This first episode of Science of doing Science features Professor Zacharias Maniadis, holder of the ERA Chair in Science and Innovation Policy and Studies (SinnoPSis). Prof. Maniadis is interested in the cross-fertilization between economics and meta-research. He focuses on the functioning of academia, using economic theory and experiments as main research tools. In this episode, we discuss the public trust in scientists, the relationship between politics and science, and the importance of interdisciplinarity.