René Zemp

René Zemp’s career has been defined by ongoing interaction between research and its practical application. After studying Civil Engineering at the University of Applied Sciences of Central Switzerland, he initially worked as a research assistant before enhancing his expertise in structural dynamics and seismic safety at Basler & Hofmann. After the severe earthquake in Haiti in 2010, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) sent him to plan and build simple but earthquake- and hurricane-resistant school buildings there. He went on to complete his master’s degree in Santiago de Chile – a city that is all too familiar with earthquakes – and then his doctorate, for which he developed a damper for buildings to absorb the vibrations caused by wind or earthquakes. In 2013, he became a technical manager at Nüyün Tek, a company that makes special systems for earthquake protection, in Santiago. He returned to Switzerland and to Basler & Hofmann in 2016, and now heads up one of the specialist areas in Structural Engineering.

What fascinates you about your work?

I am fascinated by the interdisciplinary collaboration it takes for us as a team to find the best solution to an issue. 

What do you find makes a project particularly enjoyable?

When we can develop innovative, unusual solutions to offer added benefits to our clients or the general public.