Portraits and Interviews

Learn more about our researchers through CSH and UniAktuell portraits and interviews.

2026/07/10

© University of Bern/M. Friederich

SRF Radio Tagesgespräch with Kathrin Altwegg

Interview with Prof. em. Dr. Kathrin Altwegg from the Center for Space and Habitability (CSH) at the University of Bern, in the frame of SRF Radio's summer series "25 Jahre Tagesgespräch" about her scientific career including the space probe Rosetta and the instrument ROSINA, led by Kathrin Altwegg, which strongly contributed to the discoveries of the Rosetta mission. The interview was aired in five parts from July 06 to July 10.

2026/04/30

© NASA

SRF Radio 4 News – Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope

Prof. Dr. Brice-Olivier Demory, Director of the Center for Space and Habitability (CSH), University of Bern, was interviewed for SRF Radio 4 News to talk about the planned NASA Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, which will observe a significantly larger part of the sky than its predecessor Hubble. It will observe, among other things, exoplanets, dark energy and dark matter. He is quoted in the news segment by science expert Anita Vonmont.

2026/04/21

© University of Bern/D. Hubacher

How a collapse could create planets

Oliver Schib has developed a new model for planet formation. His computer simulations show how the gas and dust disks around young stars develop and how instabilities can lead directly to the formation of giant planets.

2026/04/01

© University of Bern/D. Hubacher

New Space Master builds on Bernese Space Heritage

The University of Bern’s newly established Master’s program “Space Sciences and Astronomy” begins in the Fall of 2026. Director of Studies Andrea Fortier talks about Bernese space heritage, what students can expect from the new program, and why it matters.

2025/05/07

© Liliane Burkhard

Making science tangible with art

How do you make the tectonic development of the planet Mercury tangible with a piece of paper? For planetary scientist Liliane Burkhard, the answer is clear: with the means of art. While she works at the Institute of Physics in the Space Research and Planetary Sciences Divison, she thinks not only in terms of science, but also in terms of artistic forms and structures.

2025/04/03

© ESA/ATG medialab

“What should I definitely not do?”

For more than five years, the Bern-based CHEOPS telescope has been providing highly precise data from space. At the beginning of 2025, Christopher Broeg took over the leadership of the mission from Willy Benz. Now the two have met for a conversation for uniAKTUELL.

2025/03/14

© University of Bern/UniAKTUELL

"As a woman, you're often alone but also highly visible"

Audrey Vorburger is a planetary scientist and a mother of three children. In the video, she talks about the search for life beyond Earth and her experiences in a male-dominated professional field.