September 25, 2026 | News | New Faces at MPIDR

Welcome, Miriam Franchina!

Dr. Miriam Franchina joins the press team at the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research (MPIDR). © MPIDR/Schulz

The Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research (MPIDR)'s press department is happy to welcome Dr. Miriam Franchina to the team. Based in Berlin, Miriam will support the PR department in the area of science communication and also work for Population Europe.

What is your role at the MPIDR?
I split my time between the MPIDR and Population Europe: At the MPIDR, I work with Silke & Silvia as a science communicator to make research findings accessible to a broader audience and the media through press releases, news stories, and social media; at Population Europe, I work as a project officer.

What motivates you to work in this field?
I get to learn something new all the time while staying close to research, after having spent many years in academia myself. My work in the MPIDR press office also complements my project work on evidence-informed policymaking at Population Europe very well.

What did you do before joining the MPIDR?
I was a historian up until the end of my postdoc. I then ventured into science communication and worked as a press officer at another Max Planck Institute focusing on chemistry and materials science.

Why did you choose the MPIDR as your new employer?
The research topics resonate with me both as a historian and as a curious citizen. Plus, the MPIDR’s got an office with a view and a very nice team!

Where are you from? What do you miss most about home – and what don’t you miss at all?
I’m from Italy and  (surprise)  what I miss most is really good cheese that isn’t meant to be spread on bread. What I don’t miss at all is living in a tiny village. That’s why I enjoy Berlin.

What do you like most and least about your work?
I really enjoy reading research papers and turning them into accessible texts. When to dos get very technical or IT-heavy, though, my already limited patience tends to run out quickly.

What do you do when you’re not working as a science communicator? 
Once a historian, always a historian, I guess. You’ll find me hitting museums, sneaking into archives, or nerding out about the 18th century. Oh, and cats. And languages.