School of Computer and Communication Sciences

School of Computer and Communication Sciences. It is one of the eight schools of the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, a premier public research university in Switzerland. The school, commonly referred to as IC, is dedicated to advancing the foundational and applied sciences of computing, communication, and information. It is globally recognized for its pioneering research, innovative educational programs, and its influential alumni and faculty who have shaped the modern digital landscape.

History

The school's origins are intertwined with the broader expansion of École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne in the late 1960s, formally established in 1969. Its development was significantly influenced by the vision of pioneers like Maurice Cosandey, who helped steer the institution towards applied sciences. A major milestone was the creation of the Laboratory of Computer Communications in the 1970s, laying early groundwork for internet technologies in Europe. The school grew in prominence under the leadership of figures such as Jürg Nievergelt and through strategic partnerships with institutions like the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich and International Telecommunication Union. The arrival of Niklaus Wirth, developer of the Pascal (programming language), in the 1980s cemented its reputation in programming language design. Subsequent decades saw it become a central hub for World Wide Web development, notably through the work of Jean-François Abramatic and contributions to the World Wide Web Consortium.

Academic programs

The school offers a comprehensive range of degree programs, including a rigorous Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and Communication Systems. At the master's level, it provides specialized programs such as Data Science, Cybersecurity, and Computer Science theory, often involving collaborations with the School of Engineering and the College of Management of Technology. Doctoral studies are deeply integrated with the school's research laboratories, supported by funding from entities like the Swiss National Science Foundation and the European Research Council. The curriculum emphasizes a strong theoretical foundation coupled with practical application, preparing graduates for careers at leading global firms like Google, IBM, and Nokia Bell Labs, as well as in academic research.

Research and innovation

Research is organized around interdisciplinary laboratories and institutes, including the renowned Institute of Core Computing Science and the Laboratory for Communications and Applications. The school has made seminal contributions to fields such as distributed computing, led by researchers like Rachid Guerraoui, and machine learning, through the work of the Machine Learning and Optimization Laboratory. It has been instrumental in advancements for the Internet of Things, quantum cryptography, and biomedical imaging. Innovation is fostered through close ties with the EPFL Innovation Park, which incubates startups, and partnerships with major technology corporations such as Intel, Microsoft Research, and Huawei. The school's research output frequently appears in top-tier venues like the Association for Computing Machinery and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers conferences.

Campus and facilities

The school is primarily housed within the modern buildings of the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne campus in Lausanne, overlooking Lake Geneva. Key facilities include the Rolex Learning Center, a central library and study complex designed by the architectural firm SANAA. State-of-the-art laboratories, such as the Data Center for large-scale computing experiments and the Nano-Tera cleanrooms for hardware research, support its advanced work. The campus also features the ArtLab building, which hosts exhibitions on digital culture, and the SwissTech Convention Center, a venue for major academic conferences like those organized by the International Society for Computational Biology.

Notable people

The school's faculty includes numerous luminaries, such as Joseph Sifakis, a recipient of the Turing Award for his work on model checking, and Martin Vetterli, a former president of École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne and pioneer in wavelet theory. Distinguished alumni have made significant impacts across industry and academia, including Daniel Borel, co-founder of Logitech; André Kudelski, chairman of the Kudelski Group; and award-winning computer scientist Jeannette M. Wing. Other notable figures associated with the school are Alain Chesnais, former president of the Association for Computing Machinery, and Boi Faltings, a leading researcher in artificial intelligence.

Category:École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne Category:Computer science schools Category:Educational institutions established in 1969