Summer in Zurich: Research, Learning, and Discovery at ETH
This summer, I had the incredible opportunity to participate in the Student Summer Research Fellowship at ETH Zurich, one of the world’s leading technical universities. It was an experience that pushed my boundaries as a researcher, exposed me to cutting-edge AI applications, and gave me a glimpse into life in one of Europe’s most beautiful cities.
The Research: AI for Urban Planning
My research focused on developing cognitive architectures for intelligent urban planning. The core idea was to build AI agents that could reason about complex urban systems—transportation networks, infrastructure planning, and sustainable development.
Cities are fascinatingly complex systems. Every decision about traffic flow, public transport, or building placement has cascading effects across the entire urban ecosystem. The challenge was creating AI systems that could model this complexity and make intelligent recommendations for sustainable infrastructure.
Working on this project taught me that urban planning isn’t just about optimization—it’s about balancing competing priorities: environmental sustainability, economic viability, social equity, and technical feasibility. Building AI that respects all these dimensions was both humbling and exciting.
The ETH Experience
ETH Zurich lives up to its reputation. The level of technical rigor, the quality of research discussions, and the caliber of people I worked with was extraordinary. I presented my work on “AI Applications in Urban Development” at the AI+X Summit, which was nerve-wracking but incredibly rewarding.
The iconic ETH main building where Einstein once studied
What struck me most was the collaborative environment. Despite the intense academic atmosphere, people were genuinely interested in helping each other succeed. I had countless discussions over coffee about everything from reinforcement learning algorithms to the best hiking trails in the Alps.
Central area of ETH campus
Life in Zurich
Zurich itself is a city of contrasts. It’s simultaneously modern and historic, bustling and serene, expensive and worth every franc. Between research sessions, I explored as much as I could.
Zurich Hauptbahnhof - the central station
The old town (Altstadt) became my favorite place to think. There’s something about walking along the Limmat River, past buildings that have stood for centuries, that puts your research problems in perspective.
The beautiful Rathaus (Town Hall) along the Limmat River
Another view of the historic Rathaus
Culture and Food
Swiss culture is fascinating—precise, efficient, and deeply respectful of personal space. But beneath that reserved exterior, I found incredibly warm and helpful people. My German improved significantly out of necessity, though most people switched to English once they heard my accent.
The food scene was incredible. Swiss cuisine is hearty and delicious, though I’ll admit I couldn’t afford fondue every day on a student fellowship budget. I did find some amazing spots though.
One of my favorite spots - authentic Italian food in the heart of Zurich
The Zurich Opera House became my weekend treat. There’s something magical about world-class performances in such a beautiful venue.
The stunning Zurich Opera House
Research Outcomes
By the end of summer, I had submitted a research paper on “A Cognitive Architecture for Intelligent Urban Planning” to the IAAI conference. Whether it gets accepted or not, the process of conducting original research, dealing with setbacks, and pushing through to meaningful results was invaluable.
The work showed that AI agents with proper cognitive architectures can make intelligent decisions about urban planning scenarios. It’s early-stage research, but it opens up exciting possibilities for how we might use AI to build more sustainable, livable cities.
Personal Growth
Beyond the technical learning, this summer taught me a lot about myself. Being in a foreign country, working in an unfamiliar research environment, and navigating a new culture—all while trying to produce meaningful research—was challenging in ways I didn’t expect.
I learned that impostor syndrome is universal (even at ETH), that asking “stupid questions” is actually how you learn, and that most breakthroughs come after the third or fourth time you want to give up.
I also learned that I love research. The open-ended nature of it, the intellectual freedom, the excitement of discovering something new—this is what I want to do long-term.
Looking Back
The summer flew by faster than I expected. Before I knew it, I was packing my bags and saying goodbye to the team, to Zurich, and to what had been an transformative few months.
I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity. Not everyone gets to spend their summer doing cutting-edge research at one of the world’s best universities, in one of the world’s most beautiful cities. I don’t take that privilege lightly.
What’s Next
This experience has solidified my desire to pursue research in AI and systems. I’m particularly interested in how we can build AI systems that enhance human decision-making in complex domains—whether that’s urban planning, compiler optimization, or something else entirely.
I’m also committed to making research and technology more accessible. As someone from Latin America, I know how rare opportunities like this are. If sharing my experience helps even one person believe they can do research too, that’s worth it.
If you’re considering applying for research fellowships or summer programs, my advice: do it. The worst they can say is no. The best case? You might spend your summer doing research in Zurich.