Five questions for Ingrid Senn and Helene Hofmann (CAS ETH in Naturgefahren-Risikomanagement)

ETH School for Continuing Education: Who or what inspires you?

Helene Hofmann: Inspiration comes from an environment where interested colleagues go about their work with passion; I am lucky enough to know many in my private and working life. Further inspiration comes from interesting encounters during conferences and continuing education.

Ingrid Senn: I see this just as Helene does! I admire people who combine professionalism, élan and extensive subject knowledge with a gift for interpersonal and social relationships: people who strive for a good solution for all involved and for constant improvement – and who are also able to laugh at themselves sometimes. I am also lucky to know such people, privately and professionally. That inspires me in my work.

What concrete effects will your continuing education programme have on your project and your work?

Senn: Continuing education has not shown me any formula or methodology that I previously lacked, or any new instrument of analysis which I will rush out and buy. But I believe I have learned to think in a more networked way than before. I have learned to observe where trends lead – here I mean, for example, both the latest scientific findings and abstract things like acceptance of risk or risk dialogue – and I can apply this to my work in an engineering consulting agency. And naturally I will take advantage of all the contacts I made through the programme.

Hofmann: Unlike Ingrid I am not actively engaged in practical work, but am among other things responsible for coordinating various research projects. Here the programme has primarily shown me ideas and possibilities, and helped me to make direct contacts among both lecturers and participants, all of which will help me to get new projects off the ground.

What is the significance for you of attending a continuing education programme at ETH Zurich?

Hofmann: I studied in Lausanne and am not as familiar with the German-Swiss research environment. Therefore it was very interesting to study at ETH. The range of courses in the CAS ETH NGRM programme also conformed to the expectations that one has of a famous university like ETH.

Senn: ETH is a renowned university both nationally and internationally and it offers really top-class education. I studied at ETH (Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees). I wanted to pursue continuing education to receive new input, and the CAS ETH NGRM programme fulfilled my expectations.

What surprised or impressed you the most during the programme?

Senn: Although it was actually clear to me from the start that the lectures would be delivered by several different specialists, I was repeatedly impressed by what was offered. Monday a lecture by an internationally famous climate scientist; Tuesday a talk by the director of crisis information and the NPOC (National Point of Contact) at the Federal Office of Topography, who took questions from the class; Wednesday a seven-person podium discussion… This was all really impressive.

Hofmann: Like Ingrid, I was really impressed by the mixture of specialists: what a great achievement! I found it surprising, though, that the transfer of experience and knowledge between practising and research specialists is neither simple nor self-evident. Improving this is precisely one of the things that continuing education programmes like the CAS ETH NGRM programme might tackle.

Describe the benefit to you of the CAS ETH NGRM programme in one sentence.

Hofmann: The value of the CAS ETH NGRM programme lies in the lively exchange and numerous discussions among participants and lecturers.

Senn: The CAS ETH NGRM programme offers the possibility to extend personal knowledge in the area of natural-hazard risk management in an interdisciplinary manner, and to make interesting new contacts.