Administrative Staff
The Departmental Administrative Staff is the central point of contact for the Department of Humanities, Social and Political Sciences (D-GESS). Its members ensure flawless operations in all operative tasks and responsibilities of the Department.
Among other tasks, the Departmental Administrative Staff serves as
- Point of contact for students, staff, and professors
- Link between the D-GESS and other departments, the ETH Academic Services (in matters pertaining to studies), the staff units of the Executive Board, and the Infrastructure Divisions
At the departmental level, it is responsible for:
- The operational management of the department
- Finances and Controlling
- Property management
- Public relations
- Organization of events
- Management of core infrastructure (laboratories, library)
- Registration of lectures of the GESS Science on Perspective Program
- Administration of doctorates and habilitations
- All administrative business that does not come under the responsibility of other units
The administrative department staff is
Educational Developer
My field of work
As educational developer I regularly attend GESS-courses and give feedback to the lecturer. Class- and exam-evaluations are also very important as reference point for the teaching quality at the D-GESS. I analyze the results together with the Director of Studies for Science in Perspective, discuss them with the Teaching Commission and if necessary with the lecturer. Furthermore I support the development of innovative teaching projects, e.g. assisting with the application to the Innovedum fund. Further I participate in the development of good teaching at the ETH, together with the Network of Educational Developers, with the Educational Development and Technology, as well as the rectorate of the ETH.
My view on good teaching
Teaching does not work without content. If you put transfer of knowledge second, education ends up being bare memory training. But at the same time good teaching is always aimed at setting up competences. ETH students should be empowered to encounter different perspectives on their core subjects, learn to think critically and reflect their own arguments.. This is particularly true for the D-GESS study program Science in Perspective.
Study Administration
Caroline Holck runs the Study Administration Office of D-GESS and supports the department staff with administrative and organizational tasks. Her main field of activity is the planning of courses, administration of lecturships and organizing the teaching commission meetings (SiP), including preparation and follow-up. Further, she advises students regarding the recognition of credit points for the study programme Science in Perspective and the doctoral studies.
Department Coordinator
Stefan Karlen is responsible for the running of the department and assists the GESS executive committee in the strategic management of the department. This includes strategic and operative planning, networking and communication with departmental committees as well as with university-wide and external bodies, strategic controlling, preparation and follow-up of the professors’ and department conferences, assisting the professorial planning, heading the staff, infrastructure management (space, ICT, labs, library) as well as the quality management and organizational development of the department.
Stefan Karlen is a member of the University Assembly and the Staff Commission of ETH Zurich (committee member in both committees); furthermore, he represents ETH Zurich on the joint body of PUBLICA Pension Fund.
Department Administration and Doctoral Administration
Virginia Leung is contact person and coordinates the processes regarding the department and the doctorate at the GESS department.