Diploma Ceremony of the School of Engineering - FHNW
On September 29, 2023, at this year's graduation ceremony of the FHNW School of Engineering, 350 graduates were honored to receive their Bachelor of Science FHNW diplomas and another 35 students received their Master of Science degrees.
In the opening address, Prof. Jürg Christener, Director of the FHNW School of Engineering, emphasized the importance of the graduation ceremony for the graduates: "The graduation ceremony is like passing the finishing line after a long marathon," he explained. "It marks the culmination and fulfillment after three, four or even more years of intense effort. Unlike in sports, however, here each and every individual is a winner, a victor."
"I trust AI to do a lot, but I trust you to do a lot more".
Dr. Dorothea Baur, an expert on ethics in the context of technology, society and the environment, then presented her thoughts on current issues concerning artificial intelligence. "You are the people I trust to recognize the concrete benefits of artificial intelligence, but equally to acknowledge its limitations," Dr. Baur said in her inspiring speech. She concluded her address by saying, "Give me the serenity to use artificial intelligence where it does good, to reject it where it does harm, and the wisdom to distinguish one from the other. I'm sure that will get you very far."
Awards for the best works
Once again this year, the two highest-scoring theses in each degree program were awarded the diploma prizes. Joel Becker, a graduate of the Electrical Engineering and Information Technology program, received the regional Siemens Excellence Award for the most outstanding thesis, worth 4000 Swiss francs. In his thesis, he developed a measurement system for the vibration behavior of piezoelectric cantilevers together with the Basel-based microsensor specialist UnTrueDyne Sensors AG. These are freely vibrating structures that are applied to a chip. If the resonant frequency and quality of the cantilevers are measured with high precision, these values can be used to determine the density and viscosity of the medium surrounding the structures.
A special diploma
After handing over the 385 diplomas and 21 awards, there was one more special diploma: Prof. Dr. Ruth Schmitt, Head of Education at the University of Applied Sciences FHNW, presented Director Jürg Christener with a diploma and a big thank you for his many years of commitment to students, researchers and employees of the university - of course with top grade 6 and paw print of the campus cat Chili. It was the last diploma ceremony under the leadership of Jürg Christener, who will retire in 2024.
Winners of the diploma prizes
BSc Data Science
1st prize: Joseph Weibel, Baden AG
2nd prize: Chantal Strasser, Basel BS
BSc Electrical Engineering and Information Technology
1st prize: Daniel Richner, Rheinfelden AG
2nd prize: Marco Farine, Bern BE
BSc Energy and Environmental Engineering
1st prize: Andreas Ruf, Magden AG
2nd prize: Sirikit Rudin, Liestal BL
BSc Computer Science
1st prize: Timothy Grützner, Allschwil BL
2nd prize: Manuel Attiger, Rütihof AG
BSc Computer Science - Profiling iCompetence
1st prize: Tobias Wyss, Biberist SO
2nd prize: Katrin Stutz, Solothurn
BSc Mechanical Engineering
1st prize: Philippe Keller, Villigen AG
2nd prize: Jan Mazacek, Eptingen BL
BSc Optometry
1st prize: Estelle Reymond, Renan BE
2nd prize: Laura Bonaccorso, FR-Saint-Cergues
BSc Systems Engineering
1st prize: Florentin Dipner, Nuglar SO
2nd prize: Christoph Frey, Brittnau AG
BSc Industrial Engineering
1st prize: Alex Heinemann, Windisch AG
2nd prize: Jan Scheidegger, Lotzwil BE
Master of Science in Engineering
1st prize: Luiz Zanetta de Matos, Oberengstringen ZH
2nd prize: Dominik Hiltbrunner, Zunzgen BL
Siemens Excellence Award
Joel Becker, Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, Pfeffingen BL
The graduation ceremony 2023 in numbers
Degrees by study program
BSc Data Science: 7
BSc Electrical Engineering and Information Technology: 31
BSc Energy and Environmental Engineering: 27
BSc Information Communication Systems trinational: 4
BSc Computer Science: 55
BSc Computer Science - Profiling iCompetence: 43
BSc Mechanical Engineering: 55
BSc Optometry: 27
BSc Systems Engineering: 36
BSc Industrial Engineering and Management: 65
Master of Science in Engineering: 35
Degrees by sponsoring canton
Aargau: 168
Basel-Country: 44
Basel City: 16
Solothurn: 45
Source: www.fhnw.ch
