Anna Bischofberger: "I’m not just a PhD student but am considered part of this working environment on the basis of all my attributes."

When you were a kid, what did you want to be?

I have a whole range interests and various talents too. It took me a long while to decide what I wanted to study at university. For a while, I wanted to become a marine biologist because I’m fascinated by water. But there are no courses in Switzerland. I got very good grades at school but I didn't excel in any one subject, so that didn’t help me decide on a career.

You obtained your Master’s in environmental systems science at ETH Zurich. What inspired you to study at ETH?

I started on a course in Germanic and Scandinavian studies but I soon found it too one-sided for me. I was missing numbers and rationale. So after talking to friends, I switched to ETH. At that time, in the first year of study, agricultural sciences that I had selected and environmental systems science were virtually the same. When it came to the second year, I thought that the environmental systems science courses were more interesting. I liked the wide spread of subjects and the fact that you also got to study social issues, for example. Luckily, I was able to switch course with ease.

You are currently studying for your PhD in the pathogen ecology group at ETH. What are you researching now?

This group is looking at the ecological and/or environmental factors, which affect the life of pathogens. My particular area of study is antibiotic resistance. In my first two projects, I investigated associations between antibiotic resistance and resistance to other microbial substances. After all, it’s not only antibiotics that are affected by resistance. Disinfectants are another well-known example. I was able to demonstrate that specific resistance mechanisms are at play both for resistance to antibiotics and certain disinfectants. I’m currently working on a third project, which is taking me in a totally different direction. If all goes according to plan, I will finish my PhD in 2021.

I still really enjoy the multidisciplinarity you experience working at the institute. We are all able to look out beyond our own discipline, which allows me to write on the side. I’m not just a PhD student but am considered part of this working environment on the basis of all my attributes.

During your time at university, you wrote several novels under the name Anna Stern. Who would you recommend your books to?

I use writing as a vehicle for my love of language. There are parallels here with my research: I don't start by looking for solutions, instead I observe and share these observations. Through my novels, I try to ask questions and explore misunderstandings about how people interact with one another or the environment, for example.

Anyone who relishes challenges or likes to lose themselves in frank writing will enjoy my books. I deliberately leave gaps so that readers can ask themselves what they would do in the situation. I find that exhilarating when I’m reading, so I’ve tried to do it in my books. After all, I don't believe that it’s the job of literature to find solutions.

My texts always start with an observation or an experience that I don't understand and try to work out by writing about it. In my writing, I have a certain amount of control over what happens and ultimately the experience finds its home in the text. So my writing delves into questions but not with the specific aim of answering them. The readers join me as I look for the answer. But they have to find the answer for themselves. So if you’re looking for a book to help send you to sleep, my writing isn’t for you.

You’ve received a lot of recognition for your work, most recently the Swiss Book Prize. Congratulations. What motivates you?

I see writing as a second form of research; just it’s not done in a lab. I’m a very curious person and like discovering new things. I also like showing that you don't always see everything the first time you look. This also explains the many parallels between my two worlds of work.

I published my first book when I was still at uni. It was clear to me even then that I wanted to combine my two passions for as long as I could. But I assumed that at some point I would have to focus on just one of them. Until now, however, I've always been open and willing to be flexible. I would find it very hard to have to decide between the two right now.

The environment at ETH is hugely motivating. I’m someone with a number of different talents, concerns and passions. And this is how people see and appreciate me. I can claim to be a person in myself and not just through my function as a researcher. So I enjoy working. My supervisors manage to maintain this culture despite the research being very competitive.

Do you have any tips for today’s students?

You need to have a variety of interests and passions. This is important even if it’s sometimes hard to combine with your studies. Your other interests need space and you need to dedicate time to them. Sometimes you have to study for exams. But you shouldn’t forget that your interests bring you benefits too.

I have always found a way to combine my various interests. You need to be open and communicate this need to your surroundings. This then often results in the willingness to accept your needs and find creative solutions.