Rare earth elements power the technologies we rely on every day – from smartphones to wind turbines and electric vehicles. But extracting them is complex, resource-intensive, and often environmentally challenging. What if we could recover them more sustainably?
In the video, Marie Perrin shares how her research is turning electronic waste into rare earths and how a Pioneer Fellowship supports her journey from lab to startup.
@eth_entrepreneurship@theraredoctor@eth_dchab
#pioneerfellowship #ethzurich #philanthropy #startup #cleantech
Daniela Bosshardt, Member of the Board of Trustees of the ETH Foundation, puts it clearly: #philanthropy creates freedom.
Freedom to support bold research, empower exceptional talent, and venture into scientific unknowns. Check out the interview on our website (link in bio).
#impact #ethzurich #research #education
Today, on International Women's Day, we want to shine a light on some of the women who shape the ETH Zurich community – and strengthen society as a whole: Thank you for your research, your teaching, your entrepreneurial spirit, your grit and courage.
Together with our donors we remain committed to fostering equal opportunities and empowering female talent at every stage of the academic and professional journey.
Happy International WomensDay!
Who is a woman who inspires you — or someone you’d like to say “thank you” to? Tell us in the comments.
To celebrate the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, our video presents 10 research news stories from 2025, as told by the female students and researchers whose projects have attracted attention.
Their work demonstrates the importance of different perspectives in strong science.
Which developments have particularly impressed you?
What would you need to cross #Australia in just 44 hours? A team of #Students from ETH Zurich has found the answer — and it has nothing to do with high-powered fuel or taking shortcuts. Read the story to discover what really matters on this journey.
Grown in the creative workshop: Thanks to private donations, the @studentprojecthouse provides students with the space to #experiment, #prototype, and grow as makers and #innovators. It’s a vibrant #community where bold ideas meet the tools, mentorship, and creative freedom they need to thrive.
🌱 learn more via link in bio
🎥 @kristina_milkovic_@tethysrobotics@autonomousrivercleanup@fabas.ch@synature_ag
Studying at @ethzurich should not only guarantee an outstanding disciplinary education but also equip students with interdisciplinary competencies: developing an in-depth and holistic understanding of #sustainability, #ethics, and social contexts is an important goal.
Read more on our website (link in bio).
📸 ETH Zurich / Alessandro Della Bella
#teaching #education #ethzh
What does it take for AI to become a tutor with real pedagogical value?
🎓 Doctoral student Jakub Macina is exploring precisely this intersection of natural language processing and learning sciences. By embedding established educational principles, he keeps the learning process active, reflective, and purposefully guided.
🎯 His goal: AI models that enrich classroom teaching, foster inclusion, and empower students to take ownership of their learning progress.
👉 learn more on our website (link in bio) and support pioneering work like Jakub’s by contributing to the @eth_ai_center .
@ethzurich@paul.scherrer.institut@danielwinklerfotografie
What an evening! Yesterday, Prof. Nako Nakatsuka, Ph.D. was awarded the #RuzickaPrize 2025 at D-CHAB, ETH Zurich!
Department Head Christophe Copéret welcomed the audience and handed over to Prof. Janos Vörös (D-ITET) for the laudatory speech.
Prof. Vörös supported Nakatsuka when she – back then still working at UCLA – applied for an ETH fellowship.
At the Laboratory for Biosensors and Bioelectronics, she developed novel aptamer-modified nanopipette sensors (see picture 5) for neurochemical detection. Now, she is continuing her research as a professor at EPFL.
In her Ruzicka Prize Lecture, Nako Nakatsuka outlined how closely the level of neurotransmitters is linked to many brain disorders, including schizophrenia, epilepsy, Alzheimer and Parkinson disease.
To tackle the challenge of capturing the tiny neurotransmitters, her research combines chemistry and engineering.
Her group strives to understand chemical interactions using techniques such as FRET and aims to develop new biosensors that can measure neurotransmitter levels sensitively and in real time.
In one of her current funded projects, a new biosensor should lead to therapy improvements for Parkinson's patients.
To her work, Department Head Christophe Copéret, ETH VP FC Stefan Spiegel and Eric Frerot, representative from our donor dsm-firmenich, presented Nako Nakatsuka with the Ruzicka Prize coin and the certificate.
Learning from Blatten: Following the devastating ice and rock avalanche that struck Blatten (VS) in May 2025, researchers at @dbaug.ethz are investigating how such events unfold, and how mountain communities can be better protected in the future. Led by Daniel Farinotti, the team is analysing valuable field data and developing new tools to improve disaster preparedness and resilience.
👉 This research is made possible through a donation from the Albert Lück-Stiftung. Learn more on our website (link in bio)
@wslresearch
#ethzurich #research #blatten #naturalhazards #civilengineering #mountains #switzerland
Pharmacy is changing, and with it the expectations placed on future professionals.
With the new Professorship of Practice in Pharmacy, @ethzurich is bringing academic excellence closer to professional practice, ensuring students are equipped to meet the healthcare challenges of tomorrow.
Check out the interview with Daniela Madonna (@galenica___ ) and Sandra Schatzmann-Bähler on our website: ethz-foundation.ch
@eth_dchab@ethalumni
#ETHZurich #philanthropy #pharmacy #education #impact
💸 The @ethzurich spin-off @tethysrobotics and now a leader in underwater robotics, announces the successful closing of a €3.5 million pre‑seed financing round.
The round is led by Redstone with Euregio⁺ Alpine Venture Capital Sicaf S.p.A. VC, and backed by @zkb.ch , @ethz_foundation , Kickfund, and @venturekick .
The capital will be used to further develop and scale Tethys ONE: a compact hybrid underwater drone capable of both remote and autonomous operation. The system is designed specifically for safety‑critical missions, including inspections and maintenance in offshore wind, oil, and gas sectors, disposal of explosive remnants of war, and search-and-rescue missions under extreme conditions. 🌊 Revolutionary technology for dangerous underwater deployments:
The Tethys ONE drone was engineered with extreme use cases in mind. It weighs only 35 kg, is ready for deployment within 10 minutes, and operates at depths of up to 300 meters, even in low visibility and strong currents. This is made possible by a robust sensor fusion technology developed at ETH Zurich.
Beyond its focus on civilian applications, the company also plans to deepen collaboration with public safety authorities and international organizations in the field of ordnance disposal. Tethys already works with the Swiss Army and the Swiss Drone and Robotics Centre (SDRC).
The vision: A world where hazardous underwater work is carried out efficiently, autonomously, and without risk to humans. @wysszurich
#robotics #ethzurich #underwaterrobotics #deeptech #innovation #spinoff
