi, India. She holds degrees in electronics, communication engineering, and development studies, and has reported on topics ranging from life sciences to astronomy for publications including Nature, Wired, The Guardian, and The Hindu. Mondal has received accolades such as a Pulitzer Center fellowship, the Alexander-von-Humboldt Chancellor’s Fellowship, and the Thomson Foundation Journalist Award.
The Journalist in Residence program at HITS, established in 2012, invites experienced science journalists for three- to six-month residencies to collaborate with researchers, attend conferences, and pursue independent projects. To date, fourteen journalists from Canada, the U.S., Australia, India, Spain and Germany have been awarded the HITS fellowship.

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