Bridging the Gap between Humanitarian Needs and Technological Innovation

Humanitarian needs, caused by conflicts, violence and extreme climate events are at record highs. According to OCHA, more than 270 million people needed humanitarian assistance in 2022. At the same time scientific knowledge and innovations contributed to a tremendous improvement in human well-being and prosperity over the last decades. However, vulnerable populations, especially those affected by conflicts and crises, often do not benefit from these technological advancements. Failure to consider their specific context also means they are often more exposed to risks related to technology .

The Engineering for Humanitarian Action (EHA) initiative, driven by a partnership between the two Swiss Federal Institutes of Technology (ETH Zurich and EPFL) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), aims to address this disparity and ensure that investment in research and innovation is also targeting the needs, and considering the constraints, of vulnerable populations. EHA focuses on developing innovative solutions to enhance the impact of humanitarian action. Its three main components encompass (i) joint research and innovation projects, (ii) testing and scaling solutions as well as (iii) educational programme

The EHA initiative strives to bridge the gap between emerging technologies and the pressing needs of vulnerable populations affected by conflicts, with the ultimate goal of creating a more just and sustainable future for all. Ideally located in Switzerland, at the epicenter of the global humanitarian ecosystem and benefiting from the Swiss tradition of academic excellence, it aims to reinforce the leading position of Switzerland in humanitarian innovation and technology.

EHA coordination team

Anda Alkhatib
Anda Alkhatib
Project Manager of the ICRC
Grégoire Castella, PhD
Grégoire Castella, PhD
Head of the Humanitarian Division (EssentialTech Center, EPFL)
Federica Du Pasquier
Federica Du Pasquier
Strategic Advisor to
the President of the ICRC
Salome Räuschel
Salome Räuschel
Programme Manager at ETH4D (ETHZ)
Emeline Darçot
Emeline Darçot
Project Manager at EPFL
Adina Rom, PhD
Adina Rom, PhD
Executive Director of ETH4D (ETHZ)

EHA steering committee

Prof. Christian Wolfrum
Prof. Christian Wolfrum
Vice President for Research at ETHZ
Prof. Jan Hesthaven
Prof. Jan Hesthaven
Vice President for Academic Affairs at EPFL
Balthasar Staehelin
Balthasar Staehelin
Director for Digital Transformation and Data at the ICRC
Prof. Isabel Günther
Prof. Isabel Günther
Co-founder of ETH4D (ETHZ)
Prof. Gilles Carbonnier
Prof. Gilles Carbonnier
Vice President of the ICRC
Klaus Schönenberger, PhD
Klaus Schönenberger, PhD
Director of the EssentialTech Center (EPFL)

EHA scientific committee

EPFL

  • Professor Edouard Bugnion (EPFL – Chair of the committee)
  • Professor Véronique Michaud (EPFL)
  • Professor Isabel Günther (ETHZ)
  • Fiona Terry (ICRC)
  • Professor Katrin Beyer (EPFL)
  • Professor Jean-Philippe Thiran (EPFL)

ETH Zürich

  • Prof. Kristina Shea (ETHZ- Chair of the committee
  • Prof. Tobias Schmidt (ETHZ)
  • Prof. Isabel Günther (ETHZ)
  • Fiona Terry (ICRC)