SNI PhD School: Network for interdisciplinary doctoral dissertations The SNI PhD School provides young researchers with a unique opportuni- ty to engage in cutting-edge research projects within a stimulating net- work and to develop personally in an interdisciplinary environment. Doc- toral students carry out research at the University of Basel, the Paul Scherrer Institute, t he University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland or the Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering of ETH Zurich in Basel. Two associate doctoral students also come from Empa, the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Testing and Research. In addition to their own topics, doctoral students get an insight into projects outside their line of research as part of various SNI events. The Annual Meeting and the “Nanoscience in the Snow” Winter School pro- vide them with numerous opportunities to talk to researchers from oth- er disciplines during their doctorate and to give clear presentations of their own research findings to this interdisciplinary audience. They are also motivated to develop their projects with a view to applications and founding a startup – and gain the necessary know-how through courses developed specifically for the PhD School. In 2025, there were a total of 41 doctoral students enrolled in the SNI PhD School – 24% of whom were women. Nine doctoral students suc- cessfully completed their dissertations in 2025. Six new projects were approved in 2025 that will start in 2026. Of the 69 SNI doctoral students who have completed their doctoral dis- sertations so far, around 70% were working at an industrial company at the end of 2025, and around 30% were working at a research institution, a public authority or a school. 16 SNI Annual Report 2025