Uniting AEC Postdocs: NCCR DFAB hosts AdvanceAEC’s first Network Event

Mid May, the NCCR Digital Fabrication hosted the inaugural AdvanceAEC Postdoc Network Meeting at ETH Zurich. The three-day event brought together over 15 early-career researchers from partner institutions across Europe. It marked the official launch of the Postdoc Network, with the goal of strengthening professional development, collaboration, and community-building among postdocs in the AEC field.

The participants of the AdvanceAEC Postdoc Network Meeting exchange ideas across disciplinary and institutional boundaries.

The program featured a dynamic mix of interactive career workshops, research presentations, and networking activities. Participants took part in sessions on academic decision-making and long-term career planning, gained insights into local research initiatives, and toured leading research facilities, including ETH’s Robotic Fabrication Lab, Bauhalle, and Immersive Design Lab, as well as Empa’s NEST innovation hub. The meeting also offered local DFAB researchers a unique chance to connect with peers from across Europe working in complementary areas—from timber construction to concrete design to robotic 3D printing—and to exchange ideas across disciplinary and institutional boundaries. Social highlights included a BBQ at the Robotic Fabrication Lab, a relaxed dinner at Werdinsel, and an excursion to the Hardwaldturm—a striking 41.5-meter wooden observation tower—fostering both meaningful exchanges and new connections.

This successful kickoff set the tone for an active and supportive network dedicated to advancing the careers of emerging researchers in the built environment. The next meeting will be held in Stuttgart this September.