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Maike ScherrerView profile

Professor

• Sustainable Supply Chain Management
• Circular Economy
• Urban Logistics
• +4 more

Prof. Dr. Maike Scherrer is a Professor at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW) School of Engineering, where she leads research in sustainable mobility and supply chain management. Her work focuses on developing innovative solutions for sustainable and circular supply chains, urban logistics, and resilient transportation systems. She directs multiple research projects including Sustainable and Circular Supply Chains for the MEM-industry and the Sustainable Mobility Lab, collaborating with industry partners to address critical challenges in sustainable logistics and mobility. Prof. Scherrer's research spans several key areas in sustainable operations and supply chain management. Her work in sustainable supply chains examines how to achieve net-zero emissions through circular economy principles and systemic approaches. In urban logistics, she develops innovative concepts like Smart Urban Multihub systems to reduce freight traffic and improve city livability. Her research on supply chain resilience investigates how to design networks that can withstand disruptions while maintaining mission-critical supplies. She also explores the electrification of freight fleets and temperature-controlled supply chains to reduce environmental impacts. Her recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on applying operations research and systems thinking to sustainability challenges. Key trends include using agent-based modeling to assess circular economy supply chains, developing optimization approaches for resilient networks, and examining the spatial aspects of pharmaceutical supply chains. Her work bridges theoretical frameworks with practical applications, particularly in the Swiss context but with implications for global supply chain sustainability. Prof. Scherrer leads multiple significant research projects including Sustainable and Circular Supply Chains for the MEM-industry (ongoing), Techno-Economic Grid Connection Optimization for Electric Freight Fleets (ongoing), and Designing and simulating resilient supply chain networks (ongoing). She serves as Deputy Project Leader for the Sustainable Mobility Lab and has completed notable projects such as User-based redistribution for free-floating car sharing and Predictive replenishment of urban distribution centres. Her research group operates within the Sustainable Mobility research focus at ZHAW's School of Engineering, collaborating with industry partners across multiple sectors including manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, and urban transportation. The team applies interdisciplinary approaches combining operations research, systems analysis, and sustainability science to develop practical solutions for complex mobility and logistics challenges.

• Cognitive Psychology
• Developmental Psychology
• Temporal Processing
• +3 more

Stefan Pichelmann is a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Psychology , University of Fribourg , affiliated with the Faculty of Letters and Human Sciences. His academic work spans cognitive, developmental, and temporal processing research. Contact: stefan.pichelmann@unifr.ch | +41 26 300 7652 | RM 01 bu. C-2.110, Rue PA de Faucigny 2, 1700 Fribourg Research Focus: Pichelmann investigates cognitive mechanisms in spatial perspective-taking, time perception, and sensory integration. His work applies psychometric and experimental methods to analyze how numerical values, spatial tasks, and sensory modalities influence temporal judgments. Key Trends in Publications: Recent studies (2013–2023) emphasize spatial cognition , temporal processing , sensory integration , and cognitive workload . Articles on digit magnitude effects, mental rotation, and multisensory timing highlight interdisciplinary intersections with neuroscience and psycholinguistics. Departmental Affiliation: Active in the Department of Psychology, his research aligns with teams like Cognitive Development and Clinical Psychology, contributing to foundational and applied psychological sciences.

Alex SchierView profile

Professor

• Developmental Biology
• Neuroscience
• Genetics
• +5 more

Prof. Dr. Alex Schier is a Swiss/US scientist and Director of the Biozentrum, University of Basel , where he leads research on vertebrate development and sleep regulation . He previously served as the Leo Erikson Life Sciences Professor and Chair of the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology at Harvard University (2005–2019) and held academic roles at NYU School of Medicine (1996–2005). Research Focus: Embryonic development, sleep/wakefulness mechanisms, single-cell lineage tracing, and Nodal signaling in morphogenesis. Methods: Genetic, genomic, biophysical, and microscopic approaches in zebrafish and mice. Scientific Leadership: He is a member of EMBO, served on editorial boards (Science, Developmental Cell), and directed the Allan Discovery Center for Cell Lineage Tracing . Recent awards include an ERC Advanced Grant (2020–2024) and NIH MERIT/Pioneer Awards. Publications highlight advances in single-cell technologies , sleep-related neuropeptides , and evolutionary developmental biology . His lab collaborates on projects like brain-wide transcriptomics and optogenetic signaling control .

• Architecture
• Housing
• Urban Studies
• +3 more

Maria Conen is a Professor at ETH Zurich's Department of Architecture, where she serves as Deputy Head of the Institute of Landscape and Urban Studies and leads the Professorship of Architecture and Housing. Her academic base is at HIL F 65.2, Stefano Franscini Square 5, Zurich, Switzerland. Her research concentrates on the intersection of architectural design, housing systems, and urban habitats, with emphasis on social dynamics within built environments. Key focus areas include: Documentary approaches to living spaces (Archives of the Living) Ecosystem-human interactions in designed habitats Collective living models and spatial configurations This work manifests in studio courses exploring how architecture shapes community formation and daily life practices through experimental design methodologies.

Tom AvermaeteView profile

Professor

• Urban Design History
• Intercultural Urbanism
• Material Culture of Cities
• +4 more

Tom Avermaete serves as Professor of the History and Theory of Urban Design at ETH Zurich's Department of Architecture since 2018. His research investigates urban design through three interconnected lenses: cities as material culture, cross-cultural knowledge exchange beyond Euro-American paradigms, and urban development as a shared civic responsibility. His scholarly work centers on intercultural urbanism, examining how architects and planners operate across geographical and cultural boundaries. Key research strands include the historical development of urban commons, postcolonial urban histories (particularly in Africa), pandemic-era spatial adaptations, and alternative historiographic methods for global architectural history. His approach emphasizes the material dimensions of urban design while challenging Western-centric narratives. Avermaete's recent publications reveal consistent thematic clusters: pandemic urbanism (notably balcony studies), cross-cultural architectural exchanges (especially in postcolonial contexts), and reconceptualizing urban commons. His work frequently employs 'contact zone' theory to analyze knowledge transfer in global urban development, with significant focus on African and European case studies. As chair leader, he supervises research projects including 'Codes and Conventions for Future Zurich,' 'Exploring the Contact Zone,' and 'Building the Commons.' His team investigates qualitative densification strategies, historical urban models, and communal land use patterns across temporal and geographical contexts. Co-organized 'Transects through Alpine Water Landscapes' summer school (2020) Coordinated research studio on Zurich's land/water/green commons Developed 'Swiss Coloniality' research program examining knowledge circulation The chair functions as an international hub for critical urban studies, with members conducting fieldwork across Africa, Asia, and Europe while developing new methodologies for writing inclusive architectural histories that center non-Western perspectives and collective spatial practices.

• Computer Science
• Artificial Intelligence
• Decision Support Systems
• +3 more

Georgiana Bigea serves as a Lecturer in the Department of Computer Science at Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, based at the Zug-Rotkreuz campus (Suurstoffi 1, 6343 Rotkreuz). Her role encompasses teaching and research within computer science applications at the university's engineering-focused campus. Her research centers on Artificial Intelligence and Fuzzy Logic methodologies applied to Decision Support Systems, particularly in Spatial Planning contexts where public opinions exhibit hesitance. She investigates computational models for aggregating uncertain inputs in economic decision-making processes, bridging computer science with urban planning and policy development. Her recent 2024 publication at the International Conference on Mathematical Methods in Economics demonstrates her interdisciplinary approach, applying three-level aggregation models to fuzzy voting systems in spatial planning. This work reflects emerging trends in computational economics where AI techniques solve real-world public decision-making challenges involving hesitant opinions and spatial data.

• Work and Health
• Health Diagnostics
• Data Science
• +4 more

Dr. Patric Wyss is a Research Associate at the School of Applied Psychology, University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW) and concurrently serves as a Research Associate at the Institute for Social and Preventive Medicine (ISPM), University of Bern. His interdisciplinary work bridges psychology, data science, and healthcare, focusing on innovative approaches to health diagnostics and workplace mental health. Dr. Wyss completed his academic training at the University of Bern, Switzerland with a Doctorate in Biomedical Sciences (2019-2022), Master's degree in Statistics and Data Science (2017-2020), Master's degree in Psychology (2014-2017), and Bachelor's degree in Psychology with a Minor in Mathematics (2010-2014). His research interests center on work and health, predicting health variables with complex algorithms, and data-driven personalized health diagnostics. Dr. Wyss has made significant contributions to dementia diagnosis through data-driven approaches, cognitive assessment tools, and digital interventions for mental health. His work often integrates machine learning with clinical psychology to develop predictive models for health outcomes. Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong focus on neurodegenerative diseases, particularly dementia and cognitive decline in aging populations. His research increasingly incorporates digital health technologies, virtual reality, and algorithmic approaches to develop personalized diagnostic tools. The publications demonstrate a progression from fundamental cognitive neuroscience to applied health diagnostics with practical workplace applications. Dr. Wyss has been actively involved in several significant projects including Digital Balance, Healthy@Work, and work-related stress and mental disorders in the workplace. His current position at the Institute for Mental and Organizational Health at FHNW focuses on how digitalization, social upheavals, and new forms of work present both opportunities and challenges for mental and organizational health. His professional activities include research collaboration across multiple institutions, development of digital assessment tools, and investigation of HR analytics applications for health monitoring. Dr. Wyss has also contributed to the development of serious games for cognitive assessment and rehabilitation, particularly for older adults and patients with neurological conditions.