Andrea Carminati is a Full Professor at the Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zurich. His research focuses on soil-plant hydraulics , rhizosphere dynamics , and drought adaptation mechanisms in crops and forest species. He investigates how root traits , soil texture , and biogenic substances like mucilage influence water uptake , gas exchange , and soil microbial activity . Key Research Areas: Soil-Plant Water Relations Rhizosphere Hydrology Drought Resistance in Maize and Trees Microplastics in Agricultural Soils Hydraulic Redistribution and Isohydricity Contact: Email: andrea.carminati@usys.ethz.ch Phone: +41 44 633 61 60 Recent studies highlight his work on soil texture-specific transpiration responses , rhizosheath properties under drought , and microplastic impacts on soil hydrology . He employs advanced techniques like X-ray computed tomography and neutron radiography to visualize root-soil interactions.
PD Dr. Günter Hoch is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Environmental Sciences – Botany at the University of Basel , Switzerland. His research centers on the ecophysiology of trees , with a particular emphasis on carbon storage dynamics , drought stress responses , and the resilience of forest ecosystems to climate change. Research Focus: Carbon allocation and storage in trees under carbon limitation Physiological controls of non-structural carbohydrate reserves (e.g., starch, lipids) Drought-induced tree mortality and recovery mechanisms Whole-tree carbon balance and growth under environmental stress Scaling from individual tree responses to ecosystem-level processes Approach: His team integrates field observations , experimental manipulations , and biophysical modeling to understand how trees regulate carbon reserves and water relations under stress. A key goal is to identify biomarkers (e.g., starch concentrations in sapwood) that reflect the carbon status and health of trees. Recent Work: His publications span high-impact journals like Nature Reviews Earth & Environment , New Phytologist , and Global Change Biology , addressing topics such as hydraulic failure, carbon starvation, and the impacts of extreme droughts (e.g., 2018 Central European drought) on forest ecosystems. Collaborations: He contributes to large-scale networks like TreeNet , a Swiss initiative monitoring drought and growth indicators in forests, and collaborates internationally on projects linking plant ecophysiology to biogeochemical cycles. Contact: guenter.hoch@unibas.ch | Tel: +41 (0)61 207 35 14
Rima Mekdaschi Studer is a Senior Research Scientist specializing in sustainable land systems at the Centre for Development and Environment (CDE) , University of Bern. With field experience across Niger, Syria, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Mongolia, her work focuses on dryland restoration, climate adaptation, and knowledge management for land degradation neutrality. Key affiliations: World Overview of Conservation Approaches and Technologies (WOCAT), World Association of Soil and Water Conservation (WASWC) Geographic expertise: Dryland regions in Africa, Middle East, and Asia Research Interests center on: Sustainable land management in arid regions Climate change adaptation/mitigation strategies Agroforestry implementation Plant water relations and nutrition analysis Capacity building for land restoration Networking for global SLM implementation Publication Trends show a consistent focus on dryland conservation, with recent works addressing gender integration (2024), climate adaptation frameworks (2023), and participatory planning (2022). Collaborative outputs emphasize technical guidelines (2019), cross-regional comparisons (2020), and knowledge dissemination (2016). Professional Contributions include leading the WOCAT program and developing decision support tools for land managers. She has authored/coauthored 31 publications, with 10 recent works spanning 2016-2024. Languages & Networks: Fluent in English, German, French, and Arabic. Active in global soil/water conservation networks.
Patrick Duddek is a Researcher affiliated with the Department of Environmental Systems Science at ETH Zurich. His work focuses on the Physics of Soils and Terrestrial Ecosystems , with a particular emphasis on root-soil interactions and environmental hydrology. His research integrates plant physiology, soil physics, and microbiology to understand processes such as water uptake, drought tolerance, and rhizosphere dynamics. Key research interests include hydraulic properties of root-soil systems, root hair functionality, and microbial activity under water stress. He employs advanced imaging techniques like synchrotron-based X-ray microtomography to study root architecture and soil structure interactions. His recent work addresses agricultural challenges such as maize growth optimization under varying soil textures and drought conditions. Publications highlight contributions to understanding root hair effects on water uptake, rhizosphere microbial behavior under stress, and the role of root exudates in plant adaptation. While no formal awards are noted, his interdisciplinary approach bridges environmental science and engineering applications. His current projects involve field-scale studies of plant-water relationships and genotype-specific exudation strategies in crops. Collaborations likely extend to agricultural and ecological communities focused on sustainable land management.
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in LausanneSwitzerland
Christoph Bachofen is a Scientist at the Plant Ecology Research Laboratory (PERL) within the Institute of Environmental Engineering (IIE) at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)'s School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering (ENAC). He also serves as a Lecturer in the SSIE - Teaching program. His work bridges empirical plant ecophysiology with modeling to understand urban tree function. He earned a Doctor of Sciences from the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL) focusing on pine regeneration under future climates, and holds a Diploma of Advanced Studies in Applied Statistics and an MSc in Biology from ETH Zurich. His research centers on urban plant ecophysiology , particularly how urban trees interact with and modulate the urban microclimate. He investigates tree-level responses to extreme heat, water use (transpiration), and cooling mechanisms. His approach combines physiological measurements (gas exchange, heat tolerance) with process-based modeling to scale up from individual trees to urban canyons, comparing species across climatic gradients to assess acclimation potential and ecosystem services. His recent publications in journals like New Phytologist , Journal of Applied Ecology , and Agricultural and Forest Meteorology reveal a strong focus on tree water relations, species differences in carbon and water cycling, the impacts of climate change (warming, drought), and the role of forest structure. A key trend is understanding the physiological basis for urban trees’ ability to mitigate urban heat. He actively supervises PhD students, including Deluigi Janisse, Heintzelman Cross Jacob, and Juillard Thibaut Michel Georges, indicating an active research group. While specific grants are not listed, his research is clearly funded through institutional and likely project-based support at EPFL. Bachofen is affiliated with the Plant Ecology Research Laboratory (PERL), where his experimental and modeling work on urban trees takes place. He teaches courses such as 'The city-tree' within the Environmental Sciences and Engineering program, contributing to academic training in urban environmental systems.
Sara Di Bert is a Lecturer at ETH Zurich's Department of Environmental Systems Science, specializing in soil-plant-water interactions and terrestrial ecosystem dynamics. Her research focuses on hydraulic properties of rock-soil-root systems, bedrock water contributions to plant survival under drought conditions, and the role of root mucilage in soil structure. She investigates mechanisms like root shrinkage and embolism repair to understand plant resilience in challenging environments. Her work combines field studies with experimental approaches, addressing questions about water availability in terrestrial systems and plant adaptation strategies. Current research emphasizes integrating geological and biological factors to improve ecological and hydrological models. Contact: sara.dibert@usys.ethz.ch.
Dr. Surya Gupta is a PostDoc researcher at the University of Basel's Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, working within the FG Alewell research group. He joined the university in April 2022 after completing his Ph.D. at ETH Zurich. His research focuses on the intersection of soil science, hydrology, and remote sensing applications, with particular emphasis on digital soil mapping and the relationship between soil properties and erosion processes. Education: Ph.D. in Environmental Sciences (2018-2021), ETH Zurich M.Tech in Remote Sensing and GIS (2013-2015), Indian Institute of Remote Sensing, Dehradun B.Tech in Agricultural Engineering (2009-2013), Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana Dr. Gupta's research primarily centers on soil hydraulic properties and their applications in environmental modeling. His work involves developing advanced methods for global and national digital mapping of soil properties, particularly saturated hydraulic conductivity and van Genuchten parameters. He investigates the complex relationship between soil erosion and soil hydraulic properties, examining how incorporating hydraulic properties changes soil erosion modeling outcomes. A significant portion of his research focuses on machine learning applications in soil science, where he works on reducing clustering and overfitting in algorithms while developing Pedo-Transfer Functions (PTFs) and Covariate-based GeoTransfer Functions (CoGTFs). His methodological approach combines extensive field data with remote sensing datasets and sophisticated computational techniques to address critical environmental questions related to soil health and water management. Analysis of Dr. Gupta's recent publications reveals a strong focus on global-scale soil property mapping using machine learning approaches. His research demonstrates increasing sophistication in integrating legacy soil data with modern environmental covariates to produce high-resolution global datasets. A notable trend is his work bridging soil physics with practical applications in erosion modeling and agricultural management, particularly in how soil hydraulic properties influence crop responses to climate variability. His publications span top-tier journals in soil science, hydrology, and environmental modeling, indicating strong recognition within these interdisciplinary fields. Dr. Gupta has demonstrated exceptional productivity with numerous first-author publications in high-impact journals. His collaborative network is extensive, working with researchers across multiple institutions in Switzerland, Europe, and India. While no specific major grants are mentioned in the provided text, his publication record suggests involvement in significant research projects addressing global soil and water challenges. As part of the Department of Environmental Sciences at the University of Basel, Dr. Gupta contributes to the institution's strong research profile in environmental systems science. His work aligns with the department's focus on understanding complex Earth system processes and human-environment interactions, particularly through the integration of field observations, remote sensing, and computational modeling approaches.
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in LausanneSwitzerland
Charlotte Grossiord serves as a Tenure Track Assistant Professor at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) within the School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering (ENAC). She leads research at the Plant Ecology Research Laboratory (PERL) and holds additional appointments in the School of Sustainable Infrastructure Engineering (SSIE) and the Doctoral Program in Environmental Sciences and Engineering (EDCE). Her office is located at GR B2 407 in Lausanne. Her research focuses on forest ecology under climate change, specifically examining drought physiology, urban forestry, and plant hydraulics. Grossiord investigates critical questions regarding tree responses to vapor pressure deficit, soil moisture limitations, and compound climate stressors. Her work integrates field measurements with experimental approaches to understand carbon-water relations across multiple scales. Analysis of her 15 most recent publications reveals dominant themes in drought-induced mortality mechanisms (28% of articles), urban tree thermoregulation (15%), and methodological innovations in plant physiology (12%). Key recurring subfields include stomatal conductance regulation, hydraulic safety margins, and vapor pressure deficit interactions with soil drought. As an educator, she teaches core courses including Sustainability, Fundamentals in Ecology, and Applied Ecology, emphasizing systems thinking and interdisciplinary approaches to environmental challenges. Her doctoral program leadership supports PhD candidates in environmental sciences. Her research team includes seven doctoral students working on forest climate resilience. Current projects examine urban heat mitigation, drought mortality thresholds, and species interactions in mixed forests. She maintains active collaborations through the FunDivEUROPE network and contributes to institutional committees including the Scientific Committee of the Habitat Research Center.
