ETH News

The thirteenth edition of the Swiss HR Barometer focusses on the topic of ‘Sense and nonsense at work’. The majority of the 2032 respondents in Switzerland feel that their work is important and meaningful, with this becoming increasingly important from the age of 55. However, almost half feel alienated to some extent, and the perceived boredom has increased slightly compared to 10 years ago.

This year’s Swiss HR Barometer focuses on working conditions that promote innovative behaviours amongst employees. Approaching errors in an open manner, a practice prevalent in Switzerland, has a positive effect on innovative behaviour as well as attitudes to work. Scope for improvement is found in areas such as support for new ideas, personnel development and compensation.

Philippe Kahn, a technology innovator and entrepreneur who studied mathematics at ETH Zurich, is credited with creating the first camera phone solution.

This year’s ETH award for particularly innovative teaching projects goes to a course that brings physics experiments for students right into their home. The project was up against 24 others competing for the KITE Award 2022.

Switzerland's former ambassador to the US Martin Dahinden made many exciting encounters during his diplomatic career, and ETH Zurich played a key role throughout.

Climate change, pandemics and cyber attacks are risks that have long been in the public spotlight. But there are also risks that ETH researchers consider are still being given too little attention. Photographer Tina Sturzenegger has captured the scenarios on film.

The war in Ukraine has fanned the flames of inflation. Is this merely a temporary shock – or the start of a new normal?

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has suddenly shifted the debate on security policy. An interview for Globe magazine with ETH researchers Myriam Dunn Cavelty, Vally Koubi und Giovanni Sansavini on the subject of security and risk conducted in January has been overtaken by events and will therefore not go to print. We want to nevertheless make it available to you online. A lot of the questions and answers would be different today. Read it for yourself.  

The surge in gas and oil prices triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine could help speed the energy transition. But high prices won’t be enough to ensure it succeeds; smart policies are still needed, writes Florian Egli.  

Researchers at ETH Zurich and the Frankfurt School have developed an artificial neural network that can solve challenging control problems. The self-learning system can be used for the optimization of supply chains and production processes as well as for smart grids or traffic control systems.

A team of researchers led by ETH Professor Rafael Polanía has shown for the first time that decisions feel right to us if we have compared the options as attentively as possible – and if we are conscious of having done so. This requires a capacity for introspection.

The benefits of strict climate policies are often underestimated in public debate, while the costs are generally overestimated, says Lucas Bretschger. Climate protection does not have a negative impact on economic development.

Making agriculture climate-neutral has a high cost – which some rich countries might be willing to accept, ETH Zurich researchers find.

Where should radioactive waste be packaged before it is stored in a deep geological repository? Daniela Scherer explains how stakeholders are being brought on board to tackle this thorny question.

Electricity providers have a simple way of encouraging households and companies to procure power from sustainable sources. This can help lower CO₂ emissions.

ETH researchers have created a database of over 3,000 primary and secondary packaging items from the range of the retailer Denner as a basis for ensuring more environmentally friendly packaging.

An extraordinary year is drawing to a close. ETH News takes a look back at the highlights that emerged amidst difficult and unsettling times, at ingenious ideas, fascinating science and solidarity in action during – and despite – the coronavirus pandemic.

Without a profound socio-ecological change, we will never achieve climate neutrality, say three economists. A brief sketch of what a sustainable economy might look like.

This year’s Swiss HR Barometer combines two major trends: digitisation, and an aging society. Almost 40 percent of those surveyed can imagine working beyond retirement age. Job satisfaction decreases as digitisation of an employee’s tasks increases.

More and more companies say that AI will be an important tool in the future. AI could also be useful for administration and management – but this journey has only just begun.

What happens when COVID-19 means architecture students have to get by without a workshop, electrical engineers without high-voltage laboratories and environmental scientists without field trips.

The current situation presents an enormous challenge for economists. Normally they would wait for an economic quarter to end before analysing data – now all of a sudden they have to try to work with data that is changing every day.