ETH Zurich to establish CHF100m Earth Observation Centre

Major donation enables creation of Swiss Geolab in Lucerne, combining satellite data and AI to advance Earth observation research

ETH Zurich is establishing a new Earth Observation Centre in Lucerne.
The centre is funded by a CHF 100 million donation from the estate of Jörg G. Bucherer.
Former NASA science director Thomas Zurbuchen will head the centre.
Construction is scheduled for completion by 2030.
The centre will utilize AI to process data from satellites, drones, and measuring stations.

CHF 100 million

Total donation amount

CHF 2.8 million

Infrastructure contribution

100

Jobs

2030

Completion Year

"This now represents an opportunity to take research and knowledge transfer in the field of Earth observation to a new level."
— Joël Mesot

"The vast amount of data is currently not being used in a targeted manner to better understand the Earth."
— Article Context

A Monumental Leap for Swiss Science