It’s not every day you get to meet in person a fellow Swede who happens to also be a rockstar in the world of climate science, and a generally lovely human being. Having witnessed him in action previously in grand speaking arenas including TED and the World Economic Forum, it was a bit surreal to find myself on stage next to him, co‑moderating our Global Lecture on “Taking the Pulse of the Planet.” I am talking about none other than the legend that is Johan Rockström, the man behind the Planetary Boundaries Framework and co-creator of the recently launched Planetary Health Check. My colleague Chris Luebkeman and I were joined by ETH Assistant Professor Millie Chapman to hear from and talk to the man himself on the occasion of the inaugural Climate Week Zurich.

Here are the most important things he had to say in an hour that flew by and was by no means enough to go through everything that needed to be said on one of the key topics of our time.

We are living in the Anthropocene, a new geological age in which human activity fundamentally shapes the Earth system. Humanity and nature are now fully intertwined, co-evolving across planetary scales. This means that the stability of our societies is inseparable from the stability of the Earth’s life-support systems.

That stability is increasingly under pressure. Already today, with an increase by around 1.4°C since the pre-industrial era, extreme events are already disrupting lives and livelihoods worldwide. Beyond this, risks accelerate non-linearly: tipping points are hard-wired into the Earth system, and crossing them could trigger cascading feedback loops. This raises the possibility of a “hothouse Earth” trajectory well beyond the 2-3°C pathway currently projected, and ultimately beyond conditions in which modern societies can function.

These dynamics point to a deeper issue: the erosion of Earth’s resilience. Systems such as the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) illustrate how destabilisation could produce profound and uneven regional impacts, while also feeding back into the global climate system. Importantly, these processes are interconnected: disruptions in one part of the Earth system amplify pressures elsewhere.

The Planetary Health Check provides the clearest scientific diagnosis to date. It tracks the state of nine critical Earth system processes, the “vital organs” that regulate stability and resilience, and shows that seven of nine planetary boundaries have now been breached, with pressures continuing to intensify. These boundaries function as guardrails for a safe operating space: once crossed, the Earth system moves into a zone of increasing risk, where tipping points, irreversible change, and loss of resilience become more likely.

What emerges is a stark but actionable insight: the planet’s “vital signs are flashing red”, yet the framework also shows where intervention is possible. Because these systems are tightly interconnected, stabilising the Earth system requires coordinated action across climate, biodiversity, land, water and pollution; not in isolation, but as part of a whole-Earth approach to staying within a safe operating space for humanity.

Millie Chapman brought in the decision-making dimension linked to the issues highlighted by Johan to the fore, by sharing her work at the Environmental Policy Lab of ETH Zurich. She examines how policies, institutions, and digital technologies shape outcomes for people and ecosystems. The work is structured in 3 focus areas:

Cooperation across scales: understanding what drives coordinated environmental action across actors, sectors, and governance levels. 

Decision-making under uncertainty: designing robust, data-informed strategies and policies that remain effective despite complex ecological and social uncertainty. 

Justice in an algorithmic era: examining how data and digital tools shape environmental decisions, with a focus on fairness, accountability, and bias.

Her point was that how decisions are made matters; the information decision-makers have to hand, on which to base their decisions, is the key to them developing effective and equitable strategies to meet global biodiversity targets. Data and algorithms can potentially reshape our management of environmental systems, and AI can help us move towards more sustainable and just futures in the context of environmental justice.

The well-attended event could have gone way past the scheduled hour, as was highlighted by the large number of poignant questions from the audience we did not manage to get to at the end. We closed the evening with a touch of optimism to add to the sense of urgency. Climate Week Zurich is a nice example of the local community getting together with global representatives from business, research and policy to accelerate climate impact in everyday life. Our event was a fitting addition to the inaugural schedule of activities taking place around the city, illustrating ETH Zurich’s commitment to sustainability.

Check out the pictures from the event here: Meet ETH Flickr

I hope this glimpse encourages you to come to a future event. I find that with our Global Lecture Series, we begin a new journey every time, giving ourselves pause to reflect on key topics on the global agenda and learning from individuals with remarkable clarity and foresight. I invite you all to come and join us! The next event will be on 10 September on the topic of research, with Nature’s Magdalena Skipper and ETH Zurich’s Annette Oxenius.

Some Global Lectures stay with you long after the Audimax has emptied and the final applause has faded. The recent special edition of the ETH Global Lecture Series, Choices, was one of those evenings. Conceived as a tribute to our colleague Chris Luebkeman on the occasion of his retirement from ETH Zurich, this lecture also became a thoughtful reflection on agency, foresight and how the future is shaped by the choices we make.

Chris Luebkeman: choosing to matter

In his lecture, Chris invited us to see choice not as a single decisive moment, but as a continuous and cumulative force shaping individual lives, institutions and societies. Moving between historical moments, professional inflection points and personal stories, he argued that while we do not control all the forces acting on us, we are never without agency.

Drawing on examples ranging from the mid‑19th century to his own journey across engineering, architecture and strategic foresight, Chris showed how many of today’s realities emerged from decisions taken without certainty of outcome. Futures, he reminded us, are rarely inevitable; they are the result of layered choices, made consciously or unconsciously, inherited or hard‑won.

A recurring theme was the idea of “normal”. What we experience as normal, Chris suggested, is deeply contextual; it is shaped by geography, culture, history and circumstance. There is no single baseline from which the future unfolds. This insight lies at the heart of his approach to foresight: not as prediction, but as a disciplined practice of paying attention, identifying weak signals and expanding the range of possible responses.

He also spoke movingly about the role of universities. Beyond advancing knowledge, institutions like ETH Zurich serve as compasses for society: places where difficult conversations about uncertainty, responsibility and long‑term impact can be held thoughtfully. Through the Strategic Foresight Hub and the Global Lecture Series, Chris has helped open such spaces, encouraging more courageous engagement with what lies ahead.

On foresight, bias and collective agency

In conversation with Aaron Maniam, Fellow of Practice and Director of Digital Transformation Education at the University of Oxford, these ideas were sharpened and expanded. Together, we explored what foresight really entails, and what it does not.

Both stressed that foresight is firmly rooted in the present. It is not about forecasting or crystal‑ball gazing, but about creating awareness and preparedness. One idea that resonated strongly was that good foresight should help leaders and institutions avoid being shocked by change. Surprise often triggers reactive decision‑making; preparation preserves optionality and enables more deliberate action.

We also spoke candidly about bias. Neither choice nor foresight is neutral. The goal is not to eliminate bias but to surface it, question it and counterbalance it through collective reflection. Productive discomfort, as Aaron noted, can be a sign that futures work is doing its job.

Finally, we touched on one of the defining choices facing societies today: how to navigate the unequal effects of technological change, particularly in relation to artificial intelligence. While new technologies promise significant gains in productivity, those benefits will not be evenly distributed. Choosing to engage with these tools without addressing their social implications risks deepening existing inequalities.

Chris closed our exchange with a reflection that felt both personal and universal: time is the most finite resource we have. How — and with whom — we choose to spend it shapes not only our own futures, but the world we help bring into being.

Choices was not a farewell, but an invitation: to remain attentive, collaborative and intentional about the futures we continuously co‑create, one choice at a time.

Check out the pictures from the event here: Meet ETH Flickr

And in case you missed it, watch the talk here:

I hope this glimpse encourages you to join us at a future event. I find that with our Global Lecture Series, we begin a new journey every time, giving ourselves pause to reflect on key topics on the global agenda and learning from individuals with remarkable clarity and foresight. I invite you all to come and join us!

Co‑moderating our Global Lecture last week on “The Search for Life in the Universe” felt a bit like opening a window onto the cosmos. Together with my colleague Chris Luebkeman, we had the pleasure of welcoming two exceptional guests: Sir Pete Worden, Executive Director of the Breakthrough Initiatives, and Professor Sascha Quanz of ETH Zurich, who leads the visionary LIFE Space Mission.

In an hour that passed at orbital velocity, we explored what may be the most compelling question of all: 

“Are we alone?“

Pete Worden’s Cosmic Perspective

Sir Pete brought the kind of perspective only a career spent at the frontiers of astronomy, space policy, and technological disruption can provide. With characteristic wit, he framed the central dilemma quoting Arthur C. Clarke:

“Either we’re alone in the universe, or we’re not, and both possibilities are equally terrifying.”

Pete walked us through why the coming decades may finally allow us to resolve this dilemma. His work with the Breakthrough Initiatives spans the search for technosignatures, the development of next‑generation telescopes, and even early concepts for interstellar probes. A few of his points stayed with me:

• The nearest stars matter most. Alpha Centauri remains a scientific and symbolic target, close enough that one day a probe might realistically get there.
• Not all signals are created equal. He told the story of a supposed detection from Proxima Centauri: champagne briefly opened, only for the signal to be revealed as interference. A reminder that discovery requires rigour, patience and humility.
• The technological landscape is shifting fast. Private investment, falling launch costs, and rapid iteration are transforming space science. As Pete put it, much of what once looked like science fiction “now simply looks like a very ambitious engineering project”.

He also emphasised the value of asking daring questions. Could we one day use the Sun itself as a gravitational lens to image a distant world in detail? The idea sounds wildly futuristic, yet it is grounded in real physics. Listening to him, one had the sense that the horizon of the possible is still expanding.

The LIFE Mission: Reading the Heat of Other Worlds

Professor Quanz introduced LIFE, ETH Zurich’s bold proposal for a space observatory designed to detect the heat signatures of exoplanets in the mid‑infrared.

This technique would allow scientists to probe atmospheric composition, surface temperature and pressure, and other factors essential for assessing habitability. As he explained:

“Thermal emission lets us look much deeper into an atmosphere than reflected light ever can.”

If even one planet shows the right combination of gases or thermal patterns, it could point to biological processes. This would be a milestone that could reshape science and society.

When Finding Nothing Still Teaches Us Everything

One of the most thought‑provoking themes came from Professor Quanz: the scientific value of a “null result”.

Searching dozens of planets and finding no biosignatures would still tell us something profound about Earth’s rarity, resilience, and fragility.

“If you look at enough planets and still find no signatures of life, at some point you are no longer just unlucky; you have learned something fundamental.”

Pete agreed, noting that truly alien life may be so different from anything we can currently detect that we will only recognise it in hindsight.

A Journey That Outlasts Us All

Both speakers insisted that the search for life is more than a scientific challenge; it is a civilisational one. It spans disciplines, cultures, and generations. Sir Pete phrased it simply:

“This is our future… and we need everyone’s help.”

Moderating this conversation was a reminder of how powerful curiosity can be. In looking outward to the stars, we inevitably reflect inward on our own place in the universe, and the responsibilities we carry here on Earth.

Whether Earth 2.0 turns out to be just next door, or impossibly rare, the search itself is a unifying journey. And it has only just begun.

Check out the pictures from the event here: Meet ETH Flickr

And in case you missed it, watch the talk here:

I hope this glimpse encourages you to join us at a future event. I find that with our Global Lecture Series, we begin a new journey every time, giving ourselves pause to reflect on key topics on the global agenda and learning from individuals with remarkable clarity and foresight. I invite you all to come and join us!

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. 

“Science speaks facts; diplomacy can make them travel.“

This simple yet powerful idea set the tone for ETH Zurich’s RETHINKING Science Diplomacy session last night during the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting in Davos. Moderated by Chris Luebkeman from ETH’s Foresight Hub, participants gathered to unpack an increasingly urgent question: how can science and diplomacy work together in a world marked by geopolitical tension, misinformation, and declining trust in institutions?

Following a number of notable statements by world leaders relating to the topic earlier that day and throughout the week, the context was very poignant. What became clear over the course of the evening’s discussion was that science diplomacy is no longer a niche concept, but a necessary practice, although it is under pressure from multiple sides.

When Facts Meet Friction

For ETH President, Joël Mesot, the urgency of science diplomacy became tangible during the Covid‑19 pandemic. Involved in setting up Switzerland’s national Covid Task Force, he witnessed first-hand how difficult it can be to translate scientific evidence into decisions that resonate with public administrations, policymakers, and the broader public.

The pandemic exposed a stark reality: knowing the science is not the same as ensuring it is understood, trusted, or acted upon. Louise Harra, host of the event as the Director of the PMOD/WRC, echoed this concern, emphasising that international collaboration only heightens the need to bridge this gap. In an interconnected world, the challenge is not merely generating knowledge, but ensuring it travels across borders, institutions, and audiences.

Defining Science Diplomacy: Why Language Matters

What exactly do we mean by science diplomacy?

For Marilyne Andersen of GESDA, it is fundamentally a mutually beneficial relationship: science and diplomacy need each other to function effectively. Scientific evidence requires political context to have impact, while diplomacy depends on credible knowledge to make informed decisions.

Effy Vayena, ETH’s new Vice President for Knowledge Transfer and Corporate Relations, added another layer, describing science diplomacy both as an aspiration — building bridges and shared goals — and the mechanism that make those goals achievable. While science diplomacy has existed in various forms for decades, she argued, we are now at a moment where its direction and future deserve renewed attention.

Ludwig Moeller of the European Space Policy Institute offered a compelling metaphor: science provides the destination, diplomacy the vehicle. Facts alone are not enough, especially in a landscape filled with noise, oversimplification, and at times, deliberate misuse of evidence. The challenge lies in communicating opportunities, not just problems, without losing nuance or credibility.

Trust as the Common Currency

If there was one word that surfaced repeatedly, it was trust.

Trust in institutions has eroded in recent years, partly because science and diplomacy have not always delivered solutions to pressing global problems, or because science has been selectively used to serve political agendas. As scientific knowledge becomes a driver of power and geopolitical tension, the risk of misuse only grows.

And yet, this is precisely why science diplomacy matters. Trust in science and in the values that underpin it, remains an asset. The task ahead is to ensure that science does not become merely transactional currency, but remains a shared enterprise aimed at the common good.

As one participant put it, trust often trumps evidence in relationship‑building. Narratives matter, and scientists are not always equipped or encouraged to tell their stories in ways that resonate with policymakers.

Building Bridges Deliberately

So how do we move forward?

Several practical steps emerged from the discussion:

• Prepare early, especially during moments of transition, when future directions are visible but not yet fixed.
• Create spaces and mechanisms for dialogue, building on successful examples of joint initiatives, such as was shown during the pandemic response.
• Stay close to decision-makers, understanding their needs, constraints, and incentives.
• Engage the public, recognising that public trust and science diplomacy are deeply intertwined.

Science diplomacy is not a nice-to-have. It is about shaping destinations — from digital sovereignty to security, sustainability, and global health — in ways that serve shared interests.

At ETH Zurich, with its strong scientific credibility and global networks, and its newly launched Einstein School of Public Policy, this responsibility is especially clear. As global challenges grow more complex, helping science travel wisely, responsibly, and with purpose, may be one of the most important roles we can play.

See all the pictures from the event here.

Check out the recording of the event below:

This article highlights ETH Zurich’s presence in Berlin for the 10th edition of Berlin Science Week. With a strong delegation made up of faculty, staff and members of the Executive Board and ETH Domain, the visit offered an opportunity to meet with local alumni, make new connections, and engage in discussions on how science can help us overcome today’s mounting challenges and create fresh opportunities for the future.

Berlin Science Week is an annual science and culture festival that transforms the city into a hub of ideas every November. Launched in 2016 to make Berlin’s research landscape globally visible, it has grown into one of Europe’s leading science festivals, featuring over 300 events and 120 partner institutions. The festival brings science out of traditional spaces and into the public sphere, offering free talks, workshops, exhibitions, and performances for everyone—from researchers to curious minds.

Satellites, Science, and Society

At the Swiss Embassy in Berlin, hosted by long-time supporter and friend of ETH, Ambassador Livia Leu, the event “Blick aus dem All – Wie Satelliten unseren Planeten lesen” brought together three distinct voices: Verena Griess (ETH Zurich), Carolin Richter (German Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport), and Holger Wentscher (Beyond Gravity). Moderated by Chris Luebkeman from ETH Strategic Foresight, they offered a unique perspective on how satellite technology is reshaping our understanding of Earth.

Verena highlighted how combining satellite, drone, and sensor data enables us to monitor forests and ecosystems with unprecedented precision—revealing climate impacts and guiding sustainable management. Carolin discussed the complexities of international cooperation, the politics of data access, and the urgent need for updated global standards as satellite data becomes ever more vital for biodiversity and climate policy. Holger addressed the industry’s drive for sustainable and independent European space access, sharing insights into greener rocket technologies and the importance of collaboration across research, policy, and business.

The panel underscored both the promise and the challenges of “reading” our planet from above: innovation thrives when science, policy, and industry work together, but it also demands ongoing dialogue and global cooperation. The discussion also highlighted how important it is to bridge academia with industry and politics in order to inspire and motivate future generations of students in fields such as aerospace. As one of the world’s top ten universities in technology and natural science, ETH has a leading role to play in this effort.

Taking the Local Pulse with ETH Alumni

At an informal breakfast gathering the next day, members of the ETH delegation joined local ETH Alumni in Berlin for discussions on their experiences and journeys after ETH. Organised by ETH Circle Member Georg Polzer, it was a friendly dialogue on current affairs and some of the topics under discussion at Berlin Science Week in general, as well as a way to check in with the ETH community onsite.

Rethinking Digital Identity

The “Beyond Avatars” panel at the unique Musikbrauerei venue invited our speakers to imagine what comes after today’s digital characters. The conversation centred on trust, ethics and cognition in a future where identity can be simulated and intelligent systems become part of everyday life.

The discussion featured Joanna Bryson (Hertie School), Henning Metzmacher (ETH Game Technology Center) and Rafael Wampfler (ETH Zurich), and was moderated by Chris Luebkeman (ETH Strategic Foresight). Together, they explored how digital beings might evolve beyond simple visual replicas to become emotionally aware and ethically designed companions.

Audience curiosity was palpable, with questions pushing the boundaries of what “presence” means in virtual spaces. The session highlighted how fast this field is moving—and the responsibility that comes with shaping it.

To close, participants experienced interactive demos from ETH Zurich’s Game Technology Center, including the digital representation of ETH Professor and Director of DisneyResearch|Studios Markus Gross, a virtual biographer tool and Digital Einstein, offering a glimpse into personalised, embodied AI experiences that go far beyond avatars.

At the end of our stay, I asked Jürg Brunnschweiler, Chief of Staff of the Office of the President of ETH Zurich, why we go back to Berlin Science Week year after year. He told me a unique set of factors come together to make this one we cannot miss: the proximity to Zurich, the excellent relationship we have with the organisers, and that it is one of maybe two such science festivals worldwide. My first time attending left me with the impression that the local guests were both curious and engaged in a way that makes it very rewarding for us, ETH colleagues and researchers, to come and exchange and maybe get new perspectives from a familiar but different audience. The Q&A sessions sparked some of the most insightful moments and the conversations were lively and thought-provoking. I warmly encourage members of the ETH community to plan to join Berlin Science Week 2026 if they have the opportunity!

Join Jan Heldmann and Alejandro Christlieb as they share their experience of the Energy Summer School 2025.

After months from applying, we set off for Ascona for the Energy Summer School 2025, organised by the Energy Science Center and the Institute of Science, Technology and Policy. The setting at Monte Verità, overlooking Lago Maggiore, immediately made the week feel special. The main theme — “Navigating the Energy Transition in an Insecure World” — felt especially timely within today’s geopolitical context. Coming from a technical background, this was a great opportunity to expand on the sociopolitical dimensions of the energy transition. 

In the first days, everyone presented their research posters, covering topics from technological solutions to their economic and social feasibility. A big shout-out to the winners of the best poster awards! Their work offered an inspiring glimpse into the research shaping the field.

Each day featured lectures by academics and industry speakers from around the world. Kaja Hollstein of Swissgrid offered a technical view on demand flexibility and energy balancing, while Professor Florian Egli highlighted the economic side of the transition. A key insight stuck with us: OECD countries are investing more in renewables, but non-OECD countries lag due to higher upfront costs and borrowing rates. With most population growth occurring in non-OECD countries, it was a harsh reminder that the energy transition remains a global challenge.

Midweek, we set out on an excursion. Jan joined a hike in the scenic Verzasca Valley, stopping at the impressive Contra Dam designed by the legendary engineer Giovanni Lombardi. During the hike, I (Jan) could talk with Professor Bri-Mathias Hodge about his lecture on power system stability, discussing the importance of reactive power in renewable-heavy systems. As an electrical engineer, I really enjoyed exchanging ideas with a world-renowned expert. 

Meanwhile, Alejandro visited Giubiasco’s massive waste-to-energy plant, which handles 180,000 tons of waste a year to produce heat and power. We saw the crane and furnace in action – an experience that felt straight out of the Toy Story 3 landfill scene. What first sounded like a less appealing visit, turned out to be surprisingly fun and enriching.

No academic event is complete without group work. Split into teams, we wrote policy briefs with strategic recommendations for a country’s energy future. Jan’s group analysed Ukraine’s energy crisis after Russia’s invasion, while Alejandro’s focused on South Africa’s aging, coal-heavy system.

The week ended with creative presentations: AI-generated songs, mock trials, and acted power outages. This mix of playful delivery and serious analysis perfectly captured the spirit of the week: working hard, learning deeply, and having fun together. 

From day one, the group vibe was extraordinary. As our new friend Charalambos said: “I never clicked with so many people in such a short time.”

We left Ascona recharged — with fresh energy, new perspectives, and friendships for life.

Now in my third year of the physics bachelor’s at ETH Zurich, I recall the dramatic shift of focus towards large language models, and in general, machine learning after the release of ChatGPT in 2022, right at the start of my studies. My name is Kilian Teck, and it is my pleasure to share my experience from attending the ML4QT symposium. I first heard about the conference through an Instagram post by ETH on the day of the application deadline. At the time, I was travelling to the World of Quantum exhibition in Munich for a hackathon and only decided last minute to write to ETH Studios. A few days later, I was delighted to hear that I was invited to attend.

In Zurich, I met up with Isidor Schoch, and we headed to Heilbronn. The opportunity to connect with Isidor, who is an ETH alumnus, was great. He has a master’s degree in quantum engineering and continues to work in the field at NVIDIA. Close to the completion of my bachelor’s, I am in the process of deciding on a direction for my master’s and having an advanced mentor at hand is indispensable.

At first, we were both slightly surprised by the location of the symposium. Heilbronn is a small city, only recently having gained the title of university city. But throughout the stay, I was amazed at the efforts being implemented to grow the location into a hub for innovation. As we learned during a tour with colleagues from ETH Studio Heilbronn, the ‘Bildungscampus’ is being greatly expanded over the next few years, hosting renowned institutes, including ETH, TUM, Fraunhofer and the Max Planck Gesellschaft. Thank you to Marc Ebert and Michele de Lorenzi for showing us first-hand how ETH fosters excellence internationally.

Over two days, I got to hear a plethora of talks on various aspects of applying classical machine learning to accelerating the development of quantum hardware as well as software. Speakers ranged from renowned experts such as Jens Eisert to emerging researchers and companies. The University of Waterloo co-hosted the event with the Fraunhofer IAO and IPO. During numerous coffee breaks, chatting with researchers from across the pond, it was incredibly valuable to hear about the international efforts of pushing quantum technologies to a useful scale. In particular, I recall the talk by Prof. Christine Muschik from the Perimeter Institute and the Waterloo Institute for Quantum Computing, which highlighted how using qudits—quantum systems with more than two states, as opposed to the conventional two states of a qubit—can reduce the number of required operations and therefore potentially enhance the accuracy of calculations performed on quantum computers.

In the evening, we had the chance to enjoy Heilbronn by canoe. A guided tour on the Neckar proved to be a lot of fun. Racing fellow attendees on the water and a ‘Literaturstunde’ by the guide, with a humorous quote about the river Neckar by Mark Twain. The bit of exercise was followed by a delicious dinner at the Experimenta itself.

The symposium was an incredible experience, and I am very grateful to ETH Studios for making it possible to meet with so many interesting people in one place to learn about quantum initiatives.

Find out more about the ETH Studios here: https://ethz.ch/en/the-eth-zurich/global/network/eth-studios.html

It is past midnight, and the bar is packed with young scientists from all around the world. There is a sparkle in their eyes, and the atmosphere is buzzing with excitement, laughter, and thought-provoking discussions: the so-called Lindau spirit. Ideas and experiences are exchanged, science is debated, and at the heart of each conversation lie the same questions: What comes next? What will science bring? And who will make the next great discovery?

Behind all of us lies the 74^th Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting on Chemistry. A conference unlike any other, dedicated to connecting across generations, cultures, disciplines, and borders. 33 Nobel Laureates joined 606 young scientists from over 80 countries to share their knowledge and experience, to challenge assumptions, to reflect on failure, and to imagine the future of science.

Looking back, it’s hard to choose what was most memorable: queuing for breakfast with David MacMillan, strolling through Lindau with Frances Arnold and John Jumper, Jean-Marie Lehn’s beautiful Agora talk on how matter becomes complex, the honest and open exchange with Morten Meldal and his wife, or Martin Chalfie challenging us to question everything. We even got to meet Kurt Wüthrich, former professor of biophysics at ETH Zurich, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2002 for the structure determination of proteins using NMR spectroscopy. Every laureate was generous with their time, answering questions, offering advice, sharing personal stories, and giving fresh perspectives on challenging topics. In the end, it wasn’t just their scientific achievements that impressed us, but the kindness and enthusiasm they shared with all of us.

A professional highlight for Magdalena was presenting her master’s thesis research in the Next Gen Science Sessions: “I was quite nervous presenting in front of young scientists, Nobel Laureates, people from the press, and state representatives, but the experience was exhilarating. I could showcase the craft I love and, most importantly, exchange with and learn from others through insightful conversations afterwards.”

Indeed, the true power of this conference lies in the exchange with peers. Unlike other conferences, most of us came alone, which naturally led to an environment where connections formed easily, and phone numbers were quickly exchanged. It didn’t matter that we had different backgrounds, came from various universities, countries, and continents; we all shared one thing: a passion for chemistry and science. It’s like a conga line; the name may vary across cultures, but the chemistry is instant. Once someone starts, everyone knows how to join in. And that’s exactly how it felt in Lindau. Without hesitation, we joined the chain and just kept going, from breakfast chats to midnight discussions, and eventually a real conga line through the conference hall during the Bavarian evening!

Finally, we concluded with a celebration aboard the ‘Sonnenkönigin’ (the largest boat on Lake Constance) on our trip to Mainau island, wrapping up a fantastic once-in-a-lifetime experience, carrying the Lindau spirit with us for a long time…

Cosima Brudy acknowledges the support by the Verband der Chemischen Industrie e.V.. Magdalena Lederbauer is thankful for the support by the Lindau Spirit Fellowship and the Austrian Study Foundation by the Austrian Academy of Sciences. Eva J. Meeus acknowledges the support by the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW). Finally, we would like to thank ETH Zurich for their continued and invaluable support throughout our careers.