News about ENAC Community

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.

“Competing in ski mountaineering at the 2026 Olympics would be huge”

Published:31.05.22 — Matteo Favre, a Bachelor’s student in EPFL’s Section of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, is also a member of the Swiss ski mountaineering team. He’s landed several podium finishes this season, including in the men’s senior category.

Six nominations and a promotion at ENAC School

Published:11.03.22 — The Board of the Swiss Federal Institutes of Technology has announced the appointment of six news professors at ENAC School and promoted Associate Professor Rizlan Bernier-Latmani as Full Professor.

“Being 18 in today's world makes me hopeful”

Published:07.03.22 — Natacha Romanens is in the third year of her apprenticeship to become a physics laboratory assistant at EPFL’s Laboratory of Soil Mechanics (LMS).

“In the South, you can't talk just about global warming”

Published:19.09.21 — Alongside his postdoc research at EPFL, Arindam Roy works hard to communicate about climate change in his native language of Bengali. The workshops he runs don’t focus on polar bears on ice caps, but rather on concrete solutions to the very real problems faced by people in the Global South.

"With an iPhD you essentially have double the fun"

Published:08.09.21 — Jeremy Wong is a third-year iPhD student with the labs of Professors Alexandre Persat and Tom Ian Battin, respectively at EPFL’s School of Life Sciences (SV) and Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering (ENAC). Hailing from Canada and with his roots in Hong Kong, Wong has made his way into biology after a bachelor’s degree in chemistry. When not in lab, Jeremy can be found watching sunsets atop mountain peaks in Valais, playing his violin and harmonica, making polymer clay miniatures, and baking cakes and cookies for his lab mates, who he considers the friendliest guinea pigs for his newest culinary experiments.

“I never imagined I could use math to study nature”

Published:22.10.20 — Devis Tuia, who hails from Mendrisio in Ticino Canton, is a well-traveled man. His career has taken him to Spain, the Netherlands, and now back to Switzerland, where he’s just started a new role as head of the Environmental Computational Science and Earth Observation Laboratory at EPFL’s Valais campus. He discusses how remote sensing, image processing and machine learning can be used to protect the environment.

EpiLibre, a new, free-wheeling grocery store on campus

Published:22.09.20 — Get ready to stock your pantry! Starting on 22 September, EpiLibre, a new on-campus grocery store, will sell bulk items such as lentils, oatmeal, chickpeas and dried fruit. The store was the brainchild of the Student Kreativity and Innovation Lab (SKIL) at the School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering (ENAC), with financial support provided by the Act for Change LAB.

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.

Two new professors and two promotions at ENAC

Published:08.03.24 — The Board of the Swiss Federal Institutes of Technology has announced four nominations and promotions at ENAC.

Alcherio Martinoli, new Director of SSIE

Published:02.02.24 — Prof. Alcherio Martinoli succeeds Prof. Alexis Berne as Director of the Environmental Sciences and Engineering Section (SSIE) and sits on the ENAC Direction since February 1, 2024. Prof. Alexis Berne remains co-director of SSIE and continues to be in charge of the joint Sustainability course in the first year at EPFL.

Smart Living Lab's new head is a pioneer in the reuse of load-bearing

Published:16.01.24 — Corentin Fivet, an EPFL professor since 2016, has developed pioneering methods for reusing concrete slabs, walls, and beams made of wood or steel. He’ll take over as the head of the Smart Living Lab this spring, as the R&D center celebrates its 10th anniversary.

Katrin Beyer appointed dean of ENAC

Published:14.11.23 — Katrin Beyer, currently an associate dean at EPFL’s School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering (ENAC), will take over as dean of ENAC on 1 January 2024. She’s a renowned expert in her field and has headed the Earthquake Engineering and Structural Dynamics Laboratory (EESD) at ENAC since 2010.

Lyesse Laloui elected to prestigious Academia Europaea

Published:23.04.24 — Renowned geomechanical expert to join influential academic organization

Meret Aeppli receives the Jin Jingfu Memorial Lecture Award

Published:11.03.24 — Tenure track assistant professor in environmental engineering at EPFL, Meret Aeppli was awarded the Jin Jingfu Memorial Lecture by the International Association of Geochemistry.

Devis Tuia elected IEEE Fellow

Published:21.12.23 — Professor Devis Tuia has been elected as Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) “for his for contributions to artificial intelligence and machine learning applied to Earth Observation data”.

Prof. Andrea Rinaldo receives the 2023 Robert E. Horton Medal

Published:14.12.23 — Prof. Andrea Rinaldo is the 2023 Robert E. Horton Medal recipient, awarded by the American Geophysical Union (AGU)

2023 RIBA Charles Jencks Award

Published:11.12.23 — Congratulations to Pier Vittorio Aureli and Martino Tattara, who have been awarded the prestigious RIBA Charles Jencks 2023 prize!

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.

Prof. Kenan Zhang

Published:01.09.23 — La professeure Kenan Zhang a rejoint l'ENAC le 1er septembre 2023 en tant que professeure assistante tenure track de génie civil.

Prof. Sophie Delhay

Published:01.09.23 — La professeure Sophie Delhay a rejoint l'ENAC le 1er septembre 2023 en tant que professeure associée d’architecture.

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.

Prof. Eugen Brühwiler

Published:30.11.23 — Le professeur Eugen Brühwiler, professeur ordinaire de maintenance, sécurité et construction d’ouvrages, a pris sa retraite fin novembre 2023.

Prof. David Andrew Barry

Published:30.08.23 — Le professeur David Andrew Barry, professeur ordinaire de remédiation et éco-hydrologie, a pris sa retraite fin août 2023.

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.

EPFL pays homage to Prof. Mario Bevilacqua

Published:24.10.22 — Prof. Mario Bevilacqua sadly passed away on 2 October 2022. He taught at EPFL’s architecture department from 1974 to 1997.

EPFL pays homage to François Iselin

Published:24.10.22 — François Iselin sadly passed away on 11 October 2022. He worked as an expert advisor, researcher and teacher at the institute of architectural engineering, within EPFL’s department of architecture, until 2005.