environment and climate research
Researchers at ETH Zurich have identified a self-regulating mechanism in European deciduous trees that limits their growing-season length: Trees that photosynthesise more in spring and summer lose their leaves earlier in autumn.
An international team of geologists, headed by members of the University of Bern, has shown for the first time that the Swiss Alps are being lifted faster than they are being lowered through erosion - and are thus growing even higher. To do this, the researchers quantified the erosion of the Alps with the help of isotopes measured in the sand of more than 350 rivers throughout the European Alps. These isotopes are formed by cosmic rays and bear information on the Earth's surface erosion.
Scientists at EPFL have developed new methods to design and control civil structures that are able to automatically adapt to loading. The aim is to reduce the environmental impact of the construction sector.
Sprawling carpets of floating plants are the result of too many nutrients. However, they could become part of solution strategies, Eawag researchers show.
Bread wheat can grow in highly diverse regional environments. An important reason for its great genetic variety is the cross-hybridization with many chromosome fragments from wild grasses. This is shown by the genome sequences of 10 wheat varieties from four continents, which an international consortium including researchers from the University of Zurich has now decoded.
Temperature inversions or Saharan dust intrusions can favor the presence of fine particles in the air. Their high concentration can aggravate the consequences of COVID-19.
Selected Jobs
Postdoc in ecosystem gas exchange and remote sensing Eidgenossische Technische Hochschule Zürich, ETHZ
PhD position "The biophysics of microbial communities on (and in) leaves" Eidgenossische Technische Hochschule Zürich, ETHZ
Postdoctoral position on ’Modeling the biophysics of microbial communities’ Eidgenossische Technische Hochschule Zürich, ETHZ
PhD Position on ’Bacterial dynamics in heterogeneous landscapes’ Eidgenossische Technische Hochschule Zürich, ETHZ
Technician in cooling and ventilation systems (EN-CV-INJ-2020-127-LD) CERN, Geneva
Switzerland has been at the forefront of climate research. The Nobel Peace Prize 2007 went to Al Gore and all the members of the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Among those honoured are a number of Swiss scientists. Switzerland has decided to strengthen its leading position in climate research through several research initiatives and programs.
Research institutions
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Eawag, the aquatic research institute, is part of the ETH group.
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The Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research is a leading institution for climate research based at the University of Bern.
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WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research in Davos is an Institute of the ETH Domain .
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The Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL in Birmensdorf/Zurich is an Institute of the ETH Domain .
Research programs
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NCCR Climate: The Swiss National Science Foundation SNSF funds a long term climate project under the National Centre for Competence in Research (NCCR) scheme, the NCCR Climate. This NCCR is a network grouping the universities of Bern, Fribourg and Geneva, the Zurich Federal Institute of Technology, a number of Federal agencies, and the Swiss Re reinsuring company. It was established in 2001 with the aim of contributing substantially towards this concern and to better understand the climate system by carrying out interdisciplinary research on its variability and its potential for change. It includes such topics as historical climate change, the development of computer models to diagnose and forecast climate events, and the impact of climate change on ecosystems.
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The World Climate Research Program WCRP is an international program sponsored by several international organisations. It identifies knowledge gaps, prioritizes needs and leads world-class research into climate variability and climate change to meet end-user requirements and policy needs.
Platforms
- Database allowing an overview of environmental research in the broad sense, covering themes as varied as the origins of the Earth, the understanding of natural processes or the solving of concrete environmental problems.
- The platform for cleantech, launched by the Swiss Government, provides all kind of information on cleantech for researchers and companies (only in German and French). Cleantech cover all products and services having a positive and sustainable effect on environment and climate.
Forums
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Proclim is the Swiss forum for climate and global change issues. It seeks to facilitate both integrated research activities and the necessary linkages among scientists, policy-makers and the public at home and abroad . Its aims are the integration of Swiss research in international programs , s upport for interdisciplinary collaboration and dialog and information exchange and dialog with decision makers.
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The Swiss Committee on Polar Research (SCP) is a common forum of the Swiss Scientific Academies. Its main tasks are the national spreading of polar research results and informations through public events and publications.
Other useful links
- Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology
- Swiss Biological Records Center ( Centre Suisse de Cartographie de la Faune) gathers, manages and diffuses information on the distribution and the ecology of fauna in Switzerland.
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Swiss Village in Masdar City: Masdar City, located in Abu Dhabi, is the world’s first carbon-neutral zero waste city. Switzerland is a close partner of Masdar City: A Swiss Village is being realised in the first construction phase of Masdar – the opening is scheduled for 2011. The Swiss Village is to offer a balanced mix of uses with offices, research labs and light manufacturing facilities, restaurants and shops, a Swiss business hub, a Swiss private school, apartments as well as the Swiss Embassy and an embassy residence.
Associations and agencies for renewable energies
- Information about solar energy at Swissolar, the Swiss Association for solar energy.
- The association for geothermic power Geothermie fosters the use of geothermic energy in Switzerland.
- The Agency for renewable energies and energy efficacy (AEE) lobbies for renewable energies.
Portals in the field of renewable energies
- www.energieforschung.ch, a page of the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE), provides information about activities of the Swiss Government.
- The platform for cleantech, launched by the Swiss Government, provides all kind of information on cleantech for researchers and companies (only in German and French). Cleantech cover all products and services having a positive and sustainable effect on environment and climate.
Last job offers
- Agronomy/Food Science - 2.12
Wissenschaftlich-technische/r Mitarbeiter/in - Futterpflanzenzüchtung - Administration - 1.12
Coordinator for the Innovation Programme Office of the Digitalisation Initiative of the Zurich Universities 80 % - Economics/Business - 30.11
Un-e Professeur-e HES assistant-e en Financial Management ou un-e Professeur-e HES associé-e en Financial Management à 100% - Economics/Business - 30.11
UAS Assistant Professor (tenure track) / UAS Associate Professor in Financial Management - Interdisciplinary - 28.11
Doktorandin / Doktorand im Bereich Mobilität (70-85%) - Social Sciences - 27.11
Social Sciences and Humanities, Security and the Digital Europe Programme (DEP) (ca.70%) - Agronomy/Food Science - 26.11
Promotionsstelle in Agrarwissenschaften - Identifikation von Sorteneigenschaften zur Erhöhung der Weidetoleranz von Lolium perenne Sorten - Agronomy/Food Science - 26.11
Promotionsstelle in Agrarwissenschaften - Arbeitsschwerpunkt Modellierung des Graswachstums