Prof. Dr. Thomas Hofmann is a Full Professor and Head of the Department of Computer Science at ETH Zurich since 2014. He also leads the Institute for Machine Learning. His research focuses on machine learning, deep learning, natural language understanding, and text understanding. Hofmann holds a Ph.D. from the University of Bonn (1997) and has held academic positions at Brown University (1999–2004) and TU Darmstadt. He transitioned to industry as Director of Engineering at Google (2006–2014), leading the Zurich R&D center, before returning to academia. He co-founded Recommind (2000) and 1plusX (Swiss marketing tech company), currently serving as Chief Scientist and board member at 1plusX. Education: Ph.D. in Computer Science, University of Bonn (1997) Postdoctoral Work: MIT (CBCL/AI Lab), UC Berkeley (EECS/ICSI) His research explores advanced machine learning techniques, including diffusion models, generative adversarial networks, and optimization dynamics. Hofmann’s entrepreneurial ventures reflect his focus on applying AI to real-world challenges, such as e-discovery and marketing technology. His work spans theoretical contributions (e.g., neural network training dynamics, continual learning) and applied innovations (e.g., image editing, portrait generation). Hofmann actively bridges academia and industry, influencing both research and commercial AI applications.
April Yi Wang is a tenure-track Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science at ETH Zürich, where she directs the Programming, Education, and Computer-Human Interaction Lab (PEACH Lab). She is a core faculty member at the Institute for Intelligent Interactive Systems and associated with the ETH AI Center. Wang is also an active member of ETH HCI and Swiss CHI communities, contributing significantly to human-computer interaction and educational technology research. Dr. Wang's educational background includes: Ph.D. in Information Science from University of Michigan (2023), advised by Steve Oney and Christopher Brooks M.Sc. in Computer Science from Simon Fraser University (2018), advised by Parmit Chilana B.Eng in Computer Science from Zhejiang University (2016) Dr. Wang's research focuses on human-centered approaches to programming and data science. Her work reimagines programming as a form of literature that communicates with both machines and people, exploring creative representations like text, shapes, animations, and everyday objects. She investigates how to make programming more natural and intuitive through literate programming environments, with applications in professional and educational contexts. Her research spans human-computer interaction, educational technology, and AI-assisted programming tools. Analysis of Dr. Wang's recent publications reveals a strong focus on AI-enhanced educational tools, particularly for programming and data literacy. Her work increasingly integrates large language models to scaffold learning while maintaining user agency. There's a clear trajectory toward developing situated learning approaches that connect abstract concepts to real-world contexts through augmented reality and tangible interfaces. Her research bridges HCI, education, and AI to create more accessible and engaging technical learning experiences. Dr. Wang has received numerous prestigious awards including: 2023 Gary M. Olson Award and Honourable Mention Award at ACM CHI 2022 Rising Stars in EECS and Heidelberg Laureate Forum Young Researcher 2020 Best Short Paper Award at IEEE VL/HCC and Honourable Mention at ACM CHI 2019 Best Paper Award at ACM CSCW Dr. Wang actively mentors students through thesis projects at ETH Zürich, supervising numerous bachelor's and master's students on topics ranging from AI-assisted programming to data literacy tools. Her lab, PEACH Lab, has secured funding including the recent innovedum funding for the Coducate project. She serves on program committees for major conferences including CHI and UIST, and regularly reviews for top HCI and education journals. The PEACH Lab, directed by Dr. Wang, focuses on creating expressive, intelligent, and human-centered systems that make technical topics more accessible. The lab explores textual, visual, and embodied representations for programming, with emphasis on enhancing communication, collaboration, and learning. Current research directions include balancing automation with user agency, supporting diverse learning needs, and developing tools for interdisciplinary technical communication.
Prof. Dr. Frank Ulbrich is a Lecturer and Programme Director for the BSc Business Administration at the Lucerne School of Business (HSLU). He holds a PhD in Business Administration from the Stockholm School of Economics. His academic career spans roles at universities in Sweden, the UK, Canada, and Switzerland, alongside IT & Management consulting experience. Research focuses on management education, project management, information management, and organizational change. He has published extensively in areas like shared services, digital transformation, and curriculum development. Notable awards include multiple Emerald Literati Awards and a Fellowship from the Higher Education Academy. Education: PhD in Business Administration (Stockholm School of Economics) Affiliations: Institute of Business and Regional Economics at HSLU Teaching Subjects: Academic Methods, Higher Education Management, Project Management, Digital Transformation Recent presentations include discussions on bridging academia-industry gaps, curriculum integration of SDGs, and data-driven learning strategies. His work emphasizes aligning education with labor market needs and advancing evidence-based teaching practices.
Giovanni De Micheli is a Full Professor at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), holding appointments in both the School of Computer and Communication Sciences (IC) and the School of Engineering (STI). He is affiliated with the Integrated Systems Laboratory (LSI) and serves as Scientific Director of EcoCloud. His primary office is located in INF 341 building at EPFL's Lausanne campus where he conducts research and teaching activities. Professor De Micheli's research spans multiple domains in electronic design automation and integrated circuit design. His primary interests include: Integrated Circuit Design and Hardware Synthesis Logic Optimization and Boolean Methods Nanoelectronics and 2D Electronics Quantum Computing and Emerging Technologies Low-Power Electronics and Energy-Efficient Systems Electronic Design Automation for Novel Computing Paradigms His recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on advancing logic synthesis techniques for both conventional and emerging technologies. Professor De Micheli's work bridges theoretical foundations with practical applications, particularly in adapting traditional EDA methods to novel computing paradigms like quantum computing and superconducting electronics. His research group has made significant contributions to the development of efficient algorithms for circuit optimization across multiple technology domains, with particular emphasis on area, power, and delay optimization while maintaining functional correctness. Professor De Micheli has supervised numerous doctoral students throughout his career at EPFL, mentoring over 40 PhD candidates whose research spans various aspects of electronic design automation, circuit design, and emerging technologies. His students have gone on to make significant contributions in both academia and industry. As Scientific Director of EcoCloud, Professor De Micheli leads research initiatives focused on energy-efficient computing systems and sustainable cloud infrastructure. His laboratory, the Integrated Systems Laboratory, serves as a hub for interdisciplinary research connecting computer science, electrical engineering, and materials science, with particular focus on next-generation computing technologies.
Prof. Roger Wattenhofer is a Full Professor at the Department of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering, ETH Zurich, Switzerland, and Deputy head of the Computer Engineering and Networks Lab. He holds a doctorate in Computer Science from ETH Zurich (1998) and has held positions at Brown University and Microsoft Research before returning to ETH. His research focuses on distributed computing, wireless networks, and algorithmic systems design, with contributions to Byzantine agreement protocols, blockchain technologies, and neural network architectures. He teaches courses such as Distributed Systems and Computational Thinking. Education: Ph.D. in Computer Science (ETH Zurich, 1998). Research interests include distributed systems, network algorithms, and the intersection of machine learning with distributed computing. His work spans both theoretical foundations and practical implementations, addressing challenges in fault tolerance, consensus mechanisms, and algorithmic efficiency. Recent publications explore topics like adversarial robustness in voting systems, privacy in reinforcement learning, and generative music models. He actively contributes to open-source frameworks and benchmarks for neural algorithmic reasoning.
Josie Hughes is a Tenure Track Assistant Professor at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL) within the School of Engineering's Institute of Mechanical Engineering. She leads the Computer Robot Design and Fabrication Laboratory (CREATE Lab) and serves on the doctoral program committee for Robotics, Control and Intelligent Systems. Her roles include teaching courses in product development, engineering design, and data-driven manufacturing methods while maintaining active research and student supervision. Her research centers on soft robotics with emphasis on adaptive design, fabrication techniques, and real-world applications. Key areas include agricultural robotics (exemplified by the GraspBerry raspberry harvester), biomimetic materials like self-healing e-skins, and developmental robotics (BabyBot project). She pioneers approaches integrating morphological computation, variable stiffness mechanisms, and machine learning for robotic control, while championing open-source principles and diversity in robotics through accessible educational initiatives like balloon robot kits. Analysis of her recent publications reveals dominant trends in soft robotics adaptability, particularly in variable-stiffness structures, sensor integration, and task-specific optimization. Her work bridges fundamental material science with practical applications in agriculture, food science, and human-robot interaction, frequently employing computational methods like Bayesian optimization and neural networks for design and control. Scientific awards: No specific awards were mentioned in the source materials. Dr. Hughes actively supervises 16 doctoral students across diverse projects including soft grippers for agriculture, biomimetic locomotion, and robotic manipulation systems. Her advising portfolio shows strong alignment with her research themes, with current students working on topics like modular soft arms, agricultural automation, and developmental robotics. While grant details weren't specified, her high publication volume indicates robust research funding. The CREATE Lab under her leadership focuses on holistic co-design of hardware and software for soft robotic systems, with notable projects including the GraspBerry agricultural harvester and BabyBot developmental platform. The lab emphasizes open-source development and educational outreach, maintaining strong industry and academic collaborations while pushing boundaries in reconfigurable robotics and human-centered applications.
Prof. Dr. Stefanie Hellweg serves as a Full Professor for Ecological Systems Design at the ETH Zürich , Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering. She is Deputy Head of the Institute of Environmental Engineering and leads groundbreaking research at the intersection of industrial ecology, life cycle assessment, and circular economy systems. PhD in Environmental Engineering (ETH Zürich, 2000) Industrial Engineering Degree (Karlsruhe University, 1996) Her research develops advanced methodologies for environmental impact assessment of products and technologies, focusing on: Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) with correlated uncertainty modeling Circular economy implementation in chemical and energy sectors Industrial symbiosis optimization for heat and nutrient flows Urban wastewater systems redesign for resource recovery Chemical pollution analysis in plastic materials Key publication trends reveal expertise in: Hybrid wastewater treatment systems Energy-efficient greenhouse cultivation Exergy analysis for sustainability metrics Machine learning applications in environmental modeling Policy-relevant industrial ecology studies She actively participates in global sustainability initiatives as: President of the International Society of Industrial Ecology (ISIE) Member of UN Environment's International Resource Panel Editorial board member for leading environmental journals
Professor Nick Chater is a leading figure in the field of Behavioural Science, affiliated with the University of Warwick at Warwick Business School since 2010. He has held previous chairs in psychology at Warwick and UCL. His research spans cognitive and social foundations of rationality, with applications to business and public policy, and he has authored over 200 papers and six books. He is a fellow of the British Academy, Cognitive Science Society, and Association for Psychological Science. His research interests include cognitive science, behavioral economics, decision making, and computational psychology, with a focus on reasoning, language, and mathematical modeling of mental processes. He has been recognized with prestigious awards such as the Spearman Medal, Experimental Psychology Society Prize, and the David E Rumelhart Prize for lifetime achievement in cognitive science. His work extends to practical applications through co-founding Decision Technology and advising the UK government's Climate Change Committee and the Behavioural Insight Team. Recent publications highlight his interdisciplinary approach, bridging economics, cognitive science, computational modeling, and behavioral public policy. Topics include thermal macroeconomic theory, Bayesian sampling, paradoxes in cognition, and language emergence via social interaction. These works emphasize probability judgments, moral cognition, and computational limitations in human inference. British Psychological Society's Spearman Medal (1996) Experimental Psychology Society Prize (1997) David E Rumelhart Prize (2023) PROSE Award (2019) Chater's academic contributions include collaborations with researchers like Adam N. Sanborn, Hossam Zeitoun, and Morten H. Christiansen, focusing on Bayesian inference, behavioral public policy, and cognitive modeling. He has also been a resident scientist on BBC Radio 4's The Human Zoo.
Barton Lee is an Assistant Professor (tenure track) and Chair of Political Economy & eDemocracy at the Department of Management, Technology, and Economics (D-MTEC) of ETH Zurich . He holds an Affiliate Fellowship with the Stigler Center at Chicago Booth and was a Junior Research Fellow at Magdalen College, University of Oxford (2021–2022). Dr. Lee earned his PhD in Economics from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in 2021, following a visiting year at Harvard University (2018–2019). Current Role : Asst. Prof (TT) + Chair, ETH Zurich Affiliations : Stigler Center (Chicago Booth), UNSW Resilient Democracy Lab Research Focus : Political Economics, Applied Theory Dr. Lee investigates democratic fragility through lenses of legislative gridlock , technocratic governance , and populist voter behavior . His work connects economic policy with political institution design , often employing formal modeling and empirical analysis . Notable projects include studies on the feedback loops between polarization and policy failure and adaptive strategies in autocratic regimes . He actively contributes to academic networks via personal website and Google Scholar , and engages in collaborative workshops such as the 2025 IAST/TSE Workshop on Political Economy of Autocratic Rule . Dr. Lee also advocates for academic positions like the Professor of Health Economics role at ETH Zurich. Scientific Awards: Affiliate Fellow, Stigler Center (2021–present) Junior Research Fellow, Magdalen College, Oxford (2021–2022) Dr. Lee's recent work explores intersections between technology , democracy , and economic theory , with active participation in conferences and mentoring networks across Europe and Australia.
Kjell Jorner is an Assistant Professor of Digital Chemistry in the Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering at ETH Zurich's Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences. His research group focuses on integrating computational methods and machine learning to address challenges in chemical synthesis, materials design, and reaction prediction. Education: PhD from Uppsala University (Photochemistry of aromatic compounds) Postdoctoral studies at AstraZeneca UK (Reaction prediction using computational chemistry and ML) Postdoctoral studies at University of Toronto (Molecular design of catalysts and organic electronic materials) Research Interests: Professor Jorner's work bridges computational chemistry, machine learning, and experimental design. Key areas include: Development of quantum mechanics-machine learning hybrid approaches for reaction feasibility prediction Inverse molecular design of functional materials (e.g., singlet-fission systems) Computational catalyst optimization and high-throughput screening methods Digital tools for chemical education and cheminformatics Publication Trends (2023-2025): Recent articles demonstrate a strong focus on machine learning applications in chemistry, including reaction prediction algorithms, catalyst design frameworks, and automated molecular generation. A recurring theme is the development of computational tools to accelerate materials discovery and optimize chemical processes. Laboratory & Team: Leads the Digital Chemistry research group at ETH Zurich (HCI E 137) exploring computational approaches to chemical challenges.
Prof. Dr. Sven Panke is a Full Professor and Head of the Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering at ETH Zürich. His research focuses on bioprocess engineering, synthetic biology, and enzymatic process development. Key areas include miniaturized bioreactor systems, microbial engineering for novel metabolite production, and high-throughput screening methodologies. Education: Studied Biotechnology at TU Braunschweig, with postgraduate research at the German National Research Center for Biotechnology and ETH Zurich. Transitioned from industry (DSM) to academia in 2001 as an Assistant Professor, progressing to Associate Professor (2007-2009) before leading the BSS department. Research interests emphasize directed evolution of enzymes, metabolic pathway engineering, and systems biology approaches to optimize microbial production systems. Current projects include bio-indigo synthesis, antimicrobial peptide discovery, and synthetic biology tools for cellular engineering. Labs/Teams: Leads the Bioprocess Engineering Lab at ETH Zurich, collaborating on projects like the E. coli import system design and γ-glutamyltransferase engineering. Active in developing microfluidics platforms for parallel reaction analysis. Grants/Advising: Funded by initiatives in sustainable biomanufacturing and synthetic biology. Supervises graduate students in bioprocess design and microbial systems engineering.
Prof. Emmanuel Kabengele Mpinga is a Professor at the Institute of Global Health (ISG) within the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Geneva. He leads the Division of Health and Human Rights, focusing on four core research areas: identifying rights violations impacting public health, clarifying the epistemology of health-human rights links, developing global surveillance indicators for health rights implementation, and designing intervention strategies. His work is part of an international network led by Harvard University and collaborates with institutions like Geneva University Hospitals (HUG). Education & Roles: Holds a Doctorate in Health Systems Policies, Masters in Public Health, and certifications in Health Administration and Human Rights. He has held an Swiss School of Public Health+ assistant professorship (2008-2012) and advises UN agencies, governments, and NGOs on human rights and public health. His research spans over two decades, addressing topics like Noma disease, economic costs of torture, and female genital mutilation. Research Interests: Interdisciplinary projects include the SNIS-funded Noma research initiative (2019-2021) to globalize Noma as a neglected disease, costing models for health rights violations, and human rights frameworks in AI-driven healthcare. His work emphasizes socio-economic impacts of health inequities and policy advocacy. Grants & Collaborations: Active in projects funded by Swiss Network for International Studies (SNIS), Northumbria University, and Danish Institute against Torture (Dignity). Collaborates with WHO, UN agencies, and global health networks. Leads training programs in health and human rights across Francophone Africa through e-learning platforms. Labs/Teams: Heads the Health and Human Rights Division at ISG, coordinating international research networks. Supervises PhD students (e.g., Krystel Ouaijan on malnutrition, Joshua Galjour on HIV/AIDS and political instability).
Rachid Guerraoui is a Full Professor at the École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) where he leads the Distributed Computing Laboratory (DCL) within the School of Computer and Communication Sciences. He holds appointments in multiple departments including IC-SSC and IC-SIN for teaching, and serves on the IC Academic Evaluation Committee. A Moroccan/Swiss/French researcher, Guerraoui has previously been affiliated with Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique in Saclay, Hewlett-Packard Labs in Palo Alto, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Boston, and Collège de France in Paris. Guerraoui's research focuses on distributed and concurrent computing across various scales, from multiprocessors to wide-area networks. His work spans Byzantine fault tolerance, distributed machine learning, blockchain technologies, transactional memory, and consensus algorithms. His recent publications reveal a strong emphasis on Byzantine-resistant machine learning, decentralized learning systems, and the theoretical foundations of distributed consensus. The research demonstrates significant contributions to making distributed systems more robust, efficient, and secure against adversarial conditions. Guerraoui has received numerous prestigious awards including ACM Fellow (2012), Professor at College de France (2018), Nygaard-Dahl Award (2024), and Barroso Award (2025). His work has earned multiple best paper awards at top conferences including DISC, ICDCS, IPDPS, and ACM Middleware. He serves as Associate Editor of the Journal of the ACM (2010-2025) and has chaired program committees for major conferences such as PODC, DISC, and Middleware. As an educator, Guerraoui supervises numerous doctoral students and has mentored many successful researchers who now work at leading institutions and companies including Meta, Oracle Labs, Chainlink Labs, and Protocol Labs. He teaches courses on Distributed Algorithms and Concurrent Algorithms at EPFL, emphasizing both theoretical foundations and practical implementations. His educational initiatives include Wandida, a library of scientific e-synopses, and Zettabytes, projects aimed at making computer science accessible to broader audiences.
Dr. Hongwei Wang is a Senior Researcher at Tencent AI Lab Seattle , specializing in applied machine learning for Natural Language Processing and Interconnected Systems . His work bridges Knowledge Graphs , Recommender Systems , and Graph Neural Networks , with a focus on large language models and retrieval-augmented generation. Ph.D. (2018), B.E. (2014) in Computer Science from Shanghai Jiao Tong University Postdoctoral Researcher : Stanford University (2019-2021), University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (2021-2022) Dr. Wang’s research explores integrating Knowledge Graphs with Graph Neural Networks to enhance recommendation systems, language models, and information retrieval. His work spans Retrieval-Augmented Generation , Representation Learning , and GAN-based Graph Modeling , with recent papers on State-Space Exploration for LLM agents and Semantic Watermarking . His 15 most recent publications (2022-2024) focus on Retrieval Granularity , Interactive Memory , and Agent Systems , with keywords spanning Computer Science , Machine Learning , and Knowledge Graphs . Trends highlight advancements in Token-Level Semantic Matching , Schema-Guided Event Prediction , and Multi-Document Summarization . Scientific Awards: 2020 CCF Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation Award 2018 Google Ph.D. Fellowship Dr. Wang contributes to open-source projects like DKN and RippleNet , with 11 repositories on GitHub. He actively engages in Knowledge Graph Conferences (KDD, WWW, AAAI) and studies Chinese Classical Poetry and Film Arts .
Heiko Schuldt is a Full Professor of Computer Science at the University of Basel and leads the Databases and Information Systems (DBIS) group. His research spans databases, transaction management, cloud data systems, digital libraries, and multimedia retrieval, with a focus on distributed systems, data streams, and service-oriented architectures. He studied at the University of Karlsruhe (KIT) and received his PhD from ETH Zurich in 2001. From 2003-2006, he served as an associate professor at UMIT, Austria. Education: University of Karlsruhe (Computer Science), ETH Zurich (PhD, 2001) Research Interests: His work integrates databases, cloud computing, and multimedia retrieval, emphasizing scalable systems for lifelog data, sports analysis, and VR/AR environments. Projects include vitrivr, Polypheny-DB, and StreamTeam. Recent Publications: Trends focus on VR/AR multimedia retrieval, cross-modal analysis, and polystore systems. Key contributions include open-source frameworks for video/image retrieval and immersive analytics. Advising: Supervised over 50 theses in areas like mixed reality, polystore optimization, and gesture-based interfaces.
