Weekend-long journey into EPFL universe

EPFL is both singular and multi-faceted: a university for more than 11,000 students; a research center for over 350 labs; a startup incubator and innovation partner for businesses large and small; a generator of ideas and debate; and a testing ground for trailblazing technology. The EPFL universe will be open to the public on the weekend of 29-30 April. You can discover what makes our School so extraordinary,through a variety of presentations, talks, demonstrations, labvisits, cultural and artistic events, scientific activities and more.

One of EPFL's core objectives is to share our education, research and innovation with the public at large. The last open house was held in 2019 to celebrate our 50th anniversary as a federal institute, and the 2023 edition is shaping up to be just as special. It will focus on five of the most important topics for our School: climate change, health, space exploration, artificial intelligence and basic research.

These two days will be full of amazing events -too many to cover here!Visit portes-ouvertes.epfl.ch/en/ to see the latest program and start planning your weekend. No matter what you're interested in, you'll find a wealth of must-see demonstrations, activities and events. Here are some of our recommendations, grouped by topic.

Climate change

Climate change is our society's defining issue. At EPFL, we're helping to advance understanding of the systems that shape the Earth's climate. Our labs use a cross-disciplinary approach to develop solutions combining scientific and technological progress with human, economic and societal considerations.

From polar glaciers to tropical coral reefs, from rivers to alpine peaks, EPFL scientists and engineers are conducting research to better understand, explain and counter the effects of climate change. There will be a panel discussion on these issues, as well as a talk by French alpinist Marion Chaygenaud-Dupuy. She founded the Clean Everest project and is the author of Respire, tu es vivante - De Lhassa à l'Everest (Breathe, You're Alive: from Lhassa to Everest). Also, be sure not to miss the Vanishing Glaciers exhibition, featuring images from an international research expedition on glacier stream ecosystems.

Health

In 2022, an EPFL research group achieved a major feat: helping someone with paraplegia walk again. Grégoire Courtine from EPFL and Jocelyne Bloch from CHUV, the two scientists behind this breakthrough, will take part in a panel discussion with two of their patients, who will share their experience.

You'll also be able to tour EPFL's medtech labs and learn more about thecutting-edge methods they're developing for non-invasive diagnostics, for fighting diseases like cancer, and for uncovering the secrets of genetic code. Meanwhile, the immersive Cell Worlds show will take you through the infinitely small world of human cells by blending objective scientific images with artistic visual and musical interpretations.

Space exploration

Space exploration is a fascinating field. Not only for what it can teach us about our planet and human kind, but also for the advances it can yield.EPFL scientists, engineers and students are helping shape the future of the space industry by developing satellites and rovers, launching rockets, and improving the lives of astronauts out in space. They're also working to make space missions more responsible and sustainable; one example is the research being done by ClearSpace, an EPFL startup that's spearheading a mission to collect and remove space debris. ClearSpace founder Luc Piguet and EPFL honorary professor and astronaut Claude Nicollier will participate in a panel discussion on these topics.

You'll also have an opportunity to (re)visit much of Cosmos Archeology, an exhibition that turns vast amounts of astronomical data into an immersive sensory experience. Or see the Carnaval des Planètes concert, a work composed by Simon Prêcheur, a recent EPFL graduate in microengineering and aerospace.

Artificial intelligence

Behind the mysterious algorithms of artificial intelligence (AI) lies the potential to revolutionize not only our industries, but also our very relationship to technology and its role in society. EPFL experts will hold a panel discussion on large language models and ChatGPT. By teaching machines how to learn, we're also developing tools that can analyze and predict many phenomena in today's increasingly complex world. Other activities in store include demonstrations of deepfakes, robotics and AI programs for architecture and biometrics, virtual reality tournaments, and interactive chat sessions with chatbots.

Basic research

EPFL scientists are conducting basic research in mathematics, chemistry, life science and physics to answer some of the most fundamental questions, all in the interest of building a better society. EPFL's Swiss Plasma Center is at the cutting edge of R&D in nuclear fusion - a virtually inexhaustible, risk-free, sustainable energy source. You'll be able to take a tour of the tokamak, a cornerstone of these efforts, and attend a panel discussion on the issues and challenges inherent in basic research.

But that's not all. Most EPFL lab will be open to the public, and they'll pull out all the stops to tell you about their work. Highlights will include: demonstrations; an exhibition on light at EPFL Pavilions; student project presentations on everything from synthetic biology to an electric Formula 1 car and a rocket;exciting physics and chemistry shows; Scientastic workshops for kids; the "How does it work?" exhibit; the Science Bus; skateboarding demonstrations by Nicolas Musin, a Belgian choreographer and founder of the Urban Move Academy; an exhibition on Lippmann plates (named after Gabriel Lippmann, winner of the 1908 Nobel Prize in physics), which will reveal the material and technological complexity of photography; a human library where you can borrow some time with a person from EPFL and a million other activities to chose from. Good luck deciding where to start!