I was born and raised on the doorstep of the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI). Growing up, many professors from PSI lived on my street. My first real connection to ETH Zurich was my IT-education in 2001 at the IFW. In 2016, I developed a joint project with ETH at the CEBIT in Hanover and that was the start of a strong collaboration on the topic of helping students and apprentices get a first step into the business world.

Since then, I have had a lot of regular connections – my focus now is to realize together with ETH an IT campus in the greater New York City area. Together with the ETH Circle, I would like to help bring the best of Swiss education and science to the USA. I believe that there is a fantastic opportunity right now for us to position Switzerland as a strong education partner during the bilateral negotiations. The ETH Circle community can help support this vision.

If the ETH Circle is to succeed in its mission to help increase the visibility of ETH, then regular exchange and interaction is essential. It will be important to create a platform where the interests and goals of the members can be coordinated. Perhaps a common annual agenda can also be agreed on for which issues to tackle in the upcoming year? We could also form clusters around topical fields, and organize the group into think tanks working on specific challenges.

I was in a band once – in fact, I wanted to become a professional musician. Instead I chose to follow in my father’s footsteps, studying physics and chemistry at ETH Zurich. Today, I have many points of contact with ETH personally and through the NZZ. I work with the ETH Foundation, and I am in touch with Joël Mesot, who is a fellow physicist.

One of the problems I see is that ETH is not very active in terms of alumni. In general, I would say people who studied at ETH are highly committed to the university. In contrast to US universities, we get our education financed, and this is a great gift. I see potential and readiness, but you need to orchestrate this. We are very ready to give back to ETH, but we need a structure through which to do so. Personally, I am quite open as to how that engagement happens; it also depends on what the needs are. But I want to be a part of promoting ETH through the ETH Circle. In Switzerland, we need to promote knowledge, and I believe we can do even better in the rankings. This has to do with getting the right professors and research environment, but also creating the context through which to activate alumni.

Becoming a brand is key to achieving this – ETH is not a brand in the way that MIT is, for example, and this is a challenge. The alumni of the past are not present enough. People don’t associate ETH with Einstein and other big names – there is a narrative around this that is missing, and that constitutes poor marketing. The risk of technologists is that they undervalue bringing it to the masses. You need to unite an entire staff behind a common vision in order to create a unified message, which can then be spread in this country and abroad.

My dream when I was young was to be a soccer player. It taught me that you can achieve more when you are part of a team. This is something I also learnt at ETH Zurich: you can do big things when you surround yourself with people who have a common goal.

I spent many years at ETH, and today I still have many contacts with whom I meet to exchange – both at ETH and in industry. I also come back for many events, and I enjoy being a part of this community.

However, the culture in Switzerland when it comes to alumni is different to what I have experienced in the US. I enjoy being connected to my universities, and I see benefits for both sides. I believe ETH can do more to use this network, and as ETH has given me so much, I like having the opportunity to give back. Through the ETH Circle, I can create linkages to my own business area, IT. For example, I am happy to share my own experience with students, and I could see myself mentoring some of them.

I would suggest there are two big areas for the ETH Circle to focus on: leveraging the community in Switzerland, and the community abroad. The international aspect is probably even more important, as the local community is already big and active; but when I was in the US, barely anyone knew about ETH. I recommend we connect with other alumni organisations to learn from them, and tap into their best practices. In addition, I would like to see ETH much more strongly connected to industry, and leading opinion-making at a societal level. I have also made useful contacts with other members in the ETH Circle that I want to develop, so I look forward to continuing my interactions with the group.

I grew up in Zurich. At that time, if you wanted to continue your studies here, you could go to the University of Zurich, or to ETH Zurich. I began at the Uni studying journalism, but in the end, I found out it was not my thing – so I changed to architecture at ETH. After an early stint in this field, I moved to the IT sector. There I deal with a lot of technical aspects, but digitalisation also requires creativity – we need to surface the best ideas and solutions to address challenges. In fact, creative people are needed everywhere as I noticed throughout my career, which included jobs worldwide in different businesses before coming back to Zurich.

Today, I always feel very proud when the rankings are published and ETH does well. For me, it’s an emotional connection: ETH is where I learned how to think, how to be creative, and how much you have to do in order to get results. I find that those people I meet who also came from ETH always stand out – they can thrive in stressful situations and make success out of that.

With the ETH Circle, we can connect with students and inspire brilliant young minds to be successful in whatever they do because they believe in it, with the added value of having the solid skills base that ETH gives them. In this context, I’d be happy to share my experiences, in particular that you cannot predict what you end up doing later on. Your studies should be the preparation for whatever comes, and my career is a good example of where you can land.

To remain agile and current, the ETH Circle should also connect with other top universities to learn from how they manage alumni relationships and special groups that compare to ours. I think bringing different viewpoints into the discussion is important, which is why I appreciate the diversity of the members of the ETH Circle. This is how we can improve the visibility of ETH globally. All these members help tell the story of ETH through their own lens, and showcase the institution beyond its excellence in research and teaching.

I am a pharmacist by training, and while I began my career in pharmaceutical production and development I subsequently took on roles on the more people-oriented side of the business, representing employees in a historical merger and developing diversity and inclusion in corporate cultures. In parallel, I also had a political career, notably as member of the Swiss Parliament, before joining first the executive board of Swisscom, then SBB. In those C-level roles, I covered for ten years topics such as communications, politics and sustainability as well as cooperation with academic institutions, which included the implementation of a professorship for information security and the development of the Mobility Initiative with ETH Zurich.

In my business life, I have always had a bridging role between politics and science. Part of my work often had to do with reconciling the pace of industry versus that of research: trying to close the gap between one side saying, “this is going very slow”, and the other saying, “this is going very fast”. I do think it’s of utmost importance that ETH is crystal clear about what its value proposition is, why it’s vital as institution and requires our society’s financial support.

The ETH Circle can help pass this message. Through the diversity of its members, it represents ecosystem thinking. Made up not just of alumni, the ETH Circle is a group of people that have a connection through their positive attitude to ETH, and can serve the institution as ambassadors and evangelists. They all share the following characteristics: a willingness to be active, to take the time to give back, and to participate in events. In addition, they are open with their opinions, and challenge the organisation by honestly sharing concerns.

An interesting fact is that my husband studied at ETH, and my very first contact was a lecture on theoretical physics he suggested I attend with him. It was a formative experience: in a huge auditorium of 200 students, I was one of four women. In fact, I always wonder to this day what happened to the career of these other three women. When I subsequently worked on diversity and inclusion, I often recalled this image. This is also a topic for ETH, that perhaps we can advance with the ETH Circle.

In addition, I am interested in looking at developing partnerships between ETH and the University of Basel. As a member of the board of the University of Basel, I acknowledge ETH as relevant partner in particular in the Botnar Foundation for child health and the national research priorities Anti-Resist and SPIN. I’m convinced we can extend these synergies further.

My connection to ETH Zurich is recent and, in a way, ongoing, as I only graduated this year. Having been part of ETH as a student and engaging in many extracurricular activities such as the Swissloop project, I can articulate some of the issues that I believe can be addressed through the ETH Circle. During my time in the US, it came to my attention that ETH was not that well known there. When I came back to Switzerland with this in mind, I also noticed that this knowledge was lacking even here – this is a clear disconnect that needs addressing.

I see the ETH Circle as a group of people dedicated to thinking about this. In addition, because they are an eclectic group with different backgrounds and careers, they are the right people to engage, and they have the potential to have meaningful impact.

As a recent graduate, ambassadorship of ETH through the ETH Circle appeals to me. But the measure of happiness of students at ETH, their satisfaction over their time of study and then leveraging them as alumni needs to be looked at. I suggest that we engage with students much earlier. We should make sure they leave with a sense of appreciation and connection that has been nurtured via their experience on campus, engagement with the alumni community, and special moments created to celebrate students’ achievements.

I think this missing appreciation has to do with legacy – and involving students in these projects gives them legitimacy. They want to feel connected to ETH and create their own memories, and the ETH Circle can help connect interested students with mentors in our group and supporters in the institution to take projects forward, and make them a reality.

I have always been attracted by the less travelled roads. From Palermo, I went to Leiden, and I was the only Italian student there – but had I not done that, I would not have met the professor who invited me to come to ETH Zurich. And if it was not for ETH, I would not be here today.

I believe in the power of giving back. The best way to do that is to engage as an alumni – this is a really powerful network that can amplify the reputation of the institution. The ETH alumni network is not so visible, especially compared to some other academic institutions I am familiar with, hence my interest in the ETH Circle.

I see myself as an ambassador for ETH. Can we make kids more interested in science? Can we get more women into STEM fields? During my studies at ETH, I was among the 3 women ever doing a PhD in my group. When you miss out on diversity and inclusion, you cannot excel in a global context. To drive excellence one should be able to sometimes challenge the status quo.

The vision of the ETH Circle should be spelled out clearly: what is our ambition, and our strategy to get there, so we can monitor our progress. I would like the group to look at opportunities for lifelong learning and engagement, and how we can have a dialogue that helps us be better aware of the latest science and research relevant to us individually. I am also interested in getting to know the best talent in order to recruit them. It is difficult to access talent at ETH, unless it is in a specific field, so we might consider this more broadly, and explore the possibilities for mentoring students.

I was lucky to be able to work in a context that enabled me to do things I enjoyed doing. I am interested in culture, science, history, politics and many other topics. When I was an Ambassador, I tried to think of how we can tell stories about Switzerland beyond the stereotypes the country is known for, and found a series of Swiss people that invented fabulous concepts and objects including in the realm of cuisine. This links closely to communication and messaging more broadly: how do we tell the story of Switzerland, and what does Switzerland represent?

I am convinced that the society and economy of Switzerland is and will remain knowledge-based. This is what I tried to communicate to our partners in the US and in international organizations such as the UN, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. The future of our economy lies in activities linked to innovation and the creation of knowledge. This is in contrast to the traditional clichés of cows, chocolate and cheese. While research also happens in the private sector, institutions like ETH are absolutely essential.

The ETH Circle adds value because it goes beyond being an alumni network. I often met people who had never heard of ETH Zurich when I was abroad. To explain what ETH is, I often described it as the Swiss MIT. Of course, I would prefer it if people said they come from MIT, the American ETH – and this is what the ETH Circle should be working towards. If ETH was even better known, we would have more opportunities for cooperation at the top level, as well as other benefits.

The performance of ETH, as illustrated regularly in various university rankings, is excellent, and needs to be continued. I my view the reason is threefold: the openness in any respect, the international exposure, and the quality of research and education. It matters to go beyond narrow expertise and consider cultural and societal interactions, philosophical questions, and other fundamental issues. This is how we broaden and deepen our knowledge and our capacity to solve problems which ETH is doing in an exemplary manner. Innovation is important. It is not just about inventing something, it is about developing business models and becoming useful for society. Finally, providing affordable quality education, that gives graduates a solid grounding with plenty of substance, is the cornerstone of our country’s success.

When I came to Zurich for my PhD studies, I felt very much at home here – ETH Zurich had a great reputation and was doing research in the areas that interested me. Today, I continue to encounter many people from ETH and I remain closely connected to it in different areas. This includes hiring ETH graduates, collaborating with ETH professors, investing as a business angel in ETH spin-offs, participating as a speaker and moderator at ETH events, and as a member of the ETH Big Band, which is very dear to my heart.

The many great spin-offs that ETH produces every year are important to get the research out of the labs and create innovative products, services and businesses that have a real impact on our lives. ETH could probably do more to foster synergies between university and industry. For example, I strongly believe that the dialogue started between ETH and ETH Circle, which includes engaged alumni and other friends of the institution, may become the nucleus of a very strong innovation ecosystem of researchers, spin-offs, investors and business leaders who are eager to collaborate, mentor, run pilot projects, provide access to their personal network, or help with various other aspects of creating and operating a business. At the same time, ETH researchers and teachers may also benefit from getting a deeper understanding of the issues industries face to influence the applied parts of their research agendas and their teaching curricula.

I believe that ETH is selling itself short in terms of branding and how it engages with and mobilizes its alumni, especially compared to other academic institutions – even much lesser known places. ETH alumni play important roles in academia, business and society, worldwide. Despite the likeable ETH understatement, we should share their achievements more actively and – why not – even show some pride to have shared the same alma mater.

In a world where technology is driving and transforming everything, ETH is critically important as a source of innovation and talent for our society and economy. ETH Circle and ETH’s alumni have the potential to amplify that impact. I would like to work with ETH Circle and its members to help advance this cause and transfer that message.

I work with many contacts at ETH, primarily on the topic of artificial intelligence (AI). I strive to work with the best people, hence why I like to work with ETH students and researchers. I also like to recruit ETH students and alumni as they belong to the best talent when it comes to attitude and skills.

I see a lot of potential with the ETH Circle. If we can leverage the globally connected network of ETH, this will add a lot of value. We need to act as ambassadors and point out, that ETH as an institution is unique. I would love for us to be able to coordinate how we position and talk about ETH, for example when it comes to branding and working with global media sources.

Another opportunity I see is to partner more closely with industry and the private sector. If students get hands-on experience in companies and start-ups, they will have a better understanding of what their options are and what to aim for.

We should also cultivate the pride we have for ETH. As an ETH Alumnus, I am happy to promote the university wherever I can, and we all could show our pride much more than this is currently done. When I was deciding where to go study, I was told that ETH ranks among the best universities in the world. This is still true today, and I want to be able to share this story and to attract global talent.

To take these questions forward, I have been thinking about how to connect all of our ambassadors beyond the usual events or Zoom calls, especially in the current context: We could create a virtual space, in such a way that we can collaborate using the latest presence technologies. I am a big virtual reality fan. I have installations both at home and in my office, in such a way that I surround myself in a sphere of screens or that I delve into fully immersive spaces via VR glasses. Why not explore this within our group?

I welcome ETH’s ambition to invest more in AI research. We need to keep pace with the global competition and shape the direction of the field. It’s the future, and it forces us to work in a transdisciplinary fashion. Europe should be a part of the race for AI, being the epicenter for AI can be a role that ETH is excellently positioned to play.

As President of the ETH juniors during my studies, I was able to connect with many students, within and beyond my department. ETH juniors is a condensed student and work experience – it creates very strong bonds. After graduation, you enter the alumni network called ETH Seniors, which is a close knit group that stays very active.

I made some amazing friends during my time at juniors. Community and belonging is vital to everyone – during this pandemic – more than ever. I think there is so much to be tried and tested, notably in terms of formats for interaction. The ETH Circle should try what nobody else dares to try, and pilot different initiatives, both online and in person. I believe the ETH Circle should focus on involving young people to stay current, and learn from them how to build community. Online video games, for example, are replacing in-person socializing for younger generations. A trend that’s being accelerated by (corona) lockdowns and our new work/study-from-home reality. In addition, the alumni experience should not start at the end of your time at ETH, but at the beginning and follow you throughout that journey. It should be clear that there’s an awesome community waiting for you after your graduation.

My biggest wish for ETH is to put its entire teaching and research content online and make it readily available to anyone on the internet, for free. Education is the master key to making everyone better off. ETH shouldn’t keep that precious resource locked way. Let ETH’s knowledge spread freely. This is paramount during times when the scientific method itself is under attack by people who decide that their personal opinion bears more weight than data. It’s also the best way to have impact – by broadcasting online for free, a professor’s knowledge, ideas and passion for science can reach millions of students instead of just 50 sitting in a classroom. That means more recognition and visibility for ETH as an academic institution, research organization and brand on a truly global scale with truly global impact.

20 plus years living in New York have seen me working in corporate advertising and navigating into the realm of Public Diplomacy, working with agencies such as Presence Switzerland to promote Swiss culture art, design, architecture, tech, and business initiatives. My current role running the New York outpost and global development, for Basel-based experience design and engineering firm iart, encapsulates this love of culture, design, and architecture — and puts my networking expertise to good use.

My first glimpse of the ETH forward-thinking and industrious esprit was years ago in Zurich, living with several ETH architecture students and their die-hard 24/7 approach to their projects. Decades later, I was producing the ETH science events series Zurich Meets New York (initiated by the City of Zurich), and have produced subsequent ETH Meets New York series since then.

Not enough people in the US outside of academic circles know about ETH Zurich. I am excited to work towards changing that. I love networking, and knowing ETH well I would be pleased to work with the ETH Circle to help introduce ETH to other circles. I really appreciate that ETH is listening and absorbing the perspectives of the members of the ETH Circle. It is also very important to me that the group is so diverse. I want it to become a platform for sharing and exchanging ideas, generating initiatives in such a way that it is an active and engaged community.

I studied mechanical engineering at ETH Zurich in the 70s. Through my position as President at the Careum Foundation, a large institution in the education of health professionals, I have had professional contacts with ETH which have led to many exciting touchpoints. In terms of Careum’s strategy, interprofessional education is key, and that is something Careum is trying to push with the medical faculty of the University of Zurich and ETHZ activities in the field of health. In addition, ETH Professor Robert Riener is a valued member of Careum’s Board, and his participation was recommended by the former President of ETHZ.

I am retiring 2021, but in the handover process I am keen to have my successors continue this promising relationship, so that Careum and ETH can continue to work together and initiate new educational projects.

Personally, I am interested in mentoring post-graduates, which I recently started doing. My intention and my contribution through the ETH Circle would be to help people who have already graduated, by helping them to master their careers.

The ETH Circle needs to create win-win situations. We need a model where for both the members and ETH it is clear that we need to pursue this project because it is important and we believe in it. My observation is that ETH is very siloed, and better coordination would be invaluable in terms of how external constituents perceive the institution.

ETH is very successful, and my belief is that this will continue. However, one of the things I have observed is that, compared to other top 10 universities in the world, ETH is not well known. The acronym ETH is difficult in and of itself; when I worked and studied in the US, I had to describe ETH as the MIT of Switzerland, because people had never heard of it, let alone understood what “ETH” stood for. Reinforcing the visibility of ETH abroad through the ETH Circle would be something for our group to explore.

I could also imagine that ETH could become even more international in the future, with outposts and educational offerings all around the world (Singapore ETH Centre, MOOCs, etc). Thinking about and defining the benefits of being a global player could also be something the ETH Circle could contribute to.

ETH is my Alma Mater and always ready for a surprise. I studied at ETH Zurich and I love working with start-ups, obviously also ETH spin-offs. The technologies and solutions they develop are unique. The greatest challenge, however, mostly is to apply their technology so that it solves a real-world problem. Let’s not forget: the goal should be that customers love their product. I believe that entrepreneurship is a great alternative for students with a vision and drive. Fostering this talent needs to be promoted. ETH is the perfect place for that.

Even realistically with baby steps, if anyhow possible, I would like to contribute to helping solve challenges like waste-disposal, antibiotic resistance, or global warming. These issues are so complex, they really need the attention of the best minds worldwide and ETH Zurich has many of them.

I would like to provide the Circle with both further network and learnings, working in the fast and ever-changing entertainment industry for the past decade. To share my insights with start-ups, which I had the privilege to gather as a co-founder of Swiss Healthcare Start-ups and as a start-up advisor and to convey my passion for tech and innovation. And let’s not forget humour. It is an enormously powerful tool. I so far haven’t had any complaints after delivering a decent punchline.

What do I expect from the ETH Circle? Clearly, to always start with a great meal! I want to have direct access to a great and vibrant community! Fostering such spirit, however, is in our own hands. To be inspired by every individual, their life stories, background, point of view and drive. And, of course, to be surprised and challenged.

I was born and grew up in China. In 2005 I came to Switzerland to study at ETH Zurich for the Masters in Architecture. I was interested in the gap between the traditional and the modern in architecture in China and in Switzerland.

Now I am running an architecture design office SML Architektur GmbH in Zurich and teaching an architectural research project “The Culture of Water” at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts. Our association, the Swiss-Chinese Chamber of Architects and Artists (SCAA), has many joint projects with ETH and other Chinese Universities. In addition, I am leading the ETH Alumni chapter Beijing. By combining academia, practice, and intercultural exchange, I am interested in exploring new connections in both of these contexts, and I think the ETH Circle is a great idea which can help me develop this.

There is a lot which comes with the ETH brand, but we can also look beyond that. In the ETH Circle, you can connect with different people who really would like to actively contribute, and who recognize the value of ETH. I really believe in the promise of working with the ETH Circle Members, also because of the fact that they are not only alumni of ETH. They have shared values. In life, we can be very goals-oriented, but we also have a social responsibility – I believe the ETH Circle is a way to give back, not just for us to get something.

My studies were in physiology and pharmacology, after which I joined the human resources field and since then have developed businesses in 4 sectors around the world with a focus on organization and people issues. I’ve also had to deal with many challenges including when 1800 of our Walmart colleagues were missing in Japan after the Sendai earthquake, as well as growth in China and across Asia. At Watsons, supporting acquisitions and helping us grow from 12 to 36 countries in 3 years, mostly in Europe, was fun. Having employed and developed people at all levels in retail, manufacturing, healthcare and services, I feel able to connect the dots between education and the world of work. As Chief Human Resources Officer at the Adecco Group, I was close to studies on the future of work, which was my introduction to ETH Zurich: I was asked to speak at the Global Talent Summit that ETH hosted in 2018.

The ETH Circle brings real world experiences back to ETH. To gather former ETH students and friends, who have followed many interesting paths, and bring them under this umbrella presents ETH with a unique opportunity and makes so much sense. Connecting these life and work experiences back into faculty and student programmes makes ETH more relevant. In terms of my own contribution – I’ve only been in Switzerland for four years now, but bring knowledge and experience from living and leading in Hong Kong and the UK as well. I have been so lucky to have worked for pioneering companies, which also include Ford and Boots. Understanding what it means to be at the forefront of industry I hope will add an interesting perspective to ETH, which is in the forefront of educating employees of the future.

While technology makes the world more productive, scientific progression can also be threatening. We see this for example with the topics of AI and climate change. The ETH Circle can bring a blend of commentary and contribution beyond academic and scientific research, to ensure that ethics and green solutions are prioritized. Sometimes, questioning whether you should do something, just because you can. In this way, we can help introduce some checks and possible solutions to ensure we create a world we want our children to live in.

I recommend that our group identifies a few projects that we can do collectively or in small groups, which leverage the experiences of the Circle and the expertise of ETH. Based on the diversity of the ETH Circle, we can have members give input to influence STEM, UN Policy Goals, The Evolution of Work and A Green World, as we can then encourage others to act today with an eye on the future. There is no reason why ETH should not be a more well recognized and familiar global leader of thought and change.

I am fluent in German because my mother came from Germany even though I grew up in Paris. When the time came for me to decide on a course of study, I was looking for a university that would be outstanding and where I could utilize my second language. I felt strongly that there was an opportunity in Switzerland. What drew me to ETH specifically was the combination of theory and practice: using your hands lubricates the brain. This philosophy really suited me, and I also knew about the industrial history of Switzerland having visited often when I was young. That modern Switzerland is to a large extent the result of ETH really stayed with me. When I came to visit ETH, it was love at first sight! When you walk into the Main Building (Hauptgebäude), you feel like you walk into a church – I was hooked, and I just had to go there.

After my studies at ETH I went to MIT for my PhD, and before I was accepted I got in touch with ETH alumni there to help me understand the local context. The whole ETH alumni community in Boston was very welcoming. This motivated me many years later to become the President of the ETH Alumni Association in New England, which currently has about 200 members.

While this role keeps me busy and connected to ETH, what excites me about the ETH Circle project is that it came from the Office of the President. Being associated with it gives me a sense as to what the administration of ETH is thinking and the possibility for impact. Working together with the rest of the group on a vision for how we can contribute to this vision is something I feel I can help with and want to deliver on.

The ETH Circle should set ambitious goals that we, the Members, can work towards, aligned with the mission of ETH and what the President wants to achieve. We should act as the catalysts for implementing his vision and leveraging the ETH community to achieve this. The ETH alumni are an amazing set of people, and this is a great resource that should benefit the school. I believe that most people, if you ask them, will tell you that they had a fantastic experience studying at ETH and want to give back to the community and the school.

ETH Zurich is a well-respected brand in Switzerland, known for its academic excellence and groundbreaking research. However, it’s less widely recognized outside of the country, and as someone living in New York, I often find myself explaining its significance to others. I highlight its top position in global rankings, mention considerable research from the institution, and stress its importance to Switzerland.

The ETH Circle can help catalyze ETH’s brand and establish a commercial link between Europe and the US. For our efforts to have a meaningful impact, members need to align their personal and professional goals with the value that the ETH Circle can deliver. I’m excited to collaborate with the ETH Circle and contribute to the growth and success of ETH Zurich.

For me, there is a great pride associated with ETH Zurich. How I came to be there in the first place is an interesting story: One day, I got a call from the Chair of Landscape Architecture at the time, who asked me if I was ready and willing to do a doctorate on Dieter Kienast (1945–1998), the celebrated Swiss landscape architect and first professor of landscape architecture at ETH. They needed someone to delve into his legacy and discuss his work critically by working through his archives and cataloging his work. I had my own established research bureau in Belgium at the time, but I was intrigued, and took the plunge.

I was lucky to spend the many years a doctorate takes by engaging with this outstanding œuvre and beyond. The research sheds light on thirty years of landscape architecture in Europe and the U.S. At the Chair of Landscape Architecture of Christophe Girot, we also developed a framework and tools to reform the pedagogy and practice of landscape architecture under the name of “Topology”. It was a wonderful teamwork, and I was lucky to lead the effort as then Head of Research. The books on Kienast won many prizes and Mrs Kienast donated her archives and the library to ETH before I left. I have been able to keep in touch with ETH because of the ongoing work on several books, which require me to access the library and the archives. The “Bibliothek Dieter Kienast” is my favorite working space, still to this day, and I have spent many summers in Zurich and at ETH.

Being part of the ETH Circle is interesting, fun, and I feel heard. I participated in the mentoring pilot programme recently, and that was very rewarding. I have built connections with other members – it’s a great community, we listen and give and take opportunities to contribute. I appreciate that it is content based as well as a network. There are tangible results to our work that improve the school.

My wish for ETH would be to clearly focus on a positive impact on society in Switzerland and beyond. In my field, that means considering what needs to be done to develop and preserve evolved and designed landscapes, to foster wellbeing and spatial justice. A public university can neither be detached from local nor global communities, especially in our current climate crisis. Switzerland is densely populated and has a long history of excellence and innovation in landscape architecture, architecture and graphic design. Combining form, material (in our case especially plants and the knowledge where to plant them and how) and function to create spaces that are durable and beautiful is very important. Our priority should be to create just environments in and beyond Switzerland: there is a moral obligation to do something out of this privileged position as a rich nation.

As a child, when I was growing up in Zurich, I was very impressed by an ETH engineer – a family friend – and by the ETH building, and I decided that I would study there. After one year of biology I switched to food engineering. There I enjoyed the mix of life science courses in technology, chemistry and microbiology. This was where my personal interest in wine and chocolate was born, which remains to this day.

Professionally speaking, my studies at ETH Zurich were well-complemented by my MBA at INSEAD. The combination of the business and engineering skills with my international background (French and Swiss) was what made my career a success, notably by allowing me to create all my jobs from scratch. I was active in the field of European business development of innovative molecules (pharmaceutical industry), global harmonisation and external relations in technical regulatory affairs (cosmetics), which involved a lot of communication and negotiation. ETH gave me the foundations that helped me provide others with an understanding of the science behind products, and obtain credibility. It was also the source of a problem-solving approach and adaptability.

I still keep in touch with my ETH family – for example when I came for this interview, I spoke to my former professor, with whom I regularly exchange views on the interaction between business and academia.

The story of my relationship with ETH Zurich is one that goes back more than 20 years. I first moved to Switzerland in 1994 when UBS transferred me from New York to Zurich. We came over with one baby and 3 cats and left 15 years later with 3 teenagers and no cats… A lot happened over those years, but one of the important things early on was finding out that, if you had a friend at ETH Zurich, you could get a faster internet connection. This was important because it was how we stayed in touch (remember AOL?) with friends and family. It was my first touchpoint with ETH.

When I left being a banker, I started a gathering called First Tuesday, which was aimed at bringing together entrepreneurs and investors in Zurich, and was part of network of global meetings. This was when I began to better understand the depth of ETH’s research, why it was important, and its role in the Swiss entrepreneurial ecosystem. I still remember hosting a standing room only, ‘shark tank’ style event on campus at the Audimax in 2000, featuring local venture investors, start-ups and ETH spin-outs.

We moved back to Boston in 2009, and shortly thereafter we sold our company to Bloomberg and I started commuting to NYC. This was when I got the call to moderate the first of the ETH Meets You event series in New York. Since then, I have moderated events in Zurich, Boston, Davos, New York and virtually during COVID – always learning about new areas, meeting fascinating professors, researchers, and members of the broader ETH community. For anyone with curiosity around science, technology and the transformation of our world, it’s a fantastic institution to work with. In the words of William Gibson, “the future is here, it’s just unevenly distributed”. ETH is one of the handful of institutions around the world that can give you those insights into the future. This is why I strongly believe in the mission and vision of the ETH Circle.

In specialized areas of academic research, ETH has always been well recognized – Albert Einstein was an alumni after all. However, ETH can and must play a role in applying technology at scale as the world faces urgent challenges: from the climate crisis, to food access, to all the ways we work, travel, and connect. The ETH Circle is an important step in telling the stories of ETH across the world’s stage and advancing that mission.

Susan Kish is the Host of the We Are ETH Podcast, featuring ETH Circle members, ETH Zurich alumni and friends. You can listen to it here.

I am the fourth generation in my family to have studied at ETH Zurich -so the choice of institution was quite natural for me. Choosing the topic of study was more difficult. However, in hindsight, I can’t imagine studying anything other than mechanical & industrial engineering, as it covers so many different disciplines and hones your problem solving skills with a strong practical component! During my studies, I was involved in numerous student associations and spent two semesters abroad, at NUS and MIT. Through my involvement as a member of the board at ETH Alumni Association I still feel closely connected with ETH today.

ETH is a big institution that can be very siloed; more collaboration across these silos and a stronger sense of community could have a tremendous impact within but also towards alumni and friends of ETH . The work of the ETH Circle brings in a different perspective, a fresh approach and community building practices that can be tested and developed in a small group, and eventually scaled to a larger audience.

Connecting & creating synergies between the ETH Circle and the ETH Alumni Association will be vital. What are ways to help the ETH Circle based on the Association’s experience, and vice-versa? How can we jointly leverage the vast social capital within our alumni and friends of ETH that benefit both them and ETH? My notion is that this will create ripple effects that will ultimately benefit ETH as an institution.

ETH is great at bringing out new technologies and developing cutting-edge research; where I think we can do better is creating a strong community with an emotional connection to the institution. The ETH Circle is thus more than a group of people spending time together. Through knowledge-sharing, networking, bringing together people with shared interests and values, we create a bond that contributes to improving ETH itself, as well as society.

As I was interested in pharmacy, ETH was a top choice for my studies, and I was looking for something with a sound scientific basis: I got into science and wanted to a PhD. I followed that by going to UNIL in Lausanne, after which I ended up at Arizona State University. That was the start of 30 years of my life in the US, focusing on research and new product development. But I should add that I met my wife at ETH, so it is a special place to me.

At the start of my life as an ETH student, I was scared; sitting with 400 students in a lecture hall was intimidating. I was not prepared; I was not sure that I belonged here… I didn’t know for a long time if I was good enough. For this reason, the Mentoring Pilot Programme started by the ETH Circle and AVETH in 2021 is an incredibly important project. I welcome the opportunity of sharing my experience and advice with current students in a safe space, in a constructive way. I also got involved early on in helping set up the US chapters of the ETH Alumni Association. It’s wonderful to be able to give back in these ways to an institution I admire.

ETH is the Swiss MIT. But I would like to be able to say: the MIT is the American ETH. What is ETH? What does ETH represent in the US? In my experience, I’ve found that it’s well-known in the academic world, but then it disappears when it comes to the general public… There is a gap between the rankings and the brand recognition in the US. We need to work on this, because for those who are looking for jobs, regular graduates, it puts them at a disadvantage. The ETH Circle is the most powerful vehicle to achieve these goals. Thanks to the diversity and the global reach of our network, out-of-the-box, blue-sky thinking and discussions at a high intellectual level are a very powerful tool.

Science needs freedom and space to express, to try; and a democratic base where opinions are respected, and thinking can be challenged. We have too many trends against that currently. There are major threats out there, and as a Swiss federal university with a democratic tradition, we should share this model, highlight its value, and showcase why this freedom is so important. I think ETH and others who have that freedom can step up and be ambassadors for our values.

In my youth I was very interested in aviation and wanted to become a pilot. When I learned to fly at the age of 16, I became fascinated by weather and air movement. I started to realize that what I actually wanted to do, learn how nature and especially our climate works. At the time, Earth Sciences at ETH Zurich was the only place that offered this as a topic of study. It eventually led me to what I still do today in the field.

Looking back, I always felt like there were missed opportunities for somehow closing the circle with the world outside, for staying involved and in giving back to the institution and the community. This gap was an unknown, one I hadn’t really thought about until I walked into the conversation with the ETH Circle at the Swiss Embassy in Washington D.C. in February 2019. It was immediately clear to me that this project is a unique opportunity to create a vibrant community that goes beyond the walls of the ETH building, and extends a relationship to the institution after leaving ETH, or even leaving Switzerland. There is so much talent nurtured at ETH that could add value in many ways both to ETH and members themselves. I see this as especially beneficial for young people going into a career who can get a bridge and guidance from the broader ETH community.

Take the way the mentoring programme pilot (which has a working group of ETH Circle members that I am part of) has taken off without difficulties. It gained strong internal interest and is a great illustration of what this group can achieve. I think we need to consider what ideas we want to take forward and how to maintain them on a long-term basis. Innovation requires the connection of different brains at the right time at the right place, and for this the social in-person gatherings are as important as our regular online touchpoints. The challenge is to be clear about our purpose – to achieve this, it’s good that we constantly look for the best ideas, and continuously reconsider what the role of the ETH Circle is, and how we all can contribute.

I left former Yugoslavia with the specific intention to study at ETH Zurich. My mentor at the time said to me, “this is the best engineering school in the world, you should go study there.” ETH changed my world in a very literal way – how I live, where I live, what I do and why I do it.

I was lucky to have that recommendation come my way, because I find that either people know ETH very well, or they do not know it at all. I believe we can better communicate the opportunity that ETH is at two levels in particular.

Firstly, when I am speaking to young talents as a mentor at a time when they are thinking of where they should go and study, I think that we can make ETH more approachable and appealing. This needs to happen early on, so that young boys and girls can aspire to join early on. We shouldn’t let the university be perceived as out of reach, unattainable, or elitist. This applies both to Switzerland and abroad.

Secondly, in the corporate world, when we are looking for more senior talent that needs to consider where they kids can continue their education, ETH becomes part of what makes Switzerland attractive as a place to relocate to. Yes the quality of life here is incredible, and we are close to nature thanks to our proximity to the lake and the mountains; but we also have fantastic gems like ETH that should not be underestimated as part of the appeal of this part of the world for talents abroad.

I love the word “ambassadors”, and that’s what we should all be as part of the ETH Circle: we represent ETH and its values, and help make it known across the world. We work together as a group on the ways to make it known, because the world needs more engineers. And the quality of the engineers that come out of ETH is second to none.

I studied Mathematics at ETH Zurich in the 1960s; when I was doing my Matura, it was obvious that if you wanted to do maths, you had to go to ETH. I then got an MBA at Stanford, followed by a PhD in Economics at Hebrew University, and taught a bit, before changing careers: I decided to become a journalist, and was a correspondent for NZZ for many years.

My link with ETH during that time was that I had a mathematics column, which was later turned into several books. So I became an author as well. Unfortunately, there were 40 years during which I didn’t hear from ETH, until I met the ETH Global Team and a group of alumni at ETH Meets New York, and then was approached to become a member of the ETH Circle. American universities constantly send out things to their alumni, but I never really heard from ETH, and I am happy to be connected again.

To explain to people what ETH is, the boring cliché is to tell them that Einstein went there. There are also rankings I often refer to, because ETH does very well in many topics, which is an important point. And when I am in New York, I can point out that some of the bridges were built by ETH graduates. It would be important to work on some of the communications aspects of ETH, and how we tell the story of ETH.

My pet project is that we need a publishing house; all the great universities have one, it’s something that’s missing at ETH. This would benefit the ETH brand tremendously. I also would be interested in doing something with the ETH alumni in Tel Aviv; it would be great to activate some of the international activities of the Alumni Association.

I am German but grew up in Switzerland and studied at ETH Zurich and Harvard. I feel very European ever since I have offices in both Geneva and Paris. In my life, I found that as time went by, the more important it became to be a European in a global world. This personal link is reflected in my work as an architect – this feeling of being part of a community, very much like the ETH Circle actually.

In architecture we are like a family: it’s a way of thinking, of drawing, of doing. My relation to ETH brings a profoundly Swiss influence to my work; in the architectural style, but also the culture and the way of work. Sharing is how you get further, how you meet new people, and how you get something from them. And sometimes you also need to leave and go someplace different to appreciate that, or even change your perspective and your ways.

I like an “atelier” approach, which is one where everyone can contribute and participate. There is no idea that is a bad idea; it’s part of the work process to be together, exchange and reflect. This is also the ETH Circle approach: to meet people who are engaged in different professions, who are passionate, and want to do all they can to support ETH.

In terms of our role and what I hope we can achieve, we need to show the outside more of what goes on inside. There is so much amazing science, such great innovation, so many special projects coming out of ETH. When I talk with the members ETH Circle, this becomes very apparent – and I want to help showcase all of this.

My decision to study at ETH Zurich was more of a hunch than a clear decision. I thought this was the only time in my life I would be able to study the natural sciences. This proved to be true, because I started working during my studies, and then ended up in banking.

Fast-forward to today and I still have several points of contact with ETH. Some of my close friends are alumni and people I met while I was studying there. In my last position at Julius Baer, I noticed many topics that have a connection with ETH — whether it’s ESG (Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance), fintech, or cybersecurity.

During my global travels, I’ve noticed that ETH is such a signature element on a CV or business card. It’s probably one of Switzerland’s greatest exports. ETH is an outstanding school for thinking independently, as well as developing subject-specific expertise. People who studied at ETH have a unique ability to look at the world through a critical lens and solve problems pragmatically.

When it comes to the institution’s success, the question is not whether ETH will be successful – rather how it can be even more successful. The answer for me lies in the positive effect of ecosystems, where networks are used to the benefit of all participants. In banking, I have learned that the best relationships are those in which all parties can benefit from each other and in which ideas thrive through interaction and the mutual challenge of different points of view. This applies to our idea of connecting clients with each other and with our own network of in-house and external experts, and of increasingly co-creating solutions together. It also applies to internal collaboration, where I see multi-disciplinary teams coming up with better approaches (and having more fun) than when everybody is working in silos.

True insight emerges only when you bring together different perspectives and combine the best of all worlds in a problem-solving process. As an academic institution and a source of knowledge for generations, ETH has a key role to play. It is important that this expertise finds its way from academia to the practical world. The world’s problems are too complex for a single party to resolve them alone. Academic insight and its application can only emerge successfully if we bridge these different worlds.

Personally, I am as keen to connect with other ideas and industries as I am to provide opportunities for people to learn about my world. The ETH Circle has the power to foster that type of exchange in order to become a vibrant and value-adding community, not just in the realm of science but by extending its reach to the broader economy. By doing that, it will unfold its potential and truly touch the lives of the people who live and work in that real economy and thereby have an impact on the world.

ETH Zurich has always been central to me. As a child, I loved to disassemble radios, telephones, TVs and other technical products. But I never managed to put them together again. This fuelled my aspiration to someday become one of those people, who can build fascinating technical products. At that time ETH Professor Georg Epprecht, was our neighbour. My parents suggested I should talk to him to find out how to become an inventor or designer. I remember the visit as if it was yesterday. I was 11 or 12 years old. Professor Epprecht suggested that I should study Electrical Engineering at ETH. This became my non-negotiable plan and motivated me to manage school.

Throughout my career, ETH has always led me to many new opportunities. Years later, when I was in a position to recruit personnel, ETH became very relevant for human resources, as I knew that young graduates from ETH would have the outstanding, required talent and skills for success.

What appeals to me about the ETH Circle is the opportunity to help spread the word about what ETH does in terms of people. If we look at all the alumni of ETH, it is fascinating how many great managers, entrepreneurs, and leaders you find among them. People who make a great difference in our society, who help to keep Switzerland relevant on a global scale. Having an understanding of technology is a great advantage when leading a company. Economy or law still are relevant in leading positions; however, technology has become the key innovation driver in almost every industry.

When I was at Open Systems, we coined the phrase “engineers are the rock stars of today’s economy” (see here). It was a joint program with ETH to motivate more young talents to evaluate science and engineering as their career path. With the help of the ETH Circle, I believe that ETH can become even more people-centric, helping to spread the word of how technical excellence can drive people, careers, teams, organisations, and our society.

I first came to ETH Zurich in the mid-1980s to pursue a PhD in polymer chemistry and catalysis. My research group was truly international, and ETH gave me the foundation for a global career. Looking back, I realise how much those connections shaped my path.

After ETH, I spent many years at Dow, where I worked on advanced materials and innovation projects. That experience taught me the importance of collaboration across disciplines and industries; something I believe ETH alumni can do brilliantly if we have the right platforms.

Today, my focus is on sustainability. It’s not just a trend; it’s a necessity. Alumni networks can play a huge role here by sharing expertise, driving partnerships, and accelerating solutions. We should be doing more to connect alumni across industries and geographies, not just for social reasons but for professional collaboration and knowledge sharing. There’s so much expertise in our network—why not make it easier to access?

I see initiatives like the ETH Circle as a great start, but we need to go further. Structured networking, mentorship programmes, and tailored co-creation opportunities are key. Alumni want to contribute, but they need visibility and opportunities to engage meaningfully.

ETH’s strength isn’t only in its academic excellence; it’s in the global community of innovators who began their journey here. Let’s make those connections thrive.

I grew up in Uri, fascinated by both the humanities and sciences. My turning point came during an open day (“Maturandinnen Tag”) visiting ETH Zurich. I meant to check out chemistry but ended up fascinated by electrical engineering and information technology. Transitioning from an Uri high school degree with a Latin major to electrical engineering and information technology at ETZ Zurich was a challenge, but it taught me resilience and set me on my path towards my north star.

Today, my work focuses on space resources and space technology, turning Lunar regolith into solar cells. I’m passionate about projects that push boundaries, whether it’s coming up with novel Earth observation algorithms to inform decision makers, shaping missions to bring back Mars rocks back to Earth, combining advancements in the satellite industry with computer vision and artificial intelligence communities or exploring how space solutions can benefit life on Earth. Working in this field reminds me daily of the importance of creativity, collaboration, and tenacity.

Being part of the ETH Circle means staying connected to a community that values innovation and impact. I believe strongly in mentoring and want to support young scientists and engineers, especially women, who are considering technical careers. Everyone should pay it forward and help the next generation to take the leap, that’s what makes it all worth it.

Looking ahead, I hope to keep bridging disciplines and cultures, and to contribute to projects that make a real difference both in space and here on Earth. ETH gave me all the necessary tools to tackle challenges head on, and I want to pass that mindset on to the next generation.

I have long been fascinated by the story of ETH’s founding: created as a federally funded university just after Switzerland became a democracy, it was charged with educating citizens who would give back to society through the skills they gained. That mission has been fulfilled many times over. Today, ETH graduates contribute at the forefront of their fields in Switzerland and around the globe. ETH is proof that taxpayer support for high-quality education delivers extraordinary returns for society.

Ironically, my knowledge of ETH deepened only after I left Switzerland for New York. With the American Swiss Foundation, I visited labs, centers, and departments and saw firsthand the university’s role as an engine of innovation. Switzerland may be steeped in tradition, but ETH shows that this does not preclude pioneering research and teaching that propel Switzerland to the top of global innovation rankings year after year.

As a member of the ETH Circle, I aim to increase ETH’s visibility in the U.S. and to engage in discussions about its future needs. The Circle serves as a diverse, international brain trust that combines a uniquely Swiss perspective with a global outlook. I am proud to serve as an ambassador for ETH, building bridges from Switzerland to the world.