In the paradise of Ticino, Switzerland palms line the foothills of the alps, but why are they here and are they a problem? Thibaut Juillard studies what makes these palms successful for his PhD in the PERL (Plant Ecology Research Laboratory) at EPFL (the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, Switzerland). Dr Kate Johnson and Katya Bandow ask Thibaut about ‘his’ palms and how he studies them, and what he’s doing here in Tasmania both in and outside of work. Listen to hear Thibaut’s adventures around the lakes and mountains, the push and pull between predators and temperatures that will decide the fate of an invasive palm species, and a frank conversation on the differences between doing a PhD in Switzerland vs. Tasmania.

Show theme music: Kevin MacLeod

Host: Kate Johnson (@KatePlantPhys) and Katya Bandow (@katyabandow)

Production: Meredith Castles (@MeredithCastles)

Media & Promotion: Katya Bandow (@katyabandow)