From robotics research in Japan to leading Swissnex locations in Boston, Shanghai, and now Osaka: ETH alumnus Felix Moesner has built a career at the intersection of science, innovation and diplomacy. In this interview, he reflects on how ETH shaped his international journey and shares his advice for students and young alumni aspiring to work abroad.

You grew up in Appenzell, but spent time abroad early on, especially in Japan – first at Toshiba and later during your PhD at the University of Tokyo. What drew you there?

I moved to Zurich after high school, where I started studying electrical engineering at ETH. As you can imagine, the courses were very theoretical at the beginning. I always try to find a way to map it to reality to bring what I learned in theory to reality. So I said: Why not do an internship in some trendy field? At that time, robotics were extremely trendy.

I later also did my Master’s and my PhD in this field – this was more than 30 years ago. It was in Japan and in the United States, where robotics were quite advanced. I chose Japan for an internship on intelligent manufacturing involving AI at Toshiba, which opened the doors into the robotics world. Coming back to ETH, I could bring a lot of insights and knowledge back to the labs and was warmly welcomed to the Institute for Robotics at ETH.

How has ETH shaped your life – both professionally and personally?

To have the ETH “rucksack” really opens many doors around the world and you learn to think structurally and strategically. On the other hand, it opens the door to the alumni network. Wherever you go, you find people from ETH – there’s a global network of graduates. This definitely helped me to navigate the world, especially here in Japan. To find a group where you can connect and regularly meet.

What was your biggest takeaway from your studies?

When you study at ETH, you also experience challenges. With these challenges, you learn a technique to find solutions. I think this is the biggest takeaway for me. And as I mentioned before, you have this network of alumni from all over the world. It’s possible to connect with these alumni in a very easy, uncomplicated way.

Which projects at Swissnex in Japan are you most passionate about?

At Swissnex in Japan, we bring talents, knowledge, and ideas together in the field of education, research, innovation, and startups between Switzerland, Japan, and the world. I am especially passionate about one specific project, which was to establish Swissnex in Japan – our doors just opened two and a half years ago.

As you can imagine, this new science consulate was a very big project to realize here in Osaka, which is a very thriving area in Japan, with many Nobel laureates, high-class research institutions, top industrial support, and a lot of places where startups can dock on.

Maybe the main project that really drove the whole team was the Expo 2025 in Osaka. There, we worked very closely with the Swiss Pavilion in fields of academic relations, innovation, and art science. We also had projects organized with ETH during that time – one of them was the Swiss-Japan Energy Days, where we brought both countries together to talk about urgent needs in the field of energy and trends for the future.

Other areas involve startups coming from Switzerland that we introduce to the market in Japan. Or, we had just recently one large exhibition with events, screenings, and workshops as part of our planetary embassy during the whole month of March. Yes, you heard it right: We had a planetary embassy at Swissnex in Japan. We were looking for a format to start a dialogue with the community here. How we see working and living together with the planet and all its species, and how we can build a new form of diplomacy to do that.

What do you find challenging?

The Japanese language is one of the main challenges. However, it gives me the motivation to master it. Now, I’m quite fluent in Japanese and can be super productive in this environment and navigate through the culture in Japan.

What does a typical day in your work look like – or is there even such a thing?

A typical thing we do is trend scouting. We also link the trends back to Switzerland and find ways how to add value. What I most enjoy is trying new things, new formats. I tell my team: The sky’s the limit. So, please try. And if mistakes happen, it is a part of the learning curve. I think this really opens a lot of potential to think out of the box.

What’s your favorite difference between the stations you lived at?

Being with Swissnex, I had the chance to be in four different places – starting in Tokyo, then Boston, then in Shanghai for China, and now back in Osaka for Japan. Looking at the differences, when you go from Japan to Boston: it’s very academic. Being situated between MIT and Harvard, you can really feel it.

Moving from Boston to China, you have the feeling that the people are extremely pragmatic. It’s possible to do projects that are considered impossible. We had a drone race in the embassy, for example.

Moving back to Japan, you see that there are many similarities between Japan and Switzerland. I find it extremely enjoyable to work with startups because they speak the same language of quality & high standards in Switzerland and here in Japan – the level is extremely high. This is what the companies in Japan appreciate when they meet Swiss startups for the first time.

As an ETH alumnus, what still connects you to your alma mater, and what do you value most about being part of the ETH Alumni community?

We have a global Swissnex network, and we host alumni events. Here in Japan, for example, we do this on purpose during the Sakura season, when we have the cherry blossoms, and we invite all the alumni together. It’s a wonderful opportunity to connect, reconnect, and meet new friends.

What advice would you give ETH students or young alumni who aspire to an international career?

I can only say “yokoso”, which means “warmly welcome” in Japanese. If you are a young student or a young alumnus or alumna from ETH, please reach out globally, because, without international reach, the world is extremely small. It broadens your horizon to go internationally. ETH is already one of the most international universities in the world. With the “rucksack” from ETH, you can easily experience the whole world.

So, whenever you’re around abroad, don’t hesitate and reach out to the alumni chapters that are present in all corners of the world. And they’re more than happy to welcome you.

Please click here to watch the video excerpt on the ETH Alumni Instagram account.

This interview transcript was originally published by ETH Alumni on 18 June 2026.

We are Vivian, Bene and Florian, all students at ETH Zurich. Vivian is currently finishing her master’s thesis on data centers and their impact on Switzerland’s energy system. Bene is a PhD student in the Molecular Engineering Thermodynamics (MET) Group, where he focuses on modelling interfaces for sustainable technologies. Florian is a PhD student at the Chair of Ecological Systems Design, working on defossilisation in the chemical industry.

CERAWeek is often described as the “Super Bowl” of the energy industry” – and this year, we got tickets. From the moment we arrived, it became clear why CERAWeek has such a reputation. The event was enormous: the exhibition and conference area felt as large as 15 football pitches, making the “Super Bowl” comparison surprisingly accurate. Everywhere we looked, there were workshops, panel discussions, informative sessions and opportunities to exchange ideas. Conversations happened constantly – between sessions, in hallways, at receptions, and often when we least expected them. Our LinkedIn networks grew quickly, but more importantly, we made meaningful connections with industry experts, policymakers, and researchers.

Even before the official program began, the mood was set. At the pre-conference reception on Sunday evening, it became clear which topic would dominate the week: the Strait of Hormuz and the ongoing global oil crisis. It was striking to witness such a historic moment from inside one of the world’s most important energy gatherings.

At the same time, the geopolitical situation also revealed how narrowly the energy trilemma can be framed in times of crisis. Questions of security and supply clearly took center stage, while climate change and the long-term transformation challenges facing the energy industry often faded into the background. It was striking to observe how strongly a fossil-based narrative was reinforced throughout the week in Houston, with limited attention given to the transition toward renewable energy, despite well-documented risks that continued fossil fuel extraction poses to the climate. That made academia’s presence all the more important and we are glad to have contributed to the debate by participating in discussions and by presenting our research. One of our key takeaways from the conference was how naïve it is to expect the fossil fuel industry to drive emission reductions on its own. Instead, we were reminded that only strong and consistent policy frameworks will enable achieving climate targets.

We are also very grateful to the NextGen organization team at S&P Global, who made us feel welcome and supported throughout the week. Their openness and hospitality made the experience especially memorable. A big thank you as well to ETH Studios for making this trip possible.

Of course, our time in Houston was not limited to the conference itself. We also had the chance to explore the city and enjoy a bit of local culture: from a baseball game and the Houston Space Center to salsa dancing and Texas BBQ. CERAWeek 2026 was an intense, eye-opening and unforgettable experience. We left with new ideas, new contacts and friends, and a stronger sense of why academic voices matter in shaping the future of energy.

In January, I packed my bags and flew to Pasadena, California, to start a six-month adventure at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. I joined the team working on a future Mars rotorcraft, contributing to a project aimed at pushing the boundaries set by Ingenuity, the pioneering Mars helicopter. This marked the start of an unforgettable chapter, both as an engineer and as a person.

Life at JPL

Life at JPL was unlike anywhere else I’ve worked before. On any given day, you might walk past engineers testing new rover prototypes in the courtyard or catch a glimpse of hardware being readied for launch in the clean rooms. I even got to meet the astronauts from the Artemis crew when they dropped by to visit! All of this felt extraordinary at first, but gradually became part of everyday life. I was part of the software team developing algorithms for an Earth-based demonstrator drone, which serves as a testbed for technologies that could one day guide a future Mars rotorcraft. My main focus was on the autonomy side: designing and refining the software that allows the drone to plan missions, execute waypoint navigation, and make real-time decisions during flight. This is critical, since a drone on Mars cannot be controlled in real time due to communication delays among other things. I also contributed to perception algorithms that detect safe landing sites in rough terrain which is a crucial capability for future planetary flying vehicles. Beyond coding, a big part of the work was integrating and testing everything on real hardware, ensuring the algorithms performed just as well in the lab and outdoors as they did in simulation. Beyond developing algorithms, a big part of the experience was bringing them to life through real drone tests. Our lab had an indoor drone testing room where we could fly whenever needed, and the campus also featured an outdoor drone yard which is essentially a large netted area designed specially for safe flight testing. Supervisors and senior engineers, many of whom had actually worked on Ingenuity itself, stopped by regularly to give guidance and feedback. It was a great environment to learn and develop in, and it was extremely motivating and inspiring.

Testing in the Desert

A particularly memorable part of the internship was a field trip to Death Valley National Park, where our team tested our drones in Mars-like terrain. The goal was to evaluate how well our algorithms handled challenging, unstructured environments which is a valuable step before moving to more advanced trials. The setting, with its dry valleys and rugged rock formations, offered a striking reminder of what exploration on another planet might feel like and the challenges it posed for our perception algorithms. It was demanding work under the sun, but a great opportunity to see our software perform outside the lab. Being out there also made me realize how, while small errors are part of testing on Earth, a similar mistake millions of kilometers away on Mars could mean the end of an entire mission. This makes Ingenuity’s success even more impressive.

Beyond the Lab

Of course, California itself was a whole other adventure. Pasadena quickly became home, even if finding a place to live wasn’t easy when wildfires swept through Los Angeles in January. Daily life was quite different to Switzerland with the car-centric culture, the long distances, and the contrasts of city life. Luckily, it was easy to settle in thanks to the people I met, especially the other interns and students from Caltech in the neighborhood. Together, we filled our weekends with road trips and new experiences: hiking through Joshua Tree, Zion, and Sequoia National Parks; catching sunsets and learning to surf in Malibu, sometimes accompanied by dolphins; exploring San Diego and San Francisco; and even flying to Hawaii. Standing on a surfboard in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, surrounded by turtles, is a memory that will stay with me forever.

Reflections

Looking back, my time at JPL was as much about algorithms and drones as it was about people and places. I met brilliant engineers, many of whom had shaped historic missions, and shared adventures with interns from around the world. I learned that true engineering isn’t about complex solutions, but about making things simple, reliable and robust, especially when they need to work flawlessly millions of kilometers away. Most importantly, I left California hungry for more. More travel, more exploration, and more opportunities to work at the frontier of robotics and autonomy. Whether I continue in industry or one day pursue a PhD, one thing is clear: this internship confirmed that I love the blend of research, teamwork and experimentation that pushes technology and robotics forward.

Closing Thought

Back in Zurich, I’m grateful for how much this experience broadened my perspective: on technology and science, teamwork, and what it means to explore. The mindset I took from JPL stays with me every day, pushing me to keep learning, improving, and reaching further, not only in robotics, but also personally.

The ENHANCE Alliance is a network of ten leading European technical universities (Chalmers, TU Delft, Gdańsk Tech, NTNU, Polimi, RWTH Aachen, TU Berlin, UPV, WUT, and ETH Zurich), founded as part of the European Universities Initiative. ETH Zurich joined the Alliance in November 2022 (see ETH news).

My first assignment as the ENHANCE Core Officer at ETH Zurich took place in May 2022 at the Leadership Meeting in Warsaw, following the decision by ETH Zurich’s Executive Board to join the ENHANCE Alliance. The focus there was the proposal for the four-year ENHANCE+ project. Following intensive brainstorming and negotiations, my colleagues and I visited the botanical garden. Inspired by the exotic plants and the colourful flowers, we reflected: ETH’s engagement in ENHANCE will flourish if the institution, its students and staff all benefit from it. ENHANCE should become a garden of innovative education, where ideas can grow.

As the Core Officer, I had the privilege of being one of the gardeners. Among other things, my task was to prepare Rector Günther Dissertori, and Vice-Rector Jan Vermant, for the governance meetings and to accompany them. When ten universities sit down to negotiate, there will be twenty different opinions. Nevertheless, we always managed to reach compromises because we are all working towards the same goal: to prepare our students for their future challenges in business and society. I experienced that ETH’s commitment in the European Higher Education Area is highly valued. ETH is often looked upon as a role model. Of course, we can also learn from our partners, who are pursuing many initiatives, such as digitalisation, with just as much drive and innovation.

The seed of ENHANCE has been sown. It is growing and the first buds are beginning to bloom. Thanks to Julia Wussler and her colleagues, there are now more opportunities for short-term mobility, which enables students to learn and collaborate in an international context. Thanks to project funding from Movetia, the National Agency for Exchange and Mobility, students have access to scholarships. ETH faculty also contributes to attractive learning opportunities, such as the Summer School in Transdisciplinary or in Urban Planning.

The entire Swiss higher education sector benefits from the European Universities Initiative. We exploit synergies in the digitalisation of administrative processes. Florian Hilfinger from RWTH Aachen and David Sichau from ETH Zurich jointly lead the IT Infrastructure & Services work package. They have carried out a feasibility study on the use of verifiable credentials for digital data transfer between universities. We have shared these findings with swissuniversities and launched a national project for issuing digital credentials.

The benefits for ETH go beyond academic collaboration. It is the many personal connections between people that bring significant individual and institutional value – they are the “fertiliser” for trust, ongoing collaboration and development. I now hand over the “rake and hoe” to my successor, Anna-Katharina Lautenschütz. I would like to express my gratitude for all the wonderful encounters with the people who contribute to the garden of ENHANCE, ensuring that it continues to flourish and bear fruit.

To mark the upcoming International Women’s Day on 8 March 2026, and inspired by this year’s theme Give to Gain, we are shining a light on some of the remarkable women whose perspectives and experiences enrich the ETH Ambassadors blog. By giving our attention to their stories, we gain a deeper appreciation of the curiosity, creativity and commitment that shape our community.

Below, we invite you to revisit a selection of their posts. Each one offers a unique window into the people and ideas that make ETH Zurich a vibrant, diverse and forward‑looking place.

1. NASA JPL: Building a Researcher in Turbulent Times

“I can confidently say that during my time at JPL, I grew both as a researcher and as a person.” In this article, Tenzin Tsultrim shares how a four-month internship at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory shaped her. 

As part of the inaugural Space Systems Master’s programme at ETH Zurich, launched by former NASA Head of Science Thomas Zurbuchen, Tenzin stepped straight into the heart of planetary research. From numerically simulating Venusquakes to field-testing infrasound sensors, she contributed to work that could one day help detect seismic activity on Venus.

At the same time, she witnessed the realities of turbulent times in the U.S., including visa delays, budget cuts, and uncertainty at JPL. What stayed with her most was the resilience, humility, and optimism of the people around her.

Read more: NASA JPL: Building a Researcher in Turbulent Times

2. Trust, Transparency, and the EU AI Act

In the piece as captured by Viktoria Österdahl, Liisa-Ly Pakosta, Estonia’s Minister of Justice and Digital Affairs, and ETH Professor Effy Vayena, a leading voice in digital ethics, explore how trust, transparency, and practical regulation are shaping AI governance in Europe.

Drawing on Estonia’s digital-first model and Switzerland’s sectoral approach, they discuss the implementation challenges of the EU AI Act, the importance of citizen data ownership, accountability, and clear limits for AI systems, and the need to balance innovation with protection. The conversation highlights that building trustworthy AI requires courage, cross-border learning, and regulatory frameworks that earn public confidence while keeping pace with rapid technological change.

Read more: Trust, Transparency, and the EU AI Act

3. From Pilot to Practice: Building Plant-Based Value Chains at ETH Zurich

In the blog piece, Daniela Hoffmann shares how she is leading the transdisciplinary Plant4Value project at ETH Zurich to accelerate the shift toward sustainable, plant-based food systems in Switzerland. 

By bringing together 24 partners across the entire value chain, from farmers to policymakers, the project pilots practical solutions such as farmer support schemes, technological innovation, and demand-generation strategies, all rigorously evaluated for their social, economic, and environmental impact. Hosted at the Albert Einstein School of Public Policy, Plant4Value demonstrates how collaboration between science, policy, and practice can unlock scalable pathways to a more resilient food future.

Read more: From Pilot to Practice: Building Plant-Based Value Chains at ETH Zurich

4. From Olympian to Cookbook Author

What does it mean to balance excellence in sport, academia, and beyond? Few people embody that question more fully than Emma Pooley, ETH alumna, Olympic silver medalist, world-class endurance athlete, and now engineer and author.

In this piece based on a recent We Are ETH podcast, Emma Pooley shares her extraordinary path from Cambridge mathematics student to elite endurance athlete, a PhD in engineering at ETH Zurich, and authoring and publishing a cookbook – Oat and Joy. 

Read more: From Olympian to Cookbook Author

Want to listen to more content instead? We have curated a list of all the women guests of the We Are ETH Podcast.

When we say it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, we really mean it: you can only attend the Global Young Scientists Summit (as a student…) once. Yet, by the end of the week, we all agreed that we would return every year if we could. The summit offered a rare opportunity to hear from and interact with Nobel Prize, Turing Award, Millennium Technology Prize and Stockholm Water Prize laureates. Some of us were also selected to give a five-minute pitch to the plenary. Here, we share our personal experiences of this remarkable event.

Lucas Gobatti

The most special thing about this event for me was a sense of scale of scientific impact. Meeting researchers whose work has fundamentally changed how we understand the world, puts one’s own research into perspective. From reshaping our perception of physical reality to reducing the cost of sequencing the human genome from billions of dollars to around a thousand it makes clear why such contributions are recognised with the highest scientific awards. On a much smaller scale, my research on urban greenery was selected for a quickfire pitch: by far the most important presentation I have given in life. You can watch the video here.

Tatiana Akhmetshina

GYSS 2026 was definitely the most special conference of my life. Not because of the credentials in the room—though yes, there were Nobel laureates everywhere—but because these scientific heroes turned out to be approachable human beings who genuinely wanted to talk with us.

My personal highlight was Sir Tim Hunt asking about my quickfire pitch presentation (you can find the recording here). There I was at the conference closing event, explaining my research to a Nobel laureate, and it felt both completely surreal and oddly normal. Like talking to a mentor over coffee, except the mentor discovered cell cycle regulation. The fireside chats captured this perfectly—a format that felt relaxed and natural. We could ask anything, and they answered honestly, sharing conversations about science, failures, career pivots, and what keeps them going.

The fellow participants were just as inspiring. Scientists from different countries and fields, all genuinely curious about each other’s work and excited to learn something new. It had the energy of summer camp, but for people who get excited about research and science. I have to mention the organizers too. They created such a welcoming atmosphere that everything ran smoothly without ever feeling stiff or overly orchestrated.

And Singapore itself! The city is a living testament to what happens when science and technology are prioritized. Exploring the futuristic architecture in my jet-lagged haze made everything feel even more dreamlike (the jetlag definitely added to the surreal quality of the whole experience). I’m deeply grateful to my supervisor, department, and ETH Zürich for making this possible. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I’ll carry the inspiration and connections with me for a long time.

Kostiantyn Sakhatskyi

GYSS 2026 in Singapore was a tremendous source of inspiration for both my life and my scientific path. I was genuinely moved by the chance to listen to and speak with some of the brightest scientific minds in the world. One thing that stayed with me was how often the laureates returned to the same idea, each in their own words: breakthroughs rarely arrive like lightning; they come from stubborn curiosity, years of iteration, and a clear sense of why the work matters. Several conversations left a particularly strong impression. Professor B. Jayant Baliga linked decades of semiconductor impact to practical, experience-tested advice on bridging academia and industry. Torsten Hoefler’s urgency about accelerating AI computation — and why it matters for science and society — felt like a direct challenge to think bigger. Konstantin Novoselov’s view of science as an art and his thoughts on how we shape papers to communicate truth clearly have stayed with me since. Beyond the core programme, it was also exciting to explore Singapore with fellow young scientists. Wandering through the city—especially the Marina Bay district—added an extra spark and made the whole experience feel even more special. I returned home with fresh ideas for my own projects at the materials–devices–systems interface, and renewed motivation to pursue research that can benefit society. I’m grateful to ETH Zurich for the nomination, and to the National Research Foundation of Singapore and the GYSS team for creating a week that felt intense, human, and genuinely inspiring.

Mitchell Taylor

What stood out most to me during this event was the people. The energy of the young participants was palpable, and the advice from the laureates was invaluable. I met talented researchers working on a vast array of difficult problems – ranging from water conservation to neuroscience – who were at the same time genuinely pleasant and easy to talk to. Singapore was also the ideal location for the conference, offering a vibrant and modern place for people to further explore and be inspired by.

Eliane Ballmer

Having started my PhD just two months before GYSS 2026, I arrived at the conference in the middle of an inner rollercoaster. Waves of excitement about finally shaping my own project were chasing moments of doubt about what I was doing here, and whether any of my ideas would meaningfully contribute, or even work at all. However, participating in GYSS 2026 reminded me of why I chose to be in science in the first place, and let me rediscover the passion and fascination I have for contributing to unravelling the secrets of this world. GYSS brings together scientists from all over the world, ranging from early-career scientists to established, top scientific minds. The diversity of backgrounds and research interests is truly unique, which allows you to step out of your scientific bubble, acquire new ways of thinking, and look at your field from a completely different perspective. Hearing the Laureates speak about their non-linear trajectories, how moments of uncertainty and doubt were also part of their lives, but how their scientific curiosity, their consistency and their courage to venture from the known into the unknown led to truly remarkable and transformative discoveries, was profoundly inspiring. By the end of GYSS, the conversations I had, the connections I built, and the vibrant energy of Singapore itself had shifted my perspective entirely, leaving me ready to embark on my own scientific journey. I would like to thank D-USYS, where I completed my Bachelor and Master’s studies, as well as ETH Zurich for the opportunity to participate in GYSS 2026. The insights and the spirit I gained will accompany me throughout my scientific career!

Jan Meissner

For one intense week in Singapore, science transcended borders: lecture halls filled with big, bold ideas; conversations over morning picnics turned into spontaneous idea-swaps; and thoughts exchanged between students and Nobel, Turing, and Millennium Prize laureates. I began to sense a sort of momentum: when curious people from many countries and disciplines meet in the same place, progress feels achievable.

What surprised me most was how quickly very different topics began to feel connected. One moment we were discussing how large language models are changing the way we work and think; the next we were diving into quantum computing, personalized medicine, or how new proteins can be designed with deep learning.  Even when these subjects were far from my field of research, the underlying themes were familiar: uncertainty, creativity, and the discipline of testing ideas against reality. Some laureates wove parts of their life stories into their lectures. That not only made them feel more approachable; it also reminded us that behind the breakthroughs that move humanity forward are real people – people who also wrestled with doubts, took uncertain turns, and still found a way through.

ETH Zurich gave me both the opportunity – and the confidence – to step onto the stage for a five-minute Quickfire Pitch. I spoke about my research on methane clumped-isotopes, and how improving the way we “read” methane molecules in the atmosphere can help constrain where methane emissions come from and how they change over time. This time, the challenge wasn’t the science itself, but communicating it: stripping a complex topic to its core without losing its meaning and making it accessible to an audience spanning many fields and levels of expertise. It forced me to notice where I hide behind jargon, where my logic needs sharpening, and where a story carries more truth than a slide full of details. But it also reminded me why I chose this path in the first place: because rigorous science can be both technically demanding and deeply human.

Beyond the sessions, the most lasting part of GYSS was the people: spontaneous debates, shared doubts and hopes, and the feeling that science is an international language – even when our accents, disciplines, and perspectives differ. I came back to Zurich inspired, a little humbled, and grateful to ETH Zurich for being the kind of place that encourages stepping outside your comfort zone. If you are interested in my talk, you can watch the video here.

We are all deeply grateful for the opportunity to attend the Summit. It was both inspiring and humbling, and we would wholeheartedly recommend the experience to other ETH scientists if they have the chance to attend in the future.

We are four students with backgrounds in Chemical, Computer & Electrical Engineering as well as Computer Science, and we’d love to share our unforgettable internship experience in Japan. Through a collaboration between Marui Group in Nakano, Tokyo and ETH Studios, we were given the opportunity to explore the intersection of culture, sustainability, and design innovation.

Our journey began on June 27th, 2025, when we arrived at the Marui headquarters, jet-lagged but excited for what was ahead.

27.06–28.06 (Carla):

Our first day at Marui HQ kicked off with warm welcomes and a wave of introductions. Ms. Ibun, our project leader fluent in Japanese and English, guided us through a tour of the building. We had the honor of meeting Mr. Aoi, CEO of Marui Group, who shared his inspiring vision: a platform to connect international visitors with “Hidden Japan,” beyond the well-known paths of Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka.

On Day 2, we met Sybilla Patrizia, an Austrian filmmaker and the design director of the project. Her passion for local craftsmanship and storytelling brought our mission into focus. We explored how the SUKI platform could support sustainable tourism and empower regional artisans. The day concluded with a serene Zen ritual, tea ceremony, and a reflective conversation with a local priest about the tourist experience.

29.06–30.06 (Marlon):

We took the Shinkansen to Okayama and visited Kurashiki, a beautiful Edo-era town. Our goal: to interview tourists about why and how they discovered the town. Surprisingly, few foreign tourists were present, but the interviews gave us deep insights. We closed the day with dinner alongside our Marui friends.

The next day, we toured Marugo, a historic tabi shoe factory, guided by CEO Fujiki Shige-san. Watching artisans at work, and trying it ourselves, was unforgettable. We lunched with the staff and ended the day at Nishigawa Terrace, Fujiki-san’s sustainable restaurant complex. The food and heartfelt conversations reminded us how unmatched Japanese hospitality is.

01.07–02.07 (Gilles):

Day 5 was our free day. Marlon hit Nintendo World at 6 a.m., Gilles explored Kamakura, Carla wandered Kyoto, and Pierre returned to Tokyo. Day 6 was our first full-on workday: Carla and Pierre worked from HQ, Marlon and Gilles from a café. We aligned on our vision, outlined our pitches, and dove into development. The day ended with karaoke in Shinjuku that went from “just one hour” to “singing ‘til late”, the perfect team bonding moment.

 03.07–04.07 (Pierre):

Day 7 began with a creative brainstorm at Marui HQ. We shared key insights, refined our ideas, and practiced our final pitches. It was intense but energizing.

On the final day, we said goodbye to Gilles, who prerecorded his part. Presentation time came fast: the board, the SUKI team, and the CEO were in the room. No pressure! Carla and Pierre kicked it off, followed by Marlon’s pitch with virtual-Gilles via Facetime. The Q&A was rich, the feedback rewarding. We wrapped it all up with an apero and one last onsen + shabu-shabu night before heading back to Zurich.

But how did this come about?

We — Defne Çetinkaya and Michelle Reinschmidt — both study architecture at ETH Zurich and attended Mariam Issoufou’s studio in 2024. Together, we developed a semester project that reimagined two ethnographic museums in Zurich at the “end of the world” — a world in which all acquired objects had been restituted.

In September 2025, we received the exciting news that our project had been selected for a panel discussion in New York. On 18 October 2025, we boarded a plane bound for JFK — excited, slightly nervous, and eager to discover what awaited us.

After breakfast on our first day, we took the subway from Brooklyn to Central Park. New York in the fall felt magical, and we must have said, “We can’t believe we’re here,” at least ten times. After a stop at the Guggenheim, we continued to Times Square — Michelle’s first time in the city made it a must.

The next day brought growing anticipation: the reception at the Swiss Consulate, which opened the exhibition Museums as Shared Spaces: Imagining New Possibilities and previewing the panel. Earlier, we had visited Mariam Issoufou Architects’ office and met Zahra’a for lunch. Meeting her in person and seeing Mariam again felt very special.

That evening at the Consulate, our nervousness quickly faded thanks to the warm welcome. The reception gathered a diverse group from the Swiss and international cultural scenes, and we found ourselves in many inspiring conversations. The ease of connecting with people truly lived up to New York’s reputation.

The following day — panel day — marked the peak of our nervousness and excitement, especially after learning the event was fully booked. We spent the morning strolling through Brooklyn Bridge Park, rehearsing and calming our nerves. 

Later, at the Van Alen Institute, Mariam Issoufou opened with an inspiring keynote before we presented our project. The discussion that followed expanded into broader questions of architecture, responsibility, and the role of institutions in shaping cultural narratives.

What stayed with us most was the openness of the audience and the depth of the exchange. It was incredibly rewarding to see a student project spark dialogue beyond academia. The evening ended with happy faces having ice cream together with Zahra’a, her friends, and Jonathan, whom we had met through the event. 

During the remaining days, we explored the city: walking the High Line, visiting the Whitney, eating bagels with Jonathan in Washington Square Park, and touring the UN with Loris from the Swiss Mission. Experiencing New York through such meaningful encounters made the trip truly special.

Looking back, this journey was not only unforgettable on a personal level but also a significant academic milestone. We are deeply grateful to the Swiss Consulate in New York, Professor Mariam Issoufou, Zahra’a, and ETH. The experience reminded us why we study architecture: to think critically, engage in dialogue, and imagine alternative futures — sometimes at the other end of the world.

Few places make the tension between technological promise and ethical responsibility as tangible as Davos during the World Economic Forum (WEF). On Wednesday, January 21, I had the pleasure of experiencing the WEF in Davos, with a particular focus on artificial intelligence and the role of science in diplomacy. 

At the Rosenberg House, high school students presented their thoughts on the responsible use of AI and the necessity of addressing this rapidly advancing technology as early as possible in education. It was wonderful to see young minds beginning to tackle prominent societal issues, such as the rifts that can emerge when powerful tools are not accessible to all. During an informal lunch, I greatly enjoyed probing their planned projects and discussing current scientific limitations. 

The WEF is fundamentally about dialogue. Meeting new people, being introduced to new perspectives, and gaining access to a deep pool of expertise from professionals across disciplines are among the highlights of the experience. Together with newly made friends from the Australian Council on Foreign Relations, a unique ‘do-tank’ and a forum for corporate diplomacy, we headed to the House of Switzerland for a panel on foresight and strategy in the age of AI. On the way, Air Force One’s helicopter was just arriving, and the panel was later overshadowed by a harrowing speech by the President of the United States of America. That day, many heads were shaken in disbelief—not only in Davos, but around the globe. 

A particularly memorable takeaway from the panel was the harsh reality that foresight, whether corporate or governmental, must always account for even the unthinkable. Especially in today’s turbulent times, in which it seems that every “piece of ice” is fair game in the geopolitical landscape. 

The evening concluded with more food for thought at RETHINKING Science Diplomacy at the Physical Meteorological Observatory. Professor Mesot opened the event with an anecdote from the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting how crucial it is for scientific institutions and governments to come together and collaborate more closely than ever in times of crisis. The discussion emphasized the push and pull surrounding scientific facts, underlining that the supply of research is only meaningful when there is an equivalent demand from the public. One of the major challenges of our time is reinvigorating an appetite for tested and proven facts over populist headlines that feed on ever-increasing angst. 

There is clearly much work ahead. I fully agree that the scientific community has a responsibility to actively engage in outreach to broader society. While there are many worrying developments, there are just as many positive efforts aimed at addressing challenges constructively and maintaining lasting trust. 

As the year comes to a close and the holiday lights begin to glow across Zurich and other cities, we take a moment to look back at the stories that shaped 2025 and inspired many on the ETH Ambassadors Blog. It has been a year defined by innovative scientific research, bold ideas, invaluable internships, global partnerships, and inspiring voices.

From quantum connection between Switzerland and India, to improving public policy through science, to trees revealing the secrets of mountains, to talk on sleep research, to student adventures across Southeast Asia… Our top-performing posts show what makes ETH Zurich truly special and unique: a spirit of exploration grounded in science, enriched by people, and connected to the world.

Whether you are curling up with a warm cup of tea, sipping a festive glühwein at a Christmas market, relaxing on a flight home or simply enjoying a quiet moment between the holidays, re-visit a few of our 2025 Holiday Reading List. A curated selection of the year’s most-read ETH Ambassadors Blog posts, they will help you re-live the moments that made us pause, wonder, reflect, giggle and smile, and spark your curiosity for the year ahead. Happy reading, and happy holidays!

1. Strengthening Global Quantum Connections: India and ETH Zurich Join Forces

“The collaboration between ETH Zurich and Karnataka reflects a shared vision. Quantum technology has immense potential to shape the future of computing, communication, and sensing. By connecting leading research ecosystems, we accelerate both scientific discovery and real-world impact.” — Andreas Wallraff

This post celebrates a milestone year for ETH Zurich’s global partnerships as we deepened cooperation with leading Indian institutions to advance quantum research. From shared projects to a jointly built vision for future technologies, this collaboration embodies the best of science diplomacy.

Read more: Strengthening Global Quantum Connections

2. Trees as Sensors: A New Tool for Slope Movement Detection

“Curiosity can take you far beyond the classroom — sometimes straight into the forest.” — Lorenz Hübel

This beautifully written piece by ETH Zurich mathematics student Lorenz Hübel captivated readers with its blend of science, storytelling and scenery. During his internship at SLF Davos, he uncovered how tree rings hold centuries of geological insight — and how nature itself can become a scientific partner.

Read more: Trees as Sensors

3. How Can Science Truly Inform and Improve Public Policy?

“Would we be better off if we had seven Nobel laureates in the Federal Council?” — Walter Thurnherr

This lively discussion at the ETH Global Lecture struck a chord in a year when public trust and scientific evidence were more important than ever. Professors Tobias Schmidt and Walter Thurnherr emphasized that the key ingredients of good policy are not just data — but humility, dialogue, and collaboration.

Read more: Improving Public Policy Through Science

4. Sleep Well – Knowing How!

“Sleep is a human right. Deprivation is torture.” — Caroline Lustenberger

In this beautifully written reflection by Charles Bara, readers dove into a talk that reframed sleep not as a luxury, but as an essential foundation of health. Drawing from more than 15 years of neuroscience research, Professor Caroline Lustenberger explained how our routines, stress levels, environment, and modern habits shape the quality of our rest and why understanding the brain’s rhythms matters more than quick fixes.

Read more: Sleep Well – Knowing How!

5. CERAWeek 2025: Navigating the Energy Landscape in an Era of Change

“Net-zero requires navigating uncertainty with clarity, courage, and cooperation.”

Written by Ayca Duran, Fiona Kriwan and Giacomo Matteo Mastroddi, this report from one of the world’s most influential energy conferences made waves. The authors unpacked global debates on energy security, clean technologies, and the evolving role of ETH Zurich in shaping the international energy conversation.

Read more: CERAWeek 2025

6. How to Avoid MESTakes in South-East Asia: A Student Advice

“Cultural awareness isn’t a detail — it’s a superpower.” — Giuseppe Nappi

Giuseppe’s practical, witty and insightful guide quickly became one of our most-read student stories of the year. Packed with advice on navigating cultural differences, embracing openness, and avoiding common missteps, it resonated with anyone preparing to travel, study or work in Southeast Asia.

Read more: Avoiding MESTakes in SE Asia

Looking Forward to 2026

As we wrap up this vibrant year, we are reminded that the ETH community thrives when we share our experiences — from labs and lecture halls to conferences, mountain trails, and cultures around the world.

Thank you to all the contributors who brought their stories to life, and to our global readers who engaged, reflected, and carried these insights forward.

We look forward to an exciting 2026 filled with new discoveries, new voices, and new connections.

Until then, enjoy the break, stay curious, and happy holidays from the ETH Ambassadors team!