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Dr. Attila Balázs is a Senior Researcher and Lecturer at ETH Zurich's Institute of Geophysics, affiliated with the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences. His research integrates numerical modeling with geological data to investigate tectonic-surface process interactions, focusing on orogen-basin systems and continental deformation. Key contributions include studies on back-arc basins, transform faults, and the Tibetan Plateau's uplift mechanisms. He holds the 2020 Flinn-Hart Award and an ETH Zurich Postdoctoral Fellowship. His work emphasizes geodynamic processes such as mantle delamination, slab dynamics, and crustal deformation patterns. Balázs collaborates with the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Group and maintains an active research portfolio spanning field observations, seismic analysis, and 3D numerical simulations. Research Foci: Tectonic modeling, basin evolution, mantle dynamics, and crustal rheology Key Regions: Pannonian Basin, Tibetan Plateau, Adriatic Sea, Himalayas His articles highlight interdisciplinary approaches to understanding continental and oceanic tectonics, with recent emphasis on transform fault mechanics, triple junction dynamics, and the interplay between tectonics and climate.

• Geophysics
• Tectonics
• Sedimentary Geology
• +5 more

Prof. Dr. Oliver Schilling is an Assistant Professor of Hydrogeology at the University of Basel and affiliated with Eawag , the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology. He leads research on surface water-groundwater interactions using integrated surface-subsurface hydrological models (ISSHM) and novel tracer techniques including dissolved atmospheric noble gases, environmental DNA, and radioactive tracers. Research Focus : Surface-subsurface hydrology, ecohydrology, groundwater-surface water interactions, tracer hydrogeology, climate change adaptation in water systems Key Projects : Integrated Hydrological Modeling for Operational Forecasting, Sustainable Nitrogen Fertilization, Slow Water Initiatives, Cryosphere-Groundwater Connectivity in Alpine Regions Scientific Contributions include developing HGS-PDAF (modular data assimilation framework), advancing microbial transport algorithms in HydroGeoSphere, and pioneering online flow cytometry for microbial analysis in high-turbidity environments. His work addresses drinking water production via bank filtration along alluvial rivers, critical for 30% of Swiss and 50% of European drinking water supply. Scientific Leadership : Editor, Hydrogeology Journal (since 2025) Associate Editor, Frontiers in Water (since 2021) Coordinator, Swiss Water-Earth Systems (WES) PhD School (2020–2022)

• Hydrogeology
• Biogeochemistry
• Environmental Tracer Techniques
• +3 more

Benoît Valley is a Full Professor at the University of Neuchâtel's Faculty of Science and Director of the Centre for Hydrogeology and Geothermics (CHYN). He specializes in geomechanics, geothermics, and hydrogeology, focusing on stress and fracture characterization in rock masses. His work addresses geothermal energy, CO2 storage, and nuclear waste sequestration. Education: PhD from ETH Zurich (2007), followed by research roles at MIRARCO Canada and ETH Zurich. Appointed to University of Neuchâtel in 2014 as Assistant Professor, promoted to Full Professor in 2020. Research interests include stress field dynamics, hydraulic stimulation, and fracture network analysis. Awards include the Bernard Kübler and Jean Landry Prize (2002). Teaching includes courses on geosciences, hydrogeology, and geothermal energy at undergraduate and graduate levels. Key initiatives: Leadership in CHYN, involvement in Swiss geoscience platforms, and contributions to projects like SPINE (EU-funded) and TIBEX (SFOE-funded). Labs: Established the Geothermics and Geomechanics Laboratory at CHYN, focusing on deep geothermal systems and reservoir engineering.

• Geomechanics
• Geothermics
• Hydrogeology
• +3 more

Niklas Linde is a full professor at the University of Lausanne's Faculty of Geosciences and Environment, leading the Department of Earth Sciences. He holds a PhD in Geophysics from Uppsala University (2005) and has held roles including Assistant Professor (2008), Associate Professor (2013), and Full Professor (2019). His research focuses on transforming geophysical signals into realistic hydrogeological models with rigorous uncertainty quantification. Key areas include probabilistic inversion, Bayesian methods, and geostatistical modeling applied to environmental and subsurface processes. Education: PhD in Geophysics (Uppsala University, 2005), postdoctoral positions at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab (USA), CNRS-CEREGE (France), and ETH Zurich (Switzerland). He joined UNIL in 2008 as an Assistant Professor in Environmental Geophysics. Research interests span geophysical inversion techniques, subsurface heterogeneity characterization, and the integration of geophysical and hydrological data. Current projects emphasize Bayesian approaches for model selection and rare event estimation, supported by grants from the European Commission and Swiss National Science Foundation. Collaborations involve international teams addressing challenges in hydrogeology, rock fracture dynamics, and 4D hydrogeology. Publications reflect advancements in inverse problem solving, stochastic simulation, and machine learning applications. His work bridges theory and practice, with field studies in alpine environments, fractured media, and environmental monitoring. Students under his supervision have explored topics like deep generative networks and Bayesian hydrogeological inversion. Advising: Supervised over a dozen PhD students, including recent works on variational Bayesian methods and geophysical data fusion. Grants include projects on uncertainty quantification and experimental design. Active in scientific societies and editorial roles, contributing to methodological advancements in Earth sciences.

• Geophysics
• Environmental Geophysics
• Probabilistic Inversion
• +3 more

Philip Brunner is a Professor of Hydrogeology at the University of Neuchâtel's Faculty of Science since 2012. He is based at the Center for Hydrogeology and Geothermics (CHYN), leading the Laboratory of Hydrogeological Processes. His work centers on sustainable water resource management through quantitative tools. He earned his PhD from ETH Zurich, focusing on sustainable salt and water management in Western China's agricultural basins. Post-PhD, he conducted three years of postdoctoral research in Australia, developing new approaches for simulating river-aquifer interactions. Brunner's research spans surface water-groundwater interactions, numerical modeling, and remote sensing. He integrates methods from numerical modeling, remote sensing, scientific computing, and isotopic chemistry. His interdisciplinary collaborations with mathematicians, biologists, and physicists address challenges in agriculture, ecohydrology, engineering, and sustainable resource management. Recent publications highlight innovative tracer techniques (noble gases, microbes), low-cost monitoring systems, and advanced numerical models. His work tackles climate change impacts on ecosystems, groundwater in conflict zones, and sustainable practices in diverse environments including mountains and agricultural regions. He teaches courses such as Introduction to Hydrological Processes (Master), Numerical Modeling (Master), Remote Sensing (Master), and Introduction to Soil Physics (Bachelor, in French). His laboratory serves as a center for experimental and computational hydrogeological research.

• Hydrogeology
• Surface Water-Groundwater Interactions
• Numerical Modeling
• +3 more

Antoine Di Ciacca is a Postdoctoral Researcher and Lecturer at the University of Neuchâtel, affiliated with the Faculty of Science and the Centre for Hydrogeology and Geothermics (CHYN). His research focuses on quantifying interactions between groundwater, surface water, soils, vegetation, and the atmosphere, employing numerical models, remote sensing, and field data. He leads the URBA-SOIL project, investigating urban soil ecosystem services in water and heat regulation. Past roles include a Postdoctoral position at Lincoln Agritech Ltd., New Zealand (2020–2024), and a PhD at SCK CEN (Belgian Nuclear Research Center) and KU Leuven, Belgium (2015–2020). Teaching responsibilities include courses on Soil Physics and Introduction to Hydrology and Hydrogeology within the Bachelor in Natural Systems program. His research interests span hydrology, soil physics, and hydrogeology, with a focus on global change impacts on water resources and ecosystem renaturalization. His work bridges field observations, advanced modeling, and remote sensing to address contemporary environmental challenges. Contact: antoine.diciacca@unine.ch | Office E307, Rue Emile-Argand 11, 2000 Neuchâtel

• Hydrology
• Soil Physics
• Hydrogeology
• +3 more

Ludovic Schorpp is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Neuchâtel's Centre for Hydrogeology and Geothermics (CHYN), affiliated with the Faculty of Science. His research focuses on stochastic hydrogeological modeling, particularly in understanding subsurface heterogeneity and its impact on groundwater dynamics, saltwater intrusion, and contaminant transport. He developed tools like ArchPy and EROSim to improve geological model generation and uncertainty quantification. Currently, he leads the DeltAs project studying arsenic distribution in Vietnam's Mekong Delta through integrated geological and hydrogeological modeling. Education: PhD in Geology/Hydrogeology (not explicitly detailed). Research interests include geostatistics, sedimentary aquifer characterization, and Quaternary geology. He contributes to open-access tools and policies for sustainable resource management. Active collaborations include the DEM'EAUX ROUSSILLON project addressing coastal aquifers under climate change. Located at CHYN's E320 office in Neuchâtel, contactable via ludovic.schorpp@unine.ch. Publications emphasize stochastic inversion, automated modeling, and multidisciplinary approaches to hydrogeological challenges. His work bridges theoretical modeling with practical applications in environmental sustainability and policy.

• Geostatistics
• Geological and Hydrogeological Modeling
• Heterogeneity Characterization
• +4 more

Théo Blanc is a PhD researcher at the Centre for Hydrogeology and Geothermics (CHYN) within the Faculty of Science at the University of Neuchâtel. He concurrently serves as a visiting scientist at the Environmental Isotopes Group of eawag (Dübendorf). His research focuses on surface water-groundwater interactions, hydrogeological tracers, and riverbed clogging dynamics. Blanc holds a Bachelor's degree in Earth Sciences from ETH Zurich (2015–2018) and a Master's in Hydrogeology and Geothermal Energy from the University of Neuchâtel (2019–2022). His work integrates experimental approaches such as in-situ column experiments and novel gas tracer technologies (e.g., helium and dissolved gases) with advanced numerical modeling. Key contributions include development of silicone membrane-based gas tracer systems and microbial cytometry techniques for subsurface flow analysis. Recent studies have explored the impacts of river engineering projects on hydrological systems and flood dynamics using portable spectrometry tools like miniRUEDI. Blanc teaches as a course assistant in the General Geology (Bachelor) and Geological Modeling (Master) programs. His research outputs emphasize tracer-based methodologies and their application in understanding complex hydrological processes. He actively collaborates with the Hydrogeological Processes Group and the Environmental Isotopes Group, focusing on advancing field instrumentation and model-data integration techniques.

• Surface water – groundwater interactions
• Hydrogeological tracers
• Impacts of river works
• +3 more

Bettina Schaefli is an Assistant Professor and Unit Leader of Hydrology at the Institute of Geography, University of Bern. Her work focuses on quantifying and predicting hydrological processes to support sustainable water resource management and mitigate extreme events. She holds a PhD in Hydrology from EPFL (2005), followed by postdoctoral research at the University of Potsdam and University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and served as an Assistant Professor at TU Delft (Netherlands). Since 2016, she has been an SNSF Assistant Professor at the University of Lausanne before joining the University of Bern. Education: Environmental Engineering (EPFL, 2005 PhD) Research Priorities: Glacier-influenced hydrology, climate change impacts on hydropower, and open science initiatives Leadership Roles: Editor of Hydrology and Earth System Sciences , President of the Swiss Hydrological Commission Her research investigates how hydrological systems respond to climate change, particularly in mountainous regions. Recent studies include modeling snow and ice melt dynamics, groundwater connectivity in cryosphere systems, and future hydropower potentials in Switzerland. She collaborates with the Swiss Competence Center for Energy Research to address water resource sustainability. Key contributions include the Northern Hemisphere Snow Water Equivalent (NH-SWE) dataset, which enhances understanding of snowmelt patterns, and studies on proglacial catchment hydrodynamics. She advocates for open science through data sharing and accessible methodologies. Grants/Funding: Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) career development projects, institutional research grants. Labs/Teams: Leading the Hydrology Unit at the University of Bern’s Institute of Geography, collaborating with international research networks on mountain hydrology and climate change.

• Hydrology
• Climate Change
• Water Resources Management
• +3 more

Prof. Daniel Hunkeler is a Full Professor of Hydrochemistry and Contaminants at the University of Neuchâtel's Faculty of Science, leading the Laboratory of Hydrochemistry and Contaminants within the Centre for Hydrogeology and Geothermics. He holds a PhD from ETH Zurich and completed postdoctoral research at the University of Waterloo, Canada. His research focuses on chemical and microbial behavior in aquifers, employing advanced analytical techniques like compound-specific isotope analysis and tracing methods. Key areas include pesticide metabolite transport, PFAS fate, and interactions between hydrological and biogeochemical processes in drained organic soils. Recent projects investigate: Pesticide metabolite persistence in soil-groundwater systems PFAS migration from soil to groundwater Nitrate leaching dynamics in agricultural settings Microbial activity at river-aquifer interfaces Teaching responsibilities include courses in hydrogeochemistry, contaminant hydrogeology, and tracer applications at both bachelor's and master's levels. He directs the University of Neuchâtel's 20-year-old continuing education program on contaminated site management and advises governmental agencies on groundwater policy. Professional roles include vice-directorship of the Swiss Society for Hydrogeology and membership in water quality commissions. Research outputs emphasize interdisciplinary approaches, combining field monitoring with modeling to address water quality challenges. Publications from 2023-2025 highlight innovations in noble gas tracers, microbial cytometric analysis, and climate change impacts on groundwater systems.

• Environmental Hydrochemistry
• Contaminant Transport
• Groundwater Quality
• +6 more

Qi Tang is a Research Fellow in the Department of Environmental Science at the University of Basel and concurrently serves as Coordinator of the Swiss Water Earth Systems PhD School at the University of Neuchâtel. His expertise spans hydrogeology, data assimilation, and Earth system modeling. He holds a PhD in Hydrogeology from RWTH Aachen University (2017) and has held postdoctoral positions at institutions including the Alfred Wegener Institute (Germany), the University of Basel, and the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Education: PhD in Hydrogeology, RWTH Aachen University, Germany (2012–2017) MSc in Hydrology and Water Resources, Beijing Normal University (2009–2012) BSc in Applied Mathematics, China Agriculture University (2005–2009) Research Interests: Qi Tang focuses on advancing coupled Earth system models through data assimilation techniques. His work integrates hydrological, oceanographic, and climatic processes to improve predictive accuracy. Key areas include river-aquifer interaction dynamics, satellite data integration in ocean-atmosphere models, and cloud computing for real-time water resource management. His research bridges theoretical modeling with practical applications in environmental monitoring and climate prediction. Publications: His articles emphasize data-driven approaches to environmental systems. Recent work highlights coupled model improvements using satellite data (e.g., ocean-atmosphere interactions), ensemble Kalman filtering for flood simulations, and Bayesian networks for precipitation modeling. These studies underscore his expertise in both computational methods and field applications. Advising & Grants: While no formal advisees are listed, his postdoctoral roles suggest involvement in mentoring junior researchers. No specific grants are mentioned in the provided texts. Labs/Teams: Affiliated with the Hydrogeological Processes group at the Center for Hydrogeology and Geothermal Energy (CHYN), University of Neuchâtel. This group specializes in geothermal energy, hydrochemistry, and stochastic hydrogeology.

• Hydrogeology
• Data Assimilation
• Earth System Modeling
• +3 more

Dr. Beatrice Kulli Honauer is a researcher at the Institute of Natural Resource Sciences , part of the ZHAW School of Life Sciences and Facility Management . Her work focuses on soil science and environmental engineering, particularly in circular economy practices, hydrothermal carbonization (HTC), and sustainable agriculture. Key Affiliations: Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW), Soil Science Society of Switzerland. Research Interests: Dr. Honauer investigates soil compaction, waste valorization through HTC, and the impact of pollutants like PFAS on soil health. She specializes in sustainable solutions for organic residue treatment, phosphorus recovery from sewage sludge, and soil fertility enhancement. Recent Publications: Her recent work includes advancements in HTC technology for fertilizer production (2023), analysis of alpine grassland restoration (2022-2023), and challenges in road drainage systems (2022). Earlier studies focus on soil compaction (2004) and flow pattern analysis (2003). Projects: She leads projects on circular economy in agriculture, soil fertility, and water treatment filters. Notable completed projects include the LCA of substrates and faecal waste treatment via HTC.

• Soil Science
• Environmental Engineering
• Sustainable Agriculture
• +5 more

Dr. Luka Malenica is a dedicated researcher at ETH Zurich's Professorship for Durability of Engineering Materials, focusing on computational modeling of material degradation processes in civil infrastructure. His work bridges theoretical numerical methods with practical engineering applications through direct involvement in the department's research operations. His research program centers on multiphase flow in porous media , corrosion mechanisms in reinforced concrete , and advanced numerical techniques . He employs pore-scale direct numerical simulations to investigate steel-concrete interface phenomena, developing predictive models for infrastructure durability. His methodological innovations include control volume isogeometric analysis, adaptive multiresolution modeling, and deep learning applications for adaptive meshing—addressing challenges in heterogeneous media flow and transport phenomena. Analysis of his 15 most recent publications reveals a consistent research trajectory since 2015, with accelerating output in corrosion science (5 papers in 2024-2025) and computational methods (7 papers 2019-2022). Key interdisciplinary connections span civil engineering (corrosion in reinforced concrete), chemical engineering (bubble column reactors), and hydrology (karst aquifer modeling), unified by his expertise in numerical simulation of transport phenomena. Recent work demonstrates increasing sophistication in modeling macrovoid formation at steel-concrete interfaces and capillary-driven multiphase systems.

• Civil Engineering
• Computational Fluid Dynamics
• Porous Media Flow
• +3 more

Dr. Alberto Ceccato is a Lecturer at the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, ETH Zurich, Switzerland. He specializes in structural geology and tectonics, with a focus on crustal deformation mechanisms, fluid-rock interactions, and fault zone processes. His research integrates field observations, experimental studies, and numerical modeling to address questions in orogenic systems, subduction zones, and continental collision. His work spans diverse geological settings, including the Alps, Norwegian margin, and Western Alps meta-ophiolites. Key research interests include the role of fluids in fault activation, crustal rheology during collisional orogeny, and the structural evolution of fractured basement systems. Dr. Ceccato collaborates with international teams to advance understanding of subsurface connectivity, seismic hazard, and the interplay between tectonics and geochemical cycles. Recent studies highlight analyses of Alpine catchment hydrogeology, multiphase deformation in passive margins, and nanoindentation experiments on quartz mechanics. His publications emphasize methodological innovations, such as combining virtual outcrop models with discrete fracture network simulations to quantify fault zone properties.

• Structural Geology
• Tectonics
• Geophysics
• +4 more

Dr. Maren Brehme is a Lecturer at the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at ETH Zurich, specializing in geothermal energy systems and subsurface fluid dynamics. Her research focuses on geothermal reservoir engineering, CO2 storage integration, and sustainable energy solutions. She is affiliated with the Institute of Geophysics and contributes to projects addressing geothermal resource assessment, reservoir stimulation, and environmental impacts of energy extraction. Her work bridges geology, geochemistry, and engineering, with emphasis on optimizing geothermal operations and mitigating operational challenges such as injectivity decline and clogging. Her research interests encompass geothermal reservoir modeling, diagenetic processes in high-CO2 environments, and interdisciplinary approaches to energy systems. She has published extensively on topics including geothermal precipitates, CO2-plume geothermal (CPG) systems, and the techno-economic viability of geothermal energy for heat and power applications. Key projects include studies on the Aachen geothermal system, Mezőberény sandstone reservoirs, and the Aquistore CCS site in Canada. Her work often involves numerical simulations and field case studies, contributing to the advancement of geothermal energy technologies and their integration with carbon capture strategies.

• Geophysics
• Geothermal Energy
• Reservoir Engineering
• +3 more