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Swiss Academy of Engineering Sciences SATW
The PFAS dilemma: Why replacing and phasing out these substances is becoming a project for generations to come
Headlines about PFAS are becoming increasingly frequent: this group of substances, which went unnoticed for a long time, is everywhere – even in food and in the bodies of humans and animals – and it is not simply going to disappear. Whilst environmental and consumer protection campaigners are pushing for a swift end to exposure, industry is searching for alternatives for key technologies. However, the path to a PFAS-free future is a generational project that will challenge business, research and society for decades to come. In an interview with SATW, Manfred Heuberger (Empa), Martin Scheringer (ETH Zurich) and Dominique Werner (Scienceindustries) explain what the biggest challenges are when dealing with PFAS.
Swiss Academy of Engineering Sciences SATW
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mRNA 2.0: From the COVID-19 vaccine to a potential treatment for skin cancer
During the Covid-19 pandemic, mRNA technology gained worldwide recognition. Now it could also transform cancer treatment: the first personalised mRNA vaccine against melanoma has shown promising results in a large Phase III trial. When used in combination with immunotherapy, it reduced the risk of recurrence by 42 per cent. How does a vaccine work that is produced individually for each patient? And what still stands in the way of its widespread use?Swiss Academy of Engineering Sciences SATW
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Agent-based AI in industry: Where are you heading, Switzerland?
What will change when AI no longer merely provides answers, but takes over work? The SATW’s Digital Industry specialist group examines the potential of agent-based AI, ranging from administrative order processing to collaboration between humans and intelligent robots. This also addresses the strategic question of what role Switzerland can and wishes to play in this development.Swiss Academy of Engineering Sciences SATW
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«Translation into effective action is needed» – Janet Hering on structures and what universities owe women in science
Since 2025, the global L’ORÉAL-UNESCO For Women in Science program has had a Swiss chapter, with SATW as a partner: every year, four early-career researchers working in Switzerland receive 25,000 Swiss Francs each. The second cohort was honored on 21 October 2026. The jury is chaired by Janet Hering – aquatic scientist, professor emerita at ETH Zurich and EPFL, and the first woman to head a Swiss federal research institute, the Eawag. In conversation with SATW, she explains what convinces a jury, why role models alone are not enough, and where the implementation of gender equality actually breaks down.