Media
VAW Social media
Follow us on X (formerly Twitter), subscripe to our Newsletter or watch our latest videos on our youtube channel.
VAW News and Media
This are the latest VAW news and media contributions in national and international media.
Climate action could save half of world’s vanishing glaciers, says study
Dr Harry Zekollari in The Straits Times
«Was wären die Schweizer Berge, wenn sie nur noch braune Schuttlandschaften wären?»
Dr Mylène Jacquemart in NZZ
Schweiz: Frühwarnsystem sagte Gletschersturz voraus
Prof. Daniel Farinotti in DW
Wissenschaftler: „Kein zwingender Zusammenhang mit Klimawandel“ – Lötschental einer weiteren Katastrophe entgangen
Dr Matthias Huss in Deutschlandfunk
The Swiss village wiped off the map by a glacier
Dr Matthias Huss in BBC News
Up to 76% of the global ice mass could disappear in the next few years, research shows
Dr Harry Zekollari in The Brussels Times
Klimawandel "verringert die Stabilität von Berghängen"
Dr Mylène Jacquemart in Tagesschau
»Der Berg ist gekommen«
Dr Mylène Jacquemart in Spiegel
Saving twice the ice by limiting global warming
Dr Harry Zekollari in PhysOrg.com
What ETH glacier researchers know about the collapse of the Birch Glacier

On Wednesday, the glacier known as Birchgletscher collapsed under the weight of rock and debris from rock avalanches on Kleines Nesthorn. In a factsheet, ETH researchers explain the background to the catastrophic collapse that buried the village of Blatten.
Save twice the ice by limiting global warming

A new study with ETH Zurich, finds that if global warming exceeds the Paris Climate Agreement targets, the non-polar glacier mass will diminish significantly. However, if warming is limited to 1.5°C, at least 54 per cent could be preserved—more than twice as much ice as in a 2.7°C scenario.
Économiser deux fois la glace en limitant le réchauffement climatique
Dr Harry Zekollari, Prof. Daniel Farinotti in Issues.fr
Why glaciologists believe the Birch Glacier collapsed, burying a nearby Swiss town
Prof. Daniel Farinotti in ABC News
Arctic glaciers remain at risk even if int’l community reaches climate targets: study
Dr Harry Zekollari in RCI Radio Canada
Climate action could save half of world's vanishing glaciers, says study
Dr Harry Zekollari in The Mountaineer
Climate action could save half of world's vanishing glaciers, says study
Dr Harry Zekollari in RFI (via AFP)
Almost 40% of world’s glaciers already doomed due to climate crisis – study
Dr Harry Zekollari in The Guardian
Some Glaciers Will Vanish No Matter What, Study Finds
Dr Harry Zekollari in New York Times
Die Berge zerbröseln nun häufiger
Dr. Mylène Jacquemart, Dr. Matthias Huss in Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
«Ob es nur ein Teilabbruch des Gletschers war, ist offen»
Dr Mylène Jacquemart in 20 Minuten
«Das war ein Vorzeichen» – Gletscherforscher ordnet den Bergsturz in Blatten ein
Dr Matthias Huss in watson
Was wohl zum Bergsturz geführt hat
Dr Matthias Huss in SRF News
Nach dem Bergsturz droht eine Flutkatastrophe
Dr Matthias Huss in Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
«Der Felssturz ist absolut dramatisch, für die Schweiz ein einzigartiges Ereignis»
Dr Matthias Huss in Tages Anzeiger
The Antarctic water puzzle – how flooding contributes to ice melt

Hidden beneath the Antarctic ice lies a system of lakes and watercourses. A research team, including ETH researchers, has for the first time directly observed the subglacial streams of West Antarctica. Their study shows how individual flood events influence the melting of the ice.
Innovative sediment management in hydropower

Storage hydropower plants in the Alps play a major role in the electricity supply. However, sedimentation reduces their storage capacity year after year, which can also lead to safety issues at dams. ETH researchers and power plant operators are examining the effects of diverting fine sediments via the turbines.
Die Folgen des Gletschersterbens
Dr. Matthias Huss in SRF Echo der Zeit
Peut-on encore sauver les grands glaciers de Suisse? Oui, espèrent des glaciologues, mais il faut agir maintenant
Dr. Matthias Huss in Le Temps
Gletscher-Experte: «Die Schmelz-Auswirkungen sind aktuell ‹maskiert›»
Dr. Matthias Huss in watson
Das Wasserschloss Europas schmilzt
Dr. Matthias Huss in Tagesschau
Können Gletscher in höheren Lagen gerettet werden?
Dr. Matthias Huss in SRF News
“Switzerland’s glaciers could vanish completely by 2100”

Switzerland’s glaciers are in increasingly poor shape. If greenhouse gas emissions are not cut drastically soon, they could cease to exist by 2100 – so says ETH Professor Daniel Farinotti in this ETH News interview to mark the first World Day for Glaciers.
Forscher nennt Gletscherschwund Überlebensfrage für die Menschheit
Prof. Daniel Farinotti in Spiegel Online
Gletscherschwund stellt unser Überleben in Frage
Prof. Daniel Farinotti in Global Magazin
ETH Zurich ranked 2nd worldwide in Civil & Structural Engineering

The Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geomatic Engineering at ETH Zurich is one of the best in the world: in the latest QS World University Rankings 2025, ETH is ranked second in Civil & Structural Engineering, marking a steady rise from 9th place in 2021.
Weltweiter Gletscherrückgang (Min. 17:45)
Dr. Matthias Huss in 3sat
«Im hinteren Teil des Sihlsees wurde ich fündig»
Prof. Daniel Farinotti in 20 Minuten
Global glacier melt: Major mass loss expected by 2100

Glaciers around the world are shrinking at an alarming rate, threatening sea-level rise, water availability, biodiversity, and ecosystem stability. A new study led by researchers from ETH Zurich and Vrije Universiteit Brussel provides the most comprehensive projections to date, projecting the future of all 200,000 glaciers on Earth under the newest climate scenarios.
Früher Schneefall hat die Gletscherschmelze gestoppt
Dr. Andreas Bauder in Der Bund
Climate change leads to more alpine hazards

From rockfall to ice avalanches: Climate change is intensifying natural hazards in the mountains in many places, posing particular challenges for the Alpine region. This is the result of a study jointly coordinated by glaciologist Mylène Jacquemart and permafrost expert Samuel Weber from ETH Zurich and the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL. The international team has evaluated more than three hundred scientific papers from the past three decades.
The future of energy: a look at Energy Week @ ETH 2024

With a varied programme and a public exhibition in the ETH main hall, this year's Energy Week from 4 to 8 November will not only highlight the challenges of the energy transition, but also present possible solutions. Three D-BAUG researchers are contributing to this year's programme: Professors Robert Boes, Eleni Chatzi and Adrienne Grêt-Regamey.
Severe melting of glaciers despite heavy snowfall at high altitudes

After the extreme circumstances encountered in 2022 and 2023, no relief is in sight for Swiss glaciers. Despite exceptionally large volumes of snow during the winter, a combination of temperatures in July and August that at times reached record levels and dust from the Sahara resulted in a loss of 2.5 percent of the glacier volume. This was reported by the Swiss Commission for Cryosphere Observation of the Swiss Academy of Sciences led by Dr. Matthias Huss.
Forscher dachten, viel Schnee schütze die Gletscher
Dr. Matthias Huss in Tages Anzeiger
Italy and Switzerland have agreed to shift their shared border in the Alps. Here’s why
Dr. Matthias Huss in CNN
«Bei so viel Regen wie in Österreich hätten wir auch ein Problem».
Prof. Robert Boes in Blick
«Schäden müssen in Kauf genommen werden, um Leben zu schützen»
Prof. Robert Boes in 20 Minuten
ETH-Professor: Neuer Staudamm hätte Hochwasserschäden in Zermatt verhindert
Mit einem intelligenten Einbezug der Talsperren lässt sich die Gefahr von Überschwemmungen im Bergkanton laut Experten senken.
Was wäre, wenn alle Gletscher abschmelzen?
Dr. Matthias Huss in ZDF
15 Jahre altes Urlaubsfoto zeigt Schwinden des Rhonegletschers
Dr. Matthias Huss in Spiegel Online
Uncovering the link between meltwater and groundwater in mountain regions

An international group of experts in mountain hydrology argue that the traditional understanding of the mountain water cycle has largely ignored the role that cryosphere-groundwater interactions play. This oversight could lead to incomplete or inaccurate predictions of water availability in mountain regions, especially in the context of climate change, the authors suggest in a recent Perspective Paper.
Diskussion um Hochwasserschutz verleiht Zermatter Stausee-Projekt Flügel
Prof. Robert Boes in Walliser Bote
Stauseen für den Hochwasserschutz werden immer wichtiger
Prof. Robert Boes in SRF News
Was die Renaturierung der Moesa mit der Zerstörung der A13 zu tun hat
Prof. Robert Boes in watson
POLITICO: Warum gerät Frankreich wegen eines kleinen Schweizer Staudamms in Panik?
Prof. Daniel Farinotti in Neue Schweizer Zeitung
Research for our glaciers

Professor Daniel Farinotti investigates the evolution of glaciers and the implications for water resources. On the occasion of his promotion to Associate Professor of Glaciology in the Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering, we asked him what currently drives him in research and teaching.
Antarktische Meteoriten verschwinden
Prof. Daniel Farinotti, Dr. Harry Zekollari in WELT
Meteoritenforschung in der Antarktis: Steigende Temperaturen, sinkende Außerirdische
Prof. Daniel Farinotti, Dr. Harry Zekollari in Tages Spiegel
Meteorites Are Becoming Harder to Find as They Sink Into Antarctica’s Melting Ice
Prof. Daniel Farinotti, Dr. Harry Zekollari in Smithsonian Magazine
Antarctic Meteorites Melting at Alarming Rate
Prof. Daniel Farinotti, Dr. Harry Zekollari in Discover Magazine
Les météorites de l’Antarctique se perdent à cause du réchauffement climatique
Prof. Daniel Farinotti, Dr. Harry Zekollari in Le Temps
Meteoriti agli sgoccioli, sprofondano nei ghiacci
Prof. Daniel Farinotti, Dr. Harry Zekollari in Radiotelevisione svizzera
Climate change threatens Antarctic meteorites

Antarctica harbours a large concentration of meteorites imbuing the icy continent with an unparalleled wealth of information on our Solar System. However, these precious meteorites are rapidly disappearing from the ice sheet surface due to global warming, according to a new study in Nature Climate Change.
Wertvolle Meteoriten versinken in der Antarktis
Dr. Harry Zekollari in scienceORF.at
They Came From Outer Space. Now, They’re Going Into Hiding.
Dr. Harry Zekollari in New York Times
Strengthening Swiss hydropower with science

Researchers at ETH Zurich led by Robert Boes are developing specific solutions to optimise electricity production from Swiss hydropower plants. This will ensure that hydropower remains the backbone of Switzerland’s electricity supply in the future.
The new Respect programme

“Respect – Reflect – Respond”: Starting today, you’ll come across this slogan at various places at ETH Zurich. It’s part of the new Respect programme aimed at all members of the university community. These three words summarise how we should treat each other at ETH: on equal terms, willing to reflect on our own thoughts and actions, and responding appropriately in a variety of contexts.
Hochwasserschutz in der Schweiz (Min. 9.30)
Barbara Stocker in 3sat
Explanation of the Andermatt pressure bridge investigation

As part of the expansion of Andermatt railway station, the discharge capacity in the Unteralpreuss is to be increased by means of a new pressure bridge. A hydraulic model on a scale of 1:30 was constructed to check the feasibility of the flood engineering and is explained in the following video.
«Absolut absurd»: Rekorde bringen Klimaforschende in Erklärungsnot
Dr. Matthias Huss in Tages Anzeiger
As Switzerland’s Glaciers Shrink, a Way of Life May Melt Away
Prof. Daniel Farinotti in New York Times
Dambreach research at VAW

This physical model experiment shows the failure of a zoned earthen embankment dam due to overtopping. Watch the explanation of researcher Matthew Halso on our newest youtube video.
Schlammlawine bis Hochwasser: Sind wir parat für Naturgewalten? (Min. 23:07)
Barbara Stocker in SRF 1 Einstein
Unsere Berge schrumpfen
Dr. Matthias Huss in SRF News
Als es im Kanton Zürich Stauseepläne gab
Prof. Robert Boes in Tages Anzeiger
Ausbau der Fischtreppen im Kanton Bern stockt (Min. 15:50)
Prof. Robert Boes, Kamal Pandey in SRF, Schweiz aktuell
Tagi-Journalisten erhalten europäischen Klima-Preis
Dr. Matthias Huss in Tages Anzeiger
Gletscher schmelzen in zwei Jahren um zehn Prozent
Dr. Matthias Huss in Tagesschau
D-BAUG Research Day 2023

On 26 October 2023, the Association of Scientific Staff invites all students, researchers and professors to the department's annual “Meet & Share” event. Doctoral students from 10 Institutes will present selected case studies to illustrate the many ways in which research at D-BAUG helps engineer a more sustainable future. Keynotes will be given by Professors Eleni Chatzi and Max Maurer. Don't miss this exciting event and the apéro afterwards!
Spotlight on D-BAUG's sustainability goals

Until 15 October 2023, the Zurich photography festival "Open Your Eyes" presents an extraordinary combination of world-renowned photography and groundbreaking research. The 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide the framework. D-BAUG is participating with eight selected contributions, demonstrating how the department focuses not only its research but also its teaching on the SDGs.
Swiss start measuring latest glacier melts after hot summer
Dr. Matthias Huss in Reuters
D-BAUG Spotlight Seminar Series

The D-BAUG Gender and Diversity Commission (GDK) is pleased to announce the launch of a new seminar series that aims to bring highly successful and prominent female academics to ETH Zurich. It features women in engineering who are addressing key challenges of today. The first event on 27 September 2023 will focus on challenges in environmental engineering, the second event on 16 November on civil engineering challenges. Join us for this public event! Registration is requested, see details below.
2023 bringt die zweite historische Rekordschmelze in Serie
Dr. Matthias Huss in Tages Anzeiger
Schweizer Gletscher im 2022 um sechs Prozent geschrumpft
Prof. Daniel Farinotti in Jungfrau Zeitung
Preserving the potential of reservoirs

Weather-related erosion causes rocks, gravel, sand and silt to enter reservoirs and reduce the storage volume. A VAW research team has now demonstrated that sediment bypass tunnels can significantly mitigate the problem.
Au glacier du Rhône, la «mort» d'un géant en direct
Dr. Matthias Huss in Le Temps
Der erste moderne Stausee
Prof. Robert Boes in Radio SRF 2, Wissenschaftsmagazin
How does climate change change borders between countries?
Dr. Matthias Huss in Tek Deeps
Prall gefüllter Staudamm droht zu überströmen (Min. 6:32)
Prof. Robert Boes in Radio SRF 4
Three D-BAUG professors appointed and one farewell

At its meeting on 12 and 13 July 2023 and upon application of ETH President Joël Mesot, the ETH Board appointed three professors to D-BAUG and bid one farewell.
Awards for excellent doctoral theses

This year, six doctoral students from the Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering are honoured for their outstanding achievements: four of them receive ETH medals, two the Culmann Prize. Big congrats!
Préserver le potentiel des lacs de barrage
Prof. Robert Boes in Bulletin
Kangaroo goes D-BAUG

On the occasion of this year's Kangaroo Goes Science (KGS) Day on 8 June 2023, 100 girls were once again able to visit the ETH Hönggerberg campus with their parents. D-BAUG also contributed to the event, offering hands-on activities at the Stocker lab, the construction hall, and the Laboratory of Hydraulics, Hydrology and Glaciology (VAW).
As Switzerland’s glaciers melt, voters approve new climate law to cut planet-heating pollution
Dr. Matthias Huss in CNN
Katastrophe von Kachowka: Und dann brach der Damm
Prof. Robert Boes in Der Spiegel
Dammbruch in Kachowka: «Das Ereignis hat für die Umwelt verheerende Folgen»
Dr. David Vetsch in SRF News
A contested resource

The expansion of hydropower generation often leads to conflicts of interest, both in Switzerland and beyond. Researchers from the Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering at ETH Zurich are trying to find a basis for compromise that serves the public interest.
A world in flux

Heavier rain, longer droughts, melting glaciers: climate change has a dramatic impact on the global water cycle.