On the shores of Lac Léman, between the magnificent peaks of the Alps and the gentle mountains of the Jura, exists a place where conversations about plasma physics intertwine with stories of epic alpine adventures, where notebooks filled with equations share backpacks with mountain gear ready for the next hike. It’s an amazing place, as if born from a fusion reaction between physics and the Alps. This is the Swiss Plasma Center at EPFL, which I called home for the past few months thanks to the ERIP internship.
It is a lab unlike any other in the world: quite literally a star in the mountains. At its heart is the Tokamak à Configuration Variable (TCV): a type of magnetic confinement nuclear fusion reactor known as a tokamak. Although fusion fascinated me for many years, working on a real tokamak was something I could not have imagined even in my wildest dreams. Now, thanks to ERIP, I can say with 100% confidence that working on TCV in Lausanne was one of the most beautiful experiences of my life.
The equipment I was able to work on, combined with the amazing people, created an environment which cannot be rivalled anywhere else. My work on commissioning a new bremsstrahlung diagnostic system on our tokamak exposed me everything from hardware to software, all the way to understanding the underlying physical principles. The project was certainly challenging, but my supervisor spent countless hours answering my questions, teaching me how to use new tools and equipment, and showing me around the lab’s facilities. I always felt that I was “one of them,” and never just a student.
I learned more in these few months than I would have in an entire year of classes, and I certainly had more fun than ever before. After all, there are many great labs and universities in the world, but how many have a view of the Alps, are a few minutes away from the beach, and a short train ride away from some of the best hiking and skiing in the world? Although you might think that these are just temptations that will distract you from doing research, I can promise you that the mountains taste better after a week in the lab!
As part of ERIP, you will be surrounded by people who are determined to maximize every second of their short stay in Switzerland! The results of such an environment are quite amazing – there are nearly no limits to what you can do! We, the interns, self-organized trips every weekend, sometimes ending up in places which would be very difficult to visit otherwise, such as the antimatter factory at CERN!
Yet ERIP life doesn’t revolve around science alone… Watching the sunset reflecting off Mont Blanc while swimming in Lac Léman after a day in the lab? Certainly! Hiking under palm trees, through the clouds, to snow covered peaks in a single day? Why not! Biking through century-old vineyards among the mountains? Of course! Savouring fondue and Swiss wine in a 297-year-old chalet? That is Swiss life at its fullest!
Before coming to Switzerland, I could not have imagined that life could be as beautiful as it was during my time at EPFL. Although my ERIP adventure has come to an end, now it’s your turn. Pick a lab, apply for ERIP, come to EPFL, and be amazed. Your stay in Switzerland will surpass anything you can imagine!
David, University of Waterloo, Host: Swiss Plasma Center
