PlanetS General Assembly 12
30/03/2026 - 01/04/2026
Event Navigation
The 12th NCCR PlanetS General Assembly will take place at the Hotel Sunstar on March 20 – April 1st, 2026.
All NCCR members and associates are invited to join.
External members only by invitation by a PI and at their own cost.
Location
Sunstar Hotel Grindelwald
Dorfstrasse 168
CH-3818 Grindelwald
0041 (0)33 854 77 77
https://grindelwald.sunstar.ch/en/
Registration / Important Dates
08.12.2025, Registration opens
19.12.2025, Registration closes
30.03.2026, Start General Assembly
01.04.2026, End General Assembly
30.03.2026, Board meeting 42
Cancellation Policy
Please note that your registration for the General Assembly is binding. If you cannot attend or have any changes, please inform Agnès Schaer Vuillemin as soon as possible. If you are registered and cancel afterwards, the costs may be charged by invoice to you or your project
Not sure if you are an Associate? Check your status here:
https://nccr-planets.ch/about-us/members-nccr-planets/
Cost coverage
This year, PlanetS will cover the costs of all PlanetS members and associates.
The NCCR office will cover all costs (hotel, meals and travel expenses) of all PlanetS members and for the Advisory board, while the Academic Platform will cover all costs of all PlanetS associates.
Regarding travel costs, please follow the guidelines below.
UBE members & UBE associates have to purchase their train tickets using the SBB Business Travel tool which requires that they request in advance an access to PlanetS account (80 967 10_NCCR PlanetS). When they purchase the tickets, they need to select the cost center REF 17-219 and indicate the reason of their trip in one of the reference field. Tickets purchased in a different way will not be reimbursed. No travel request form is needed.
UGE members & UGE associates claim the reimbursement of their travel costs following the usual local procedure to Franca.Costa@unige.ch. Fund is P01-05319 MENAGE for members and P01-05326 PACAGE for associates.
Members and associates based at UZH and ETHZ claim the reimbursement of their travel costs at their home institution following the usual local procedure and forms.
- UZH: ask for reimbursement to solomon.ofosuappea@uzh.ch.
- ETHZ, Institut für Geochemie und Petrologie: ask for reimbursement to diane.mantel@eaps.ethz.ch.
- ETHZ, Institut für Teilchen- und Astrophysik: ask for reimbursement to keuferpc@phys.ethz.ch.
Please note that reimbursements have to be requested as soon as possible and latest by 17 April 2026.
Access
Access by train
Please note, you need to buy a corresponding ticket. Bernese participants have to purchase their tickets via SBB Business Travel as indicated in the section ‘cost coverage’.
Below you will find the reserved connections !! seats booking only, you will need to purchase your own ticket. Of course, you are free to plan your own journey. Please indicate your preference on the registration form.
- NCCR PlanetS General Assembly 12, Grindelwald, 30. March-1st April 2026, Timetables for reserved trains.
- Consult the journey planner on www.sbb.ch before taking public transport, as platforms / departure points may change.
- Reserved seats in long-distance trains are generally reserved at the head or tail of the train.
- From Grindelwald station, it is an 10 minutes walk.
Access by car
A limited number of outdoor free parking spaces are available at a rate of CHF 20.–/day outside and CHF 25.-/day garage (subject to availability).
For UBE: only public transport will be reimbursed. For UGE, please keep in mind that the expenses for rides with your private car will only be reimbursed (Fr. 0.70/ kilometer & parking costs (november 2025, subject to change)) if it’s cheaper than public transport and at least 3 fellow participants or heavy professional equipment for the event are transported to the destination.
Programme
Programme GA 2026 will be available later.
SOC, Scientific Organising Committee
Prof. Stéphane Udry, stephane.udry_at_unige.ch
Observatoire Astronomique de l’Université de Genève
Prof. Yann Alibert, yann.alibert_at_unibe.ch
NCCR PlanetS, University of Bern
LOC, Local Organising Committee
Agnès Schaer Vuillemin, agnes.schaer_at_unibe.ch
Project Assistant
NCCR PlanetS, University of Bern
Technical support during the GA:
Dr. Timm Riesen, timm.riesen_at_unibe.ch
NCCR PlanetS, University of Bern
Jonas Frey, jonas.frey_at_unibe.ch
NCCR PlanetS, University of Bern
Pictures
Pictures will be taken by the Communication Team during the General Assembly.
Participants list
Participants list GA 2026 (will be downloaded after the GA).
Pictures of the rooms
Sunstar Hotel Grindelwald
Past General Assemblies
GA1, 28.-30.01.2015 in Anzère:
– Article on the first General Assembly: A great mingling experience
– Interview with Brian Schmidt: A Nobel prize in Anzère
– Picture Gallery: https://flic.kr/s/aHsk8hSHVn
– Post: First Group Selfie
GA2, 25.-27.01.2016 in Grindelwald:
– Post 02.02.2016 PlanetS in Grindelwald
– Picture Gallery: https://flic.kr/s/aHsku4UbA9
GA3, 23.-25.01.2017 in Grindelwald:
Article from InsiderS 14.02.2017
– PlanetS General Assembly 2017
– From sand castles to cool freaks
– Picture Gallery: https://flic.kr/s/aHskRZr5Ay
GA4, 24.-26.01.2018 in Grindelwald:
Articles from the InsiderS 15.02.2018
– A permanent position, the “Holy Grail” for young scientists
– “Sometimes, it is not ourselves that we have to focus on”
– Do-it-yourself in Grindelwald
– How to design a winning poster
– Picture Gallery: https://flic.kr/s/aHskBHej3p
GA5, 28.-30.01.2019 in Beatenberg:
Article from Observer 15.03.2019
– A golden age for planetary scientists
GA6, 27.-29.01.2020 in Montreux:
– Article on the PlanetS General Assembly 2020
– Interview with Catherine Cesarsky: “I’ve always had a huge interest in exoplanet research.”
– Picture Gallery: https://www.flickr.com/photos/130594030@N05/albums/72157712911766251
GA7, 20.-22.01.2021, Online via Zoom:
Article from InsiderS March 2021
– “You are on a great trajectory for the future”
GA8, 25.-28.04.2022 in Grindelwald:
Article from InsiderS May 2022
General Assembly 2022 in Grindelwald
GA9, 17.-19.04.2023 in Grindelwald:
General Assembly 2023 in Grindelwald
GA10, 9.-11.04.2024 in Engelberg:
General Assembly 2024 in Engelberg
GA11, 30.04.2025 in Neuchâtel:
