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New guidelines for policy engagement and science-based policy advice have been in force at ETH Zurich since February. They offer guidance for ETH members wishing to participate in the dialogue between science and policy. Benedikt Knüsel, Head of the Science-Policy Interface unit, explains the key issues in this obvious field of tension.

Ulrike Lohmann is taking over the position from Manfred Sigrist, who drove forward the implementation of the new Ordinance on the Doctorate.

Sonia Seneviratne is the new associate vice president for sustainability of the Executive Board. As of 1 January 2023, she will take over this function from Reto Knutti, who has worked meritoriously for the thematic focus for eight years.

The only one of its kind in Europe, the Waldlabor Zurich is a living lab focused on forests, forest management and society. As a sponsoring institution, ETH Zurich supports projects by members of the ETH community in the forest laboratory. More information will be provided at the upcoming online information session.

The opening of the development and laboratory building on the Gloriarank (GLC) site has been delayed once again. According to the current planning status, the professorships will be able to start moving in from autumn 2022, and the building will open for the 2023 spring semester. Both teaching and research at ETH are affected significantly by the delay.

With its new building on the Gloriarank site (GLC), ETH Zurich is creating a modern development and laboratory building for Health Sciences and Technology at its Zentrum campus. The site will house 13 professorships from the HEST and ITET departments. But with building works delayed, they will have to wait a little longer. ETH expects operations to begin there in 2022.

On 8 August the WSL Director and Professor of Climate and Cryosphere died in an accident while working in Greenland. His ETH colleagues remind us of a man and scientist who leaves an enormous gap.

Joël Bérard is the Head of Research at Agrovet-Strickhof. The keen mountain climber likes to challenge himself.

In the general election of the ETH Board for the 2017-2020 period, the Federal Council elected three new members and confirmed all of the incumbents who stood for re-election. The president of the ETH Board, Fritz Schiesser, was re-elected for another term.

The Women Professors Forum at ETH Zurich (WPF) has a clear objective: to substantially improve career opportunities for women in science and engineering. Founded in 2011, the women’s network is now welcoming a new chairwoman. Women professors at ETH Zurich will also be working more closely with their counterparts at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL).

In order to keep up-to-date with the negotiations, plenary sessions and press conferences from the COP21 are being webcast live on the “Green Floor” in the CHN building (D-floor next to the lift), every day from 10am to 6pm.

A delegate from the University Assembly represents the staff and students of EPFL and ETH Zurich on the ETH Board. More information will be provided on the role at ETH Zurich on 16 November.

With Monday's ground-breaking ceremony in Lindau, Cantonal Councillor Markus Kägi, ETH Zurich President Lino Guzzella and University of Zurich Rector Michael Hengartner have commenced the construction work for the Agrovet-Strickhof education and research centre. Research on sustainable agriculture will be conducted at the centre from 2017.

The trainee lab technicians working towards the Swiss Federal Vocational Education and Training Diploma (EFZ) in biology at ETH Zurich now have their own training laboratory. It was officially opened on 5 June 2015 at Technopark Zurich.

ETH Zurich says farewell to Franz Schmithüsen. The emeritus professor for forestry policy and forestry economy formed an entire generation of forestry experts. He died on 14 April 2015 at the age of 75.