“We're delighted to have designed such a prestigious object”

Bachelor’s students at EPFL must complete a semester project as part of their coursework in the Social Sciences and Humanities (SHS) Program. This requirement gives them an opportunity to apply the concepts they’ve learned and better understand the social, economic and historical issues associated with their main field of study.
“Students can choose from classes on a variety of subjects, ranging from graphic design and musicology to law,” says Tomas Kral, professor at ECAL (the University of Art and Design in Lausanne) and a designer himself, who coached the 40 EPFL students during the semester dedicated to designing the new trophy.

“What I really enjoyed about coaching the project was that the students all came from different backgrounds – mathematics, life science, architecture, mechanical engineering, physics, computer science and more,” says Kral. “That created an interesting mix that forced the students to seek out creative synergies. I encouraged them to look at design from an engineering perspective and come up with a personal and original take on the theme, which was to create an object – a gift – that reflected EPFL and Switzerland in general.”

The students completed the project at the ECAL campus, working in teams. The result was 15 surprising and innovative ideas. “There were fun designs like the one inspired by the poya” – the springtime ascent of cow herds to alpine pastures – “and designs that drew on architectural methods to create a structure from playing cards and even a kaleidoscope,” says Kral. In the end, two ideas were chosen as finalists: a skyline depicting the buildings on EPFL’s main campus, and a customized semiconductor wafer – which was ultimately selected.

Overcoming a series of obstacles

The wafer design by Sierra, Herrmann and Dellios impressed the selection panel because it was both original and challenging to create.

Where did your idea come from? “I spent the first week looking up interesting things on Wikipedia and stumbled across the Archimedean Oath, which is an ethical code of conduct for engineers, much like the Hippocratic Oath for doctors,” says Dellios. “That inspired me as a basis for a design.”

How did you come up with the form? The team started by brainstorming various options, which Kral subsequently rejected, such as a warning light in the shape of an invisible clock with segments representing EPFL’s logo – a design that would have been too complex. Then Dellios remembered the semiconductor wafers he’d studied in his microfabrication class. These wafers are very thin, very fragile silicon disks used to make electrical components such as integrated circuits. Their shiny surface acts like a mirror and can diffract light to create rainbow effects. In this case, Dellios imagined using wafers to create a graphic form that clearly evokes EPFL.

How did you build the object? “We knew this would be a challenge,” says Herrmann. “None of us had access to a clean room for fabricating the wafers or had been trained on the machines. We had to find someone who could help us finalize our model and fabricate a prototype, for free!” Sierra was the one who found a solution. “We spoke with Prof. Jürgen Brugger, who heads EPFL’s Microsystem Laboratory,” he says. “He immediately liked our idea and told us to contact his PhD students. We created additional work for them, but they were happy to help.”

Cost: a harsh reality

The team initially planned to use a combination of metals including gold and aluminum on the wafer surface, but that would have made the trophy’s cost prohibitive. Instead, they chose a more pragmatic approach. After spending weeks getting input from various experts, they decided to display the EPFL logo through diffraction on one side of the wafer. On the other side, the recipients’ names will be engraved in aluminum along with the signature of EPFL’s president, Anna Fontcuberta i Morral.

It’s not over yet

There are still a few problems to resolve. For instance, the wafer needs to be made more robust and more resistant to finger marks. That may sound simple, but it’s actually quite hard in practice. “We tested a glue – with disastrous results – along with several resins such as epoxy and Plexiglas,” says Sierra. Plexiglas is an attractive option but it’s risky, because it would cause the wafer to break easily. One particular resin was found to be safer since it doesn’t expand so readily. The team also tried transparent car spray paint, which would be effective against finger marks. For now, they’re using a spray resin to create a thin, transparent layer that can protect and strengthen the wafer, as they keep looking for a better alternative.

Another issue is what kind of base to use for the trophy – wood, aluminum, glass or something else entirely? The students’ final decision will have to be made before the master’s graduation ceremony in early October, when the “wafer trophy” will be given out for the first time to Doctor Honoris Causa and Alumni Award recipients. The team plans to continue developing their prototype in 2026, but they’re already proud of what they’ve achieved.

“A total of 15 ideas were submitted, and we didn’t know if ours would be selected. We’re delighted to have designed such a prestigious object,” they say. For Herrmann, this project marked a turning point: “It was the first time I felt like I was really working as an engineer. We took our idea all the way through, going beyond just a sketch.”