Nature of the World

Small is beautiful

Ursula Röthlisberger is in a minority at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL). That she is a woman and a young scientist leading her own independent group is not unusual. Rather, what makes her stand out is that she is Swiss.

The institute in the French-speaking part of Switzerland is one of the most international universities in the world. Its staff of 3,200 scientists and technicians encompass more than 80 nationalities, and almost 60% of its 250-strong faculty are not Swiss. "I like the very young and international spirit here," says Röthlisberger, "but I also like the charming French atmosphere." View of Holland

Röthlisberger, a biochemist, began her career at the IBM Zurich Research Laboratory. After postdoctoral stays at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia and the Max Planck Institute of Solid State Research in Stuttgart, Germany, she had to choose between offers from the EPFL and Princeton University in New Jersey.


"Key was that the EPFL had just switched to a tenure-track system," she says. Just a few weeks ago, she was promoted to associate professor.
German's New Swan Castle View of Holland

Together with its counterpart in Zurich (the ETHZ), the EPFL is one of the anchors of a strong Swiss science base that covers disciplines from architecture to fusion research. Both institutes are constantly listed among the top-ten European universities in all major rankings. And even if the ETHZ's output and reputation outshine those of its French-speaking sister institute, the EPFL has its unique charms.

Lavender Farm

The spacious, modern campus overlooking Lake Geneva and the towering alpine ranges at its distant French shore make for one of the most spectacular academic settings in the world. Researchers tap into this setting for inspiration for high-flying projects such as the design of the Alinghi yacht that earned a Swiss team first place in the 2003 America's Cup, and the plans for the Solar Impulse, a solar-powered ultralight aircraft that the Swiss adventurer Bertrand Piccard hopes to use to circumnavigate the globe in 2007.

For Henry Markram, a South African neuroscientist formerly at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel, the EPFL site was ideal for a new state-of-the-art neuroscience institute. Three years ago, Markram became the founding director of the Brain Mind Institute, and encourages its researchers to take advantage of everything the campus has to offer, such as virtual reality, robot engineering and data processing.



Lavender Farm and Tree Rich Pickings

The EPFL's commitment to strengthen life sciences and neurosciences was the decisive factor for Markram. Once all 18 groups are fully established, the institute will receive federal funds of up to SFr30 million (US$24.5 million) per year. Other bonuses include the general research-friendliness of the Lake Geneva region, and its thrilling mix of universities, small biotech companies and large research infrastructures that attract scientists from all over the world. CERN, the world's largest particle physics laboratory in Geneva, for example, is only half an hour's drive away. Autumn in Germany

Generous salaries also help EPFL and ETHZ to attract high-profile researchers, many from top US universities. A full professor in Switzerland can earn up to SFr270,000 and an assistant professor around SFr120,000. Even a 32-year-old postdoc can expect between SFr75,000 and SFr100,000 per year.

The Moon and Star on Earth

But what many young researchers here say they appreciate most is the clear career path laid out for them. Like everywhere else, only a fraction of postdocs will find permanent positions in academia, but Switzerland is doing a lot to reduce the risk of research careers going down blind alleys.
Disney Castle

Promoting young scientists is a goal of the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF), Switzerland's main funding agency, which provides SFr450 million per year in individual research grants, large collaborative grants and for strategic research projects. More than three-quarters of the budget for non-strategic research is spent on scientists under 35 years of age who, among other things, can apply for special five-year grants to bridge the time between their last postdoctoral and first permanent position.