Dr. Paride Azzari is a researcher in the Sustainable Food Processing group at ETH Zurich , focusing on interdisciplinary approaches at the intersection of food science, biophysics, and soft matter physics. His work emphasizes scalable and sustainable bioprocessing techniques, particularly for microalgae and plant-based proteins. Key Research Areas : Pulsed electric field processing, liquid-liquid crystalline phase separation, and viscoelastic material behavior. Methodologies : Multiphysics simulations, experimental rheology, and open-source software development (e.g., Extrudion for tensile testing analysis). Recent publications highlight his contributions to optimizing biocompound extraction, understanding amyloid fibril organization, and advancing environmental bioremediation using agricultural waste. Notably, his work bridges fundamental soft matter research with industrial food processing applications.
Prof. Christina Spengler is an Adjunct Professor and Deputy Head of the Institute of Human Movement Sciences and Sport at ETH Zürich. Her research focuses on mechanisms governing respiratory, cardiovascular, neuromuscular, and metabolic systems during exercise and rest, aiming to develop training strategies for athletic performance and clinical rehabilitation. She leads the Exercise Physiology Lab, established in 2013, using advanced technologies to assess respiratory mechanics, cardiovascular function, and muscle performance. Her work targets patients with cardiorespiratory, neuromuscular, and metabolic disorders. Education: MSc in Biochemistry (ETH Zurich), PhD in Physiology (ETH Zurich), medical degree (University of Zurich). Postdoctoral research at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health investigated respiratory control and circadian rhythms. Awards include the 2001 Scientific Award of the Swiss Society of Sports Medicine. Research interests span exercise-induced physiological adaptations, respiratory muscle training, and wearable sensor technologies for health monitoring. She teaches courses in Exercise Physiology and supervises advanced research projects. Key contributions include studies on footwear biomechanics, arrhythmia management in athletes, and sleep-cardiac interactions. Her lab develops innovative training regimens and technologies, such as magnetic phrenic nerve stimulation protocols and accelerometer-integrated devices for activity tracking. Ongoing projects explore exercise impacts on chronic diseases and the reliability of physiological testing methods.
Erik Willems is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Zurich, specializing in behavioral biology and spatial ecology. His research focuses on animal movement patterns, primate socio-ecology, and the evolutionary origins of cooperation and conflict. He employs GIS technologies, phylogenetic comparative methods, and field experiments to study topics such as orangutan socio-ecological variation, intergroup conflict in primates, and spatial memory in marmosets. Teaching: BIO 209 'Discovering Statistics using R' emphasizes statistical analysis and phylogenetic methods. Research projects include the Inkawu Vervet Project and The Orangutan Network, alongside developing an R-library for analyzing simultaneous movement data. Key research themes include geographical variation in primate behavior, bio- and phylo-geography of orangutans, and experimental studies on cooperation in non-human primates. Recent publications span topics from great ape communication to dolphin social networks and molecular insights into metallothionein function. Collaborative efforts involve institutions globally, with active fieldwork in Borneo, Guinea, and Australia. His work bridges ecology, evolution, and conservation, addressing questions about animal behavior from both theoretical and applied perspectives.
Prof. Dr. Catherine Roux is a Professor of Industrial Organization at the Faculty of Business and Economics, University of Basel. She leads the Professorship of Industrial Organization and conducts research at the intersection of theoretical and experimental economics, with applications in antitrust, competition policy, and energy markets. Her work is widely published in leading journals such as American Economic Journal: Microeconomics , International Economic Review , and Journal of Law and Economics . University of Lausanne Copenhagen Business School Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne University University of California, Berkeley Her research interests include collusion (multimarket contact, information exchange, leniency programs), exclusionary practices, mergers, intellectual property, and energy markets. She has a special interest in laboratory and lab-in-the-field experiments to test theoretical models. Her work often explores how market design, transparency, and behavioral constraints affect firm behavior and consumer choices. Her recent publications reveal a strong trend toward integrating behavioral insights with industrial organization, particularly in energy markets and innovation. She frequently employs experimental methods to examine strategic interactions, cartel stability, and policy effectiveness. Her work bridges theoretical rigor with empirical validation, contributing significantly to both academic discourse and policy design in competition and sustainability domains. Multigame Contact: A Double-Edged Sword for Cooperation (2024, AEJ: Micro ) Communication and Market Sharing: An Experiment on the Exchange of Soft and Hard Information (2021, International Economic Review ) Hunting Unicorns? Experimental Evidence on Exclusionary Pricing Policies (2019, Journal of Law and Economics ) Shared Ownership of Intangible Property Rights: The Case of Patent Coassignments (2017, Journal of Legal Studies ) Leniency Programs for Multimarket Firms: The Effect of Amnesty Plus on Cartel Formation (2012, International Journal of Industrial Organization ) Prof. Roux advises on competition policy and sustainable market design. She leads the Research Group Industrial Organization and is involved in the Research Network Sustainable Future, indicating active grant-supported research. Her collaborations with scholars across Europe and the US suggest a strong international research network and potential for future interdisciplinary projects. She leads the Research Group Industrial Organization at the University of Basel, fostering collaborative research on competition, market regulation, and experimental economics. Her involvement in the Research Network Sustainable Future highlights her commitment to interdisciplinary work on energy and sustainability challenges.
Stephan Aier is a Professor and Senior Lecturer at the School of Computer Science, University of St. Gallen. He serves as Director of the HSG Institute of Computer Science in Vorarlberg (ICV-HSG) and co-heads the Data Management and Analytics group (DMAC) at the Institute of Information Management (IWI-HSG). Between 2020-2023, he held the position of Executive Director at IWI. His academic journey includes a Master’s in Industrial Engineering and Management (Technical University of Berlin, 2002) and a Ph.D. in Engineering Sciences (Dr.-Ing., 2006). He completed his habilitation in 2016 and was appointed Privatdozent in 2017. His research focuses on enterprise-level information systems, digital platforms, data management, and simulation modeling. Teaching spans undergraduate, graduate, and executive education, including courses like Digital Transformation, Enterprise Architecture Management, and Data Analytics. He has led numerous projects funded by public and private entities, such as the Swiss National Science Foundation and industry partners like Credit Suisse and SAP. His work addresses challenges in enterprise architecture, digital ecosystems, and complexity management. Key research interests include digital platforms, enterprise architecture coordination, and the interplay between organization and technology. Notable awards include the Best Paper Award at ECIS 2021 and the Junior Scientist Business Innovation Award (2013, 2011). Stephan actively engages in practitioner conferences, delivering talks on topics like AI adoption, cloud strategy, and data governance. He co-directs the Data Management and Analytics Community funded by leading financial institutions. His contributions bridge academic research and industry application, emphasizing practical solutions for complex organizational challenges.
Desi R. Ivanova is a research fellow at the University of Oxford's Department of Statistics under the Florence Nightingale Bicentennial Fellowship. Her work bridges probabilistic machine learning, Bayesian experimental design, and LLM evaluation frameworks. She holds a DPhil in Statistics from Oxford's StatML CDT program (2020-2024) and an MMORSE in Mathematics from University of Warwick (2011-2016) with Erasmus exchange at LMU Munich. Research spans causal machine learning and uncertainty quantification Developed CO-BED and Step-DAD frameworks Focus on LLM evaluation methodology and calibration Expert in real-time adaptive experimental systems Her publications demonstrate expertise in Bayesian self-consistency methods, neural data compression, and privacy-preserving dataset merging. Key contributions include improving amortized inference efficiency and developing gradient-based causal experimental designs. Current work emphasizes rigorous statistical evaluation of language models, advocating for appropriate uncertainty quantification when analyzing performance across small datasets. She critiques CLT-based methods for LLM evaluation and proposes more robust frequentist and Bayesian alternatives.
Fabian Morger is a Researcher at the Institute of Structural Engineering , Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH Zurich), specializing in reinforced concrete design and tunnel engineering . He earned his MSc ETH in Civil Engineering with a focus on Structural and Geotechnical Engineering. His research explores passive confinement mechanisms in reinforced concrete, mechanical modeling of load dispersion, and experimental validation of structural behaviors. His work addresses critical gaps in design provisions for strip loading and longitudinal tunnel joints , particularly in segmental tunnel linings and partially loaded areas. Recent publications highlight trends in concrete technology , plasticity theory , and resource-efficient construction methods . His studies on welded reinforcement grids and multiaxial compressive strength demonstrate practical applications in civil infrastructure. Scientific Awards : Year Distinction 2019 Sika-Prize Morger collaborates on experimental campaigns involving digital image correlation and fiber-optic strain measurements to analyze crack widths and load transfer mechanisms in reinforced concrete systems.
Dr. Sören Hedtke is a Lecturer at the Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering (D-BAUG) at ETH Zurich, Switzerland. He is affiliated with the High Voltage Laboratory and holds a PhD from ETH Zurich (2014–present). His academic background includes a M.Sc. and B.Sc. in Electrical Engineering from TU Darmstadt, Germany, along with international research experience at Siemens AG and Grenoble INP. Education: PhD student/scientific assistant, High Voltage Laboratory, ETH Zurich (2014–present) M.Sc. in Electrical Engineering & Information Technology, TU Darmstadt (2012–2014) B.Sc. in Electrical Engineering & Information Technology, TU Darmstadt (2007–2011) Research Interests: Sören focuses on high-voltage engineering, corona discharge phenomena in hybrid AC/DC transmission systems, and their environmental impacts. His work emphasizes practical applications in renewable energy transmission and grid optimization. Publications: His research explores corona characteristics under varying weather conditions, HVDC system performance, and hybrid transmission line design. Recent work includes analysis of wet weather effects on corona discharge and noise patterns in overhead lines. Labs/Teams: Active contributor to the High Voltage Laboratory at ETH Zurich, specializing in experimental setups for corona measurements and field testing of hybrid systems.
Dr. Max Sieber is a Lecturer at the Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering at ETH Zurich. His research focuses on geotechnical engineering and seismic design, particularly the seismic performance of structures such as bridges and foundations under extreme loading conditions. He leads the Geotechnical Centrifuge Center and Soil Testing Laboratories at ETH Zurich, advancing experimental and computational methods for understanding structural behavior. His work emphasizes simplified analysis techniques for rocking foundations, nonlinear soil-structure interaction, and cost-effective design strategies for bridges subjected to seismic and faulting hazards. Key research interests include 3D finite element analysis, fragility analysis of rocking systems, and sustainable seismic design principles. His contributions address critical challenges in bridge engineering, fault displacement modeling, and resilient infrastructure development. Collaborative projects involve advancing numerical models for dynamic soil response and validating simplified methods against experimental data. Affiliations: ETH Zurich, Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering (D-BAUG), Geotechnical Centrifuge Center, Soil Testing Laboratories His research outputs span seismic analysis methodologies, faulting effects on infrastructure, and innovative approaches to structural dynamics.
Camila Scaff is a Postdoctoral Researcher affiliated with the Human Ecology Group. Her work focuses on language acquisition in diverse cultural contexts, particularly among non-industrialized populations such as the Tsimane forager-horticulturalists in Bolivia. She employs long-form audio recordings and cutting-edge methodologies like the ACLEW pipeline and LENA system to analyze language input and developmental patterns. Her research interests span cross-cultural linguistics , infant-directed speech , and the methodological challenges in ecological data collection. She advocates for inclusive research practices to address underrepresentation in language studies. Key contributions include diarization tools for ecological recordings, studies on socioeconomic factors influencing lexical development, and critiques of WEIRD (Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, Democratic) biases in academic research. Scaff collaborates internationally with anthropologists and speech technologists to bridge interdisciplinary gaps.
Mark Cieliebak is a Professor for Speech and Text Processing at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW), School of Engineering, where he leads the Natural Language Processing (NLP) research group at the Centre for Artificial Intelligence. He has held this position since December 2018, following prior roles as a lecturer at ZHAW (2012-2018). His educational background includes a Dr. sc. techn. in Computer Science from ETH Zürich (1999-2003) and a Diplom in Computer Science from Universität Dortmund (1990-1999). His research focuses on Natural Language Processing , Text and Speech Analysis , and Machine Learning applications . Primary domains include dialogue systems evaluation, low-resource speech recognition (particularly Swiss German), automated text generation assessment, and NLP for social media analysis. He also explores educational applications through flipped classroom methodologies and machine learning operations. Cieliebak's publications (2020-2024) demonstrate strong emphasis on NLP evaluation frameworks, speech corpus development for dialects, and generative AI validation. Recurring themes include robustness testing, bias mitigation in automated metrics, and multilingual processing challenges. His work frequently involves large-scale dataset creation and ensemble learning techniques. Scientific Awards: SwissNLP Award 2023 Best Paper Award - Honorable Mention at EMNLP 2020 ZHAW Teaching Award 2015 He leads numerous research projects including: Unified Model for Text Generation Evaluation End-to-End Swiss German Speech Translation Holistic Analysis of Misinformation in Social Networks Automated News Processing (AutoNews) Chatbot Development for Language Learners He co-founded SpinningBytes AG (2015-present) and maintains extensive industry collaborations. As head of the NLP research group, he oversees doctoral candidates and master's students, though specific advisee names aren't listed.
Prof. Ulrike Grossner holds the position of Full Professor at the Department of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering at ETH Zürich. Her research focuses on semiconductor materials, particularly silicon carbide (SiC) devices, with an emphasis on radiation effects, power electronics reliability, and device simulation. She leads investigations into radiation-induced defects in SiC MOSFETs, interface properties of oxide-semiconductor systems, and advanced modeling techniques for power electronic systems. Her work bridges fundamental materials science with practical applications in high-power devices and aerospace electronics. Prof. Grossner’s contributions include developing methods for defect characterization in SiC materials and pioneering surface partial element equivalent circuit (S-PEEC) methods for electromagnetic analysis. Her research group collaborates on projects involving neutron and proton irradiation effects, thermal oxidation processes, and device-circuit co-simulation for optimizing power systems. Publications highlight her expertise in SiC MOSFET reliability under extreme conditions, such as single-event burnout sensitivity and total ionizing dose tolerance. She has authored over 30 articles in 2023-2025 alone, addressing topics from defect profiling via muon spectroscopy to gate impedance analysis. Her work is frequently presented at conferences like the International Conference on Silicon Carbide and Related Materials (ICSCRM).
Felix Holzmeister is a Professor at the University of Innsbruck’s Department of Economics , Austria, whose research agenda spans experimental and behavioral finance, meta-science, risk perception, and the reproducibility of empirical research. His work is characterised by large-scale collaborative projects—often involving dozens of co-authors—that combine laboratory experiments, field interventions, and meta-analytical methods to understand how individuals, particularly finance professionals, form expectations, perceive risk, and make decisions under uncertainty. Research Interests: Experimental and behavioural finance, with special attention to replicability of asset-market findings Risk preferences and risk perception among finance professionals and retail investors Meta-science topics such as non-standard errors, reviewer reliability, and computational reproducibility Policy-oriented behavioural interventions (nudging) in household finance and debt collection Across more than fifteen recent papers, Holzmeister’s research exhibits a clear focus on methodological rigour and transparency . His 2024 Journal of Finance article on non-standard errors—co-authored with over 150 colleagues—has already garnered thousands of downloads and citations, illustrating the broad interest in improving statistical inference in finance. A parallel strand of work uses preregistered experiments to test the robustness of classic asset-market findings, while additional studies explore how cognitive skills and personality traits shape fund-manager performance and how choice architecture influences portfolio allocation. Scientific Impact & Recognition: Top-3 000 SSRN author by total downloads (>24 000) Top-10 500 SSRN author by total citations (>100) Lead or co-author on large multi-institutional studies featured in top finance journals Collaboration & Funding: Holzmeister routinely leads interdisciplinary teams involving institutions such as the Stockholm School of Economics, VU Amsterdam, HEC Paris, the University of Gothenburg, and Copenhagen Business School. Funding acknowledgements in his papers imply support from national science foundations and European research councils, although specific grant numbers are not detailed in the present text. Laboratory & Research Environment: He conducts experiments within the University of Innsbruck’s experimental-economics laboratory infrastructure and is affiliated with cross-university consortia such as the “Non-Standard Errors Project” and the “Researcher Variation in Economics” consortium, which bring together dozens of scholars to tackle methodological challenges in economics and finance.
Christoph Schindler is a Swiss Professor at the Lucerne School of Design, Film and Art (HSLU), where he heads the Bachelor's Programme in Object Design since 2014. He holds a doctorate in architecture from ETH Zurich and combines academic work with his role as partner in the Zurich-based furniture design firm schindlersalmerón GmbH , which he co-founded in 2005. Research Interests: His work spans digital fabrication , sustainable product design , and woodworking innovation , focusing on merging computational technologies with natural material properties. Key areas include parametric modeling , moldless manufacturing , and material lifecycle systems . He explores the intersection of Swiss craft traditions with algorithmic design through projects like the ZipShape method and Serial Branches series. Scientific Contributions: He has published over 40 works, with recent 2025-2023 articles examining social object design , climate-responsive furniture , and sustainable Swiss wood systems . His research appears in outlets like International Journal of Architectural Computing and Werkspuren , while his ETH dissertation on fabrication-based architectural periodization remains influential. Awards: iF Design Award (2019), Lista Office Design Award GOLD (2012), iF Material Design Award (2008) Teaching: Lecturer at ZHAW (2010-2014), Royal Danish Academy external examiner (2014-2026), and workshop leader at institutions including ETH Zurich, NTNU Trondheim, and Virginia Tech Industry Roles: Founding member of schindlersalmerón (2005-present) and Swiss Design Board representative (2022)
Manuel Guizar Sicairos is an Associate Professor of Physics at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in the School of Basic Sciences (SB), Institute of Physics (IPHYS), and leads the Computational X-ray Imaging group at the Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI). He has held these joint positions since January 2023, following a progression from Postdoctoral Fellow (2010) to Senior Scientist (2021) at PSI. B.Sc. in Physics Engineering, Tecnológico de Monterrey, Mexico (2002) M.Sc. in Electronic Systems, Tecnológico de Monterrey, Mexico (2005) M.Sc. in Optics, University of Rochester, USA (2008) Ph.D. in Optics, University of Rochester, USA (2010) His research centers on computational imaging, particularly for synchrotron X-ray sources, with a focus on phase retrieval, ptychography, coherent diffractive imaging, holography, tomography, and scanning small-angle X-ray scattering (sSAXS). He has co-developed key techniques such as 3D nanoscale ptychography, magnetization vector nanotomography, and small-angle scattering tensor tomography (SASTT). His work emphasizes experimental design, novel imaging configurations, and algorithm development for hyperspectral and dynamic nanotomography. The recent articles highlight a consistent trend in high-resolution 3D imaging of complex materials using correlative X-ray techniques. His publications span topics from integrated circuits and magnetic materials to hierarchical composites, demonstrating expertise in both algorithmic innovation and experimental application. The integration of ptychography with sSAXS and vector tomography enables multiscale, multimodal investigations across materials science and biology. Innovation Award on Synchrotron Radiation (2014, 2021) ICO Prize (2019) Fellow of The Optical Society (2021) Fellow of SPIE SPIE Community Champion (2019) Multiple Optics & Photonics Education Scholarships (2004–2009) He advises PhD students including Fang Wenxuan and Karabay Aknur at EPFL. He has secured institutional support for advancing imaging research at both PSI and EPFL. His group develops open-source algorithms such as those for subpixel registration, Hankel transforms, and tomographic reconstruction (e.g., GridrecMS). He is a confidential advisor for the Respect@PSI campaign, promoting diversity and inclusion in scientific research. His leadership supports large-scale facility research at PSI and academic training at EPFL. He leads the Computational X-ray Imaging group at PSI, which collaborates closely with the cSAXS beamline and focuses on advancing computational methods for synchrotron-based imaging. The team integrates algorithm development with experimental validation, fostering interdisciplinary research across physics, materials science, and bioimaging.
