Jan Dirk WegnerView profile
Associate Professor
Jan Dirk Wegner is an Associate Professor at the University of Zurich, holding the chair in 'Data Science for Sciences' and leading the EcoVision Lab. He previously served as a Postdoc (2012–2016) and senior scientist (2017–2020) at ETH Zurich's Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing Group, following his PhD (with distinction) from Leibniz University Hannover (2011). His research bridges machine learning, computer vision, and remote sensing to address environmental and geoscience challenges, focusing on large-scale environmental data analysis, vegetation monitoring, and climate change mitigation. Education: PhD (with distinction) in Geodesy, Leibniz University Hannover (2011) Postdoc, ETH Zurich (2012–2016) Senior Scientist, ETH Zurich (2017–2020) Research Interests: Machine Learning, Computer Vision, Remote Sensing, Environmental Science, Climate Science, Geosciences, Explainable AI, Uncertainty Quantification, and Applications in Sustainability. The EcoVision Lab develops data-driven methods for global-scale environmental monitoring, including vegetation parameter mapping, flood prediction, forest degradation detection, and AI-driven ecological modeling. Awards: ETH Postdoctoral Fellowship (2012–2016) Science Prize of the German Geodetic Commission WEF Young Scientist Class 2020 (Top 25 globally under 40) Advising & Leadership: Director of the University of Zurich's Doctoral School in Data Science, leading the EcoVision Lab, and coordinating the CVPR EarthVision Workshops. His roles include Vice President of ISPRS Technical Commission II, member of the ETH AI Center, ELLIS, and UN-ETH Partnership. Labs/Teams: EcoVision Lab focuses on interdisciplinary AI applications for environmental challenges, collaborating with NGOs, governments, and industry to translate research into societal impact.












