Philipp Schütz

Philipp Schütz is a Professor at the Lucerne School of Engineering and Architecture (HSLU), part of the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts. He holds dual appointments in the Institute of Mechanical Engineering and Energy Technology (IME) where he leads the CC Thermal Energy Storage research group, and the Institute of Natural and Social Sciences (ING). His office is located in Room E300/E311 at Technikumstrasse 21, 6048 Horw, Switzerland.

Dr. Schütz earned his Physics degree from ETH Zürich with specialization in theoretical physics and optics. He completed his PhD in 2009 at the University of Zürich's Biochemical Institute, focusing on computer-aided modeling of spectroscopy experiments and pattern recognition in biochemical networks. From 2010-2014, he worked as a researcher at Empa in Dübendorf developing non-destructive testing methods before joining HSLU in September 2014 as a Physics lecturer. He completed a Certificate of Advanced Studies in Higher Education Didactics in 2015 and the 'Exzellenz in der Lehre' program in 2019.

Professor Schütz's research spans Non-destructive Testing with emphasis on X-ray computed tomography, Energy System Modeling, and Computational Physics. His work on phase change materials and thermal energy storage has led to significant advancements in understanding calcium chloride hexahydrate solidification and salt hydrate behavior. He combines experimental work with sophisticated computational modeling, including Monte Carlo simulations and high-performance computing approaches. His expertise in algorithm development for large image datasets has applications across energy systems, materials science, and archaeological conservation.

His publication record shows a clear evolution from fundamental physics toward applied engineering solutions, with recent work (2023-2025) increasingly focused on practical thermal energy storage applications for residential and district heating systems. The integration of X-ray computed tomography with energy system modeling represents his unique interdisciplinary approach.

Professor Schütz actively leads numerous research initiatives including SWEET PATHFNDR, SWEET DeCarbCH TES, WindCoEconomy, and INTERSTORES. He teaches Mathematics & Physics for Engineering students and Time Series Analysis in the Master of Science in Applied Information and Data Science program. His research group operates advanced X-ray computed tomography facilities for studying material properties, energy storage systems, and conservation methods for archaeological materials, bridging theoretical physics with practical engineering applications in the energy sector.