University of Bern Day at the Swiss Pavilion

Collaborations with Japan

The University of Bern collaborates with Japanese partners in a remarkably extensive and diverse manner. This is particularly evident in the high number of joint publications that Bernese scientists publish with colleagues from Japanese universities with strong reputations, first and foremost the University of Tokyo, Kyoto University and Nagoya University. Collaboration in the field of physics and high-energy physics stands out. This broad field also includes cooperation in the area of various ESA/JAXA space missions. Biomedical and Clinical Sciences is another key area. In line with this picture, partners can also be found outside the universities, e.g. High Energy Accelerator Research Organization and many institutions from the health sector. A third area of joint research is mathematics, including artificial intelligence research. Current joint research includes the Radioactive Waste Management project (Kyoto University) funded by the European Union. Research on blood-brain barrier dysfunction contributing to multiple sclerosis pathogenesis together with Yamaguchi University is funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation to mention only two.

Unveiling the birth of planets

Robotic missions can’t directly explore astronomical phenomena outside our solar system or from long before human history. Scientists study these distant phenomena using observations and computer simulations.Yuhito Shibaike will explain how telescopes, like ALMA (Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array – operated by a collaboration of 22 countries and regions, including Japan and Switzerland) or CHEOPS (in partnership between the European Space Agency ESA and Switzerland, with a dedicated consortium led by the University of Bern) and numerical simulations (such as the Bern model of planet formation) are revealing how planets are born, focusing on the achievements of Swiss and Japanese researchers. 

Tsubasa Fabbri holds a Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from ETH Zurich, with a strong interest in aerospace engineering. Alongside his studies, he gained valuable experience from contributing to the SLS rocket at Beyond Gravity to developing novel space technologies at the University of Tokyo and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Virginia Richter is Rector of the University of Bern, Professor of Modern English Literature. She studied English, Comparative and German Literature at the University of Munich, and also obtained there her PhD in Comparative Literature and her habilitation in English and Comparative Literature. Her leadership experience includes service as Vice Rector International and Academic Careers, Head of the Department of English, President of the Institute of Advanced Study (now Walter Benjamin Kolleg), and Vice Dean and Dean of the Humanities at the University of Bern; she was also President of the Forum for University and Society and Vice President of the Swiss Association of University Teachers in English.  

Yuhito Shibaike is a Specially Appointed Assistant Professor of the Amanogawa galaxy Astronomy Research Center at the Kagoshima University, specializing in the formation of planets and satellites. After completing his PhD at the Tokyo Institute of Technology, he worked as a research scientist at the Institute and then moved to the University of Bern as a postdoctoral researcher within the National Center of Competence in Research NCCR PlanetS. After four years of research in Switzerland, he moved to the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan as a Project Research Fellow of the ALMA project in 2023  and started his new position in Kagoshima in April 2023. Ha has studied the birth of planets and icy satellites from both theoretical and observational perspectives.

Robotic missions have paved the way for humanity’s exploration of space, from rovers on Mars to probes in deep space. Instruments like the mass spectrometers aboard the European Space Agency (ESA) missions Juice and Comet Interceptor showcase how space exploration can autonomously analyze distant worlds with remarkable precision. While many tasks can be carried out fully autonomously without human presence, astronauts offer unique advantages, such as adaptability, real-time decision-making, and deeper scientific insights.  

As we prepare for the next step – human space exploration – we face challenges similar to those encountered by an aging population on Earth, including muscle loss and mental health issues. This talk explores the intersection of space research, medicine and AI, highlighting how our understanding of aging can help keep astronauts healthy and how technological advancements in space exploration, like assistive robots, can, in turn, improve functioning and quality of life for an aging population on Earth.

Dr. Masaki Fujimoto is Director General of the Institute of Space and Astronautical Sciences of Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (ISAS/JAXA). He joined JAXA in 2006 as a Professor of Department of Solar System Sciences. He was instrumental in setting up the framekwork for Japanese scientists to participate in ESA's BepiColombo mission to Mercuiry as well as the ESA's JUICE mission to Jovian moons. He joined Hayabusa2 sample return capsule recovery operation in Australia (December 2020) to support the activity under COVID-19. He is also one of the founders of the Martian Moons Exploration (MMX) mission, a mission to return samples from Phobos, one of the Martian moons. 

Audrey Vorburger is an assistant professor at the University of Bern. She has dedicated her career to the exploration of planets and moons in our solar system using mass spectrometry. Her research focuses on understanding their atmospheres and compositions, providing insights into their origins and the potential for life beyond Earth. She has contributed to several major space missions, including Chandrayaan-1, India’s first lunar mission; MESSENGER and BepiColombo, NASA and ESA missions to Mercury; and, more recently, JUICE and Europa Clipper, ESA and NASA missions exploring Jupiter and its icy moons

Matthias Wilhelm is the Medical Director of the Centre for Rehabilitation & Sports Medicine at the University Hospital Bern and an Associate Professor at the University of Bern. As a physician and clinical researcher, he is committed to advancing rehabilitation for individuals with chronic conditions, optimizing their physical and mental well-being, and fostering healthy aging and social inclusion. His research explores the use of digital health technologies and assistive robotics to provide long-term support for this population. He is actively involved in national and international studies in this field.

Tadahiro Taniguchi is a professor at the Graduate School of Informatics, Kyoto University, and an Affiliate Professor at the Research Organization of Science and Technology, Ritsumeikan University. He is also a Senior Technical Advisor at Panasonic Holdings Corporation and serves as Chair of the IEEE Cognitive and Developmental Systems Technical Committee. His research focuses on machine learning, emergent systems, cognitive robotics, and symbol emergence, with the aim of developing autonomous and adaptive intelligent systems. Throughout his career, he has contributed to advancing the understanding of how intelligence emerges through interaction, bridging artificial intelligence, robotics, and cognitive science. 

Marco Sieber studied medicine at the University of Bern. In November 2022, he was selected as an European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut candidate. He commenced his one-year basic training programme in April 2023 and attained astronaut certification at ESA’s European Astronaut Centre on 22 April 2024, rendering him eligible for spaceflight assignments.