Ana María Crespo: "The best science policy in Spain is the Catalan one."

Ana Crespo (Santa Cruz de Tenerife, 1948) has been president of the Royal Academy of Exact, Physical, and Natural Sciences of Spain since 2024. She is the first woman to hold the position since the institution was created 177 years ago.

Are political decisions made based on something similar to the scientific method?

— This is a huge topic.

What would you say?

— With technology and the advancement of knowledge, many political decisions are required to be reviewed by scientific advisors. But politicians must then make decisions. I say this as a citizen. I vote for a politician, not a scientist.

And how do you define this method?

— It's the best explanation of reality. It's verifying what one says, when it can be verified.

Science is driven by hypotheses, but we also have certainties, don't we?

— Of course. There are things we don't know, but others are certain. Evolution is a certainty, as are the laws of physics. We know that DNA is a double helix.

But we also live in times of denialism.

— I don't think it's because of the science. There have always been falsehoods or misinterpretations; the problem is that they now spread at an enormous speed. It's a problem that the media isn't a vehicle for information. I've never been more supportive of the media.

Because?

— Because I know what's in front of me. Irresponsible dissemination exists on social media, and with a news outlet, I feel I have the tools to defend myself when I've been misinformed.

What is the lie that surprises you the most?

— Where do I start? That man hasn't set foot on the moon, that women's minds aren't as conducive to abstractions. Or, in my field, certain things that are said about medicinal plants. I think: But how can that be?

How do we solve it?

— Scientific culture thrives on good education. Children need to be trained to observe, count, measure, and weigh any information, and to learn the scientific method from school. It's important to build on a few solid ideas at the base, and then be able to combine many things. It's also important to promote cultural awareness by explaining science in a simple way. Society will never support science if it doesn't understand what it's doing.

What grade do you give to scientific research in Spain?

— It's always said that there's a lack of funding. I think we should distinguish between public and private. If you look at public investment, we're not that far behind our peers. Where there's a big difference is in private sector investment. We're far from what's needed.

And what model points the way?

— In Spain, the best science policy, the one that yields the best results for science, is the Catalan one.

Because?

— I personally attribute this to the policy implemented by Mas-Colell. He resolved the recruitment of talent while simultaneously stimulating high-quality scientific production. And the creation of Icrea was a huge success, because it provided the system with a flexibility that the rest of the Spanish scientific system lacked.

Regarding research, focus on your field: evolutionary, systematic, and ecological research on lichen biodetection.

— It's what I know the most about.

For me it's just the green stuff we find on trees and...

— They are very interesting, an icon of symbiosis.

Because?

— Because it's not a stain, it's not moss... It's the symbiosis between a fungus and an algae or a cyanobacterium. And symbiosis is very interesting; it's a problem as important as aging.

Sorry to ask like this, but... what's the point?

— They're indicators of air quality, for example. If you go somewhere and there aren't any lichens, they'll tell you there was a thermal power plant there, etc.

How did you end up interested in this?

— I think it was the aesthetics, the beauty. And in the mountains, they're crucial in the rocky areas. And I love mountains and plants.

And why plants?

— For the same reason I now give them to my grandchildren. You add a little soil, take minimal care of it, and out comes a wonderful flower. You see life in plants, the dynamism of life.

She's the first woman to preside over the academy in 177 years. I've heard it was noticeable in the restrooms...

— What a sight, huh? Everything was so geared up for men that you could only enter a bathroom after passing the urinal.

I wouldn't have liked to go in.

— Me neither. I already told them it wasn't the way it was done, and it had to be changed. It took longer than I wanted, but now we have a perfectly presentable unisex bathroom.