| Role | Title + Name |
|---|---|
| Text von | Esther Lombardini |
| Expertise |
Esther Lombardini
Committees: Mitarbeiter:in
Organization: Schweizerische Akademie der Technischen Wissenschaften SATW
Function: Redaktorin und PR-Managerin
Website: www.satw.ch
Role: Editor | News | 27-05-26
Digital services are only used if they are considered trustworthy. Although Switzerland took an important step with the narrow acceptance of the e-ID in September 2025, the result also shows that the population's trust in digital solutions cannot be taken for granted. The new SATW factsheet sets out where the biggest gaps are and what measures the federal government, cantons and institutions should take now to make digital trust a reality in Switzerland.
Role: Autor:innen | News | 07-07-26
Two new studies paint a consistent picture: the Haufe Academy’s Trend Radar 2026 outlines the skills required in the workplace of tomorrow. The Swiss STEM Youth Barometer 2026, published by the Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences, shows where these skills are being developed – or, indeed, where they are not. A comparison of the two reports makes it clear why promoting STEM is not just an educational issue, but also an economic necessity.
Role: Autor:innen | News | 03-06-26
Switzerland is faced with an urgent question: where will the electricity come from in winter if nuclear power plants are taken off the grid and consumption increases due to heat pumps and electromobility? A recent report by Axpo paints a serious picture and outlines two possible scenarios. Wind and gas or new nuclear power plants. In an interview with SATW, Dr Nathalie Casas, Head of the Department of Energy, Mobility and Environment at Empa and new member of SATW, analyses the findings. She concludes: "All technologies have their challenges. If you decide against one technology, you have to decide in favour of another.
Role: Autor:innen | News | 08-06-26
The adoption of the e-ID was a milestone - but the close vote showed that digital trust cannot be taken for granted in Switzerland. How is it possible to establish a coherent, trustworthy digital administration in a federal system with 26 cantons and thousands of municipalities? Marcel Kessler, Head of Architecture and Standardisation at the Digital Administration Switzerland (DVS), provides an insight into the strategy, the specific measures and the challenges on the way to an interoperable trust infrastructure.
Role: Autor:innen | News | 22-05-26
The Lausanne-based company HAYA Therapeutics, featured in the Technology Outlook showcase “The cryptic messages of our genome”, has reached two significant milestones in quick succession: the first cohort of participants has been dosed in a Phase 1 clinical trial of its lead candidate HTX-001, and the company has been named a “Disruptive Pioneer” in the 2026 Global Pharmaceutical Innovation and Invention Index published by IDEA Pharma. These developments underscore the relevance of the technology identified by SATW’s foresight activities.
Role: Autor:innen | News | 11-02-26
Every two years, SATW's Technology Outlook presents future technologies that will shape the Swiss economy and society. In the current issue, two showcases in the field of energy and the environment document how researchers and companies are extracting gold from waste streams - in an environmentally friendly, innovative and economical way. From whey proteins to bacterial solutions: These articles show how waste is being turned into valuable resources.
Role: Autor:innen | News | 22-04-26
Every two years, the SATW Technology Outlook presents future technologies that will shape the Swiss economy and society. In the current issue, four technologies in the field of life sciences stand out that have the potential to fundamentally change medicine, nutrition and sustainability - from viral bacteria hunters and nature-inspired materials to personalised therapies and tailor-made nutrition.
Role: Autor:innen | News | 11-05-26
The Technology Outlook showcases Apertus as an example of transparent, compliant AI, and examines what its development reveals about Switzerland’s position in the global AI landscape. To explore the deeper ethical, societal, and political implications of large language models (LLMs), we spoke with Dr Ning Wang, an ethicist and political scientist at the University of Zurich. Her research focuses on the responsible development and sustainable governance of emerging technologies.
Role: Autor:innen | News | 20-01-26
Every two years, the SATW Technology Outlook presents future technologies that will shape the Swiss economy and society. In the current issue, four showcases in the field of life sciences document how Swiss companies are revolutionising cancer research with different approaches - from early detection and new therapies to molecular precision tools.
Role: Autor:innen | News | 03-02-26
Switzerland cannot become self-sufficient - but it can become smarter. In the final part of the series, SATW expert Alessa Hool explains the role that recycling, European cooperation and Swiss innovative strength can play and where improvements are urgently needed. Interview series part 3/3: Solutions and Swiss strengths.
Role: Autor:innen | News | 26-03-26
Every three years, the Swiss Coordination Centre for Research in Education publishes the Swiss Education Report. This provides a comprehensive overview of the entire Swiss education system, from pre-school to continuing education. The fifth report of this kind was published on 23 March 2026 and serves the Confederation and cantons as a knowledge base for managing the education system and formulating common education policy goals. In this interview, Edith Schnapper, Head of Promotion of Young Talent at the SATW, explains what the report shows for the STEM sector and why targeted promotion is only effective if it starts early, is designed interactively and takes structural barriers into account.
Role: Autor:innen | News | 25-02-26
in 2027, Geneva will be the venue for the international AI summit. For Switzerland, this is more than just a prestige project: it wants to position itself as a fair mediator between the major power blocs, present its regulatory approach, which represents a middle way, on the world stage and at the same time provide concrete impetus for globally sustainable AI governance. In an interview with SATW, Thomas Schneider, Ambassador and Deputy Director of OFCOM, explains what is at stake - and why smart regulation is not a contradiction to innovation.
Role: Autor:innen | News | 20-01-26
The International Space Station (ISS) has shaped space exploration for decades. But its time is running out: it is due to be brought down in a controlled manner in 2030. What comes after that? In this two-part interview series, we talk to SATW expert Deborah Müller about the future of space travel. The first part deals with the major transition from a state-dominated space programme to commercial space travel, the economic opportunities and sustainable innovations such as satellites made of wood.
Role: Autor:innen | News | 13-01-26
The Federal Council sees no need to systematically regulate critical raw materials in free trade agreements. But how realistic is this stance in the face of growing geopolitical tensions? SATW expert Alessa Hool explains why Switzerland should rethink its trade policy - and what the consequences of an escalation in Taiwan would be. Interview series part 2/3: Geopolitics and trade policy.
Role: Autor:innen | News | 20-01-26
The commercialisation of space travel opens up new opportunities - but also harbours considerable risks. In this two-part interview series, SATW expert Deborah Müller talks about the future of space travel. The second part deals with the growing threat of space debris, the so-called Kessler syndrome and the innovative solutions that Swiss start-ups are developing.
