CS 2022 "Biosphere Entlebuch – Culture and Environment"
Latest news
Aalbu, S. (2022). Exploring cultures and environment in the Biosphere Entlebuch. USYS TdLab Transdisciplinary Case Study 2022. ETH Zürich, USYS TdLab. doi: external page 10.3929/ethz-b-000622870
Newspaper Reports
Download 2022-07-01: Entlebucher Anzeiger (in German) (PDF, 1.8 MB)
What is the case study?
The transdisciplinary case study is a large course (7 credits) at ETH Zurich in the Master's programmes in Environmental and Agricultural Sciences, but is also offered for other Master's programmes. It is a project- or problem-based course, the students work independently in groups on a real case. Students learn to formulate relevant research questions, to answer them with different methods of data collection and data analysis and to work in an interdisciplinary team as well as in close exchange with practice partners.
What is it about this year?
The case study in the spring semester 2022 will be carried out together with the UNESCO Biosphere Entlebuch and will start from the general topic of "culture and environment". This topic was concretised with an advisory group on site and served as a starting point for the student work.. For this purpose, the topic will be analysed, structured and translated into concrete research questions, which will then be answered. For example, questions could be asked about the role of Entlebuch culture, agriculture and local associations in the Entlebuch and how they relate to, perceive and shape the environment or more generally, what role does culture play for a sustainable land use?
Who is involved?
The following people coach and support the students in the 2022 case study:
- Prof. Dr Michael Stauffacher (responsible lecturer, co-director TdLab, ETH Zürich)
- Florian Knaus, MSc ETH (scientific coordinator, Biosphere Entlebuch)
- Dr Pius Krütli (co-director TdLab, ETH Zürich)
- Dr Bianca Vienni Baptista (Senior Researcher/Lecturer, TdLab, ETH Zürich)
- Sandro Bösch (administrative, organisational support, TdLab, ETH Zürich)
Members of the advisory group: We are supported on site by an advisory group that meets once before, once during (6 April 2022) and once after the student work (summer 2022).
1st meeting 23 November 2021:
- Download Minutes (in German) (PDF, 684 KB)
- Download Which topics in the field of "culture and environment" could the case study address? (PDF, 147 KB))
13 students from different degree programmes or specialisations at ETH Zurich:
Sofia Aalbu (D-ERDW); Gráinne Burrows (D-USYS); Celine Christl (D-USYS); Ziyu Guo (D-USYS); Louise Humbert (D-USYS); Rebecca Humborg (D-BAUG); Navya Itty (D-USYS); Yurun Jin (D-USYS); Aman Karwasra (D-USYS); Tonghui Li (D-USYS); Jania Mackenthun (D-USYS); Tiphaine Mühlethaler (D-ITET); Mónica Revuelta Albero (D-USYS); Aleksandra Wybieralska (D-USYS)
Students briefly presented their research ideas to the advisory board on 6 April and discussed them in detail:
The case study was supported by the following experts in the field of cultural and art studies:
- Mira Hirtz, Maximilian Grünewald, Dr. Frank Raddatz, Bela Rothenbühler, external page Initiative für Angewandte Melancholie
- Prof. Irene Vögeli, Prof. Patrick Müller, MA Transdisciplinarity, Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK)
- Prof. Dr Boris Previšić, Director, Urner Institute "Cultures of the Alps" at the University of Lucerne
- Prof. Dr Bernhard Tschofen, University of Zürich, ISEK - Department of Social Anthropology and Cultural Studies
On Tuesday 21st June, students from ETH Zurich met in Heiligkreuz with students from ZHdK and from Karlsruhe University of Arts and Design (HfG) for a full day workshop, exhibition and performance facilitated by AnthroposEx:
On Friday 22th June, students from ZHdK shared their research results. Two of the groups worked together with students from ETH:
Important dates
First information event (zoom): Tuesday, 7th December 2021 (17h15–18h00). You can download the slides Download here (PDF, 2.6 MB).
Students worked on Wednesdays (14h15–18h00) from 23 February to 1 June 2022, as well as two block days on Friday 18 and Saturday 19 March and two and a half block weeks from 13 June to 29 June.
Final presentation (Download Invitation flyer (PDF, 873 KB))
On Tuesday, 28 June 2022, ETH students presented the results of their four research groups. More than 25 people from the region came to this event and intensively discussed with the students' groups during the Apéro:
Please contact for questions and comments
Michael Stauffacher,
For further information
