Samuel Müller

Samuel Müller (Sami) completed his ETH translational research internship in our research group. This internship fulfilled a requirement of his medical degree at ETH Zürich, marking the end of his Bachelor’s studies and the beginning of his Master in Medicine at the USI Università della Svizzera italiana in Lugano.

We wish Sami all the best for the next steps in his medical career.

Curious about Sami’s experience in our group? Read his thoughts below.

Sami is 11 years younger than me, yet I have learned a great deal from him. I have known him since he was 16 years old, and in addition to our work together, he is also my captain on the rowing team, making for an unusual distribution of roles. We established a simple system: from 8 am to 5 pm I was the leader; from 5 am to 8 am and again from 5 pm to 8 pm, he was the leader. Those were long hours we spent together over the past few months, but we managed not a single disagreement in two months of intense collaboration. During this time, I reached my peak work productivity of the past five years and have never felt more confident and consistent in the rowing boat.

What stood out to me is how powerful a functional team can be when psychological safety, clear roles, and mutual respect are present. When responsibilities are well-defined and everyone accepts the boundaries of their roles, trust can substitute for control, leading to higher performance and an environment where learning happens naturally (Appelbaum et al., 2019).

Wanting Sami to learn, and wanting to teach him properly, brought out what leadership psychology calls servant leadership: being present, focused, and self-regulated for the benefit of another’s growth (How to Become a Servant Leader). By supporting his development, I also sharpened my own clarity, decision-making, and effectiveness.