News

Sexual Minority Youth Show Distinct Substance Use Patterns from Adolescence into Young Adulthood

A new study led by Dr. Clarissa Janousch finds that young people who experience same-sex attraction use substances differently than their heterosexual peers - and that these differences vary by sex and change over time. The study followed participants from the Zurich Project on Social Development from Childhood to Adulthood (z-proso) between ages 17 and 24.

LEAPS: Family and Social Environment: Data collection has resumed!

How quickly time flies! It has already been almost a year since the parents of approximately 1,500 children participating in LEAPS – a longitudinal study in the Canton of Zurich that follows children throughout their compulsory schooling – provided us with information on a wide range of topics related to their family, their children’s leisure activities, and their well-being.

Talk by Prof. Björn Brey

The Death of King Coal and the Scars of Deindustrialization
March 30, 2026, 14:30 h
Andreasstrasse 15, 8050 Zurich, AND 4.55/57 (4th floor)

What Young Adults Worry About and What They Hope For

What do young adults worry about – and hope for – when they think about the future? A new study by the Risk and Resilience group of the Jacobs Center set out to investigate exactly that.

10th wave of surveys launched by z-proso

Over the coming weeks and months, the new z-proso fieldwork team will be out in the field conducting the surveys.

Talk by Prof. James Soland

How Measurement is Affecting Evaluation Results: Evidence from 100 Randomized Control Trials
February 23, 2026, 14:30 h
Andreasstrasse 15, 8050 Zurich, AND 4.55/57 (4th floor)

z-proso: One-Third of Young People Become Physically Aggressive Toward Their Parents

Physical aggression by adolescents against their parents is more common than many might believe, according to a long-term longitudinal study z-proso from Zurich. Among young people aged 11 to 24, physical aggression against parents peaks at 13, with approximately five percent continuing the behavior into adulthood.

New Publication from the Risk and Resilience Research Group: Adolescent Cannabis Use and Cognitive Performance

We are excited to share a new paper by former Jacobs Center postdoctoral researcher Dr. Clarissa Janousch and her collaborators from the Zurich Project on Social Development from Childhood to Adulthood (z-proso), published in the International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction.

Talk by Prof. Izumi Matsudaira

From Parents to Offspring: Unlocking Brain Development Through the “TRIO Study”
December 15, 2025, 14:30 h
Andreasstrasse 15, 8050 Zurich, AND 3.46 (3rd floor)

New Publication from the Risk and Resilience Research Group: Patterns of Alcohol and Cannabis Consumption among Adolescents

Congratulations to Prof. Dr. Lilly Shanahan, who was named a 2025 Highly Cited Researcher by Clarivate

Among scientists worldwide, Highly Cited Researchers represent 1 in 1,000: Clarivate recognizes the 0.1% of researchers who are most frequently cited globally.

Talk by Prof. Fernanda Marquez-Padilla

Rolling Back Progresa: School and Work After the End of a Landmark Anti-Poverty Program
November 24, 2025, 14:30 h
Andreasstrasse 15, 8050 Zurich, AND 3.46 (3rd floor)

National Future Day 2025 at the Jacobs Center

On November 13, the Jacobs Center welcomed young visitors for an inspiring National Future Day filled with hands-on science experiences.

Lukas Eggenberger receives data-viz award at SchreibXplosion 2025

Lukas Eggenberger, PhD student in the teams of Professors Lilly Shanahan (Jacobs Center) and Boris Quednow (Psychiatric University Hospital Zurich), was awarded a shared third place in the SchreibXplosion 2025 Data Visualization Competition of the University of Zurich.

Lilly Shanahan keynote address at the CYPHER Symposium 2025

Prof. Lilly Shanahan recently delivered a keynote address at the CYPHER Symposium 2025, an event that brought together researchers, as well as public health and psychology professionals from the community. 

Successful EU Horizon project LEARN Workshop in Zurich

The LEARN workshop at the University of Zurich, chaired by Doris Hanappi and Moritz Daum, brought together partners from the LEARN network for a full day of exchange on how research outcomes can inform education policy and practice.

Congratulatons to Dr. Francesca Mele

We’re happy to share that our former doctoral student Francesca Mele successfully defended her dissertaton on 25 August. Her thesis, "Individual Characteristcs Underlying Social Stratficaton Processes: Evidence from Three Large-Scale Panel Studies", marks an impressive achievement.

New z-proso paper on cannabis use

Longitudinal data from the z-proso study revealed that self-reported cannabis use and THC concentrations in hair were linked to small but significant increases in psychotic-like experiences and internalizing symptoms.

National Future Day

On November 13, 2025, children in 5th to 7th grade will have the opportunity to visit their parents' workplace. The Jacobs Center will offer three exciting workshops.

 

Talk by Dr. Jessica Daikeler

From Data Quality to Publication Bias: Challenges for Trustworthy Social Science 
October 28, 2025, 14:30 h
Andreasstrasse 15, 8050 Zurich, AND 3.46 (3rd floor)