Prof. Michael Schmid joined the Faculty of Science and Medicine in September 2019. Learn more about his work, passion, and objectives at our Faculty.

1.    What is your research focus?

Prof. Schmid: "The broader area of my research is Neuroscience. This is an interdisciplinary field to investigate the brain, drawing on expertise from neurology, psychology, biology, engineering, and computational sciences. The specific focus of my work is to understand the brain mechanisms underlying vision and to identify new approaches to improve vision under diseased conditions."

2.    What do you find particularly interesting/appealing about our Faculty?

Prof. Schmid: "Science and medicine are linked very closely in Fribourg, which for my field means excellent communication between basic discovery science and the clinic. Furthermore, the bilingualism that permeates every aspect of everyday interactions in Fribourg, I find very stimulating. This reminds me of the rich language and culture diversity that characterizes Europe."

3.    What do you wish to achieve here in Fribourg?

Prof. Schmid: "Together with my collaborators, I want to contribute to new, meaningful insights into brain function and neurorehabilitation. In addition, I wish to be a good mentor and teacher who helps to train the next generation of doctors and scientists in a way that they can be happy, successful and again contributing in a meaningful way to society."

4.    What is your personal message or passion you would like to share with our students?

Prof. Schmid: "These are great times with many opportunities for every student. Such an atmosphere could create an expectation that everything should be easily achievable. However, studying at the University is intense and rightly should be so. I would, therefore, like to encourage our students to give their best and to carve out their own individual path from their studies. I am convinced this is a very good way to succeed and achieve fulfilment."