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The magazine for EPFL graduates December 2014 N. 1 San Francisco Igor Perisic (MA’91) Vice-president of engineering at LinkedIn. 4 CITIES UNDER THE MICROSCOPE Graduates abroad A closer look at the math programme p. 21 Aymeric Sallin's network p. 10 Alumnist Sommaire Alumnist Intro “Radically modernising As for our 18 branches, Vos idées vous appartiennent our alumni elections for representative positions have taken place in India, Hong Kong and Nous vous aidons à les protéger Singapore, and a new presi- network" dent has taken over manage- ment of the Montreal branch. These are Brevets the results of your energy and the liveli- Marques ness of the EPFL Alumni network. But, of course, we increasingly need your Designs help in leading local networks, investing Veille technologique your time and even coaching our young graduates in Switzerland and abroad. I am personally committed to helping you in your efforts, and making sure you can interact with the members of our Dear Alumni, management teams, who travel across Switzerland and the world to negotiate As you know, the École Polytechnique agreements with renowned universities Fédérale de Lausanne created a new and industrial research centres. department for alumni in 2014: The EPFL Alumni. It replaced the A3 association I would like to thank the large number of in order to provide more ambitious and volunteers from our alumni who are help- useful guidance for our global network ing us by devoting their time, talent and of more than 29,000 graduates, and to network contacts, and I hope you enjoy ensure the strength of this network befits reading the first edition of Alumnist. || the reputation our great institution enjoys worldwide. Through the launch of this new magazine and and the scheduled introduction of a range of new services in 2015, our EPFL Alumni team, headed by Annelies Garcia, has decided to radically modernise our network. As announced at the disbandment of the association, an Alumni Council has been created and is made up of around 15 graduates, all winners of an Alumni Award. Its first meeting took place on September 18th, and gave way to many interesting and innovative ideas to professionalise the EPFL Alumni service. Whether through the multilingual de- velopment of our communication tools, the introduction of modern virtual tools or our career ser- Patrick Aebischer, vices for your professional and President of EPFL entrepreneurial development, we have decided to invest in services with precise targets. P&TS SA / Av. Jean-Jacques Rousseau 4 / Case postale 2848 / 2001 Neuchâtel 2 3 Tél. + 41 - 032 - 7271427 / Fax + 41 - 032 - 7271424 / [email protected] / www.patentattorneys.ch Alumnist Editorial Alumnist Contents Contents Editorial Dear Alumni, As you might have guessed from the new look, new format and enhanced content, the EPFL’s Alumni magazine has been revamped. It is also now pub- lished in both French and English to better integrate our increasingly large multilingual community across the world. As part of our reworked magazine, we are devoting more space to graduates’ testimonies. In each edi- tion, we will meet alumni working in the same com- 13 pany, for example, and learn about their roles and responsibilities. In each edition, we will also choose certain years or programmes and find out where EPFL GRADUatES at KUDELSKI The expertise of EPFL graduates at the 21 those students are now. What are our Mathematics graduates doing today? Where do the graduates from service of Kudelski. the class of 1963 work? In this magazine, you can discover their stories and often remarkable journeys! A CLOSER LOOK at THE MatHEmatICS DEpartmENT 10 What careers can a degree in Mathematics bring? We will be keeping you up to date with EPFL news Four graduates from this department, including Caroline with stories from the campus you might not have Ferguson, share their thoughts. known about. And, of course, we will keep you in- AYMERIC SAllin’S NETWORK formed about the EPFL Alumni, with news, services, The CEO of NanoDimension, who graduated in 2000 with a degree and events which may interest you. Each edition in physics, talks about the people who make up his network. will also include a glimpse of the activities at our branches in Switzerland and abroad. Simply put, the magazine you have in your hands has been created in the image of the EPFL Alumni: full of innovation and more dynamic than ever! If you would like to suggest a subject, share your story or showcase your programme or class, please contact us at [email protected]. || 24 CLASS OF 1963: WHERE ARE THEY NOW? Alumnist goes back in time to catch up with former students, discovering their memories and their different life journeys. Annelies Garcia, Ilina Catana Alain Herzog, Thierry Parel, Sutter, Tobias head of EPFL Alumni 28 THE MagISTRALE 2014 GRADUatION DAY DOSSIER: A GUIDE TO A SUCCESSFUL CAREER ABROAD A total of 872 Master’s degrees were awarded at the graduation Four graduates living abroad give advice on enjoying the expat life. ceremony in October. 30 4 5 Alumnist News Alumnist News OUR CANADIAN NETWORK IN A CITY NEAR YOu… PARIS JUNE 4 29,399 EPFL alumni were invited to a This is the current number of dinner-conference with Stéphane graduates from the EPFL. Only Nègre, CEO of Intel France. 57 students graduated in 1953, compared to 1,299 in 2013. PARIS JUNE 23 A second dinner-conference was organised with Henri Lachmann, former CEO of Schneider Electric. LONDON JUNE 24 An informal dinner with Annelies Garcia, head of the EPFL Alumni, SHANGHAI who travelled from Switzerland to JULY 8 meet graduates based in London. Some 15 graduates met up for dinner at Shanghai Min, a renowned local restaurant. THE CHAMPION PARIS JULY 2 The Magistrale 2014 gradu- The annual Alumni evening ation day rewarded students at the Swiss embassy. with the best scores in their studies. Orhan Öçal, a young ZURICH Communications Systems JULY 4 graduate, finished his course The “Schnitzeljagd", a treasure at the EPFL with an average hunt around Zurich, received (tied) score of 5.96 out of 6! great interest from EPFL gradu- He is currently continuing his ates. They took part in the studies at the University of urban adventure with friends Berkeley in California, where and family. he has started a PhD. ZURICH SEPTEMBER 24 BANGALORE Orhan, what is the best memory The east Switzerland branch organised a visit for its JULY 8 you have of the EPFL? members to an exhibition entitled “Underground, the specta- A first! The Bangalore branch ORHAN ÖÇAL When I was accepted cle of the invisible" at the Zurich Museum of Design. assembled its graduates for into the research programme the first time ever. at the Audio-visual Com- munications Laboratory, led by Professor Martin Vetterli. SINGAPORE BOSTON I feel it is important to add JULY 18 JULY 11 & 12 to your studies by carrying Graduates met for Swiss-US Energy Innovation out research. the first time over Seminar, followed by the MONTREAL drinks and dinner. SwissEnergy Brunch attended When were things the most AUGUST 25 by Doris Leuthard, Swiss difficult? The Canadian branch of the EPFL Federal Councillor. All the stressful times, Wally Gobetz Wally Alumni invited graduates to and there were a lot of them! Angrignon Park in Montreal for PAYERNE (VD) But student solidarity is a barbecue. AUGUST 30 & 31 very strong and helps you The members of the eastern get through the difficult Switzerland branch attended moments. the AIR14 air show in Payerne. What was your favourite place during your studies? At the cafeteria to take a Jean-François Payen, break, and by the lake where (MT’91), Markus Reubi, director of the Swiss there is an extraordinary view Business Hub Canada of the mountains! The area and his wife, Felicity. is so beautiful, especially (from right to left). the vineyards in the Lavaux region. When I wasn’t in class, I enjoyed going to cultural and musical events. LA GUEULAZ (VS) NEW YORK SEPTEMBER 11 OCTOBER 24 The members of the Vaud/Valais EPFL graduates attended the first event gathering the alumni branch visited the hydroelectric of major Swiss universities in the prestigious Hotel Plaza dam on the Emosson reservoir. Athénée in New York. 6 7 Alumnist Council First meeting of ADVERTISING the Alumni Council La Faculté des sciences et La Faculté informatique et communica- La Faculté de l’environnement naturel, The Alumni Council met for the first time on September techniques de l’ingénieur met tions met actuellement au concours les architectural et construit met actuelle- actuellement au concours le poste postes suivants: ment au concours le poste suivant: 18, 2014 to represent graduates and give an external suivant: opinion to the school's administration. We asked Faculty Positions in Faculty Position Faculty Position in Interview by: Jacques Bauer (PH'18), a witness and a Computer Science in Construction Alexandre Bisenz member of the meeting, a few questions. Biomaterials (AR’93) Contact: Prof. Harm-Anton Klok Contact: Prof. Willy Zwaenepoel and Architecture [email protected] [email protected] Contact: Prof. Marilyne Andersen [email protected] What can EPFL graduates expect from De plus amples informations sont De plus amples informations sont this Council? De plus amples informations sont The Council plays an important role for disponibles sous: disponibles sous: disponibles sous: http://professeurs.epfl.ch/page- http://professeurs.epfl.ch/page- http://professeurs.epfl.ch/page- all graduates, as it enables their voices to 113440-fr.html 113108-fr.html 113701-fr.html be heard by the presidency of the EPFL. The former association did not promote this as prominently.