"Enthusiasm and quality are rewarded"
ETH Zurich is acting as the overall leader or co-leader in four new National Centres of Competence in Research (NCCR). ETH Vice President Roland Siegwart explains what NCCRs mean for ETH Zurich.
Prof. Siegwart, the Federal Council has launched new National Centres of Competence in Research (NCCR), whereby ETH Zurich is involved in four in a leading or co-leading capacity. What is your reaction as ETH Vice President Research and Corporate Relations?
Roland Siegwart: I'm very happy. This is a huge success for ETH Zurich. Our researchers put a great deal of energy and enthusiasm into their applications. I'm all the more delighted that their visions and dreams are now coming true.
What do you think are the reasons for ETH's success in this NCCR series?
All four NCCRs supported by ETH, i.e. "Digital Fabrication", "RNA and Disease", "SwissMAP" and "Molecular Systems Engineering", are based on convincing scientific visions and have the potential to have a long-term impact on the Swiss research and innovation landscape. As NCCRs are selected in a competition, one can justifiably say that scientific quality and excellence have been rewarded. Another major contribution to this success was ETH's strong network with its partners in those areas where scientific synergies can be utilised in a sustainable, meaningful manner.
How relevant is it whether ETH acts as the overall leader or co-leader?
Both overall leadership and co-leadership are important honours for ETH Zurich. Co-leaderships are made up of equal partners who lead the NCCR jointly and across institutes. You are also the advocate of your cause as a co-leader. To be assigned the overall leadership of an NCCR simply gives the researchers involved and their parent institute an additional motivation, on account of the greater visibility. The ETH supported all four NCCRs selected with an equal level of commitment in the preparation phase, both in terms of its funding and as regards long-term structural measures such as the creation of new professorships.
How significant are NCCRs for ETH Zurich?
NCCRs promote topics based on fundamental research that are important for Switzerland from a long-term perspective. As far as ETH Zurich is concerned, this means that we can develop specific new areas of research much more quickly. However, NCCRs do not set out the strategy for ETH Zurich to do this. They speed up the implementation of strategies we define ourselves: both our research strategy and our planning for professorships and Master and doctoral programmes.
How have NCCRs proved effective and what impact have they had?
In the areas of research where ETH Zurich has acted as the overall leader, we can see that the NCCR funding has indeed accelerated implementation. This has been observed in an impressive manner in the ongoing NCCRs for quantum science (QSIT) and for ultrafast molecular processes (MUST), for instance. This enhancing effect is typical for NCCRs, and it in turn results in ETH attracting even more talented and innovative researchers.
How does this enhancing effect manifest itself?
Let's take the current quantum science and technology NCCR as an example: thanks to outstanding appointments and support from the NCCR, ETH is today a beacon for quantum sciences and is considered to be one of the internationally leading centres.
Apart from the funding, what is it that makes an NCCR such as QSIT successful?
It was crucial that the ETH had decided to invest in quantum science even before applying for the NCCR. In parallel with the application submitted to the Swiss National Science Foundation, the Physics Department and the Executive Board were preparing the establishment of additional professorships and research platforms, which allowed us to implement our strategy quickly when our bid was accepted. But, as I said, QSIT is an example, and we can see similar developments also in the MUST NCCR for ultrafast, molecular processes. This is also our approach for the new NCCRs.
How do NCCRs differ from other competence centres?
NCCRs are national competence centres. They differ substantially from other competence centres, including those within ETH Zurich, as regards their duration and size. They run for twelve years and their funding includes contributions of up to CHF 40 million. An NCCR is about more than just coordinating activities; it also involves developing new areas of expertise and structures. For us, this means that ETH can create additional professorships and also engage in the targeted advancement of women and upcoming young researchers with the NCCR funding: a large proportion of NCCR funding goes towards doctoral students' wages.
How do women and upcoming young researchers benefit from NCCRs?
As part of NCCRs, young researchers, including many women, can assume responsibility for smaller research projects and thereby establish themselves in their field.
Finally, what is the secret of the NCCRs' success?
If there is one lesson to be learnt from previous NCCRs, then it’s this: the more it's the researchers themselves carrying an NCCR with enthusiasm, the more successful it will be. NCCRs also have a very good reputation today: for many researchers, they are an expression of excellence, which is also why the current invitation of tenders was more competitive than ever.