From crime scenes to crisis management

When Du Pasquier received the email on 15 September, at 9:31pm, informing him that he’d been selected for the award, he couldn’t believe his eyes. “I wasn’t expecting it at all,” he says. “I was very moved and touched. It’s great recognition of the hard work done by EPFL’s central services and the 200 people who helped keep our School functioning throughout the pandemic.” EPFL President Martin Vetterli gave the award to Du Pasquier in person at the Magistrale on 1 October.

For those who’ve had the pleasure of working with Du Pasquier, this distinction comes as no surprise. “He’s extremely professional, a great team player and really easy to work with,” says Samantha Hugon at EPFL Mediacom Events. “He gives you the right kind of support for any situation, whether that means taking a step back or lending you a hand.” Frédéric Rauss, the head of internal communications at EPFL, adds: “Éric is someone you can count on. He’s great at structuring crisis situations and rallying people. Even when he’s swamped, he's happy to help you out and make you feel like a priority. And in meetings he’s very attentive; he listens carefully, and people want to hear his views.” Further kudos come from Alexandre Jacquat, the head of EPFL’s intervention and safety team, who’s been working with Du Pasquier for ten years. “Éric has no qualms about rolling up his sleeves and pitching in whenever he can. He gives his staff concrete assistance, and always with the utmost respect.”

Éric has no qualms about rolling up his sleeves and pitching in whenever he can. He gives his staff concrete assistance, and always with the utmost respect.

An expert in forensics even before CSI

Since joining EPFL nearly 13 years ago, Du Pasquier has been in charge of overseeing campus security, prevention, surveillance, risk mitigation and crisis management. So how did this science lover and crime-drama fan end up negotiating surgical masks for EPFL scientists, from an (unheated) basement in the spring of 2020?

Du Pasquier, now in his 50s, has both French and Swiss citizenship. During his second attempt at completing the first year of medical school in France, he took a brief trip to Lausanne and decided to visit the University of Lausanne (UNIL) campus. “I completely fell in love with the place,” he says. “And I have to admit – I was especially drawn to the sports center!” A career counsellor suggested he look into in the field of forensics, and a meeting with the head of UNIL’s forensics department cemented his decision. “There were just 14 of us in my graduating class,” says Du Pasquier. “At the time, only two schools in Europe offered degrees in forensics – UNIL and one in Scotland. This was before the days of CSI!”

He graduated from UNIL with a degree in forensic science and spent the following years investigating arson and explosions – a job that took him to autopsy rooms, morgues and courtrooms. He then worked for the forensic firearms lab of the Paris police force, examining serious crimes. In 1994, he was consulted as an arson expert in the investigation of a mass suicide by members of Order of the Solar Temple sect in Cheiry, in Fribourg Canton. He then went back to UNIL to obtain a PhD in arson and forensic science, working half-time for the Jura Canton police during his studies. After graduating, he spent three years teaching forensics in Sydney and set up a research group on methods for managing scenes of arson and other crimes. He returned to Switzerland in 2003 and published his dissertation (currently unavailable in bookstores but not at the EPFL Library) on the topic of investigating car fires.

Always one step ahead

That same year, Du Pasquier took a job with the Vaud Canton fire and natural disaster insurance office, switching his focus from crime scenes to insurance claims. He got his first taste of crisis management in 2005 when, while he was the head of the natural disaster claims department, a major hailstorm devastated western Switzerland. He joined EPFL four years later.

“A crisis needs to be one of your planning scenarios, even though you obviously hope it won’t materialize,” he says. One of the keys to crisis management is being one step ahead, so when Covid-19 first started making news in December 2019, Du Pasquier and his team kept a close eye on developments. In February 2020 they recommended canceling trips to China in order to reduce the risk of exposure, and in March they helped set up an EPFL task force. “Our measures always anticipated those announced by the Swiss government,” says Du Pasquier, with a hint of satisfaction in his voice. His colleague Jacquat adds: “Éric has a unique ability to look at the bigger picture and make the right decisions. It’s really admirable.”

You know a storm is on the way, so you do what’s needed to get ready,. That entails shoring up your resources, keeping people informed, making assumptions so you can map out scenarios, and getting down to work. The goal is to minimize the crisis’ impact on your people and operations.

Keeping calm

In addition to thinking ahead, crisis management also requires effective organizational skills and a hefty dose of preparation. “You know a storm is on the way, so you do what’s needed to get ready,” says Du Pasquier. “That entails shoring up your resources, keeping people informed, making assumptions so you can map out scenarios, and getting down to work. The goal is to minimize the crisis’ impact on your people and operations.” Agility is another critical factor. “You have to be able to make clear decisions on the spot,” he says. “Sometimes you make a mistake, and in that case you do what you can to get back on track and keep going. But everyone needs to be clear on your overall strategy.” Du Pasquier goes on to stress that there should be just one person in charge of making decisions – not two. But that doesn’t mean one person alone is responsible for getting an organization through a crisis. “Crisis management is all about bringing together experts and leaders from different fields,” he says. “However, what really pulls an organization through is the collective effort of everyone on the ground. It’s a genuine team effort.” With regard to EPFL and the pandemic, Du Pasquier is pleased with how the community responded. “We worked with people whom we trust and who trusted us. We listened to what they had to say, and they came on board. EPFL’s upper management also displayed confidence in our decisions.”

What’s his secret for keeping calm amid the storm? “The adrenaline rush from it all,” he says. “At the start of the pandemic, my children literally built an office for me in the basement.” Du Pasquier also uses exercise to release stress. While he doesn’t practice extreme sports, he does enjoy an intense workout from time to time. “With the pandemic largely behind us, I would’ve liked to have a crisis-free year in 2022,” he says. But given the potential threats to Switzerland’s energy supply, Du Pasquier and his team are back at it – mapping out scenarios and preparing calmly for whatever may come next.