Doors to Knowledge

In the latest issue of the UZH Journal, we shine the spotlight on student tutors, hearing from five students about their varied tasks in this role. Those tasks range from supervising students during practical sessions in the lab, supporting teaching staff during lectures, or planning and delivering their own seminars. Many students choose to become tutors in order to have a more active role in academic life, to foster interesting contacts, and to feel more involved in the university. As well as giving something back, all of them feel they gain from the experience – by supporting other students, the tutors themselves gain subject knowledge, teaching skills and personal fulfillment. UZH provides support to student tutors to develop their teaching skills in the form of a new training program Start!, which has just been launched following a one-year pilot phase.

Other topics covered in the latest Journal are:

Debate about the UZH Library of the Future project

The preliminary project “UZH Library of the Future” is currently in the consultation phase. The plans to bring the individual libraries of the university institutes and departments under one roof have provoked a variety of reactions. The vice president responsible for the project, Christian Schwarzenegger, discusses the plans with Greek scholar Christoph Riedweg, student association representative Lukas Buser and mathematician Joachim Rosenthal in a lively debate about the future of the University of Zurich’s libraries.

Citizen science in Zurich

At the end of this week, the new UZH/ETH Center of Competence for Citizen Science will introduce itself to the public at the Citizen Science Festival in the Kunsthalle. Co-director Mike Martin of UZH, co-founder Effy Vayena of ETH and managing director Rosy Mondardini explain the center’s aims. Thanks to the Center of Competence and the associated Participatory Science Academy, members of the public will have a greater role in science projects than ever before.

Spotlight on Markus Christen

Most people at UZH will have heard about the university’s Digital Society Initiative. Head of the Managing Office Markus Christen works behind the scenes to pull it all together. The ethicist and natural scientist also conducts his own research into the ethical questions around new technologies. He believes a public debate about digitalization is urgently needed.

Use of space

Laboratory and office space is a sought-after commodity at Irchel Campus and creative ideas are therefore needed about how to make the best use of the space available. Work and organizational psychologist Barbara Degenhardt gives some examples.

English online

Selected articles from the printed Journal are available to read online: https://www.journal.uzh.ch/en.html