Building bridges between professional and academic life

Designing intelligent vision systems for Swiss industry. This means being able to extract precise information from videos and images that can be used, for example, to diagnose and monitor neurological disorders such as brain tumors. But also, to analyze the gaze of a pilot in training to improve his reflexes. The field of application of the interdisciplinary group that was led by Andrea Dunbar at the CSEM, Neuchâtel is very broad. It brings together a wide range of expertise, including artificial intelligence, optics, system, and IC design. Since September, her wealth of experience has fueled her role as Professor of Practice at the College of Management of Technology (CDM). She holds this position on a 50% basis, alongside her other duties. The Anglo-Swiss is the first to take up this type of teaching, which has just been launched at EPFL. The aim is to build bridges between professional and academic life, and to offer students new, know-how-oriented insights.

Andrea Dunbar teaches students data science for business, with a focus on artificial intelligence and its use in different sectors. "The CSEM specializes in technology transfer to help the competitivity of Swiss industry. I aim to show the students both the processes of data science for example in pre-industrial prototyping of intelligent vision system and how to incorporate the latest technologies such ChatGPT into a company’s toolbox." Depending on the specific needs and knowledge of her students, she constructs the course with them, alternating between theory, question-and-answer sessions or group projects. "They learn from my experience at CSEM and CSEM has the chance to attract some of Switzerland’s top talent. It's a win-win situation.

No limits
And this new challenge has everything to delight this accomplished scientist whose professional opportunities have led her to navigate between academic studies and management positions. "I grew up with a mother who was a very committed entrepreneur. She was a pioneer for her generation, and she always told me: 'Don't limit yourself and work hard. You only regret what you don’t do." Born in the United States, Andrea was nine years old when she arrived in England, her parents' country of origin, following their divorce. Her early years at boarding school shaped her strength of character. "It was a formative period, but a difficult one.” As the youngest of three sisters, she was not intimidated by the boys at her secondary boarding school, where girls, who were in the vast minority, were present with the aim of raising the academic standard.

A first important decision was to study physics, even though I was better at chemistry. I chose what interested me, not what was easiest. This way of thinking has guided many decisions I've made throughout my life.

After her undergraduate’s degree in physics at the University of St Andrews in Scotland, she wanted to experience something different and moved to London City to work at Lloyd’s. "It was a very different environment where the primary motivation was financial." This experience made her realize that she wouldn't flourish there, and she decided to embark on a PhD, still in physics, at Trinity College Dublin. After which a position at EPFL in the Basic Sciences faculty opened up, where she continued her research in the field of semiconductors. She joined CSEM in 2006, then climbed the ranks without ever giving up her training, successfully obtaining an EMBA in 2016 at the CDM. Seven years later, the circle is complete: Andrea Dunbar joins the same college, but this time as Professor of Practice. She is keen to stress the importance of having a close-knit family to succeed in leading a fulfilling professional and private life at the same time. "We always help each other, and that's the only way we can achieve what we love. My husband and I also teaching our two children to be independent, and I'm proud of our teamwork."