UNIL: from Lake Geneva to the highest peaks
If we think first of the mountains as the object of study for geologists, the research carried out at UNIL shows the extent to which our summits are actually a subject of interest to many disciplines.
At a time when the effects of climate change are already being felt, Lausanne-based scientists are working on a wide range of subjects to learn more about the mountains, from their soils and lakes to the changing landscape and retreating glaciers. Not to mention the effects of warming on changes to human activities and the associated tourism issues.
The mountain and its environment
At Lausanne, the mountains are also a prime object of study for disciplines such as sport and the understanding of the physiological effects of practising sport at altitude. Or for researchers in the sciences of Antiquity, with work on the Alps, natural barriers and sources of geopolitical challenges for various periods of expansion, such as with the Romans.
The Alps are also an object of choice for researchers in the sciences of Antiquity, with work on the Alps, natural barriers and sources of geopolitical challenges for various periods of expansion, such as with the Romans.
Since 2018, UNIL has included the Interdisciplinary Mountain Research Centre among its many pôles. One of the CIRM's main objectives is to create synergies between the scientific skills dedicated to the mountains, which until now have been dispersed among the University's various faculties. Based at the University of Lausanne's Dunois site, the CIRM brings together 5 of UNIL's 7 faculties, for more than 90 researchers, as well as around 15 partner institutions in the cantons of Vaud, Valais and Switzerland.
Different views of the mountains
In this video, five scientists from UNIL look at the mountains from the perspective of their respective research and disciplines: prof. Prof. Emmanuel Reynard is particularly interested in the geomorphology of the mountains and the interactions between natural elements and society; Marie-Elodie Perga, a professor specialising in mountain lakes and their evolution in the face of climate change; Christophe Clivaz, a professor specialising in public policies and their implementation in the context of climate change; Grégory Quin, lecturer and researcher at the Institut des sciences du sport, historian specialising in the protection of the mountain environment; Grégory Quin, lecturer and researcher at the Institut des sciences du sport, historian specialising in the protection of the mountain environment; Grégory Quin, lecturer and researcher at the Institut des sciences du sport, historian specialising in the protection of the mountain environment in Swiss sport; Michel Aberson, a professor specialising in Roman writings and with a particular interest in the history of Valais.
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To find out more
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Interview with Christophe Clivaz (L''uniscope 650, January 2020, p.6-7)
Associate Professor at the Institute of Geography and Sustainability, Christophe Clivaz specialises in climate change and its impact on mountains and their activities, both sporting and tourist.
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Impact of extreme weather events on Alpine lakes (L'uniscope 637, October 2018, p.15)
Marie-Elodie Perga is an associate professor at the Institut des dynamiques de la surface terrestre, specialising in the study and understanding of alpine lakes. In one of her studies, she looked in particular at the link between extreme weather phenomena and changes in the ecosystem of high-altitude bodies of water.
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Words from the mountains (24 heures, 8 May 2021)
Appreciated for the panoramas and activities they offer, mountains have always fascinated sportsmen and women, geologists and walkers alike. They have also inspired a host of writers who have been inspired by the mountains that surround us. Interview with Daniel Maggetti, Director of the Centre des littératures en Suisse romande at UNIL, about the recent book "Ligne de crêtes - Promenades littéraires en montage".
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Changes in Alpine soils and flora (L'uniscope 635, June 2018, p.16-17)
In the Nant valley, the composition of the soil has changed radically since the 1970s. The carbon load has more than doubled, probably as a result of human activity. These are the findings of field research carried out by Carmen Cianfrani and Aline Buri, researchers at the Institut des dynamiques de la surface terrestre.
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An educational seismology programme in Nepal (L'uniscope 646, September 2019, p.13)
Despite the impossibility of determining when, where and with what force earthquakes strike, some areas of the globe are always more affected than others. As in Nepal, where UNIL researchers are trying to set up an educational seismology programme to help the population better anticipate the next major earthquake.
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When the ground heats up (L'uniscope 641, February 2019, p.14-15)
In the space of a decade, the temperature of permafrost - the part of the ground that is permanently frozen - has risen by 0.3 degrees worldwide. This is also the case in Switzerland, as shown by the work of Christophe Lambiel, senior lecturer and researcher at the Institute for Land Surface Dynamics.
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Rome and the Alps (L'uniscope 643, April 2019, p.15)
Thanks to archaeological discoveries, specialists in antiquity have had to rethink the Romans' conquest of the Alps. Kings of the world in their heyday, their presence in the Valais may have been more rapid than written sources suggest, as Michel Aberson, senior lecturer and researcher at the Institut d'archéologie et des sciences de l'Antiquité, explains.
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Glaciers in the spotlight (L'uniscope 639, November 2018, p.11)
Anticipating the future of mountains means understanding their past. For example, how fast glaciers are melting and why. These are key questions that Benjamin Lehmann, a doctoral student in geosciences, is looking into.
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Alpine tourism and its paradoxes (L'uniscope 628, October 2017, p.9)
Climate change and the damage it is doing to the environment have given rise to a new form of tourism, known as last chance tourism. Alexandre Savioz, a doctoral student at the Institute of Geography and Sustainability, was able to observe this phenomenon during his thesis.
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