September 2024

Eva Heinen has been Professor of Transportation and Mobility Planning in the Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering at ETH Zurich since July 2024. Her interdisciplinary research looks at mobility and transportation at the intersection of sustainable development, spatial planning and health. We asked her what currently drives her in research and teaching.

Can we meet the challenges of limited space and a growing population while reducing CO2 emissions by redesigning our city streets? The E-Bike City project at ETH Zurich’s Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering says "yes". Through new research and visualisations, the researchers show that prioritising shared mobility, green spaces and bike-friendly streets improves quality of life, reduces emissions and dependency on cars – all in a cost-effective way.

We are excited to share the latest updates from our Gender, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Unit (GDK) at D-BAUG. Get the details on the upcoming Mentoring Programme Kick-off and catch up on the highlights of two impactful events held before the summer. Plus, learn how you can contribute your suggestions and ideas to help shape our future initiatives.

On 29 October 2024, the Association of Scientific Staff at D-BAUG invites all students, researchers, and professors to join the department’s annual Meet & Share event. Doctoral students and researchers from all institutes will present selected case studies, highlighting the many ways in which research at D-BAUG is the result of fruitful collaborations. Mark your calendars for this exciting event! There are still free slots available for presenters if you would like to share your research.

At its meeting on 18 and 19 September 2024, the ETH Board appointed numerous professors at the request of ETH President Joël Mesot, including Dr Linard Cantieni for the Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering. As Professor of Underground Engineering, he succeeds Professor Georgios Anagnostou, who will retire in January 2025.

During this year's UCI Road and Para Cycling World Championships from 21 to 29 September 2024, ETH will also be right in the middle of the action with hands-on science. From the side of D-BAUG, there will be a presentation of the E-Bike City research project, which is developing alternative transport and mobility solutions for large cities. Visit us in the Bürkliplatz Velo Expo fan zone!

Researchers at ETH Zurich have been working with researchers from Ukraine and Germany to investigate how to rebuild Ukraine’s destroyed energy infrastructure based on renewable energy. They have determined that solar and wind energy would quickly deliver a distributed power supply system and prevent corruption. From D-BAUG, Professor Adrienne Grêt-Regamey was involved in the study.

How do microbial behaviour and interactions influence carbon storage in the deep sea? An international team of researchers, co-led by Professor Roman Stocker, has discovered that the food preferences of microbes are key to breaking down lipids, an important component of organic particles. These microbial preferences determine how much carbon dioxide (CO2) is transported to and stored in the deep sea over time.

Cities are critical to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. New research shows that European cities tend to prioritize environmental and technical issues, such as biodiversity or transportation, while their residents prefer issues linked to everyday needs, such as cost of living or public health. This is reported by D-BAUG researchers in the journal “Nature Sustainability”.

For the first time in its 12-year history, ETH Industry Day, which aims to bring together Swiss business with the university’s researchers and start-ups, is taking place in the heart of the City of Zurich. It is becoming part of Open-i, the event succeeding the Swiss Innovation Forum.