A civil engineer who sees the big picture

Thomas Vogel does not require much in the way of introductions. Most people at ETH know who he is – and his name is often heard outside the university as well. Vogel is a specialist in structural analysis and reinforced concrete structures with a focus on bridge construction. His research focuses on ensuring that structures are safe and durable. The university professor has introduced generations of students to the art of structural engineering. If a large structure collapses somewhere, Vogel’s phone starts ringing. His expertise is highly sought after among experts in the field and in the media.

Vogel’s emeritus status will begin at the end of January. He had planned to give his farewell lecture at the town hall of Bülach in mid-November, but – like so many other occasions – it fell victim to the pandemic.

Vogel had invested a lot of time and energy into preparing for his farewell event, but then decided to cancel it “as a matter of principle”, even before the Federal Council prohibited such activities at the end of October. The virus is, after all, a force of nature. “That makes it easier in a way,” he says. He does not plan to make up the farewell lecture.

Of course, Vogel had pictured his departure differently. But it is not his style to wallow. Even if he has spent nearly all the last ten months of his career working from home, he has not lost his sense of humour. “I’ve been able to test out retirement and see how my wife puts up with me,” he chuckles, admitting that the first wave last spring was more than enough to figure that out.

A professor with engineering roots

Vogel was born in autumn 1955 in Aarau and grew up in Rheinfelden. His father was a forestry engineer who often took him along on excursions in the woods, and his maternal grandfather was a professor at ETH. This blessed the young boy with both a passion for nature – particularly for trees – and an early ambition to become a professor himself one day.

Vogel studied civil engineering at ETH Zurich and earned his degree in 1980. He began his career with hands-on work. He spent 12 years at engineering firms that designed bridges and buildings, starting out as a project manager at an office in Chur before becoming a senior staff member and soon thereafter managing director of a medium-sized engineering firm in Zurich.

In 1992, his path brought him to ETH Zurich. The young engineer succeeded the famous Swiss bridge designer Christian Menn. Since 1995, Vogel has been a full professor of structural engineering at the Institute of Structural Engineering in the Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering (D-BAUG).

Bridges, reinforced concrete and rock fall

As a material, concrete is brittle and fragile. However, if it is reinforced with steel, it will plastically deform when subjected to large stresses. This makes reinforced concrete the ideal composite material for all kinds of supporting structures. But if water, oxygen and salts penetrate, the steel can corrode.

“Reinforced concrete and bridges require maintenance. You have to inspect them regularly for cracks and rust,” says Vogel. His research has focused on largely non-destructive methods for inspecting reinforced concrete structures for corrosion damage.

More recently, the structural engineer has dealt more with natural hazards, particularly rock falls, which are becoming more frequent in mountain regions due to climate change. “These places also need sturdy reinforced concrete structures to better protect exposed transport routes and settlements,” he explains.

Vogel was also consulted in the drafting of various construction safety standards and codes. In 1995, he began a five-year tenure as president of the Zurich chapter of the Swiss Society of Engineers and Architects (SIA). From 2005 to 2013, he was a member of the Administrative Committee of the International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering (IABSE), on which he has also served as Vice President since 2015.

Highly dependable

Vogel is an engineer through and through. He takes a structured approach, is always well organised and works efficiently with a focus on finding solutions. “That means you don’t look for problems – you solve them,” he says. But as a civil engineer, he says it is nearly impossible to test the solutions that he works on developing, which is why it is always good to be on the safe side: “That way, you know right away that it will be reliable.”

He has always been just as dependable himself: Vogel has a reputation as a highly dedicated, responsible man of action. People close to him point out that he also has a sensitive side, however. Those who get to know Vogel better discover that he is perceptive and humorous, a gregarious nature lover and also an interesting conversationalist, who is interested in so many of the things life has to offer beyond his professional sphere.

From problem solver to Vice Rector

It hardly comes as a surprise that Vogel also took on greater responsibilities from the very beginning: He served as Chair of the Institute of Structural Engineering on three separate occasions. As the first Delegate of Studies for the degree programme in civil engineering, he was also involved in education. In 1997, he represented the professors on the participatory body at ETH, the University Assembly. Two years later, he began his six-year tenure as its president.

In 2005, Vogel gave up his post on the University Assembly to focus on research and teaching again, until Rector Heidi Wunderli-Allenspach offered him the position of Vice Rector for Doctoral Studies in 2008. Vogel was taken aback, wondering how he could possibly do the job since he did not have a doctorate himself.

Wunderli-Allenspach convinced him that his experience as a doctoral advisor and Delegate of Studies would be fully sufficient. Even without a doctorate, Vogel served successfully for eight years as Vice Rector for Doctoral Studies under three rectors.

Last summer, Vogel gave up his most recent post as head of the Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering.

Time for boating, saxophone and beekeeping

After 28 years, his academic career has come to a close. “I’ve always thought it was a great privilege to study and work at ETH Zurich,” says Vogel, looking back on his career. For him, the best part about his work is the opportunity to often interact with young, motivated people. He has missed this positive overall atmosphere on campus while working from home in recent months.

However, he did not sacrifice everything to work: “I’ve always had a life outside ETH too,” he says. This has included river and canal trips on a houseboat together with his wife. He also loves woodworking. While taking a sabbatical, he discovered the saxophone and has been a member of Big Band Zürich for the past 11 years. Vogel loves the forest and his garden. He recently added beekeeping to his list of hobbies as well.

And of course there are new responsibilities waiting for him: since the beginning of the year, Vogel has sat on the Internal Appeals Commission of the ETH Domain. He is also president of the Waterkiosk Foundation, which supports the treatment of drinking water with solar energy in Tanzania. Thomas Vogel won't get bored.