Gabriela Schaepman-Strub

Gabriela Schaepman-Strub is an Associate Professor of Earth System Science at the University of Zurich's Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, a position she has held since 2019. She directs the Remote Sensing and Spatial Ecology Research Group and holds key international roles including Swiss Delegate to the International Arctic Science Committee (IASC) Council and member of the Arctic Council's Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF) working group. Previously, she served as Scientific Director of the Swiss Polar Institute (2021-2023, part-time) and chaired its Science and Technology Advisory Board (2020-2021).

Education includes:

• Ph.D. in Natural Sciences, University of Zurich (2005)
• M.Sc. in Geography (minors in Biology and European Ethnology), University of Zurich (1999)
• Research Scholar at Boston University (2001)

Her research integrates spatial ecology, remote sensing, and Arctic system science, focusing on:

• Radiation-vegetation interactions and albedo dynamics
• Arctic biodiversity responses to climate change
• Spectral signatures of vegetation across scales
• Land surface energy budgets in tundra ecosystems

Recent publications (2016-2019) demonstrate consistent focus on Arctic ecosystem responses to environmental change, utilizing interdisciplinary approaches combining field observations, remote sensing, and modeling. Key themes include tundra biome shifts, plant functional traits, carbon cycling acceleration, and validation of earth observation data products.

Awards and fellowships:

• Fellowship for Prospective Researchers, Swiss National Science Foundation (2005)

She leads the Remote Sensing and Spatial Ecology Research Group, coordinating interdisciplinary investigations into Earth system processes. The group focuses on field campaigns in Arctic Russia and collaborates extensively with international organizations including NASA JPL and European Space Agency.