ETH alumna Alexis E. Block and assistant professor at the Case Western Reserve University discusses her HuggyBot research, designed for high-quality hugs, highlighting its emotional benefits, design process, and her journey from grief to innovation. Discover Alexis' heartfelt journey with her HuggyBot, a robot crafted to deliver meaningful hugs based on eleven guiding principles. She shares the profound emotional and physical benefits of hugging, emphasizing its role in enhancing social...

With a background in biochemistry and former researcher at Collegium Helveticum, Stephan Sigrist, founder of the think tank W.I.R.E., is dedicated to the power of collaboration and creative thinking. Remember the DeLorean from Back to the Future? Listen to the conversation with Stephan Sigrist, founder of W.I.R.E., as he shares his story about owning that iconic car and W.I.R.E.'s mission: to provide a foundation for business decision-making, rather than just predictions about the future....

Did you know that toxic pollutants can even be found in some water bottles? Fajer Mushtaq, co-founder and CEO of Oxyle, an ETH spin-off, has developed a breakthrough technology that removes toxic PFAS from water through chemical oxidation, resulting in cleaner and safer drinking water. Fajer talks about her personal journey, how she left her home country at the age of 17 to study mechanical engineering in England, her motivation in the fight against water pollution through her experience and...

Stefanie Flückiger, co-founder and CEO of Tolremo Therapeutics, is transforming cancer treatment with her innovative biotech company. Discover how Tolremo, an ETH spinoff, is tackling non-genetic drug resistance with cutting-edge technology. Hear about Stefanie's unique journey from academia to entrepreneurship, the impact of diversity in driving innovation, and the intriguing science behind cancer cells' resistance to drugs. This is her story. Chapters: (01:06) The Role of Awards and Female...

Transitioning from academia to entrepreneurship, Nicole Kleger co-founded Sallea, a startup focused on pioneering sustainable solutions in the cultivated meat industry, driven by her passion for impactful science. Nicole Kleger transitioned from academic research to entrepreneurship, co-founding the startup Sallea to create scaffolds for cultivated meat, focusing on sustainability and ethical food production. Her shift from a Ph.D. at ETH Zurich to starting Sallea reflects her passion for...

Suzanne Thoma, Sulzer’s executive president and ETH Zurich alumna, discusses her career journey, the power of engineering education, and her role in transforming the Swiss industry. Dr. Suzanne Thoma, executive president of the Sulzer Group, is widely recognized as one of the most influential women in Swiss industry. In this episode, she opens up about her remarkable career path, shedding light on the strategic transformation she’s spearheaded at Sulzer and the critical importance of...

Remy Buser's journey from studying at ETH to founding Bloom Biorenewables and how he emphasises the need to defossilise materials and find sustainable alternatives. Remy Buseris on a mission to replace fossil carbon with renewable carbon in the chemical industry! The CEO and co-founder of Bloom Biorenewables explains how the use of petrochemicals has shaped our world and the need to defossilise materials. He discusses the complexity of the transition and the role of political commitment and...

Wim Thiery, a climate scientist and associate professor at the University of Brussels, revealed during his recent visit at ETH Zurich, that children born in 2020 will face significantly more extreme weather events than previous generations. Wim Thiery, climate scientist and Associate Professor at the University of Brussels, talks about the urgent need for robust mitigation and adaptation strategies to address the increasing frequency and intensity of these climate phenomena. He also...

Oriana Kraft, entrepreneur and founder of the FemTechnology Summit explains the need for gender-specific care in medicine and the potential of FemTech to revolutionise healthcare. In this episode, Oriana Kraft, founder of Fem Technology, delves into the gender data health gap and the burgeoning field of FemTech. Fem Technology specialises in solutions that improve women's healthcare in the areas of reproductive health, autoimmune diseases and cardiovascular health. The conversation highlights...

Meet Christophe Chautems, CTO of Nanoflex Robotics, bridging Mars rover expertise to medical robotics, revolutionising stroke treatment with magnetic technology. Christophe Chautems, CTO of Nanoflex Robotics, talks about the breakthrough medical robotics technology that uses magnets to navigate catheters in the treatment of strokes. With 15 years of experience in robotics, including at NASA, Christophe emphasises the importance of combining research with practical applications, underlining...

Join us on an inspiring journey with Etienne Jeoffroy, CEO of ETH spin-off FENX, as he shares insights into sustainable materials innovation and its potential impact on reducing carbon footprints. Etienne Jeoffroy, co-founder and CEO of FENX, talks to Susan Kish about his journey in sustainable materials innovation. He recalls how his grandmother, a farmer, instilled in him a deep appreciation for materials and the importance of longevity. Looking back on his diverse academic and professional...

According to ETH Alumni Daniel Naeff, it is important to strike a balance between leveraging the positive aspects of AI and understanding the potential challenges. In this episode, Susan Kish interviews Daniel Naeff, an entrepreneur and one of the leads at the ETH AI Center. They discuss angel investing, the inspiration behind starting companies, and Switzerland's potential in AI. They also touch on an exciting new development at the ETH Alumni Association, where Daniel is a Member of the...

Here’s how to put the ‘fabric’ into fabricate, as ETH Zurich alumna and TU Delft Assistant Professor of Digital Fabrication Mariana Popescu explains.   Could a knitting machine revolutionise construction?  For her PhD, ETH Zurich alumna Mariana Popescu worked with the Block Research Group to show that it’s possible to use lightweight knitted textiles as a mold for concrete. Mariana discusses knitting machines, complex geometry, and why her PhD project needed two suitcases to get to...

ETH Alumna Sandra Herrmann is an oceanographer, a geologist, a paleontologist, a pilot… and member of NASA's Analog Astronauts. Sandra Herrmann studied geology and palaeontology at TU Bergakademie Freiberg and completed her doctorate in natural sciences at ETH Zurich. She subsequently emigrated to the USA and spent 12 years working for the International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) in various posts. Since October 2023, she has been conducting research at the Scripps Institution of...

Anne Scherer, co-founder of Delta Labs AG and author of the book You and AI, explains why trust and comfort are crucial in human-machine interaction. The development of AI has sparked a lot of interest and enthusiasm, and Anne Scherer thinks its rate of development is expected to continue to surprise us. Anne is co-founder of Delta Labs AG and author of the book You and AI, in which she tries to make people more aware of what's going on in this field by reducing fear of that technology....

Olivier de Weck is a leading systems engineering expert, which he describes as “the art and science of building, implementing, and operating complex systems.” Born in Switzerland, he holds degrees in industrial engineering from ETH Zurich (1993) and aerospace systems engineering from MIT (2001), where is now Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics and Engineering Systems. In this episode of the We Are ETH Podcast, he compares ETH Zurich and MIT, highlighting their similarities and global...

Georg Polzer went straight from completing his studies at ETH Zurich to co-founding Teralytics, an official Spin-Off company of ETH Zurich. An AI-powered platform providing mobility data solutions, Teralytics collects and analyzes large amounts of location data to improve transportation efficiency and equity. Georg highlights the importance of designing transportation systems based on recent and all-encompassing data. He also emphasizes it is essential to incorporate the needs of all...

ETH Zurich alumna and NASA JPL engineer Mariko Burgin discusses her passion for space exploration. Mariko transitioned from ETH Zurich to the University of Michigan before joining NASA, where she works on mission formulation: the journey from a mere idea, to a project for space exploration complete with scientific objectives, cost constraints, and technological feasibility, which can take several years. The conversation covers planetary protection, the evolution of remote sensing...

Pascal Mathis, co-founder of Get Your Guide and Wingman Ventures, shares his journey as an entrepreneur and angel investor. Starting as an entrepreneur, Pascal Mathis co-founded Get Your Guide, ETH Zurich's first tech unicorn, and later transitioned to angel investing and co-founding Wingman Ventures. Pascal believes that Switzerland has the potential to become the next Silicon Valley due to its talent pool and stable business environment. Pascal emphasizes the importance of logical thinking...

For Patricia Schramm, former president of the American Swiss Foundation, learning the classics at ETH’s neighbour, the University of Zurich, was invaluable. From using Latin to learn English, and now working as a consultant for the Alumni Association of ETH Zurich, education has been the core of her career.  Patricia talks about following your passions wherever they lead, how an unexpected move to New York led to her staying there, and the importance of letting serendipity have a say in your...

For Michela Puddu, ETH Zurich alumna and Co-Founder of Haelixa Ltd, giving fabrics their own DNA enhancestraceability for consumers and retailers.   Moving from Rome to study at ETH Zurich, Michela Puddu’s PhD experience inspired her to become an entrepreneur. Her work has been recognized with several awards, and she is a regular speaker at Swissand international events.    Michela speaks about building her own company, overcoming a fear of public speaking, and why it’s important to have a...

Biodiversity expert and former ETH faculty Lian Pin Koh is a pioneer in the use of drones in conservation. As an ex-nominated MP in Singapore, and a professor at the National University of Singapore, Lian Pin’s impact extends to different areas of policy and education.  We hear about the nexus of nature and technology, the creation of conservation drones, and his love of Star Wars. This is his story.

For Petra Ehmann, ETH Zurich alumna and Chief Innovation Officer of Ringier AG, innovation truly is everything. From product development to encouraging more people into STEM, Petra wants her work to have an impact in every possible area. She is passionate about driving innovation at every level, and credits ETH Zurich with helping her achieve the type of structured thinking required to do this. Find out why she speaks four languages fluently, what brought her to study mechanical engineering...

For ETH Zurich alumna Nicoletta Piccolrovazzi, integrating small sustainability practices into our everyday lives can make the topic less complicated. Nicoletta is keen to highlight that, in spite of having a long career in a single company, she was able to seize the opportunities that came her way. That notably led her to heading the technology and sustainability part of Dow’s partnership with the Olympic Games, which laid the foundations for her current work in sustainability. As we count...