December 2021

A turbulent year is soon coming to an end. Despite the coronavirus, much has been researched, developed and invented at ETH Zurich. ETH News looks back at 2021.

Like bridges and tall buildings, large mountains are constantly vibrating, excited by seismic energy form the Earth. An international team of researchers has now been able to measure the resonant swaying of the Matterhorn and make its motion visible using computer simulations.

The launch of the James Webb Space Telescope is set to take place in the coming days. For ETH Zurich physicist Adrian Glauser, who was involved in two unspectacular but vital contributions to this ambitious project, it will bring to an end a long period of anxious anticipation.

Sarah Springman made a real difference as Rector and helped to improve teaching at ETH on many levels. Her passion and commitment inspired everyone she met – both inside and outside the university walls.

Manuel Mathis is doing an internship at a composting plant in Nairobi as part of his Master’s degree programme. He is now in charge of a 20-strong team of workers – and, thanks to his improvements, the business is back in profit.

With the world facing enormous challenges, the need for innovation has never been greater. But how can we design universities to deliver the kind of knowledge we need for the future? And how do we deal with the ever-increasing pace of change?

ETH alumna Leonie Flückiger is blazing a trail through the male-dominated world of tech start-ups with her company Adresta, which uses a blockchain-based certificate to authenticate luxury timepieces. She hopes to encourage other women to follow in her footsteps.

The Student Project House offers a model of what learning might look like in the future. With no course credits on offer, students are encouraged to develop critical thinking skills and to venture into unknown territory.

Núria Casacuberta Arola studies water circulation using radionuclides to understand the role of the oceans in mitigating climate change.

The idea behind rETHink is to cement the university’s position as a world-leading institution. President Joël Mesot, Vice President Julia Dannath and transformation coach Dieter Schmid reflect on ingrained habits and inspiring moments.