Curriculum vitae · updated May 2026
Dr. Giovanni Spitale
PhD in Medical Sciences · PhD in Philosophy · [email protected]
Profile
I work on the ethics of artificial intelligence, misinformation, and public communication, and on getting that work out of the university. My background combines empirical research and philosophy; my career has moved through outdoor communications, high school teaching, and international policy before settling, to some degree, in academic research. My conviction, which I think has some empirical support, is that ethics works best when it functions as a tool, not a constraint.
Positions
Employment
2025 –
ITE Lab (Information, Technology & Experimental Ethics), co-director
University of Zurich, Institute of Biomedical Ethics and History of Medicine
2022 –
Postdoctoral researcher
University of Zurich, Institute of Biomedical Ethics and History of Medicine
2022 – 2025
WHO rapporteur on ethical considerations in social listening and infodemic management
World Health Organization
2025
Visiting research fellow
University of Oslo, Centre for Medical Ethics
2017 – 2023
Copy strategist
Storyteller Labs
2019
Scientific coordinator
Academia Engelberg
2017
International fellow
Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Institut für Medizinische Ethik und Geschichte der Medizin
2015 – 2017
Teacher of history and philosophy
Istituti Paritari Filippin
2014 – 2015
Copywriter, video editor
Officine Micrò
2012 – 2013
Chief Communications Officer
Montura
Mobility
2025
Ethics to policy
University of Oslo, Centre for Medical Ethics · Norway
2023
Science communication
Swissnex San Francisco · USA
Institutional responsibilities
2019 – 2021
PhD Student Representative
PhD committee and faculty meetings, University of Zurich
Education
2026
Italian National Scientific Qualification (ASN) as Associate Professor
Sector 11/C2, Logic, History and Philosophy of Science · valid until June 2038
2025
PhD in Philosophy (formal recognition, equipollenza)
University of Padova
2023
ITA science communication bootcamp
Swissnex San Francisco
2018 – 2022
PhD in Medical Sciences (Biomedical ethics)
University of Zurich, Institute of Biomedical Ethics and History of Medicine
2015
Erasmus Plus team leader
Ulukisla District Governorship
2012 – 2015
MA in Philosophical Sciences
University of Padova
2006 – 2011
BA in Philosophy
University of Padova
2001 – 2006
High school diploma, Liceo Scientifico
Liceo Scientifico Jacopo Da Ponte, Bassano del Grappa
Funding and awards
Approved research projects
2023
Boosting Public Discourse: Towards a Targeted, Evidence-Based Strategy to Improve Moral Reasoning
SNSF, NRP 80
2022
Pandemics and Bioethics: co-designing a graphic novel
SNSF Agora
2020
PubliCo: an experimental online platform for COVID-19 related public perception
SNSF, WHO, SERI, Collegium Helveticum
2018 – 2019
Autonomy and relations: shared decision making in young hemato-oncological patients
UZH Candoc, Krebsliga
Prizes, awards and fellowships
2025
SNIS International Geneva Award
For “The Dual Nature of AI in Information Dissemination: Ethical Considerations”
2018
Premio San Bassiano
For the project “Città del Dono”
2017
Research fellowship
Institute of Biomedical Ethics and History of Medicine, University of Zurich
2017
Research fellowship
Institut für Medizinische Ethik und Geschichte der Medizin, Ruhr-Universität Bochum
2015
IBA, Italian Blood Awards
2010
Nardini-Viscidi Prize
Education on blood donation
2010
Formal Encomium
Veneto Region, Department for Youth Policies
Publications
Selected publications
2026
The ethical risks of open-access agreements being used for authorship leverage
Spitale G., Germani F., Biller-Andorno N. Nature 651(8105):550.
2026
AI in Science: The 42 problem in AI-assisted research
Spitale G., Germani F. eLife Sciences 15:e113137.
2026
The making of digital ghosts: designing ethical AI afterlives
Spitale G., Germani F. Ethics and Information Technology 28(3).
2025
Source framing triggers systematic bias in large language models
Germani F., Spitale G. Science Advances 11(45).
2023
AI model GPT-3 (dis)informs us better than humans
Spitale G., Biller-Andorno N., Germani F. Science Advances 9(26).
2023
Spitale G., Germani F., Biller-Andorno N. The American Journal of Bioethics 24(4):67-82.
All 75 publications, with software and data, on the Research page →
Governance and policy documents
2025
WHO · rapporteurs G Spitale, F Germani, N Biller-Andorno
2018
Der Einfluss von Zustimmungsmodellen, Spenderegistern und Angehörigen-Entscheid auf die Organspende
Report for the Federal Office of Public Health · M Christen, H Baumann, G Spitale
Policy impact
Where this research is cited in policy documents: Sage Policy Profiles.
Books
Software
Open tools for research, with code and documentation: borant.eu/tools.
Teaching and talks
Teaching
What students say, course by course: TeachAdvisor.
2026
(Leveraging) AI for Research Purposes, PhD block course (1 ECTS), with Reto Gubelmann and Michele Loi
Digital Society Initiative, University of Zurich · slides
2026
AI Governance, introductory session of the course
DSI Excellence Bootcamp, University of Zurich
ongoing
Empirical ethics in bioethics
Advanced training programme, Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padova
2024
Empirical ethics in bioethics
Ca' Foscari Challenge School, University of Venice
2024
Ethics of infodemic management
University of Pisa
2015 – 2017
History and Philosophy
Secondary education, Istituti Paritari Filippin
Conferences and other outreach
Every lecture and presentation since 2015, most with slides: Talks.
Public communication
Bioetica da Bar: podcast and video series on applied bioethics for non-specialist audiences, in Italian. 25 long-format episodes and 66 short reels since October 2025, from AI and misinformation to end-of-life ethics, clinical decision-making and the politics of science.
Skills
Languages
Italian
Native
English
IELTS 8.5 (C2)
Latin
Good
But it's hard to find conversation partners
German
Basic
Ich drücke die Daumen
Technical
AI and data
AI pipelines, statistics and data wrangling, NLP and text mining
Python, Jupyter
Qualitative
Qualitative data analysis
MAXQDA
Literature
Reference retrieval and management
Zotero, Citavi, Mendeley, Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus, JSTOR
Media
Vector graphics, photography, photo and video editing
Illustrator, InDesign, Lightroom, Photoshop, Premiere, After Effects
CMS
WordPress, Magnolia
Licences
Driving (B), paragliding (IPPI 5)
Meaning: I can fly wherever I want in the world
Memberships
Digital Society Initiative, University of Zurich; Citizen Science Zurich.
Volunteering
Yes, I think it's a relevant thing in a CV.
2023 –
Smerghi / Aeroclub Top Gliders
Flight school, flight club (not to misread as “fight club”)
2015 –
Città del Dono
Project manager: civic project promoting anatomical donation awareness; 16 municipalities
2012 – 2016
Ragnorock Climb ASD
President, climbing association
2010 – 2016
Climb For Life
Project manager, bone marrow donation
2010 – 2016
ADMO
Testimonial, bone marrow donation
2006 – 2012
CNGEI
Rover scout leader
Career breaks
I was diagnosed with aplastic anemia during my bachelor's, which required time both in and out of hospitals for chemotherapy, so it took me a bit longer to complete. After my master's, while teaching in high school, I needed to figure out if I truly wanted to pursue a career in science. In the end, I gave up a permanent teaching position when I was offered a six-month fellowship in Germany. My mom wasn't thrilled, but I was.