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The magazine for EPFL graduates June 2016 No. 4 MOBILITY EMPLOYMENT HEALTHCARE TOURISM • • • A L OOK A T N E W B E H A V - I O U R S Martin Vetterli p. 26 An alum under the Arctic ice p. 8 3 Vos idées vous appartiennent Nous vous aidons à les protéger Brevets Marques Designs Veille technologique P&TS SA / Av. Jean-Jacques Rousseau 4 / Case postale 2848 / 2001 Neuchâtel 4 Tél. + 41 - 032 - 7271427 / Fax + 41 - 032 - 7271424 / [email protected] / www.patentattorneys.ch Alumnist Intro “This year is an exciting challenge This edition of Alumnist magazine also looks to the for me” future with an article on “new behaviours”. New technology and new ways of operating—both collectively and individually—present the perfect opportunity to innovate in the fields that affect us daily: food, housing, transport, Dear graduates, etc. This article aims to provide a broad overview of some of the changes we are both undergoing and creating, offering As you know, 2016 will be the last year quite a bit of food for thought regarding that I will serve EPFL as President. The our professional and personal lives as Federal Council appointed Professor well as various areas of EPFL research. Martin Vetterli as the new President in February following the recommendation It is my hope that this fourth issue of of the ETH Board, and he will assume Alumnist will inspire you to learn about his new role in January 2017. His current and future EPFL innovations proven qualities and experience will and to support your school through the undoubtedly underpin the future challenges of tomorrow. || legacy of our school. This year is an exciting challenge for me, personally, as I endeavour to pass an increasingly more dynamic school to my successor whilst ensuring a smooth transition in leadership. Another headline for EPFL this year is the inauguration of the ArtLab building situated under the Esplanade. With its magnificent pavilions dedicated to major EPFL research projects, museum exhibitions and the Montreux Jazz Festival archives, the Patrick Aebischer, ArtLab building will represent Président de l'EPFL a true convergence between science, technology, art and society. We are pleased to invite you, as alumni, to the opening on November 4th as part of the EPFL Alumni Gala. 3 Alumnist Editorial Contents Editorial Dear alumni, The start of 2016 brings a breath of fresh air and new developments for the alumni network. The first of these new developments can be found in your pocket, with the all new version of the PocketCampus application. Thanks to this app, you can now use your smartphone to stay connected with other alumni, update your contact information and register for events happening near you. Another development includes the launch of several alumni clubs over the next few months. The first of these clubs is dedicated to EPFL’s female engineers, who comprise roughly only a quarter of our alumni. Our aim is to identify and implement solutions that will showcase the careers of our female alumni better. Under The Pole - Pôle Nord 2010 Nord - Pôle Under The Pole 8 For the first time this year, EPFL Alumni also organised EPFL’s participation in a major DIVING IN THE ARCTIC WITH GHISLAIN BARDOUT sporting event, the Lausanne 20km. In April, more Since graduating with a Mechanical Engineering degree in 2009, than 500 runners (alumni, students and staff) explorer Ghislain Bardout has been studying marine life under wore EPFL’s colours and participated together in the pack ice of the Arctic in his Under the Pole expeditions. this fun, sporting event. We hope that the success of this event will encourage others amongst you to participate in sporting events, as EPFL alumni, both in Switzerland and abroad. Finally, don’t forget to register for the first Alumni Gala, which will be held on November 4th. It is sure to be an evening full of reunions and incredible surprises. We would be delighted if you could join us for this exceptional event. We hope that you are as enthusiastic about these developments as we are and that this magazine helps you to discover afresh the wide variety of careers and individual stories of our alumni. Enjoy! || 24 EPFL / DR PHYSICS CLASS OF 1995: LIFE AFTER EPFL Five graduates share memories of campus life and discuss the trajectories their lives have taken since. Annelies Garcia, head of EPFL Alumni 4 Alumnist Contents 13 Thierry Parel Thierry Parel GRADUATES AT FISCHER CONNECTORS Recognised worldwide for its innovation in connector technology, the Vaud-based company Fischer Connectors counts a number of graduates and former employees of EPFL. 18 Thierry Parel Thierry Parel AN ALUMNUS DRIVEN BY PASSION Roland Loos (EL'87) plays an active role in a number of projects at EPFL, ranging from research and MOOCs to support for start-ups. REPORT: NEW BEHAVIOURS The digital takeover and technological advances in finance, 26 mobility, occupational health are disrupting every aspect of Alain Herzog / EPFL Alain Herzog 28 society and changing our habits. FUTURE PRESIDENT OF EPFL Portrait of Martin Vetterli, who will take on the duties of school president in January 2017. 5 Alumnist Events EPFL ALUMNI SEED NIGHT APRIL 21ST, 2016 Seed Night for EPFL Alumni took place on April 21st, 2016 at EPFL's Rolex Learning Center. Fifteen very promising start ups from both the university and the Canton of Vaud gathered at the event, which drew a total of 250 participants including business angels, industry executives and alumni. It was a huge success and a lovely evening reception for up and coming innovators. For photos and more information, visit the EPFL Alumni website. Gilles Nahon Gilles Nahon Gilles Nahon 6 Alumnist Events IN A CITY NEAR YOU… MARTIN VETTERLI IN ASIA MARCH 24TH AND 25TH, 2016 While he was in Asia for the International Conference on Acoustics, Speech and Signal Processing (ICASSP), Martin Vetterli met with alumni living locally. It was the perfect opportunity to spend some time with graduates living in Shanghai and Singapore on March 24th and 25th, respectively. DR PHONAK VISIT DECEMBER 8TH, 2015 Remember the 2003 America’s Cup? Wireless communication systems equipped with innovative technology designed by Phonak (part of the Sonova Group) played a crucial role in Alinghi's victory. Phonak, a company which develops, manufactures and distributes cutting DR edge hearing care solutions around the world, has been working FCasas with wireless technology for over 60 years. Forty alumni from the Suisse Orientale association had the opportunity to visit this company's head office in Stäfa, Switzerland, in late 2015. FCasas DR ECAL LAB VISIT MARCH 26TH, 2016 The EPFL+ECAL Lab is a laboratory located in the ECAL (University of Art and Design Lausanne) building, belonging to EPFL. Its aim is to explore the potential of emerging technologies through design—in other words, to transform scientific performance into user experience. Alumni had the opportunity to visit the Lab on March 26th, 2016 7 Alumnist Project An EPFL graduate deep under the Arctic ice Ghislain Bardout (GM’09) has been leading exploration missions since 2010 to study marine life under the Text: Arnaud Aubelle Arctic ice as part of his Under The Pole project. Ghislain Bardout − Lucas Santucci / Under The Pole − Groenland 2015 − Groenland Santucci / Under The Pole − Lucas Bardout Ghislain veryone has seen images of the vast, blimp. The expedition was interrupted in frozen stretches of the Arctic Circle, early 2008 due to an accident, but it was Ebut no one really knew what went his first step towards studying the ice. He on under those huge packs of ice. Until returned from this expedition driven by now. Ghislain Bardout has been studying one goal: to go back. Ghislain Bardout (front this mysterious world since he graduated right with his dog) and his from EPFL in 2009, bringing back specta- He settled in Lausanne and earned his team during the Under cular images that are also of great value degree in Mechanical Engineering while the Pole mission, Part II. for scientists. developing the project that would be To the left are his wife and his first experience as an expedition son, who took part in the Ghislain got into his life of adventure leader, Under The Pole. The first six- expedition. one step at a time. He developed a strong month stage involved a feasibility study, bond with nature starting in his early which he prepared alone. An important childhood, growing up on the shores of milestone was reached in March 2008 Lake Geneva and going on numerous when Rolex took interest in the project. dives in the lake. At age 25, he met the Four months later, they struck a deal, explorer Jean-Louis Etienne. While at and the Swiss watchmaker became the EPFL, Ghislain Bardout took a two-year first major sponsor. This gave the project break from his studies to take part in the the credibility it needed to get Under project Total Pole Airship, a scientific The Pole off the ground. “Preparing an mission to explore the Arctic pack ice in a expedition of this size and scope means 8 Alumnist Project jumping over a series of hurdles, a bit like in a new business project,” says Ghislain Bardout. “The deal with the first sponsor is a turning point.” The expedition began on March 26th, 2010, after extensive training. Ghislain Bardout initiated the project on his own but was joined by seven experts to form a multi-talented team including a photographer, nurse and mechanic, who were all prepared and motivated to explore the pack ice. Fifty-one dives were carried out, producing never- before-seen images.