EDCE PhD Student Representatives
Virtual SéminApero May 2021
Who are we?
We are a team of up to four Ph.D. students just like you. We have been elected to take care of the following three main tasks:
Representation: We represent you in:
1) the EDCE committee meetings;
2) doctoral commission meetings; and,
3) the biannual meeting with the direction of the doctoral school.
In these meetings, we discuss and vote on several topics, such as the program regulations, study plan, introduction of new courses, etc.
If you have any concerns or questions regarding the EDCE doctoral program, or would like to see any particular changes or improvements, please send us an email at: [email protected]
Social events: We organize multiple social events during the year to allow you to meet other EDCE Ph.D. students. Your help is always welcome, by the way. Here are our main social events:
- SeminApero: Once per semester, we organize our famous SeminApero! 5 to 6 students from all 3 institutes of our doctoral school (civil, environment and architecture) are challenged to present their thesis in 5 minutes only! We close the presentations with a nice aperitif.
- Afterworks: Approximately once per semester, we organize an afterwork aperitif, where we network among us and enjoy a nice cold beverage.
- Welcome event for the new EDCE Ph.D students: Once per semester, we organize a small aperitif dedicated for the newcomers in the program. This allows you, the new students, to connect and to ask all questions about the first year, candidacy exam, life in EDCE, etc.
- ENAC doctoral school events: Once per year, we connect with the other ENAC Ph.D. programs (EDAR and EDME) and we organize a seminar followed by an aperitif together.
Mentoring/Help: We are always open to discussion and here to help you if you have any question you’d like to ask. We’re always open to the discussion and if we don’t have the answer for you, we’ll do our best to help you find them!
If you are struggling with your PhD, workload, lab group or supervisor, or mental health, know that there are a range of resources available to you.
- If available to you and if you feel comfortable, your first port-of-call is your supervisor. Open and honest discussions are imperative for a successful PhD.
- If this is not an option, we encourage you to email your mentor, who you will have been assigned upon starting your PhD. Contact [email protected] if you can’t remember your mentor.
- As your representatives, we are always open to discussion! If you have any questions regarding procedures in the program, or need support, feel free to reach out to us. And if we don’t have the answer for you, we’ll do our best to help you find them! You can email us directly at [email protected]
- PolyDoc is the PhD student association for EPFL. They organise social activities, and help to coordinate the Doctoral Program student representatives. Check out their page for up-to-date information. Their page on mental health resources has information on what resources are available to you: go.epfl.ch/polydoc-my-well-being . You can contact them directly at [email protected]
- There is a new peer-to-peer counselling program being set up by the EPDA in conjunction with PolyDoc and the Doctoral Program Student Representatives. Check out their website for more information:
