Final Report

My experience this summer, thanks to the help of ThinkSwiss, has been something that far exceeded my expectations and is quite hard to explain in words. Though some times were a bit of a struggle (the culture shock, language barrier and how expensive everything seemed in comparison to where I am from) I have grown immensely from my experience in Switzerland and am so glad that I had the opportunity to further my research skills. I had the chance to build great connections, experience a beautiful country and a new culture and to experience a city of great historical significance (Basel). I am eagerly looking forward to my next trip/stay in Switzerland and am currently looking in to graduate schools in and around the Basel area.

I feel my research in Switzerland was more thorough and to the point then research I have conducted in the U.S. We were able to get so much done within a few months. This could be partly due to the fact that I was part of a team when I conducted research in the U.S. and I was working one-on-one with a Professor in Switzerland. Upon my arrival in Basel, I was immediately introduced to other researchers in the Psychology department at the University. I was walked through the different experiments that I would be assisting with and quickly felt a comfort with the projects that I'd be working on and the people I'd be interacting with. The Professor was very knowledgeable in his field and was easy to work with. I enjoyed this greatly. I have worked with people similar to this in the U.S. but rarely does an individual get one-on-one time with a professor for such a long duration of time when you're still at the undergraduate level (in the U.S., that is).

Impressions of Summer School in Basel

Wow! What a great opportunity it was to study with the Institute of Nursing Science at the University of Basel. The intensive week long summer school in advanced statistical methods helped me refine my reseach ideas and provided a comprehensive overview of the advanced statistics I've been studying. It was exhilarating to brush up on SPSS techniques and have my dissertation project asessed by experts as well as peer reviewed!
Some of the highlights of the trip was of course using the public transportation system, the trams, buses and trains! It was easy to get around the city and experience the ambience.
The Thursday evening presentation about the Swiss health care system and the 2 hour of sightseeing of Bern by scooter were informative. I was impressed by the chocolate treats and the leckerli. Before the summer school I was able to meet up with my brother in law who lives across the border in Rosenau, France. We spent a day touring the Koenigsburg Castle, Riquier and Kaysersburg, tasting wine and macaroons. Incidentally, for those of you who want know, he is the proud parent of a beautiful daughter born 2 days after I returned from Switzerland.
All in all, the experience in Switzerland was a blast! I can't wait to come back.
Sherry

Coffee and Chocolate!

I was never much of a coffee drinker before coming here, but I find myself participating in at least one of the three daily coffee breaks, and sometimes enjoying some chocolate as well. It would be a great opportunity to practice improving my German, but my wonderful colleagues have been very accommodating with English. I hear so many different dialects (and a few arguments about what constitutes Hochdeutsch) in one conversation that it is difficult to practice, anyway. Swiss-German is a little more complicated than I expected. Still, I sometimes attempt Denglish, as well as the newly developed "Swiss-English". Don't google it yet; we are still inventing it.
My first impressions of Zürich are not quite what I expected. I had read that it was an "industrialized" city with hidden historic roots, but this is not how I would choose to describe it (based on what I've seen so far). I see Zürich as clean, efficient, and commercial- but with enough history and diversity that it could hide its more modern character, if it chose to. I have to agree with Ryan, though- the Hönggerberg campus rivals modern industrial facilities.
So far, I have had a lot of fun getting to know my co-workers. We went hiking the weekend I arrived, and last weekend enjoyed the Langstrasse Festival and a housewarming party. On Fridays, after a hard week of work, we go out for a beer or five. I find I enjoy the Swiss Klosterbräu beer a lot more (maybe too much) than the pale lagers and pilsners of the US . That statement will probably solicit some serious anger from my American friends, but I am sorry- it is my preference.

As far as my research, we have data for the most recent vehicle purchased by 300 Swiss households, as well as socio-demographic information about those households. I am looking at the data right now to find any interactions that may stand out (e.g.- vehicle size vs. household size and household income). It is a very interesting and pertinent topic, and I would be curious to see how the Swiss result might compare with a similar US study. In the meantime, I think I will try to pick everyone's brains to get my own sense of some of the less obvious differences between US and Swiss lifestyles, and why these variations exist. I am very interested in how and why things develop the way they do, and the differences between US and European cities is really fascinating to me. Luckily, this research group includes not just engineers, but others with backgrounds in geography, sociology, and history. They come from Switzerland, Germany, Italy, Pakistan, and America. When I have a better understanding of the education system here, hopefully I can devote an entire post to the dissimilarities.

I haven't made any great treks across the continent yet as some of the other students wrote about- but I did go to the zoo on Sunday! One of the penguins was sitting on an egg! I read the incubation period for a penguin egg is 52-58 days, so I will definitely be here to see the baby penguin. I am very excited, as penguins are my all time favorite animal. The arrival of baby penguin could mean a season pass to the zoo for me. There are also some giant Galapagos tortoises, so I saw these in person for the first time this weekend. The biggest one looked nearly 6 feet long while laying down, and easily weighed 500 pounds. A baby Galapagos tortoise was born in March, but will take 40 years to mature to full size. Zürich Zoo can be confident that its inhabitants are a steady or increasing population. There are some pictures online, but none of them show the perspective of this creature to a human, rock or tree, so I will post one here. It was a very popular attraction, as you can tell by the partial humans in the tortoise photo. The man on the left was about 5'7".

The only downside so far- the Schneeleopard was nowhere in sight...
I feel I should also mention, on behalf of a coworker, that the apes have appallingly small accommodations compared to the lions and bears. Perhaps this is because the latter two are considered more violent. The 10 plus elephants could use more space as well. The lions are enjoying more home square footage per individual than most Europeans, I think.
Okay then, enough about the zoo- back to work!

Final Post

From the moment I got off the train from the airport to Zurich, my main impressions of Switzerland were efficiency, cleanliness, and warm weather, the latter of which I was not appropriately dressed for. It seemed efficient because everything seemed very well-run and organized, especially the public transportation. Cleanliness came to mind because there was no trash in the streets or other public areas, not even gum stains. The heat was not oppressive like in Houston, but I had always imagined Switzerland to have at least a cool alpine climate, so I had dressed with that in mind for my arrival. I brought summer clothes with me as well though so it was not a problem for the rest of the trip.
ETH itself was very impressive as a research institution. The building I was working in was fairly new and with very modern looking wood and glass architecture, with a great view over the city and the lake from the higher elevation on the right bank. The facilities were all excellent, just from what I initially saw at my own office building. When I went to their extended science campus at Hönggerberg, I was in complete awe of what they kept there. There was an extensive collection of the latest equipment, stuff that I thought only industry would be able to afford.

The students and professors were very friendly and open to helping me on whatever project work I would be pursuing. They also all spoke very good English, which was fantastic since I have no background in German. Apparently any studies done at ETH past a bachelor’s degree are taught in English, so it is required for the students and staff to have a good grasp of this language that is not even an official language of Switzerland. It reflected the idea that ETH is an internationally oriented university, with requirements for its own students to study abroad as well as a welcoming attitude towards visiting students such as myself. There were also good connections with industry, as indicated to me by a whole day event called Industry Day that occurred while I was there that had well-known visitors such as ABB, Siemens, as well as academic scholars from around the world who were associated with ETH.

There was not much I could contribute in terms of research knowledge to the group that was hosting my Rice professor and me, since I was just a rising third year undergraduate and not well-versed in the latest accomplishments of their work. However they did show some interest in the projects my professor and I were pursuing, and the PhD students were particularly good at coaching me through the processing of these devices. I was also able to find students in other lab groups that collaborated with our host group, and these individuals were also very helpful. All the research groups there that were part of the “Micro and Nanosystems Platform” seemed close-knit and shared their equipment and knowledge very frequently. Back home, it seems like the research groups are all very much independent of each other, with the professor actively working with all of his students, even undergraduates, but not as much with other professors or industry. Maybe I’m just speaking from a Rice perspective, which means coming from a small, teaching-focused university with not much emphasis on research. ETH is fairly large and has a rich history in research, going back to Albert Einstein in his day. The professors are very much the head of the research groups, but they interact less with their subordinates and are mostly busy maintaining their extensive network with the rest of the department and outside institutes and companies. The PhD students take the Masters students as their close protégés, and have them mostly working on projects related to their own thesis work. I think that overall this is a very efficient method of running a research-focused community.

What I probably enjoyed the most about Switzerland was the beauty, both natural and manmade. The historical and modern interplay of architecture in Zurich against a background of a clear lake, lush hills, and the snow-capped Alps was breathtaking when I first went down to the river quays. When I saw the rest of the surrounding countryside and other cities like Geneva, Bern, and Lucerne, I was more and more I awe of what I saw. Not even pictures could do complete justice to convey the experience; you had to be able to stand there at the mountain peak or the lakeside to really know. Also, to get to these various places it was helpful to have the extensive rail network in Switzerland. In a continent where travel by car is usually very expensive, it is great to have a reliable public transportation system. The rail company offered a good deal for young people like me; the half-card in conjunction with the Track 7, which allowed me to travel free on the rail after 7 PM and at half-price at any other time. This also facilitated travel to other European countries, such as Switzerland’s neighbors of Germany, Austria, Italy, and France. This was another advantage of living in Switzerland, as it made it very easy to hop across a border over a weekend and see a new place. On this trip I was able to visit all of these countries I mentioned as well as the UK, all of which I had never been to before except France. I only wish I had more time to visit more of Europe.

There were very few dislikes that I could list about the trip. Maybe if Switzerland could manage to get a tropical beach as well? Speaking realistically, it was pretty pricey to live in Zurich. Not just for buying everyday consumables but also just to obtain visas and permits for living there. There were many times where I wandered down a street in Zurich or elsewhere that struck me as a “playground for the rich”, with expensive brand-name shops, gourmet restaurants, and highly secluded luxury hotels. These were not welcome places for budget-conscious students. It was also irritating to not have stores open around my residence past 7 PM, or at all on Sundays. That schedule seems to go with the Swiss way of early-to-rise-early-to-bed, which is not how I personally operate. Another minor inconvenience was that I couldn’t speak a word of German when I came. So there were a few miscommunications during the trip with locals, none of them too bad. German writing actually seems very similar to English, so that made it easier for me to figure out what the signs and booklets were saying.

This trip actually gave me some consideration to getting a PhD in engineering, and also possibly to get one at ETH or other schools in Europe. The facilities for research at ETH were just so outstanding that I really think I could accomplish a lot if I just put some effort into a major project while I was there. Then of course there is also the compensation factor, which is twice or even three times as much at a Swiss institute than US ones for their PhD students. Then again to buy stuff costs two or three times as much in Switzerland, and to travel back and forth between Europe and the US to see family and friends would be even more expensive than it is today I imagine. So I would probably end up picking a PhD program in the US if I found a good one at an institute as well-equipped as ETH. However, if I decide I just want a Masters degree, then I would seriously consider ETH. The tuition is low and the scholarships are plentiful enough that I would be interested. There is also a chance for me to come back to the US as part of my internship that is required by the Masters program, so I would not have to leave behind my friends and relatives completely. As for Switzerland as a vacation spot, I would definitely consider coming back to ski there in the winter. Its central location in Europe also makes it an excellent place for a “home-base” in any Euro-trip type of vacation. In the end, I really enjoyed my trip there and honestly had Swiss-nostalgia as soon as I returned to the US.

Good Morning Switzerland! I have now been home for 10 days and have missed your green pastures, snow topped mountains, and blue streams and lakes. I have distributed most of my Swiss chocolate to nursing staff, family and friends who want me to return to Switzerland for more! I have enjoyed the friendly Swiss people and have made many friends who I continue to email. None of this would have been possible without the ThinkSwiss Grant for my Advanced Quantitative Statistics course. I have talked incessantly about my travels and I have many friends who want to apply for this grant next year! Watch out ThinkSwiss-you will be flooded with applicants from Missouri next year! I thank you for the opportunity to visit your country--I took advantage of extra days in Switzerland and visited Appenzell (cheese factory and the Maestriani Chocolate factory), Luzern (Mount Pilatus, cogwheel train, a lovely lake tour, and the Lion Monument which was breathtaking), Basel (Rhine River, barbeque, biking and shopping), and Bern (Scooter tour, Lindt chocolate building, Albert Einstein's home, and the beautiful capital building and church). While in Bern, I enjoyed visiting with the Minister of Public Health at her presentation about the Swiss health care system, both the similarities and the differences with the US health care system. The food at the restaurant in Bern was absolutely delicioso!
I want to thank ThinkSwiss for the lifetime opportunity of visiting Switzerland, I want to return to her someday with my family. Thank you.
Michelle Matteson FNP/GNP, PhD student

Appreciation Switzerland

Although I originally had planned to write this on the 17-hour journey back home, with ideas fresh in my mind, I’m now starting to write a week later back in Houston. This week of transition back into American university life has let my ideas mature and has also deepened my appreciation for everything Swiss.

My stay in Switzerland of course exceeded my expectations. The Swiss research environment, from what I experienced at the EPFL, promotes and encourages quality research. I loved the Swiss geography, especially the mountains with the lakes, and was impressed with most cultural aspects, such as transport, city architecture and layout, and recycling.

The geography, transport system, and international community all positively impacted my experience. I fell in love with the Swiss Alps and lakes when traveling around the country; as an active traveler, the endless possibilities for bike tours, hiking trails, and other outdoor activities amazed me. I consider all that I did only a preview, and all possible thanks to Switzerland extensively developed and reliable transport system. Public transport in Switzerland enabled me to go almost anywhere (in Switzerland). I didn’t need a car, car insurance, gas, or directions—all I needed was a train ticket. In addition to a beautiful setting and means of transport, Switzerland also fosters a diverse international community. Never have I heard so many different languages in so little time (and usually in lab)! For me this diversity translated to a great influx of ideas (for research) and money (for the economy).

I found some challenges, mostly unique to my circumstances. As Switzerland is a country of quality, the cost of living is high, especially for my student intern budget. To maximize my weekend travels, I cut down on other costs. My summer diet was by no means gourmet and only included a few dinners out. Likewise, I didn’t do any shopping (except for food). This was alright and manageable for the three months I was there. I also found the limited store hours sometimes frustrating. Shopping became more of a planned effort as I needed to schedule it. Research doesn’t have standard or set hours, so I wasn’t guaranteed time to get to Migros or COOP that day if I needed to. Someone who I met, incredibly frustrated with the Saturday crowds, termed this as a “stress on society”. What I also found challenging was social integration; however, considering my situation, this was expected. I lived in my own studio, my presence in Switzerland was transient, and I was a foreigner. The lab members (only one Swiss) were friendly and welcomed me, but I had few acquaintances outside of lab. My understanding of Swiss culture as it pertains to the Swiss is still mainly that of an outsider.

I found Swiss research to be very competitive with that of American institutes. The key differences between my two labs that I noted were the ratio of post-docs to doctoral students, the availability of equipment, and the personnel. My understanding is that Swiss institutions generously provide for researchers. The ratio of post-docs to doctoral students at the EPFL was much higher than the American average, which provides better mentoring support for the students and more experienced researchers for the faculty. The amount equipment accessible for my lab was impressive. That the lab even had its own lab manager and histologist was impressive. Maintenance details, which can be distracting for a post-doc or doctoral student, were minimized. The lab director and a good number of the post-docs and doctoral students were American, so I didn’t see any notable difference of research mentality. The one complaint, the real disadvantage to research in Switzerland was when we had to deal with the machine shop (issues with the speed of Swiss labor, one lab member had to wait months for a part to be made).

I would love to vacation in Switzerland, I think Switzerland would be a great place to live, and I am strongly considering doing my PhD there. I’m not yet ready, however, to start a PhD program immediately after my undergraduate studies, and not quite sure yet what I’ll be doing. Either way, it’s extremely likely that I’m coming back!

Introduction

Hallo, Jeder. This is my first time posting to this blog, so let me introduce myself. My name is Joseph Eby, from the University of Tulsa. When I get back to the states in December, I'll finish my fifth year of undergrad Chemical Engineering and Biochemistry. I'm writing this from the campus of the Paul Scherrer Institut in Villigen. Please forgive me if this post runs long; I'll try to be brief hereafter.

I'm now in my fourth day in Switzerland and have finally settled in. I spent my first and second day here sleeping off my jet lag. The third I spent touring Zurich on foot looking for a church. I started work this morning, but have yet to do any real work, so let me give you a little background on what I will be doing this fall.

The Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI) is a federally-funded research facility that is loosely associated with ETH Zurich and EPFL. A variety of sciences have representatives here investigating a surprising number of fields. More info, if you're interested, is available on Wikipedia. I'm working in the general energy research department in Dr. Frederic Vogel's group. For several years, his group has studied the conversion of biomass feedstock (wood chips or manure, e. g.) into a useable fuel product. The general idea is to take what would otherwise be a waste product and turn it into something that could be used as a heat source, to produce electricity, or even power cars. Their project is unique in this field because they use supercritical water as a reactant/solvent.

The assignment for my stay here is multifaceted: develop catalyst testing protocols that could be used to identify likely candidates for testing in one of the reactor set-ups they have running; analyze a "real" feed solution for levels of contaminants; help run the online reactor unit and collect data. Today I was given a tour of the facility and met most of the people in the research group. I had plenty of time to ask questions and get acquainted during our coffee breaks and long lunch. The group is German and Swiss doctoral students, an intern from Crete, various techs and post-docs (of undetermined origins), and me. My immediate supervisor is in the third year of his doctorate program and a chemist by education. One of the things that I love about this project is the mix of physical/biochemistry and engineering. Those three don't overlap as often as you might think. More on that as my project gets going.

One last thing: you might have asked, "where is Villigen?" Why, it's in the middle of nowhere! I found it on Google Earth before I left, but it was still a surprise to take a bus through smaller and smaller towns/hamlets out into the country and wind up at a state-of-the-art research facility that shares the street with a dairy farm and corn fields. I'm not entirely sure, but I think it's because of the particle accelerators (one of which I got to see today). Anyway, the closest major city is Zurich, which is at least an hour away by public transport. I'm within biking distance of the German border. That makes it a little more difficult (and expensive) to travel, but hopefully I'll have some fun to report later on. Now, I'm sorry that ran so long. I'm off to get some chocolate.