“It's very unique to be a professor of Anthropology at EPFL”

As the world grapples with critical societal challenges like climate change and the rapid evolution of AI, Graezer Bideau’s promotion to Adjunct Professor at EPFL underscores her pivotal role in fostering interdisciplinary collaboration. “I am convinced that anthropology can serve as a crucial intermediary, forging connections between academia and society, and in particular fortifying the development of solutions tailored to our world’s complex issues,” she says.

Inspired by Marcel Mauss, the French father of anthropology, that “objects are proof of social facts,” her work examines the relationship between technology and socio-cultural dynamics. She explores how societies interact with environmental spaces and technologies, assigning them symbolic meaning.

Heritage as a tool and a framework

Graezer Bideau’s research investigates the relationship between culture and power from comparative perspectives, exploring domains ranging from cultural policy to urban development in China, Malaysia, Singapore, and Switzerland. Her interdisciplinary approach unites social sciences, engineering, and architecture, creating new pathways to innovative solutions.

For Graezer Bideau, the notion of heritage, which encompasses material culture, technology, and the transmission of knowledge across time and space, is central to her approach. Her unique perspective at EPFL emphasizes how heritage can address societal and environmental challenges. By investigating the politics of heritage, she fosters a multidisciplinary dialogue that connects grassroots communities with institutional perspectives, offering sustainable approaches to cultural policies, urban development, and governance. As head of the Heritage, Anthropology, and Technologies (HAT) Research Group, she champions collaborative and comparative research that bridges cultural and institutional divides.

“Guiding the next generation toward meaningful solutions”

As a highschool student in Geneva, Graezer Bideau was hesitating between studying architecture, archaeology, or anthropology.

“I was fortunate to have a history teacher who was an anthropologist and an archaeologist,” she says. “She helped me choose anthropology, because she told me, ‘Buildings are fascinating, and archaeology uncovers bones. But adding the lives of the people and how they lived in these spaces makes it truly captivating.’”

Graezer Bideau did her bachelor’s and master’s in anthropology at the University of Lausanne and earned her PhD in History and Civilization from the School for Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences (EHESS) in Paris. She then held faculty and visiting positions at institutions like Peking University, the Australian National University, and the Politecnico di Torino. Since 2013, she has contributed significantly at CDH and ENAC, leading the Minor in Area and Cultural Studies, which took students from all faculties on trips to India and China to allow them to see how science and engineering is deployed in other contexts, and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration.

Florence’s dedication to education and research was recognized in 2022 when she was awarded best teacher in the SHS program at EPFL and the Boos Kosma Prize in Planning History Innovation for her book Porter le Temps, Mémoires urbaines d’un site horloger. Now as an Adjunct Professor, she looks forward to guiding the next generation of researchers and practitioners toward meaningful solutions to today’s most urgent global challenges.

Fostering collaboration across disciplines

Beyond her academic contributions, Florence has built strong partnerships with cultural organizations and public institutions at local, national, and international levels, demonstrating the relevance of anthropology in tackling real-world issues. After 15 years of dedicated teaching and research at EPFL, Graezer Bideau feels her work and commitment are being recognized with this promotion to Adjunct Professor. Although this will not have a significant impact on her teaching approach, she highlights that, in terms of research, it will help secure additional funding opportunities for grant applications and collaborations, both within and beyond EPFL.

“It’s very unique to be a professor of Anthropology at EPFL,” concludes Graezer Bideau. “What I bring is a reflection on what heritage is, but also a reflection on the national policies of different countries and the link between material and immaterial heritage. Intangible cultural heritage looks at knowledge and how this knowledge is transmitted, and that of course, makes a very strong link with a polytechnical school. I firmly believe that my expertise in anthropology can contribute valuable insights, both in terms of knowledge production and methodology, to the present and upcoming generations of scientists, engineers, and architects at EPFL.”