Dear members of the Federal Council Dear members of the National Council and of the Swiss Council of States Dear readers One of the burning issues of 2013 was the Federal Energy Strategy: research and development should – and hopefully will – play a significant role in meeting the objectives of the Energy Strategy 2050. The ETH Domain is ready and willing to lead by example in this regard, but with out compromising on quality and the range of research infra­ structures on offer in the process. We will step up our efforts even further, working closely with universities of applied sciences, ANNUAL REPORT other higher education institutions and in­ of the ETH Board on the ETH Domain dustry. The Energy Strategy 2050 is a major societal project presenting great challenges and great opportunities. This is especially true for applied and non­prejudiced research, which is essential for great innovation. We must take an open and transparent approach to planning this project, always with an eye on the big picture. Society wants reliable framework conditions, cost transparency and efficient use of resources, as well as clearly comprehensible intermediate steps. The reorganisation of the energy system should not come at the expense of climate objectives and the environment. Another focal topic in 2013 was the search for a successor for the departing President of ETH Zurich. We on the ETH Board – involving two representatives from ETH Zurich – have looked into this matter in great depth over the past year. I was delighted that we were able to bring this to a success ful and smooth conclusion at the end of September 2013, when the Federal Council appointed Professor Lino Guzzella as the next President of ETH Zurich. Eidg. Forschungsanstalt für Wald, Schnee und Landschaft WSL With the other gratifying milestones and advances achieved over the year in the construction of large­scale research infrastructures, the launch of major research projects and conducting long­term fundamental research, the ETH Domain underlined its international position as a leader in research and its pioneering role in transforming Switzerland into a centre for research and innovation. Some of the highlights worth mentioning are the selection of the Human Brain Project as one of the European Union’s FET Flagship schemes, putting the “Piz Daint” supercomputer – the fastest, most powerful and most energy­efficient of its kind – into operation at the CSCS in Lugano last November, laying the foundation stone for the SwissFEL X­ray free­electron laser facility at the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), and the discovery of the Higgs boson at CERN, in which ETH Zurich and PSI were heavily involved, along with the Nobel Prize subsequently awarded for this. The institutions of the ETH Domain provide the highest standard of teaching, research and innovation. To highlight the excellence and variety of their work in a visual way, we have taken this opportunity, as we enter the new 2013­2016 performance period, to revamp our annual report, giving a varied and easily accessible account of our “business” and the fascinating range of activities going on. I would like to extend my sincere thanks to everyone who has played a part in helping us implement our objectives so successfully – the government, our professors, our employees and our students. Dr Fritz Schiesser President of the ETH Board CONTENTS OVERVIEW 6 Selected highlights 8 Environment 10 Energy research – research requires energy FASCINATION 28 ETH Zurich | Quality assurance 30 PSI | SwissFEL 36 in teaching A bright future: the Swiss X­ray Teaching: differentiated free­electron laser quality management WSL | Tree ring research 39 EPFL | Digital Humanities 33 Wood from the ice age Virtual time travel to historic Venice INSIGHT 60 Objective 1 | Teaching 62 Objective 3 | Knowledge and 76 Facts & Figures 62 technology transfer Examples 64 Facts & Figures 76 Examples 78 Objective 2 | Research 68 Facts & Figures 68 Objective 4 | Research infrastructures 82 Sub­objective 4a 71 and large-scale research projects Examples 72 Facts & Figures 82 CLOSE-UP 116 Monitoring table 118 Academic achievement report | 126 Benchmarking Academic achievement report 120 Comprehensive quality management Engineering, ICT and life sciences: a at the ETH Domain institutions steady rise in new Bachelor’s students 4 Annual Report 2013 on the ETH Domain Academic life 13 Environment and energy 18 Organisation and governance 22 Sustained interest in study courses at The ETH Domain as a role model Structure and leadership the two Federal Institutes of Technology of the ETH Domain Personnel and professorial matters 17 Management bodies 24 Members of the ETH Board 27 Empa | Future mobility 42 ETH Domain | Energy research 48 ETH Domain | Big data 54 The petrol station of the future Comprehensive energy concepts Big data – using large volumes for town and country of data efficiently Eawag | Alternative to animal testing 45 Toxicity tests on gill cell cultures ETH Domain | Future cities 51 ETH Domain | Health and Life Sciences 57 instead of fish The liveable city of the future Research in the interests of people and their health Objective 5 | International 86 Objective 7 | Role in society 96 Objective 9 | Real estate management 106 positioning and cooperation and national tasks Facts & Figures 86 Facts & Figures 96 Objective 10 | Working conditions, 110 Examples 88 National tasks 98 equal opportunities and young Examples 100 scientific talent Objective 6 | National cooperation 90 Facts & Figures 110 Facts & Figures 90 Objective 8 | Sources of financing 102 Gender monitoring 112 Competence centres 92 and allocation of funds Examples 114 Strategic initiatives 93 Examples 94 Financial key figures 134 Real estate key figures 149 Publication data 154 The 2013­2016 performance period Rising student numbers and starts as planned large­scale research facilities determine infrastructural development Personnel key figures 142 Continuing trends in personnel Annual Report 2013 on the ETH Domain 5 OVERVIEW Optimal framework conditions allow the ETH domain to act as a role model in contributing towards Switzerland’s success as an attractive business and science location. With gratifying mile stones and advances the ETH Domain underlined its international position as a leader in research and its pioneering role in transforming Switzerland into a centre SELECTED for research and innovation. → p. 8 HIGHLIGHTS Research requires energy: In the area of energy research and European research cooperation, two positive decisions were taken that are of high significance for the ETH Domain. The ETH Domain operates in an environment where the ability to produce innovations and transfer knowledge and technology are increasingly important in global competition. → p. 10 ENVIRONMENT 6 Annual Report 2013 on the ETH Domain ENVIRONMENT The ETH Domain as a role model: In the ETH Domain, the environment and energy are more than just subjects to be taught or researched. The running of buildings and research facilities of the ETH Domain & ENERGY requires a lot of energy in itself. The management is aware of the responsibility this carries with it and strives to be a role model also at an operative level. → p. 18 ACADEMIC Sustained interest in study two Federal Institutes of courses at the two Federal Technology. Main taining Institutes of Technology: excellence in education The increase in the number proved to be a challenge once LIFE of students and doctoral stu­ again in 2013. International dents and the rise in enrol­ success in research was ments on Bachelor’s degree evidenced by the successful programmes are evidence of application for project­based the continuing appeal of the funding from the EU. → p. 13 ORGANISATION & As the law governing sponsor­ ship of the ETH Domain, the ETH Act clearly defines the con­ stitutional mission to operate the Swiss Federal Institutes GOVERNANCE of Technology. This act also provides the legal basis for the research institutes of the ETH Domain. → p. 22 Annual Report 2013 on the ETH Domain 7 OVERVIEW Highlights 1 2 1 Festive laying of the foundation stone (l. to r.): Mayor André Zoppi, President of the ETH Board Fritz Schiesser, President of the Cantonal Council Alex Hürzeler, PSI Director Joël Mesot, State Secretary Mauro Dell’Ambrogio, SwissFEL Project Manager Hans Braun and Marco Hirzel of the EquiFEL Suisse consortium which will carry out the construction work for the SwissFEL building. (Image: Frank Reiser / PS) 2 The former Serono headquarters in Geneva: site of the Biotech campus where the new Wyss Institute for bio­ and neuro­engineering will also be located. (Image: EPFL) 3 Media conference of the Science journal at Eawag on arsenic in groundwater (l. to r.): Janet Hering, Director of Eawag, Natasha Pinol, Senior Communication Officer of AAAS (American Association for the Advancement of Science ) and Nick Wigginton, Associate Editor with AAAS. (Image: Eawag) 3 8 Annual Report 2013 on the ETH Domain OVERVIEW Highlights ETH Zurich WSL A boost for theoretical research The impact of climate change on trees and forests In 2013, ETH Zurich set up a new Institute for Theoretical Studies How do trees in the forests of Central Europe react to droughts and (ITS), which invites four to six high­calibre scientists each from the warmer temperatures? And how can the various functions of a fields of mathematics, theoretical natural sciences and theoretical forest be maintained? These questions were discussed by 250 computer science to spend up to a year carrying out research in researchers at the ClimTree 2013 conference organised by the Swiss Zurich. The first Senior Fellow at ITS is Henryk Iwaniec, a leading Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL). number theorist from Rutgers University in the USA. The institute The discussions focused on assessing the expected changes, com­ further employs ten talented postdocs as Junior Fellows under the paring results from models and experiments, and examining sig­ supervision of professors from ETH Zurich.