Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in LausanneSwitzerland
Farhad Rachidi-Haeri is a Titular Professor and Head of the Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) Group at EPFL. His expertise spans EMC research, lightning electromagnetics, time reversal techniques, and fault location in power systems. He has led the EMC Group since the 1980s, with funding from the Swiss National Science Foundation, European Union, and private sector collaborations. His work involves international partnerships with institutions like the University of Toronto and KTH. Education: PhD in Electrical Engineering from EPFL (1991), M.S. from EPFL (1986). Roles: President of Swiss National Committee of URSI (2012–2020), Editor-in-Chief of IEEE Transactions on EMC (2013–2015), and member of the Academy of Sciences of Bologna Institute (2019). Research Focus: Lightning interaction with infrastructure, electromagnetic field modeling, time reversal applications for fault detection, and high-frequency transient analysis. His work bridges theoretical physics and engineering, addressing challenges in power systems, lightning protection, and aerospace. Awards: IEEE EMC Technical Achievement Award (2005), Berger Award (2016), and Distinguished Honorary Professor at Tsinghua University (2024). Over 400 peer-reviewed papers and 500 conference contributions reflect his prolific research output. Labs/Teams: Leads the EMC Laboratory at EPFL, focusing on experimental and numerical studies of electromagnetic phenomena. Collaborates with global networks on projects like Laser Lightning Control and structural lightning protection for wind turbines.
Prof. Dr. André Rubbia is a Full Professor of Experimental Physics at ETH Zurich's Department of Physics, holding this position since December 2003 after serving as Associate Professor from 1998. His research spans neutrino physics, astro-particle physics, and dark matter detection through major international collaborations including CERN, Gran Sasso National Laboratory, and Fermilab. He currently serves as Co-Spokesperson for the billion-dollar DUNE neutrino project at Fermilab, managing over 900 scientists. His educational background includes: Diploma in Physics from the University of Geneva (1990), with thesis work on the L3 experiment at CERN's LEP accelerator Ph.D. in Physics from MIT (1993) under Nobel Laureate S.C.C. Ting, focusing on high-energy electron-positron collisions Rubbia's research centers on fundamental particle interactions, particularly neutrino oscillations and physics beyond the Standard Model. He pioneered liquid Argon Time Projection Chamber (LAr TPC) technology and dual-phase detection systems, enabling breakthroughs in neutrino mass measurements and dark matter searches. His work spans underground laboratories (Gran Sasso, Canfranc), the LHC's CMS detector, and neutrino beam experiments like T2K. Recent explorations include antimatter gravity tests, electron-positron bound states, and dark hidden sector searches. His 2025 publications reveal intense focus on neutrino oscillation parameter precision (T2K, Hyper-Kamiokande), FASER's LHC neutrino program, and DarkSide-20k dark matter detector development. Key themes include cross-section measurements, advanced detector technologies (SiPMs, emulsion tracking), and statistical methods for oscillation analysis, reflecting integration of theoretical modeling with cutting-edge instrumentation. Scientific recognition includes: Breakthrough Prize for Fundamental Physics (2016) awarded to the international team for discovering matter-anti-matter asymmetry in neutrino oscillations APS Viewpoint selection for editing the paper announcing first electron neutrino appearance at accelerators Rubbia has supervised over fifty PhD and Master's theses while securing substantial research funding as Principal Investigator for 20+ Swiss National Science Foundation projects and Coordinator of two EU FP7 Design Studies. His DUNE leadership involves complex international grant management across 30+ countries. He leads ETH Zurich's experimental particle physics group across multiple facilities: the ICARUS neutrino detector at Gran Sasso, CMS at CERN, DUNE at Fermilab, and DarkSide-20k for direct dark matter detection. His team developed the first underground ton-scale liquid argon detector and maintains collaborations with Japanese (Super-Kamiokande) and American (Fermilab) institutions.
Dr. Aytaç Kubilay is a Senior Researcher at the Chair of Building Physics, Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering, ETH Zurich. His research focuses on urban microclimate modeling, particularly wind-flow analysis, thermal comfort optimization, and vegetation-based climate mitigation strategies. Institution: ETH Zurich Department: Mechanical and Process Engineering Research Scope: Urban climate, CFD modeling, heat island mitigation Research interests include computational fluid dynamics (CFD) applications for urban environments, with emphasis on heat island effects, wind-driven rain analysis, and porous media heat transfer. His work combines numerical simulations and experimental validations to assess thermal comfort and climate adaptation strategies in cities. Recent publications analyze vegetation impacts on urban microclimates, including tree cooling potential, street-level thermal comfort dynamics, and high-rise building wind mitigation. Studies employ custom solvers like urbanMicroclimateFoam and OpenFOAM for integrated flow-heat-moisture modeling. Key collaborations include researchers from ETH Zurich (Jan Carmeliet, Dominique Derome) and international institutions, focusing on sustainable urban planning and climate resilience frameworks.
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in LausanneSwitzerland
Alexis Berne is an Associate Professor at the Environmental Remote Sensing Laboratory (LTE) within the School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering (ENAC) at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL). He co-directs the SSIE-GE program and serves as a member of the CDS (Commission for Doctoral Studies) . His research spans radar meteorology, precipitation microphysics, polar precipitation, and geostatistics, with a focus on mountainous and polar regions. Current Positions Associate Professor, LTE, EPFL (2013–present) Co-Director, SSIE-GE, EPFL PhD Program Committee Member, EDCE-GE, EPFL Research Interests include the remote sensing of precipitation, particularly snowfall and ice production mechanisms, using radar and geostatistical methods. His work addresses atmospheric processes in extreme environments like Antarctica and the Swiss Alps, leveraging machine learning and numerical modeling for climate analysis. Teaching encompasses courses on remote sensing, atmospheric processes, and climate change, emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches and spatiotemporal variability. He advises current PhD students such as Heather Anne Corden and Gionata Ghiggi, alongside mentoring past students like Jacopo Grazioli and Timothy Hugh Raupach.
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in LausanneSwitzerland
Kumar Varoon Agrawal is an Associate Professor at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), holding the Gaznat Chair for Advanced Separations. He is affiliated with the School of Basic Sciences (SB), the Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering (ISIC), and the Laboratory of Advanced Separations (LAS) in Sion, Switzerland. Additionally, he contributes to the Swiss Doctoral School in Chemical and Bioengineering (SCGC) and serves as Vice President of the Confédération des Chimistes et des Génie Chimique (CCE). Research Focus: Material Chemistry & Engineering at the Ångström scale for high-performance inorganic and hybrid membranes, emphasizing energy-efficient molecular separations. Teaching: Courses include Fundamentals of separation processes , Diffusion and mass transfer , and Chemical engineering product design . Scientific Contributions: His 15 most recent publications (2025-2020) span topics like graphene pore engineering , 2D material synthesis , carbon capture , and gas separation membranes , with keywords such as Nanotechnology , Materials Science , and Molecular Transport . Subfields include Atomic-Scale Pores , Membrane Stability , and Industrial Scalability . Students and Collaborations: He advises 10 current PhD students and has mentored 9 past PhD candidates in areas like graphene membranes , ion separation , and MOF films . He is an Academic Referent for the EPFL Carbon Team and a committee member for the EDCH Doctoral Program in Chemistry and Chemical Engineering.
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in LausanneSwitzerland
Jan Skaloud serves as an Adjunct Professor at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), affiliated with the School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering (ENAC). He holds positions across multiple departments including SSIE (Institute of Earth Surface Dynamics), EDCE (Doctoral Program in Environmental Sciences and Engineering), and leads the Earth Sensing and Observation (ESO) Lab. His office is located at GC C2 397 in the EPFL campus in Lausanne, Switzerland. Dr. Skaloud's research expertise spans satellite positioning, inertial and integrated navigation systems, sensor orientation and calibration, attitude determination, mobile mapping, airborne laser scanning, and Kalman filtering techniques. His work bridges theoretical development with practical applications in UAV navigation, photogrammetry, and remote sensing. He teaches across three EPFL sections and two faculties, demonstrating his interdisciplinary approach to education. His publication record shows consistent contributions to the field, with recent work (2023-2025) focusing on vehicle dynamic model-based navigation for various UAV platforms, including delta-wing and fixed-wing drones. His research demonstrates a clear trajectory toward increasingly sophisticated navigation systems that integrate aerodynamic modeling with traditional sensor fusion approaches. This trend reflects the growing importance of model-based navigation in achieving higher precision and autonomy in UAV operations. 2021: Samuel Gamble Award for career contribution in photogrammetry & sensing (ISPRS) 2020: U.V. Helava Award for best paper in ISPRS Journal (2016-2019) 2017: Best Demo Award at IEEE International Workshop on Metrology & Aerospace 2014: Hansa Luftbild Award for best paper in PFG journal 2012: Karl Kraus Medal for best textbook in Photogrammetry 2009: GNSS Leader to Watch Innovation Award (GPS World) Dr. Skaloud has supervised numerous PhD students whose work focuses on advanced navigation systems, sensor calibration, and UAV applications. His research has received funding for projects involving direct georeferencing, mobile mapping systems, and UAV-based search and rescue operations. The ESO lab he directs serves as a hub for cutting-edge research in Earth observation technologies. The Earth Sensing and Observation Lab under Dr. Skaloud's direction brings together researchers working on navigation systems, sensor integration, and data processing techniques for geospatial applications. The lab maintains strong connections with industry partners and international research organizations, facilitating technology transfer and collaborative research projects.
Dr. Dominik Büeler is a Researcher at ETH Zurich's Institute for Atmospheric and Climate Science and staff member of the Center for Climate Systems Modeling (C2SM). His work bridges atmospheric dynamics with practical climate services, focusing on subseasonal prediction systems and their societal applications in Europe. Research Focus: Büeler's work centers on subseasonal-to-seasonal prediction, with emphasis on weather regime dynamics, extratropical cyclone behavior, and stratosphere-troposphere interactions. His research integrates large ensemble modeling, forecast verification, and climate impact assessment, particularly for European weather extremes. Recent projects examine heatwave mortality prediction, energy meteorology applications, and the role of moist processes in atmospheric blocking. Analysis of his publication record since 2021 reveals consistent advancement in subseasonal forecasting methodology, with growing emphasis on societal applications including public health (heat-related mortality) and energy sectors. His work increasingly connects fundamental atmospheric processes with operational forecasting systems, leveraging collaborations through the Subseasonal-to-Seasonal Prediction Project. Affiliations: Center for Climate Systems Modeling (C2SM) - Core Research Staff ETH Zurich Institute for Atmospheric and Climate Science MeteoSwiss Collaborator (Energy Meteorology) Büeler contributes to multidisciplinary teams developing climate services, with recent work supporting Swiss operational forecasting systems. His research group within C2SM focuses on improving subseasonal predictability through advanced diagnostics of model biases and atmospheric processes.
Dr. Imad El Haddad serves as Group Head of the Molecular Cluster and Particle Processes group at the Laboratory of Atmospheric Chemistry (LAC), part of the Center for Energy and Environmental Sciences at Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), Switzerland, since 2018. Previously, he held positions as Tenured Scientist and Deputy Head (2018-2019), Senior Scientist in the Smog Chamber group (2015-2018), and Postdoctoral Fellow (2011-2015) at PSI. His research aims to quantify how anthropogenic emissions alter atmospheric pollutant composition and impact Earth's climate and public health through molecular-level analysis using advanced mass spectrometry techniques. His academic background includes: Ph.D. in Atmospheric Chemistry, University of Provence, Marseille (2007-2011) Master's in Environmental Sciences (with distinction, rank 1/9), University of Provence (2006-2007) Master's in General Chemistry (with distinction, rank 1/10), Saint-Joseph University of Beirut (2005-2006) Bachelor of Science in Chemistry (with distinction, rank 1/14), Saint-Joseph University of Beirut (2002-2005) El Haddad's work centers on molecular fingerprinting of atmospheric aerosols , utilizing mass spectrometry (GC/MS, HPLC/APCI-MS2, HPLC/ESI-MS2) to identify primary and secondary molecular markers. He conducts smog chamber experiments to characterize emissions from wood burning, traffic, and cooking processes, determining secondary organic aerosol potential and oxidation state evolution. His group also studies in-cloud aqueous-phase aging and collaborates with global modelers to link aerosol composition to climate forcing and health outcomes like oxidative stress. Recent publications (2025-2024) reveal three dominant trends: (1) rigorous molecular-scale analysis of secondary aerosol formation under varying humidity/temperature, (2) source apportionment breakthroughs in diverse regions (India, Europe, Arctic) using 14C and AMS data, and (3) quantification of health-relevant aerosol properties such as oxidative potential through DTT assays. High-resolution mass spectrometry is a consistent methodological thread across these studies. His scientific awards include: MENRT research fellowship from French ministry of research (2007-2010) Excellence Scholarship (top 1% student, University of Saint Joseph, 2005) Distinction Prize (best student, University of Saint Joseph, 2005) As Group Head, El Haddad oversees the Molecular Cluster and Particle Processes group's research direction and mentorship of junior scientists. While specific grant details are absent from the text, his leadership in multi-institutional publications (e.g., CERN CLOUD, iCUPE) implies active grant management and international collaboration. The group's work bridges laboratory simulations, field deployments, and health/climate modeling to address air pollution complexities. The Molecular Cluster and Particle Processes group develops cutting-edge online/offline mass spectrometers for 1 Hz-resolution atmospheric analysis. They deploy instruments in laboratory smog chamber experiments and global field studies, focusing on molecular marker identification, emission source characterization, and aging process quantification. Collaborations with biochemists and climate modelers extend their impact beyond pure aerosol physics into health risk assessment and policy-relevant climate science.
Prof. Dr. Oliver Schilling is an Assistant Professor of Hydrogeology at the University of Basel and affiliated with Eawag , the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology. He leads research on surface water-groundwater interactions using integrated surface-subsurface hydrological models (ISSHM) and novel tracer techniques including dissolved atmospheric noble gases, environmental DNA, and radioactive tracers. Research Focus : Surface-subsurface hydrology, ecohydrology, groundwater-surface water interactions, tracer hydrogeology, climate change adaptation in water systems Key Projects : Integrated Hydrological Modeling for Operational Forecasting, Sustainable Nitrogen Fertilization, Slow Water Initiatives, Cryosphere-Groundwater Connectivity in Alpine Regions Scientific Contributions include developing HGS-PDAF (modular data assimilation framework), advancing microbial transport algorithms in HydroGeoSphere, and pioneering online flow cytometry for microbial analysis in high-turbidity environments. His work addresses drinking water production via bank filtration along alluvial rivers, critical for 30% of Swiss and 50% of European drinking water supply. Scientific Leadership : Editor, Hydrogeology Journal (since 2025) Associate Editor, Frontiers in Water (since 2021) Coordinator, Swiss Water-Earth Systems (WES) PhD School (2020–2022)
Kunfeng Gao is a researcher at ETH Zürich's Staff of Experimental Atmospheric Physics , affiliated with EPFL's School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering (ENAC) . His work focuses on aerosol-cloud interactions, ice nucleation mechanisms, and atmospheric aging of particles. Key research areas: Ice Nucleation, Biological Aerosols, Soot Particles, Dust Particles, Cirrus Cloud Thinning, Climate Modeling. Contributed to major studies on diurnal variability of ice nucleating particles in the Eastern Mediterranean. Developed novel methods for characterizing particle morphology and ice nucleation efficiency. Scientific Awards : Highlight article in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics (2024). Two awarded Chinese patents related to particle classification and graphene-based filtration. His research has garnered significant media attention, including features in ScienceNews , Le FIGARO , and Radio Télévision Suisse , highlighting biological particles' role in extreme weather events.
Daniel Farinotti is a Professor of Glaciology at the Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering at ETH Zurich and at the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL). His work focuses on understanding glacier evolution and its impacts on water resources across mountainous regions globally. Dr. Farinotti's research interests center on glaciological modeling and its applications to water resource management. His expertise includes estimating glacier ice thickness from surface properties, long-term modeling of glacier mass changes, quantifying runoff contributions from glaciated catchments, and implications for water management in high mountain areas. His research integrates field observations, remote sensing data, and numerical modeling to address critical questions about glacier response to climate change. Dr. Farinotti's scientific achievements have been recognized with prestigious awards including the 2017 Nature Research Award for Outstanding Achievements in Review and the 2013 Award for Outstanding Contributions to Review from the Journal of Geophysical Research - Earth Surface. His publications demonstrate a consistent pattern of high-impact research across glaciology, hydrology, and climate science, with particular emphasis on the interactions between glacier dynamics and water resources. As a principal investigator, Dr. Farinotti has secured significant research funding from organizations including the Swiss National Foundation and German Federal Foreign Office. His work often involves international collaborations across multiple institutions, reflecting the global nature of glacier research and its implications for water security. He maintains active involvement in major scientific initiatives focused on glacier monitoring and climate change impacts. Dr. Farinotti leads the Glaciology research group at ETH Zurich's Laboratory of Hydraulics, Hydrology and Glaciology (VAW), which conducts fieldwork across multiple mountain ranges globally. The group employs advanced techniques including geophysical surveys, remote sensing, and numerical modeling to investigate glacier dynamics and their hydrological impacts.
Sarah Kirkpatrick is a Professor at the Australian National University (ANU) in the Fenner School of Environment and Society . She is Deputy Director of Communications and Outreach for the ARC Centre of Excellence for 21st Century Weather , Chief Investigator at the ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate Extremes , and Vice President of the Australian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society . Education : BSc (Macquarie University) PhD (UNSW Sydney, 2010) Research Interests : Climate extremes, particularly heatwaves Extreme event attribution (natural vs anthropogenic drivers) Climate modeling and CMIP simulations Urban environment impacts on heatwaves Marine heatwaves and oceanic climate change Research Trends : Recent publications focus on heatwave mortality attribution (2009 Victorian heatwave), humid heat survivability thresholds, net-zero climate impacts, and interdisciplinary work with health experts. Her work integrates climate modeling with physiological vulnerability assessments to analyze age-group specific risks. Scientific Awards : 2021-2023 : Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher 2021 : Australian Academy of Science Dorothy Hill Medal 2016 : Australian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society Early Career Researcher Award Grants & Leadership : Current ANU Futures Scheme 2.0 project (2024-2028) Previously held ARC Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (2014-2017) and Future Fellowship (2017-2023) Scientific partner at the Monash Climate Change Communications Research Hub Outreach & Collaboration : A prominent science communicator in media, she collaborates with health experts, leads climate communication projects, and works with international research teams across 7+ institutions.
Tom Beucler is a Conditional Pre-Tenure Assistant Professor in Geo-Environmental Data Science at the University of Lausanne’s Institute for Earth Surface Dynamics (IDYST). He holds a Master’s degree in Science and Mechanics from École Polytechnique (2014) and a PhD in Atmospheric Science from MIT (2019). Postdoctoral research at Columbia University and UC Irvine focused on machine learning applications in climate science under Professors Pierre Gentine and Michael Pritchard. Research Interests: Climate informatics, atmospheric physics, fluid dynamics, tropical meteorology, and integrating machine learning into climate models for extreme weather prediction and hydrological cycle modeling. Collaborations: Works with environmental scientists and computer engineers to improve climate models using neural networks and causal discovery methods. Initiatives: Organizes weekly brainstorming sessions to promote machine learning adoption in environmental sciences. Publications span climate-invariant machine learning, data-driven parameterizations, and hybrid AI-climate modeling frameworks like ClimSim. His work emphasizes causal consistency and generalizability across climate conditions.
Lukas Papritz is a Lecturer at the Department of Environmental Systems Science at ETH Zürich , Switzerland. He specializes in atmospheric dynamics, focusing on large-scale weather systems, Arctic climate processes, and air-sea interactions. Research Interests : Dynamics of extratropical cyclones and atmospheric blocking Arctic climate system, including air mass transformations Atmospheric and oceanic energy exchanges Physics of temperature extremes (cold/warm) Development of dynamical frameworks for weather system analysis His recent publications examine baroclinic wave energetics, heatwave thermodynamics, cold-air outbreak dynamics, and synoptic-scale moisture transport. These works integrate Lagrangian methods, climatological analysis, and regional climate modeling. Current Affiliation : Professorship for Atmospheric Dynamics (Professur für Atmosphärendynamik), ETH Zürich
Dr. Christian Zeman serves as a Lecturer at the Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zurich, based at the Institute for Atmospheric and Climate Science (CHN N 17.1) in Zurich, Switzerland. His research focuses on high-resolution atmospheric modeling with emphasis on kilometer-scale climate simulations and deep convection processes. Zeman's work centers on advancing regional climate modeling capabilities through rigorous model verification techniques and convection-resolving simulations. His research addresses critical challenges in simulating complex phenomena like island-induced vortex streets, tropical climate dynamics, and the impacts of reduced floating-point precision on model accuracy. Key methodologies include ensemble-based statistical verification and systematic model calibration for improved predictive reliability. Analysis of his 2020-2025 publications reveals a consistent trajectory toward higher-resolution climate modeling, with significant contributions to model intercomparison frameworks and computational efficiency optimization. His research bridges theoretical atmospheric science with practical applications in regional climate projection, particularly for island systems and tropical regions. Zeman operates within Prof. Christoph Schär's research group at ETH Zurich, contributing to cutting-edge developments in the Consortium for Small-scale Modeling (COSMO) and Integrated Forecasting System (IFS) frameworks. His work supports ETH Zurich's leadership in high-resolution climate simulation and verification methodologies.
