Rudy Hirschheim is a Professor at the Stephenson Department of Entrepreneurship & Information Systems within the E.J. Ourso College of Business at Louisiana State University. He previously held faculty positions at the University of Houston, Templeton College - Oxford, London School of Economics, and McMaster University, with visiting appointments at Monash University, University of New South Wales, University of Bayreuth, University of Jyvaskyla, University of Warwick, and University of Paris-Dauphine. PhD in Information Systems, London School of Economics (1985) MS in Computer Science, University of Toronto (1974) BCom in Business Administration, University of Toronto (1975) His research interests span outsourcing, management of information systems, research methods, and philosophical issues in research. His recent publications focus on agile software development, crowdsourcing, social justice in IT, service-oriented architecture maturity, and theoretical critiques of the IS discipline. He emphasizes methodological rigor and philosophical foundations in information systems research. Key scientific awards include the LEO Award for lifetime achievement (2013), two honorary doctorates (University of Oulu, 2006; University of Bern, 2012), and Fellow status from the Association for Information Systems (2007). He has also received multiple best paper awards and LSU's Rainmaker Award (2012).
Robert Winter is a Full Professor of Business IT at the University of St. Gallen (HSG), Switzerland, and Director of the Institute of Information Management (IWI-HSG). He serves as Founding Director of HSG’s Executive MBA in Business Engineering and has led the School of Management’s Doctoral Program. His roles include Vice Editor-in-Chief of Business & Information Systems Engineering and current editorial board membership at MIS Quarterly Executive. Education M.Sc. Business Administration (1984), Goethe University, Frankfurt M.Sc. Business Education (1986), Goethe University, Frankfurt Ph.D. in Social Sciences (1989), Goethe University, Frankfurt Venia legendi (1995), Goethe University, Frankfurt Research Interests Focuses on Design Science Research, Enterprise Architecture Management, and governance of digital platforms. His work explores methodologies for collaborative innovation, data-driven transformation, and complexity management in large-scale systems. Key areas include enterprise transformation steering, data mesh adoption, and agile methodologies in public-sector contexts. Key Contributions Developed frameworks for enterprise architecture governance and digital platform ecosystems Authored influential papers on design science methodology and simulation-based research Recipient of AIS Senior Scholars’ Global Best Paper Award (2017) and Herbert A. Simon Award (2022) Professional Roles President of the School of Management Doctoral Program Member of editorial boards for leading journals (e.g., European Journal of Information Systems) Leadership in professional associations: VHB Board (2011–2014), AIS Swiss Chapter President (2012–2016)
Christian Bréthaut is an Associate Professor at the Department of Geography and Environment and the Institute for Environmental Sciences of the University of Geneva. He serves as Director of the Environmental Governance and Territorial Development Hub and co-leads the UNESCO Chair on Hydropolitics with Géraldine Pflieger. Research focuses: Transboundary water governance, water-food-energy nexus, commons governance, multi-level governance, critical discourse analysis. Teaching: Innovation for Sustainable Development (Master), Geographies of the Metropolis (Bachelor), MOOCs on water governance. Current projects: DemoTape (transboundary policy protocols), Water4All Science-Policy Incubator grant. His recent publications examine discursive hydropolitics, legal personhood in river governance, and climate change impacts on transboundary river basins. Supervision includes PhD and Master’s students like Laura Turley, Lorenz Henggeler, and Hannah Louise Hilbert-Wolf. Key collaborations involve the Rhône River governance analysis, Geneva Water Hub , and contributions to UNESCO/IWRM frameworks.
Christiane Barz is a Professor of Mathematics at the University of Zurich's Institute for Business Administration since 2016. Previously, she held academic roles at the UCLA Anderson School of Management, the Chicago Booth School of Business, and the Technical University (TU) Berlin. Her research focuses on stochastic dynamic systems, Markov decision processes, and their applications in revenue management. She emphasizes making mathematical tools accessible and practical for real-world problem-solving, particularly in optimizing decision-making under uncertainty. Education includes a degree in industrial engineering and a doctorate from the University of Karlsruhe (TH), Germany. Her career path includes postdoctoral research at the University of Chicago's Booth School of Business and roles as an Assistant Professor at UCLA. She combines academic excellence with balancing family life, advocating for gender equity in STEM fields. Her research explores risk-sensitive decision-making frameworks, dynamic pricing models for transportation and healthcare, and optimizing resource allocation in complex systems. Recent work includes applications in FlixBus, air cargo networks, and improving patient admission scheduling in hospitals. Barz's teaching philosophy prioritizes demystifying mathematics for students, encouraging critical engagement rather than fear of complexity. She collaborates with industry partners to apply operations research methods to real-world challenges, emphasizing both theoretical rigor and practical relevance.
Dr. E. Keith Smith is a Lecturer at ETH Zürich's Department of Humanities, Social and Political Sciences, affiliated with the Center for Comparative and International Studies (CIS). His research focuses on sociopolitical dimensions of climate change, particularly climate change attitudes, behaviors, and social tipping processes. He holds PhD from Colorado State University and master’s degrees from KU Leuven and University of British Columbia. His work explores why individuals engage—or disengage—in climate action, emphasizing factors like political polarization, religious beliefs (especially evangelical Protestantism), and trust in institutions. Smith's research employs quantitative methodologies and addresses challenges in environmental policy implementation, such as equitable air quality monitoring and global supply chain regulations. He contributed to the DominoES project on social tipping dynamics and has published in journals like Global Environmental Change and Nature Scientific Reports . His recent studies analyze public support for climate policies across Europe and the U.S., emphasizing how procedural inclusiveness and transparency can build trust in environmental governance. He also explores mobility policies in Switzerland, including road pricing and public transport expansion, using experimental methods to gauge citizen preferences. Smith’s work bridges environmental science and social science, aiming to identify pathways for transformative societal shifts toward climate action. His current projects focus on social tipping mechanisms and the interplay between climate risk anticipation and policy demand.
Prof. Alexander Geissler holds the position of Full Professor of Health Care Management at the School of Medicine (Med-HSG) within the University of St. Gallen. His research focuses on health systems research, health economics, and health policy, with particular emphasis on digital transformation in healthcare and patient-reported outcomes. He has contributed extensively to studies on healthcare quality improvement, public reporting systems, and the integration of artificial intelligence in medical diagnostics and screening programs. His work spans topics like optimizing hospital digital maturity (e.g., German DigitalRadar project), analyzing surgical outcomes (robotic vs. open prostatectomies), and evaluating patient empowerment through quality information. He has pioneered methodologies for interpreting patient-reported outcomes (e.g., EQ-5D-3L) and designing clinical dashboards to enhance care delivery. Recent research highlights include investigating AI applications in breast cancer screening and cost-effectiveness of remote patient monitoring post-joint replacement surgery. Geissler’s publications demonstrate a strong focus on healthcare policy implications, such as hospital capacity planning, payment systems for specialized care, and cross-country comparisons of healthcare transparency initiatives. His work frequently bridges academic rigor with practical policy recommendations, particularly in Switzerland and Germany. Notably, he has addressed low-value care reduction, price sensitivity in healthcare demand, and the socio-demographic factors influencing healthcare utilization. While no specific awards are listed, his prolific research output reflects sustained leadership in health systems analysis. His academic contributions are disseminated through the Alexandria Research Platform and international peer-reviewed journals.
György Hetényi is an Associate Professor at the Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Lausanne, specializing in large-scale geophysics. His research focuses on mountain-building processes, earthquake dynamics, and tectonic deformation of the Himalayas and Alps. He leads the AlpArray project, deploying the largest academic seismic network in Europe. Since 2015, he has held an SNSF Assistant Professorship, advancing to his current role in 2020. Education: Bachelor's in Geophysics at Eötvös University (Budapest) Master's and PhD at École Normale Supérieure (Paris), studying Himalayan deformation Research Interests: Combining seismic and gravity data to model crustal structures, numerical modeling of orogenic processes, and educational seismology initiatives in Nepal. Active in field campaigns across Bhutan, Nepal, and the Ivrea-Verbano Zone. Publications: Over 48 peer-reviewed articles since 2007, emphasizing crustal imaging, seismic tomography, and Himalayan tectonics. Recent work includes participatory gravity modeling challenges and pan-Alpine gravity database development. Awards: Prize of the Chancellery of the Universities of Paris (2007) for doctoral research on Himalayan deformation. Teaching & Outreach: Developed the 'Geophysics Across Scales for Geologists' module in the UNIL-UNIGE program. Co-leads the Nepal School Seismology Network, integrating low-cost seismic education tools. Grants & Projects: AlpArray, DIVE (scientific drilling in Ivrea Zone), and seismic hazard assessments in Bhutan. Collaborates with international networks like ICDP and European seismic consortia. Labs/Teams: Part of the Institute of Earth Sciences (UNIL) and leads the OROG3NY project on mountain-building dynamics.
Konrad Adler is an Assistant Professor at the School of Finance, University of St. Gallen. He earned his PhD in 2019 from Toulouse School of Economics and held a PostDoc position at the University of Bonn (2020-2023) within the Finance Group. His research focuses on Corporate Finance, Banking, and Macroeconomics with Financial Frictions. His recent publications address passive investing, financial covenants, green finance, globalization, and overlapping ownership. These works span keywords like Finance, Economics, Sustainability, and International Business, with subfields including Loan Spreads, Risk Assessment, Environmental Economics, and Market Competition. Dr. Adler’s office is located at Büro 51-4007, Unterer Graben 21, 9000 St. Gallen. No scientific awards or student advising details are explicitly mentioned in the provided texts.
Johanna Ziegel is a Professor of Statistics at ETH Zurich, Switzerland, since 2024, and a Visiting Scientist at the Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies (HITS). Previously, she held positions at the University of Bern, where she was promoted to Full Professor in 2023. Her research focuses on decision-theoretically sound methods for forecast evaluation, probabilistic forecasting, risk measures in finance, and applications in meteorology, medicine, and climate science. She is actively involved in editorial roles for journals like Bernoulli , JASA: Theory & Methods , and SIAM Journal on Financial Mathematics . Education: PhD in Stereological Analysis of Spatial Structures from ETH Zurich (2010), supervised by Paul Embrechts and Eva B. Vedel Jensen. Postdoctoral research at the University of Melbourne and Heidelberg University. Research Interests: Forecast evaluation, elicitable functionals, risk measures, isotonic regression, statistical calibration, and applications in finance, climate science, and biostatistics. Her work bridges theoretical statistics with practical challenges in uncertainty quantification and decision-making under uncertainty. Advising & Collaborations: Supervised 7 PhD students and mentored several postdocs. Collaborates with the Computational Statistics group at HITS and the Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research. Her group explores distributional regression under order constraints and novel methods for forecast comparison. Recognition: Credit Suisse Award for Best Teaching (2022), H.I.T. Program for Academic Leadership (2021–2022). Active in professional service, including the Bernoulli Society Council and editorial boards.
Prof. Dr. Virginia Ruiz-Villanueva is a Professor and leader of the Geomorphology Unit at the Institute of Geography, University of Bern. Her research focuses on river processes, particularly large wood dynamics, flood hazards, and sediment transport in mountainous regions. She holds a prominent role in international collaborations, addressing climate change impacts and river management challenges. Key areas of expertise include geomorphology, environmental hazards, and interdisciplinary approaches to understanding river systems. Her work integrates field observations, numerical modeling, and remote sensing to study processes such as large wood accumulation in rivers, flood risk assessment, and the influence of human activities on hydrological systems. She has contributed to projects across Europe, South America, and the Western United States, emphasizing practical applications for disaster risk reduction and sustainable river management. Recent research highlights include exploring historical changes in mountain river hydrodynamics, quantifying large wood supply in Swiss catchments, and analyzing cascading hazards in Chilean river systems. Her publications frequently appear in high-impact journals such as Earth Surface Processes and Landforms and Science of the Total Environment .
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. Flavio Anselmetti is a Full Professor of Quaternary Geology and Paleoclimatology at the University of Bern , where he has been employed since 2012. He also serves as the Managing Director of the Institute of Geological Sciences . Prior to this, he held significant roles at ETH Zurich, including SNSF Assistant Professor, and at EAWAG Dübendorf as Head of the Sedimentology Group, while remaining a Titular Professor at ETH Zurich until 2012. His academic training includes a Diploma in Geology (1990) from the University of Basel , followed by a PhD (1994) from ETH Zurich and University of Miami (USA) . He spent three years as a Postdoctoral Fellow and Research Associate at the University of Miami between 1994 and 1997. Paleoseismology : Using lacustrine and marine sediments to reconstruct earthquake and tsunami records Climate Change Studies : Investigating Holocene and Pleistocene climate shifts through sediment cores Sediment Dynamics : Analyzing source-to-sink systems and glacial sediment properties His recent publications focus on sedimentary archives in Science Advances , Quaternary Research , and Environmental Modelling and Software , with an emphasis on deep learning applications in sediment analysis , multi-proxy paleoenvironmental reconstructions , and human impact assessments over millennia. He has contributed to major projects in the Alpine foreland and Caribbean regions . Prof. Anselmetti leads the Quaternary Geology and Paleoclimatology Research Group and collaborates with international teams on ICDP-DOVE drilling campaigns and multibeam bathymetry mapping in Swiss lakes. His work extends to geohazard assessment , carbonate-siliciclastic shelf dynamics , and subaqueous fault analysis in active tectonic zones.
Ke Xu is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Finance, Faculty of Business and Economics, University of Victoria. His research bridges finance, econometrics, and cryptocurrency, focusing on market microstructure, high-frequency trading, and price discovery mechanisms. He has extensively studied Bitcoin ETFs, fractional cointegration models, and machine learning applications in financial markets. Key Research Areas: Market Microstructure High-Frequency Trading Cryptocurrency Dynamics Price Discovery Machine Learning in Finance Financial Econometrics Article Trends: Xu’s work spans empirical analyses of Bitcoin ETFs, volatility modeling (e.g., affine GARCH), and algorithmic trading strategies. His recent papers explore mini flash crashes using machine learning, regulatory impacts on market quality, and sustainable crypto portfolios.
Eva Cantoni is a Full Professor at the Research Center for Statistics within the Geneva School of Economics and Management , University of Geneva. Her expertise spans robust statistical methodology, model selection, and applications in ecology and medicine. Ph.D. from University of Geneva Accredited European Statistician (FENStatS) Research Interests : She specializes in Robust statistics for real-world data Variable/model selection in high-dimensional settings Nonparametric and semi-parametric regression Zero-inflated and overdispersed count models Longitudinal and spatiotemporal data analysis Her work addresses ecological challenges (fish stock assessment), medical applications (hospital congestion modeling), and housing market analysis. Recent Trends in Publications : Recent articles focus on Confidence intervals for robust mixed models Editorial leadership in robust statistics Applications to fisheries science and public health Flexible modeling frameworks for complex data Comparative studies of statistical measures Extremes modeling in healthcare Leadership & Grants : She has served as: Vice-Dean for Teaching (2020-2023) Director of Master's in Statistics (2012-2019) Director of Applied Statistics Certificate (2015-2019) President, Swiss Federal Statistics Committee (2024-2027) Specialty Chief Editor, Frontiers in Applied Mathematics (2024) Grants include projects on Robust solutions for modern data (2023-2025) Sustainable fisheries modeling (2018-2021) Advancements in state-space models (2014-2017) Software Contributions : Developed R packages for robust statistical methods: confintROB (bootstrap confidence intervals) RobSSM (robust state-space models) R2_LMM (explained variation measures)
Yuning Jiang is a Visiting Professor at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), affiliated with the Automatic Control Laboratory (LA3) within the School of Engineering (STI). He teaches the doctoral course Optimal Control for Dynamic Systems and contributes to research in distributed optimization, model predictive control (MPC), and smart grid technologies. His work bridges theoretical advancements in control systems with practical applications in power networks and autonomous systems. Current research emphasizes scalable solutions for AC optimal power flow, real-time MPC for embedded systems, and robust optimization under uncertainty. His research interests span Optimal Control , Power Systems , Smart Grids , and Federated Learning . Notable contributions include distributed algorithms for large-scale power systems and privacy-preserving co-simulation frameworks. Recent publications focus on microservice deployment in satellite-terrestrial networks and real-time pricing mechanisms for vehicle-to-grid (V2G) integration. Yuning holds a position in the EDEE-ENS unit under EPFL’s Academic Affairs division (VPA-AVP-DLE), reflecting his role in academic administration and teaching infrastructure. His lab, the Automatic Control Laboratory, focuses on cutting-edge research in control theory and its interdisciplinary applications.
