Anna Fontcuberta: "In Europe, we must be less afraid of failure."

GenevaAnna Fontcuberta i Morral's office still smells new. She says she only recently moved in and that some of the furniture is yet to arrive. It's not even been three months since the Catalan physicist reached the top position in the management of the École Polytechnique de Lausanne, better known by its acronym EPFL, one of the world's leading technical universities.

Born in Caldes de Montbui in 1975, Fontcuberta has dedicated her career to the study of materials science, an essential discipline for the development of technologies such as quantum computers. She is one of the leading figures in the field of semiconductor nanowires, with important applications in making photovoltaic cells more efficient.

Paris, Los Angeles, and Munich were some of the stops he made before landing in Switzerland. At EPFL, he led a materials science research group until becoming president of the federal university earlier that year.

Fontcuberta welcomes ARA to discuss the future of university education, the role of women in science, and the importance of fundamental science and quantum technologies.

What led you to study physics?

— I needed to understand the world and know what it was made of, because everyone understands it differently. And I knew physics was the one that would give me the answers.

He majored in materials science. Why is this so important?

— Human evolution and technological progress have been brought about thanks to materials. Without going too far, all the applications we have artificial intelligence These technologies wouldn't be possible without semiconductors, which are the foundation of all our electronics. AI will further revolutionize this discipline, facilitating the discovery of new materials before manufacturing them. This will help us find more efficient ones for better batteries and solar cells, among other things. It's a revolution that's already here!

One of the areas where materials science also has an impact is quantum computing.

— Until now, quantum physics has allowed us to understand matter and do things previously unthinkable. Semiconductors are a prime example. Without them, we wouldn't have the transistors found in our phones, computers, lasers, and other devices. This was the first quantum revolution. Currently, we are at a point where technology allows us to individually manipulate subatomic particles. We have managed to build quantum computers, but we also have everything made with sensors that help us, for example, have much more sensitive MRIs to understand the brain, as well as to detect tumors or injuries much earlier.

In particular, you've worked with so-called nanowires. What are they and why are they useful?

— They are very small, elongated crystals that trap light very efficiently. This technology allows us to build much brighter lasers that improve electronic communications, for example. With nanowires, we can also build very high-performance solar cells, as well as the structures that make it possible to create qubits, the basic information unit of quantum computers.

She is an advisor to the Institute of Photonic Sciences (ICFO) in Castelldefels.

— ICFO is an institute that is among the best in the world in the field of photonics and brings significant value to Catalonia. We hold meetings every year where this institution presents its vision to us, and together with other advisors, we offer our opinions on how they can further enhance their excellence.

You also collaborate with the Catalan Institute of Nanoscience. What projects are you working on?

— We've been working with Jordi Arbiol's team for over 18 years on electron microscopy. We're currently involved in a European project called Solar Up. We've discovered a material called zinc phosphide that absorbs sunlight very well and would allow us to build photovoltaic cells that are much cheaper and more efficient than current silicon ones.

You've been the president of the EPFL since January. What motivated you to run for office?

— I've always loved contributing to global well-being. Four years ago, I ran for associate vice president and learned I could contribute to the smooth running of the University. Then, the position for president opened up, and several colleagues said, "Anna, why don't you run? We think you'd be a good candidate." I hadn't thought about it, but given people's insistence, I thought maybe they saw something in me that I didn't. So, I finally proposed my candidacy with a program.

What are its fundamental pillars?

— We are in a difficult time, particularly from a financial perspective. Teamwork, with people who understand each other well, is essential. From this point on, everyone gives their best, and we work together to move forward in a situation where there is a revolution in what it means to be a university, in what academic training means.

What will be the main barriers you will encounter in these four years?

— There's a lot of interest in coming to EPFL. The number of students is growing by 5 to 8% each academic year. Our physical infrastructure is at capacity, and funding and faculty aren't growing. We need to organize ourselves better to continue providing the training people deserve and at the level we want. This is a major challenge. We will have to be very efficient in managing the resources we have to ensure we remain innovative.

Will you be able to continue investigating?

— My predecessors did it, so I'll try it too, although it will be with a much smaller research group than the one I had. I think it's important to stay connected to reality, with my feet on the ground, and not just in other spheres.

What is your perspective as a woman leading such a prestigious university?

— I spent part of my career without thinking too much about gender differences. It wasn't until I reached higher levels that I realized that being a woman is treated differently. I've been on awards committees where there was only one woman among the 25 nominees. It often happens that we only think about giving awards to men. It's quite shocking. For a long time, men were given more visibility at conferences than women. Now there's much more awareness about the importance of women's presence.

There is still much to do.

— Progress is very uneven, depending on the institution and the country. Approximately 30% of EPFL students are women. If we look at institutions like MIT or Caltech in the United States, this figure reaches 50%. Regarding the teaching staff, we're at 25%. A certain threshold must be reached for women to access leadership positions.

She is part of the Wish Foundation, which supports young female researchers.

— We organize lunches where women from the business and scientific world come to explain how they've developed professionally. We also provide scholarships so female researchers can go abroad to complete their master's thesis. This truly changes their lives. When they return, they feel much more self-confident; they've seen the world, and that gives them wings in their careers.

The importance of having role models.

— It's necessary to have role models that people identify with. If the role models are too exceptional, people may think they're beyond their reach. But in reality, we all have something that makes us exceptional. That's why we invite people at different stages of our careers so they can see that everyone has taken this path and can project themselves.

You've come this far motivated by curiosity. How do you conduct research based on curiosity in a world that demands economic returns?

— We shouldn't forget that all major technologies started with very simple questions based on fundamental science. If we forget fundamental science, we won't have technological revolutions in 20 years. The important thing is collaboration and funding for everything.

You've experienced different university models. What do you learn from each one?

— In Europe, universities are much more accessible to all economic levels than, for example, in the United States. This is a treasure we should preserve. It's important that talented individuals have access to education, with affordable university tuition fees and a good scholarship system, for example. On the other hand, in terms of innovation, Europe should invest more in universities. start-ups, because they are our future. We must be less afraid of failure, because it is by making mistakes that we learn and move forward.

In the United States, they are more accustomed to this philosophy of trying, failing, and trying again.

— Sometimes you need to fail to then end up doing what truly fulfills you and gives you value.

What message would you send to young students?

Let them be curious and invest the necessary energy into learning as much as possible. Let them think about the value they can contribute to the world, because we really need people who can make a positive impact.