The Gandia Campus of the Universitat Politècnica de València celebrated its traditional inaugural lecture, bringing together students, staff, local authorities, and representatives from institutions and companies across the Safor region to mark the beginning of the 2026-2027 academic year.
During the ceremony, the Mayor of Gandia, José Manuel Prieto, highlighted the importance of science, critical thinking, and collective responsibility in addressing today’s challenges, particularly climate change and the prevention of risks associated with extreme weather events.
Journalist and science communicator Rocío Vidal, known on social media as La gata de Schrödinger, delivered the inaugural lecture for the 2026-2027 academic year at the Gandia Campus of the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV). Her talk was entitled “Thinking in a Noisy World.”
In her lecture, Vidal addressed the challenges of the digital age and reflected on how information overload, misinformation, and immediacy shape the way we inform ourselves, understand reality, and interact with others. “We are moving towards a uniformity of content where talent and authenticity are becoming increasingly important,” she noted.
Fake news and artificial intelligence were central themes of the talk, which highlighted the growing difficulty of distinguishing reliable information from misleading content, as well as the effects of overstimulation on concentration and critical thinking
The journalist and science communicator also warned about the risks of giving visibility to voices that spread ideas without being challenged. “Pseudothinkers are given a platform without anyone questioning them, and many young people are left feeling lost,” she stated.
In a context where artificial intelligence can generate highly realistic content and make manipulation harder to detect, Vidal stressed the need to develop tools and criteria for evaluating information. “We should not fear what is coming, but rather focus on the opportunities it brings,” she said.
Faced with these challenges, Rocío Vidal underscored the value of science, art, and knowledge, as well as the importance of setting aside time to read, write by hand, and reflect.
Through her lecture, she encouraged the university community to question the content they consume and to preserve critical thinking in a society characterized by constant connection and immediate reaction.
Can science be engaging, accessible, and fun at the same time?
Through her YouTube channel, La gata de Schrödinger, Rocío Vidal brings science closer to the general public with an approachable and entertaining style, exploring curiosities and questions about the world around us.
The science communicator is also the author of two books. The first, To Hell with Science! (¡Qué le den a la ciencia!, 2019), has become a useful tool for combating myths, misconceptions, and science-related fake news. In her second book, Eureka! 50 Discoveries That Changed the World (¡Eureka! 50 descubrimientos que han revolucionado el mundo, 2021), she pays tribute to science through some of the most important discoveries in history.
Her work in science communication also extends to television, where she has presented science-focused programmes such as Science Truck and Whaat!? Tú cómo lo ves, bringing science to new audiences through dynamic and educational formats
Today, Rocío Vidal continues to create and share content on YouTube while participating in a variety of science outreach projects.