Search result: Catalogue data in Autumn Semester 2021

Doctoral Department of Architecture Information
More Information at: Link
Doctoral and Post-Doctoral Courses
NumberTitleTypeECTSHoursLecturers
» Course Catalogue of ETH Zurich
701-0015-00LTransdisciplinary Research: Challenges of Interdisciplinarity and Stakeholder Engagement Restricted registration - show details
Number of participants limited to 20.
Priority is given to PhD students D-USYS.

All participants will be on the waiting list at first. Enrollment is possible until 15 September 2021. The waiting list is active until 17 September. All students will be informed on 19 September, if they can participate in the lecture.
The lecture takes place if a minimum of 12 students register for it..
W2 credits2SM. Stauffacher, C. E. Pohl, B. Vienni Baptista
AbstractThis seminar is designed for PhD students and PostDoc researchers involved in inter- or transdisciplinary research. It addresses and discusses challenges of this kind of research using scientific literature presenting case studies, concepts, theories, methods and by testing practical tools. It concludes with a 10-step approach to make participants' research projects more societally relevant.
ObjectiveParticipants know specific challenges of inter- and transdisciplinary research and can address them by applying practical tools. They can tackle questions like: how to integrate knowledge from different disciplines, how to engage with societal actors, how to secure broader impact of research? They learn to critically reflect their own research project in its societal context and on their role as scientists.
ContentThe seminar covers the following topics:
(1) Theories and concepts of inter- and transdisciplinary research
(2) The specific challenges of inter- and transdisciplinary research
(3) Collaborating between different disciplines
(4) Engaging with stakeholders
(5) 10 steps to make participants' research projects more societally relevant
Throughout the whole course, scientific literature will be read and discussed as well as practical tools explored in class to address concrete challenges.
LiteratureLiterature will be made available to the participants.
The following open access article builds a core element of the course:
Pohl, C., Krütli, P., & Stauffacher, M. (2017). Ten Reflective Steps for Rendering Research Societally Relevant. GAIA 26(1), 43-51 doi: 10.14512/gaia.26.1.10
available at (open access): Link

Further, this collection of tools will be used
Link
Prerequisites / NoticeParticipation in the course requires participants to be working on their own research project.
Dates (Wednesdays, 8h15-12h00): 29 September, 27 October, 10 November, 24 November, 8 December
064-0005-21LAdvanced Topics in History and Theory of Architecture: Entry Points - Reading Seminar Information
For Architecture doctoral program only.
W1 credit1KP. Ursprung, T. Avermaete, M. Delbeke, L. Stalder
AbstractThe seminar will consist of a series of collective readings of selected texts.
ObjectiveKnowledge of relevant texts in contemporary theory.
Capacity to critically discuss methods and discourses.
Lecture notesScans of selected texts for discussion and exercises will be provided at the beginning of HS 2020 on the course website:

Link
Prerequisites / NoticeThe seminar addresses the fellows of the Doctoral Program in History and Theory of Architecture. All other doctoral students of the Faculty of Architecture are welcome.
CompetenciesCompetencies
Subject-specific CompetenciesConcepts and Theoriesassessed
Techniques and Technologiesfostered
Method-specific CompetenciesAnalytical Competenciesassessed
Decision-makingassessed
Media and Digital Technologiesfostered
Problem-solvingfostered
Project Managementfostered
Social CompetenciesCommunicationassessed
Cooperation and Teamworkfostered
Customer Orientationfostered
Leadership and Responsibilityfostered
Self-presentation and Social Influence assessed
Sensitivity to Diversityfostered
Negotiationfostered
Personal CompetenciesAdaptability and Flexibilityassessed
Creative Thinkingassessed
Critical Thinkingassessed
Integrity and Work Ethicsassessed
Self-awareness and Self-reflection fostered
Self-direction and Self-management fostered
064-0013-21LResearch Methods in the History and Theory of Architecture Information W2 credits2SC. Rachele
AbstractIntroduction to methodological approaches in the history and theory of architecture; presentation and discussion of individual doctoral projects.
ObjectiveThe two-semester course in the first year of the doctoral program in the history and theory of architecture has a twofold objective: First, method sessions on central approaches in the history and theory of architecture provide a methodological basis for the doctorate at the Institute gta. Secondly, in "practice" sessions, the doctoral students get support for their individual research projects and guidance for the production of the Research Plan they have to present at the end of the first year.
Content“Again. If a thing can be done adequately by means of one, it is superfluous to do it by means of several; for we observe that nature does not employ two instruments where one suffices.”
- Thomas Aquinas, Summa Contra Gentiles, III.70, in Basic Writings of Thomas Aquinas, ed. and trans. Anton Pegis, New York 1945, 2:129.

The methodology of humanistic research grows more complex with every academic generation: it presents a complex thicket of epistemological frameworks and practical strategies rather than a straightforward array of tools. In the omnivorous field of architectural history and theory, the scholar faces a yet more multi-faceted array of possible approaches to any individual research subject. This course considers the variety of available strategies for the creation of architectural histor(ies) and theor(ies) as an opportunity for intellectual inquiry distinctive to our discipline. Through close and prolonged study of a range of historically significant or methodologically innovative writing, we will deepen our understanding both of how other historians have structured their work as well as refine each student’s developing research methodology.

The course, held over two semesters, combines a traditional doctoral theory seminar with a practical writing workshop: we will alternate reading-based discussions with working sessions directed towards the development of the research proposal to be submitted at the end of the first year.

Due to the intensive nature of the course, active class participation is required for doctoral students and all in-presence attendees. Students attending individual sessions in a listening capacity are requested to utilize the hybrid option.

The course schedule will be available at the beginning of HS 2021 on the course website:
Link

Please note doctoral program courses begin the third week of the semester.
Lecture notesScans of selected texts for discussion and exercises will be provided at the beginning of HS 2021 on the course moodle page:
Link
CompetenciesCompetencies
Subject-specific CompetenciesConcepts and Theoriesfostered
Method-specific CompetenciesAnalytical Competenciesfostered
Project Managementfostered
Social CompetenciesCommunicationfostered
Cooperation and Teamworkfostered
Personal CompetenciesCreative Thinkingfostered
Critical Thinkingfostered
Integrity and Work Ethicsfostered
Self-awareness and Self-reflection fostered
Self-direction and Self-management fostered
064-0017-21LResearch Methods in Landscape and Urban Studies Information Restricted registration - show details W2 credits2KG. Vogt, H. Klumpner, F. Persyn, C. Schmid, M. Topalovic
AbstractAdvanced PhD candidates of urban studies, urban and landscape design and urban sociology report about their experiences and insights in the concrete application of methods utilized for their research and scientific publications. Discussion of ongoing individual work, methodological questions, critical perspectives on urban and landscape design and city's relation to society.
ObjectiveThe seminar seeks to provide participants with a differentiated knowledge of methods in the field of the urbanism. Furthermore, it provides a platform to exchange contemporary urban research experiences across disciplinary boundaries, drawing from different geographies of knowledge production. Possible meta-themes include modes of data assessment in urban studies, ways of progressing from hypothesis to synthesis, and research by design as method.
ContentThe format will provide an overarching methodological meta-theme, to be defined prior to the event. One external guest critic will be invited. In this case, each presentation will conclude with a discussion round, providing sufficiently detailed feedback for every doctoral candidate.
Prerequisites / NoticeThe seminar is joint-organized by the chairs of the professors H. Klumpner, Ch. Girot, G. Vogt and M. Angélil (who in HS18 is mainly responsible for the course (one full-day event in the academic semester).

Participants in both cases will be expected to submit single-page abstracts of their papers in advance and to make a presentation of app. 20 minutes at the colloquium. The discussion rounds will be moderated by the organizing professor and the invited guests.

Enrolment on agreement with the lecturer only.
064-0015-21LPhD Colloquium Theory of Information Technology for Architects Information W2 credits2KL. Hovestadt
AbstractInformation technology plays an increasingly important role in research. To meet this challenging development, it is not only important to acquire respective skills, but also to consider and understand information technology in what sets it apart from other gestalts of technics (like mechanics, dynamics, or thermodynamics).
ObjectiveThe aim of this colloquium is to counter an observable tendency, that proportional to the degree in which students master practical skills in computing, they increasingly submit uncritically, in their understanding and framing of problems, to the dictation of schemata and templates implemented by technical systems.
ContentThe starting point for this colloquium is to comprehend computing not in terms of skills, but as a literacy which we can experience emerging today. Like in the case of writing as well, computing cannot exhaustively be reduced to either logics, grammar, arithmetics, or analytics. Rather, computation, if comprehended as a literacy, relates to any of the established categories of learning and raises questions of an architectonic kind. This colloquium draws from the principal richness of cultural forms of knowing and learning and thematizes approaches to formulate a theoretical stance on information technology for architects which is driven by and resting on the actual reality of computability today. In this, it is complementary to those theory courses on technology offered by the historical disciplines at ETH.
Prerequisites / NoticeTo benefit from this course, you should have a practical affinity to technics, as well as an abstract interest in information technology in its comprehensive cultural context.
064-0025-21LIntroduction to Computational Research in Architecture, Engineering, Fabrication and Construction Information W2 credits3KP. Block
AbstractThe PhD-level course (primarily for A&T PhDs) will introduce computational methods for architecture, engineering, fabrication & construction, incentivising computational literacy. Students learn the theoretical background and basic implementation details of fundamental data structures and algorithms, and to solve real­world problems using the COMPAS framework and other open-source libraries.
ObjectiveUnderstand the scope and relevance of computational methods for architecture and engineering research and practice, ii) the theoretical background of fundamental data structures, iii) the basic principles of algorithmic design; iv) implement basic versions of prevalent algorithms related to architectural geometry, structural design, robotic assembly, volumetric modeling & 3D printing, high-performance computation; v) use sophisticated algorithms available through open-source libraries to solve real-world problems; and, vi) use common CAD tools as interfaces to self-implemented solutions.
ContentCourse consists of a few lectures, several tutorials and project-based exercises. Topics include:
- intro Python programming
- intro COMPAS open-source framework (Link
- intro to geometry processing, data structures, topology, numerical computation
- domain-specific case studies (e.g. on architectural geometry, structural design, robotic assembly, volumetric modeling & 3D printing, high-performance computation)
Prerequisites / NoticePriority is given to PhD students.
101-0139-00LScientific Machine and Deep Learning for Design and Construction in Civil Engineering Restricted registration - show details W+3 credits4GM. A. Kraus, D. Griego
AbstractThis course will present methods of scientific machine and deep learning (ML / DL) for applications in design and construction in civil engineering. After providing proper background on ML and the scientific ML (SciML) track, several applications of SciML together with their computational implementation during the design and construction process of the built environment are examined.
ObjectiveThis course aims to provide graduate level introduction into Machine and especially scientific Machine Learning for applications in the design and construction phases of projects from civil engineering.

Upon completion of the course, the students will be able to:
1. understand main ML background theory and methods
2. assess a problem and apply ML and DL in a computational framework accordingly
3. Incorporating scientific domain knowledge in the SciML process
4. Define, Plan, Conduct and Present a SciML project
ContentThe course will include theory and algorithms for SciML, programming assignments, as well as a final project assessment.

The topics to be covered are:
1. Fundamentals of Machine and Deep Learning (ML / DL)
2. Incorporation of Domain Knowledge into ML and DL
3. ML training, validation and testing pipelines for academic and research projects

A comprehensive series of computer/lab exercises and in-class demonstrations will take place, providing a "hands-on" feel for the course topics.
Lecture notesThe course script is composed by lecture slides, which are available online and will be continuously updated throughout the duration of the course.
LiteratureSuggested Reading:
Marc Peter Deisenroth, A Aldo Faisal, and Cheng Soon Ong Mathematics for Machine Learning
K. Murphy. Machine Learning: a Probabilistic Perspective. MIT Press 2012
C. Bishop. Pattern Recognition and Machine Learning. Springer, 2007
S. Guido, A. Müller: Introduction to machine learning with python. O'Reilly Media, 2016
O. Martin: Bayesian analysis with python. Packt Publishing Ltd, 2016
Prerequisites / NoticeFamiliarity with MATLAB and / or Python is advised.
351-0778-00LDiscovering Management
Entry level course in management for BSc, MSc and PHD students at all levels not belonging to D-MTEC. This course can be complemented with Discovering Management (Excercises) 351-0778-01.
W3 credits3GB. Clarysse, S. Brusoni, E. Fleisch, G. Grote, V. Hoffmann, T. Netland, Y. R. Shrestha, P. Tinguely, L. P. T. Vandeweghe
AbstractDiscovering Management offers an introduction to the field of business management and entrepreneurship for engineers and natural scientists. By taking this course, students will enhance their understanding of management principles and the tasks that entrepreneurs and managers deal with. The course consists of theory and practice sessions, presented by a set of area specialists at D-MTEC.
ObjectiveThe general objective of Discovering Management is to introduce students into the field of business management and entrepreneurship.

In particular, the aims of the course are to:
(1) broaden understanding of management principles and frameworks
(2) advance insights into the sources of corporate and entrepreneurial success
(3) develop skills to apply this knowledge to real-life managerial problems

The course will help students to successfully take on managerial and entrepreneurial responsibilities in their carreers and / or appreciate the challenges that entrepreneurs and managers deal with.
ContentThe course consists of a set of theory and practice sessions, which will be taught on a weekly basis. The course will cover business management knowledge in corporate as well as entrepreneurial contexts.

The course consists of three blocks of theory and practice sessions: Discovering Strategic Management, Discovering Innovation Management, and Discovering HR and Operations Management. Each block consists of two or three theory sessions, followed by one practice session where you will apply the theory to a case.

The theory sessions will follow a "lecture-style" approach and be presented by an area specialist within D-MTEC. Practical examples and case studies will bring the theoretical content to life. The practice sessions will introduce you to some real-life examples of managerial or entrepreneurial challenges. During the practice sessions, we will discuss these challenges in depth and guide your thinking through team coaching.

Through small group work, you will develop analyses of each of the cases. Each group will also submit a "pitch" with a clear recommendation for one of the selected cases. The theory sessions will be assessed via a multiple choice exam.
Lecture notesAll course materials (readings, slides, videos, and worksheets) will be made available to inscribed course participants through Moodle. These course materials will form the point of departure for the lectures, class discussions and team work.
CompetenciesCompetencies
Subject-specific CompetenciesConcepts and Theoriesassessed
Method-specific CompetenciesAnalytical Competenciesassessed
Problem-solvingassessed
Social CompetenciesCommunicationassessed
Self-presentation and Social Influence assessed
Personal CompetenciesCreative Thinkingassessed
Critical Thinkingassessed
851-0125-76LCritiques of Scientific Objectivity Restricted registration - show details
Number of participants limited to 30.
W3 credits2SR. Wagner
AbstractThis course will review some critical reflections on scientific epistemology, challenging prevalent notions of scientific objectivity. We will start with German critiques from the first half of the 20th century (Heidegger, Husserl, Frankfurt school), go on to French critiques from the second half (Foucault, Latour), and conclude with recent feminist and post-colonial critiques.
ObjectiveThe students will be able to formulate and criticize arguments engaging with prevalent notions of contemporary scientific objectivity. They will be able to critically reflect on the authority of the knowledge that they learn and produce.
  •  Page  1  of  1