Patrick Mayor

Patrick Mayor serves as Head of Faculty Affairs for the School of Engineering (STI) at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), while concurrently holding roles as Coordinator of the STI Academic Evaluation Committee and Scientist in the PRN-MARVEL (NCCR MARVEL) administration. His institutional presence spans administrative leadership and research coordination within EPFL's engineering ecosystem.

Research interests demonstrate a clear evolution from fundamental granular physics (2003-2008) to complex systems engineering (2010-2018). Early work established foundational insights into vibration-fluidized granular matter, Brownian motion analogies, jamming transitions, and impact cratering mechanics. Later contributions pivoted toward the Nano-Tera.ch initiative, focusing on engineering integrated systems for health monitoring, environmental sustainability, and energy infrastructure through nanotechnology applications. This trajectory reflects a strategic shift from theoretical physics toward applied transdisciplinary engineering solutions.

Publication analysis reveals distinct thematic clusters: granular media studies predominantly appear in high-impact physics journals (Nature, Physical Review Letters), characterized by experimental investigations of non-equilibrium statistical mechanics. The Nano-Tera.ch series features in engineering and information technology venues, emphasizing system integration, sensor networks, and cyber-physical architectures. Both phases maintain rigorous methodological approaches while addressing increasingly complex real-world challenges.

Administrative leadership positions indicate significant institutional responsibility, with Faculty Affairs oversight encompassing academic evaluations, strategic planning, and faculty development across EPFL's engineering school. PRN-MARVEL involvement connects to Switzerland's National Centre of Competence in Research, positioning Mayor at the intersection of academic governance and cutting-edge materials science initiatives.

Research infrastructure engagement includes the PRN-MARVEL administration and Nano-Tera.ch consortium, facilitating cross-disciplinary collaboration between physicists, engineers, and computer scientists. These frameworks support large-scale projects addressing societal challenges through technological innovation, with Mayor contributing to both conceptual development and operational execution.