News about ENAC Community

“I'd call my teaching style ‘old school-plus'”

Published:10.12.24 — Alain Nussbaumer, voted best teacher in the civil engineering section for 2024, could very well have studied mechanical engineering and gone into the aerospace or shipbuilding industry. Because what he’s really excited about are structures of all shapes and sizes.

“Architects write the score, and residents interpret the music”

Published:07.10.24 — Sophie Delhay, an architect and EPFL professor, is promoting an entirely new approach to designing and building homes. She believes we urgently need to break away from standard housing types that no longer correspond to today’s reality or modern-day imperatives.

“I love a battle and the fact that there's a winner and looser.”

Published:03.10.24 — Aline Rosset is someone to be reckoned with. A judoka with a first dan black belt, she’s recovered from a major neck injury two years ago and now, at 20 years old, is successfully combining judo competition with classes at EPFL.

”Accommodating my neurodivergence was life-changing”

Published:30.09.24 — A postdoc researcher in the Extreme Environments Research Laboratory in Sion, Joanna Dyson lives with attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD). This topic will be addressed during the Health Days that start today at EPFL.

“Being a good researcher doesn't mean you'll be a good teacher”

Published:16.08.24 — Horst Pick planned to spend just a few years at EPFL, but he’ll soon celebrate 30 years at our School – including nearly 20 as a teacher. In all this time, his approach to education hasn’t changed: he believes in the need for very close contact with his students.

Adrien Briffod, Master's student and triathlete, 100% committed!

Published:13.08.24 — Adrien Briffod, an EPFL master’s student in civil engineering with a specialization in transportation systems, has been juggling his coursework and his career as a triathlete for the past ten years. He competed in the 2024 Paris Olympics and will complete his master’s in 2025.

“Hardly a day goes by that I don't build something”

Published:27.06.24 — Over two decades ago, Stéphane Clerc started getting involved in the technical work behind some high-profile projects involving EPFL – including Alinghi and Solar Impulse. For the past six years, he’s been drawing on that experience as a coach at EPFL’s SKIL workshops.

Urs von Gunten, the unsung hero of water treatment

Published:13.02.24 — For a scientist who’s won numerous international honors for his research, Urs von Gunten, a professor at EPFL and the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag), is disarmingly modest.

“Students naturally appreciate a little showmanship”

Published:18.01.24 — Throughout his over 40-year career, Eugen Brühwiler strongly advocated a sustainable approach to civil engineering that prioritizes the reuse of existing structures. He retired from EPFL in late November 2023 – after being named the best teacher in the civil engineering section for 2023.

"Studying environmental science clearly influenced how I snowboard"

Published:16.03.23 — Mathieu Schaer, an EPFL alumni and scientific collaborator at MétéoSwiss, is also a professional snowboarder who shows that mountain sports don’t have to be bad for the environment. Learn more about this athlete, who combines the thrill of adventure with a love of nature.

A passion for science through the eyes of women

Published:08.03.23 — The STEM passion exhibition, on view until March 19, 2023 at the Rolex Learning Center, features portraits of international women researchers, including seven female EPFL professors chosen as role models. For ENAC, Tamar Kohn talked about her passion for her research and work.

Jean-Louis Scartezzini: a life devoted to the sun

Published:27.01.23 — “I can’t even offer you a cup of coffee – I already packed up my coffee machine!” Prof. Jean-Louis Scartezzini, who has headed EPFL’s Solar Energy and Building Physics Laboratory (LESO-PB) for the past 30 years, doesn’t seem fazed by his upcoming retirement. We spoke with him about his long, successful career and some of the twists and turns along the way.

“Emergencies are becoming increasingly common”

Published:17.01.23 — Architect and urban planner Estefania Mompean Botias is writing her thesis on architecture in the context of emergency situations. As part of her work, she’s developing a global atlas of local emergency management practices.

EPFL plans new research center in Valais on the energy transition

Published:19.12.22 — Ten years after signing the agreement to open its Valais Wallis campus in Sion, today EPFL opened a new building on the campus: Alpole, which will serve as a research center on alpine and polar environments. EPFL also took the opportunity to unveil plans to create another research center in Sion – one focused on the energy transition – and has obtained preliminary approval from the Valais cantonal government.

“Fluid mechanics is a fascinating field because it's very visual”

Published:01.12.22 — EPFL professor Fernando Porté-Agel has won the ENAC Polysphère Award for the second time in under a decade. He uses concrete examples and novel teaching methods to make fluid mechanics a fun, interactive topic to study. 

“We hope people will come and put our architects on the spot”

Published:14.11.22 — Cyril Veillon has been the director of Archizoom, EPFL’s cultural center for architecture exhibitions and conferences, for nearly 15 years. He helps drive change by fostering dialogue between architects and the general public.

Raphaël Ahumada juggles architecture and rowing

Published:27.09.22 — The 21-year-old student, who’s on EPFL’s specialist track for elite athletes, splits his days between virtual classes, intensive training sessions and international races.

ENAC celebrates its 20 years and three disciplines in style

Published:09.09.22 — On 2 September 2022, EPFL’s School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering (ENAC) celebrated its 20th anniversary at a high-energy event featuring expert perspectives on the challenges lying ahead.

“Using our skills to restore people's dignity“

Published:07.07.22 — Robert Mardini has been the director-general of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) since 2020. In this interview, Mardini – who holds a civil engineering degree from EPFL – gives us an overview of the ICRC’s work and discusses the links between science and humanitarian action. He touches on topics like the Ukraine crisis, the impact of global warming, and the growing role of technology in armed conflict.

“I've always dreamt of contributing to a more sustainable future”

Published:02.06.22 — Jérémy Fleury is a doctoral assistant at EPFL’s Solar Energy and Building Physics Laboratory (LESO-PB). He hopes that in the future, he’ll be able to keep combining his love of the mountains with work on renewable energy.

Satoshi Takahama nominated as Adjunct Professor

Published:06.12.24 — Satoshi Takahama, currently Senior Scientist at EPFL, is nominated as Adjunct Professor in the School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering (ENAC).

Three nominations at ENAC

Published:19.09.24 — The Board of the Swiss Federal Institutes of Technology has announced three nominations at ENAC

Sophie Delhay, new Director of the Architecture Section

Published:20.06.24 — Professor Sophie Delhay will succeed Professor Dieter Dietz as Director of the Architecture Section (SAR) from the 15th of August 2024

Two promotions at ENAC

Published:23.05.24 — The Board of the Swiss Federal Institutes of Technology has announced the promotion of Professor Alexandre Alahi, currently Tenure Track Assistant Professor at EPFL, as Associate Professor, and of Professor Alcherio Martinoli, currently Associate Professor at EPFL, as Full Professor. Congratulations to both of them!

Pier Vittorio Aureli, new Director of the Institute of Architecture

Published:09.04.24 — Professor Pier Vittorio Aureli succeeds Professor Jeffrey Huang as Director of the Institute of Architecture (IA) from May 1, 2024.

Athanasios Nenes wins the David Sinclair Award

Published:17.12.24 — Athanasios Nenes has been honored with the David Sinclair Award for sustained excellence in aerosol research and technology. He also has been included in the prestigious list of most Highly Cited Researchers in 2024, for the fifth year in a row.

EPFL Doctorate Award 2024 for Seyed Mahmood Hamze-Ziabari

Published:28.11.24 — Unravelling submesoscale processes associated with meso- and basin-scale gyres in Lake Geneva EPFL thesis n°10293 Thesis director: Prof. D. A. Barry

Zeno Karl Schindler Award 2024 for Nils Rädecker

Published:28.11.24 — Metabolic regulation of the cnidarian-algal symbiosis

National ORD Prize awarded to ENAC-IT4Research

Published:27.11.24 — ENAC-IT4Research has been granted the first Award of the National ORD Prize at the Swiss Academies Ceremony on Wednesday Nov 27th.

Équerre d'argent 2024 for Claudia Devaux

Published:25.11.24 — The Équerre d'argent prize 2024 was awarded to Devaux & Devaux Architectes (Claudia Devaux and David Devaux), for their project to renovate the upper station of the Salève cable car in Monnetier-Mornex (Haute-Savoie, France). 

Adrien Cannistrà

Published:01.10.24 — Adrien Cannistrà a rejoint le Décanat de l’ENAC en tant que Responsable des finances.

Prof. Konstantinos Karapiperis

Published:01.06.24 — Le professeur Konstantinos Karapiperis a rejoint l'ENAC le 1er juin 2024 en tant que professeur assistant tenure track de génie civil.

Anne Legrand

Published:01.12.23 — Anne a rejoint l’équipe administrative du Décanat de l’ENAC pour apporter un support administratif dans les différentes tâches du Décanat, dont le recrutement de professeurs.

Départ à la retraite du Prof. Andrea Rinaldo

Published:01.10.24 — Andrea Rinaldo, professeur ordinaire de sciences et ingénierie de l’environnement, a pris sa retraite à la fin du mois de septembre 2024.

Départ à la retraite du Prof. Thomas Keller

Published:31.07.24 — Thomas Keller, professeur ordinaire de structures, a pris sa retraite fin juillet 2024.

Départ à la retraite du Prof. Aurelio Muttoni

Published:29.02.24 — Aurelio Muttoni, professeur ordinaire de structures en béton, a pris sa retraite fin février 2024.

Hommage à Léopold Veuve

Published:20.09.24 — Cofondateur du bureau d'urbanisme Urbaplan, le professeur honoraire Léopold Veuve a enseigné au département d'architecture de 1972 à 1995. Il est décédé le 13 septembre 2024.

Tribute to Andrii Romanenko

Published:27.05.24 — Andrii Romanenko passed away on 23 May 2024. He was a doctoral student at the Laboratory of environmental virology (LEV) of ENAC.

Jacques Lucan (1947-2023)

Published:13.10.23 — Éminent théoricien de l'architecture, le professeur Jacques Lucan a enseigné à l'EPFL de 1993 à 2015. Il s'est éteint le 8 octobre 2023.

Pierre Frey (1949-2023)

Published:11.10.23 — Ancien directeur des Archives de la construction moderne et professeur honoraire EPFL, Pierre Frey nous a quittés le 6 octobre 2023.

Remembering René Vittone

Published:18.11.22 — Professor Emeritus René Vittone taught at EPFL from 1976 to 1992 and is the author of the university textbook Bâtir – Manuel de la construction. He passed away on 31 October 2022.