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Pascal Sager


About Me

Pascal Sager

Welcome to my homepage! I'm Pascal Sager, a PhD candidate at the Centre for Artificial Intelligence (CAI) at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW), a visiting doctoral student at the Institute of Neuroinformatics at the University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, and an Associated PhD Student at the ETH AI Center. My research is supervised by Prof. Dr. Thilo Stadelmann (Director of CAI) and Prof. Dr. Benjamin Grewe (Head of the Neural Learning and Intelligent Systems Lab at ETH).


My research focuses on advancing AI systems by incorporating general knowledge about the world. Drawing inspiration from neuroscience, I explore how deep learning systems can benefit from biologically motivated principles, particularly in how they form and structure internal representations. As part of this work, I investigate world models, trying to make current system more efficient and flexible. My research is supported by a personal fellowship from the Digitalization Initiative Zurich, Switzerland.


Alongside my research, I serve on the board of the Sustainable Impact Program at ZHAW, where I promote the ethical and responsible use of technology. At CAI, I also lead AI demonstrations and workshops, helping to make AI accessible and engaging for a broad range of audiences.


I am available for talks and presentations on AI and learning systems. I have experience with a range of formats, including corporate sessions (e.g., Roche), interactive workshops, exhibitions (e.g., Night of Technology, Scientifica), and public talks (e.g., Digital Night Winterthur).


Thank you for visiting my page. I look forward to sharing my research and perspectives with you.


Publications

Experience

ETH AI Center, ETH Zurich

Associated PhD Student

Affiliated with the ETH AI Center as an Associated PhD Student, supporting interdisciplinary research at the interface of robotics and artificial intelligence.

Institute of Neuroinformatics, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich

Visiting Researcher

Visiting PhD student in the Neural Learning and Intelligent Systems group led by Prof. Dr. Benjamin Grewe. My research explores biologically inspired learning mechanisms for building structured internal models in artificial agents.

Center for AI, Zurich University of Applied Sciences

PhD Student | Head of AI Demonstrators | Board Member, Sustainable Impact Program

I began at CAI as a research assistant in computer vision. After 18 months, I took over as head of GPU infrastructure and AI demonstrators. In October 2023, I started my PhD on advanced learning algorithms, shifting focus from infrastructure to research and the development of AI demonstrator systems. I also serve on the board of ZHAW’s Sustainable Impact Program, where I help shape initiatives around responsible technology and sustainability.

AlpineAI AG

Senior Data Scientist

At AlpineAI, I contribute to the development of privacy-preserving AI technologies, focusing on SwissGPT and enterprise-level assistive agents. The company specializes in deploying Large Language Models (LLMs) with strict guarantees for data protection in regulated industries.

Various Employers

Hardware and Software Engineer

Before transitioning into AI, I worked in hardware and software engineering across multiple companies. My work included embedded systems, IoT applications, and full-stack software development. A detailed overview is available on my LinkedIn profile.

Projects

Skills

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