David Ginsbourger

Prof. Dr. David Ginsbourger is a Professor of Statistical Data Science at the University of Bern, leading the Uncertainty Quantification and Spatial Statistics Group within the Institute of Mathematical Statistics and Actuarial Science. He has held visiting roles at institutions like the Isaac Newton Institute (Cambridge, UK) and actively collaborates across engineering, geosciences, and medicine.

• University of Bern (2021-present)
• Idiap Research Institute (2015-2020)
• Swiss Academy of Sciences (elected member, 2025)

Education:

• PhD in Applied Mathematics, École des Mines de Saint-Etienne (2009)
• Double Graduate Diploma, École des Mines de Saint-Etienne & Berlin Technical University (2005)
• Master’s in Applied Mathematics, Jean Monnet University & École des Mines de Saint-Etienne (2005)
• Licence in Mathematics, Joseph Fourier University (2002)

David’s research focuses on uncertainty quantification, Gaussian process modeling, Bayesian optimization, and design of experiments. His work spans theoretical developments (e.g., kernel design, excursion set estimation) and applications in climate science, medical diagnostics, and engineering. Recent collaborative projects address inverse problems in hydrogeology, autonomous ocean sampling, and high-impact weather forecasting.

Publications highlight trends in adaptive experimental design, kernel methods for equivariant models, and uncertainty quantification in multidisciplinary contexts. Key themes include excursion set estimation, Bayesian optimization, and spatial distributional modeling.

Awards & Memberships:

• Elected member, Swiss Academy of Sciences (2025)
• Elected member, International Statistical Institute (2023-)
• Member, ELLIS Society (2024-)
• Long-term member, Swiss Mathematical Society

Advising & Collaboration: David has advised numerous PhD and master’s students, including Athénaïs Gautier, Cédric Travelletti, and Mickael Binois. He has led projects at Idiap Research Institute and collaborates with institutions like the Oeschger Center for Climate Change Research and the Center for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine.

Labs & Teams: He founded the Uncertainty Quantification and Optimal Design group at Idiap (2015-2020) and currently leads research at the University of Bern, integrating with multidisciplinary initiatives in climate change and infectious diseases.