ETH News

Thomas Zurbuchen, Director of ETH Zurich Space, explains how Switzerland can do a better job of exploring and exploiting space – and how there’s still enormous potential to be tapped.

ETH Zurich is involved in a number of space missions – from satellite-based searches for signs of life on exoplanets to the hunt for gravitational waves with the LISA space antenna. These projects rely on strong partnerships with the aerospace industry.

Space start-ups in Switzerland enjoy the support of ESA BIC Switzerland, a business incubation centre set up by ESA and run by ETH Zurich. The programme helps researchers take their first steps towards commercial success.

The SmartStamp app is used to verify the authenticity of artworks.

Bettina Heim won the Swiss figure-skating championships before developing an interest in quantum computing. She studied physics at ETH and now develops software for the computers of the future.

Neuroscientist Johannes Bohacek investigates the molecular basis of stress in the brain. He originally wanted to become a psychotherapist.

Few courses of study at ETH Zurich have attracted quite as much attention as the new Master in Space Systems. Teachers and students strapped in for the programme’s launch this autumn.

The Teaching Diploma in Sport at ETH Zurich is the only programme of its kind in Switzerland. Blending outdoor education with the romance of camp life, the course sees students brave cold water and river rapids.

Earth-observation satellites deliver data for a wealth of applications – from monitoring climate change and documenting war crimes to planning disaster relief and assessing snow depth. ETH researchers are also big beneficiaries.

Professor Ciira wa Maina is the Chair of Data Science Africa, a founding member of the International Computation and AI Network (ICAIN), an initiative to democratise artificial intelligence (AI). In an interview with ETH News, he explains how AI can help African farmers and why Europe benefits from cooperation.