"There’s never a dull moment when working for VIS"
Computer science student Johan Stettler got elected as the new president of VIS, the official association of computer science students at ETH Zurich. In his new role, he is responsible for representing, coordinating and supporting VIS, its board, its committees and its members in all their various fields and tasks
Johan Stettler, Bachelor student at the Department of Computer Science, recently took up his new role as the president of VIS and along with it, many new responsibilities: he is in charge of leading and coordinating the VIS board, supporting the VIS committees as well as representing the association towards other organisations or companies and vice versa, the computer science students towards the department and within the overarching ETH student organisation VSETH.
Johan, how did you initially get into VIS?
I was always driven by a fascination for solving riddles, which manifested itself from an early age. So, in 2017, I decided to start my Bachelor's studies at the Department of Computer Science. I ended up helping the VIS team transport several dozens of tables from the Hönggerberg campus to CAB. This took until two a.m. and was an amusing experience. I was persuaded by VIS’s good team spirit right away. One thing led to another and I quickly became an active member of VIS, which eventually resulted in me becoming a part of the Board in 2019.
As president of VIS, what kind of tasks do you have to deal with?
I have versatile tasks on my plate, from having political meetings with VSETH and the Rector Sarah Springman, to making strategic budget decisions, to supporting and advising students in educational affairs. There are also less serious responsibilities involved in my role, such as organising a Pokémon Online tournament or running around as Santa, distributing chocolate. You see, my job is very multifaceted, and that’s exactly what I love about it.
What’s your favourite part of your role?
As mentioned above, I love its versatility. There’s never a dull moment when working for VIS. On another note, I also have the opportunity to gain experience and collect profound insights into the inner workings of ETH. I am very thankful for this new knowledge and experience.
Where do you spend your time at ETH when you’re not studying?
Before corona, the CAB, where the VIS office is located, was almost like a second home to me. It was the place where friends and co-workers came together for a round of table football or billiard, a chat over a coffee in the courtyard, or to brainstorm ideas for setting up the next big event, like VIScon, which is the largest student-organised conference at ETH Zurich.
What are your plans for the future?
I hope to successfully finish my Master’s degree with a focus on secure and reliable systems by 2023. After that, I’m planning to pursue my dreams of working abroad for a few years and approaching new adventures.
What is the best advice you ever got?
I have no idea where this is originally from, but I try to live by that saying that people regret the things they did not do more than the things they did. Taking chances when the opportunity arises is my motto.
About VIS
For the more than 1900 Bachelor's and Master's students in Computer Science, Data Science and Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, VIS is the first point of contact for events, excursions, study support and representation. All offers, from the welcome weekend for first-semester students to exam preparation courses for the most important exams to the largest academic company fair for computer science in Switzerland, are organised by some 130 students on a completely voluntary basis alongside their studies.
VIS is part of the Association of Students at ETH Zurich (VSETH), which is the umbrella organisation for all student organisations at ETH Zurich representing more than 20,000 students to the university as a whole and, like VIS, is omnipresent in student life outside the lecture halls.