Science that matters

Sociologist and political scientist Lisa Deutsch was awarded the ETH Medal for her doctoral thesis written at Eawag and ETH Zurich. Her research demonstrated how interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research can be successful and how theory and practice can be effectively combined in research.

To mark the 2026 World Economic Forum (WEF), the ETH Domain presented highlights from its research, demonstrating how artificial intelligence is paving the way for greater sustainability. Policymakers and business leaders learned about practical AI applications for the environment and society.

Aquatic ecosystems are fragile. But just how fragile they are has been revealed in a new study by the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag) and the University of Zurich. Researchers investigated how climate change is affecting amphipods by shifting the timing of leaf fall in autumn. These creatures feed on leaves and, as the base of the food chain, have an impact on the entire ecosystem.

The Biodiversity Forum of the Swiss Academy of Sciences, together with over 50 experts, has compiled and recently published a report entitled ‘Understanding and shaping biodiversity in Switzerland’. Several Eawag researchers contributed to the report, sharing their expertise in the publication.