Twelve professors appointed

Professor Ueli Angst (*1980), currently Assistant Professor at ETH Zurich, as Associate Professor of Durability of Engineering Materials in the Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering. Ueli Angst investigates the durability of reinforced concrete structures and his research draws on his knowledge of materials science, chemistry, electrochemistry and civil engineering. His goal is to evaluate and predict the performance of technical materials more reliably in order to improve the safety, sustainability and durability of civil infrastructure. Ueli Angst is a leading expert in his field who has successfully attracted research funding and received multiple awards, including an ERC Starting Grant.

Dr Hyunju Kwon (*1991), currently Hermann- Weyl-Instructor at ETH Zurich, as Tenure Track Assistant Professor of Mathematics in the Department of Mathematics. Hyunju Kwon is particularly interested in difficult, unsolved mathematical problems. The main focus of her research is on the mathematical bases of hydromechanics, and especially the analysis of Navier-Stokes equations as well as Euler equations and their variants. She has opened up a potentially new area of research through combining convex integration with the wavelet analysis of partial differential equations. Her results have attracted worldwide attention. Through appointing Hyunju Kwon, the Department of Mathematics is expanding its expertise in mathematical hydromechanics and substantially strengthening the research area of nonlinear partial differential equations.

Professor Prisca Liberali (*1980), currently Adjunct Professor at the University of Basel and Senior Group Leader at the Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, as Full Professor of Multicellular Systems in the Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering. Prisca Liberali’s unusually interdisciplinary training in biophysics, chemistry and biology enables her to investigate complex cell-cell interactions and tissue self-organisation questions in stem cell and developmental biology  using a wide range of molecular and imaging approaches. This gives her a unique advantage in her efforts to answer fundamental questions of stem cell biology. Her work has won several awards, including an ERC Starting Grant and the EMBO Gold Medal. At ETH Zurich in Basel, Prisca Liberali’s expertise will further strengthen interactions with the medical school and industry.

Professor Joaquim Serra (*1986), currently Assistant Professor at ETH Zurich, as Associate Professor of Mathematics in the Department of Mathematics. Joaquim Serra’s research is concerned with partial differential equations (PDEs), and he has a particular interest in phase transitions, free boundary problems, integro-differential equations and reaction-diffusion systems. He has won several awards for his outstanding research findings, including an ERC Starting Grant. In addition, he has many years of successful teaching experience behind him. With the appointment of Joaquim Serra, the Department of Mathematics is expanding its expertise in the field of PDEs while also strengthening its links with financial mathematics, mathematical physics and machine learning.

Professor Sobhan Seyfaddini (*1982), currently Director of Research at the Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS) and at Université d’Orsay in Paris, as Full Professor of Mathematics in the Department of Mathematics. Sobhan Seyfaddini’s research is in the field of symplectic geometry and topology, a relatively young branch of mathematics which supplies a geometric language for the study of classical mechanics. His main focus is on C^0 symplectic topology. Sobhan Seyfaddini has made a significant contribution to the development of this research area and his work has been recognised through a number of awards, including an ERC Starting Grant. In the Department of Mathematics he will strengthen the subject area of geometry, particularly in the field of symplectic topology.

Dr Barbora Trubenová (*1984), currently Postdoctoral Researcher at ETH Zurich, as Assistant Professor of Pathogen Evolution in the Department of Environmental Systems Science. Barbora Trubenová's research involves the mathematical modelling of how drug resistance develops in pathogens. In her work she uses a combination of pharmacodynamics, population genetics and evolutionary theory to create realistic models that can be tested experimentally. By appointing her, the Department of Environmental Systems Science is strengthening the area of infectious diseases and the modelling of drug resistance as well as the cooperation with Eawag, where Barbora Trubenová will additionally work as a group leader.

Dr Cornelia W. Twining (*1989), currently Postdoctoral Researcher at Eawag, as Assistant Professor of Food Web Ecophysiology in the Department of Environmental Systems Science. Cornelia W. Twining’s work examines the question of how organisms adapt to spatio-temporal fluctuations in their nutritional landscape and how global change affects nutrient fluxes in and between ecosystems. Her current focus is the impact of climate change on the phenology and nutritional metabolism of aquatic insects. Cornelia W. Twining brings cooperations with Eawag, where she will additionally work as a group leader, and WSL to ETH Zurich, and her expertise will strengthen the Department of Environmental Systems Science.

Professor Florian Dörfler (*1982), currently Associate Professor at ETH Zurich, as Full Professor of Complex Systems Control in the Department of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering. Florian Dörfler is an internationally acclaimed expert on automatic control, systems theory and optimisation. The main focus of his research is on decision-making in complex systems, with the aim of developing methods in the areas of control, optimisation, game theory and learning. His methods are used in industrial environments, for example, and particularly in power supply systems. Florian Dörfler has published numerous articles in leading journals and has received many awards. He has also made a name for himself as a gripping speaker and dedicated teacher.

Professor Giacomo Indiveri (*1967), currently Associate Professor at the University of Zurich and at ETH Zurich, as Full Professor of Neuromorphic Cognitive Systems in the Department of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering. Giacomo Indiveri is a world expert in neuromorphic computing. He studies biological and artificial neural processing systems and builds neuromorphic cognitive hardware systems. The growing use of artificial neural networks makes neuromorphic engineering a topic of great social significance, with implications for robotics and personalised medicine. Giacomo Indiveri has an outstanding list of publications to his name and has received many awards, including an ERC Consolidator Grant in 2017. He will continue to hold a dual professorship at the University of Zurich and ETH Zurich.

Professor Simone Schürle-Finke (*1985), currently Tenure Track Assistant Professor at ETH Zurich, as Associate Professor of Medical Microsystems in the Department of Health Sciences and Technology. Simone Schürle-Finke’s interdisciplinary research focuses on developing nano and micro systems with potential applications in diagnosing and treating diseases such as cancer. This internationally acclaimed researcher has received a large number of awards and honours. In addition, Simone Schürle-Finke has made an excellent contribution as a teacher and actively organises scientific workshops and symposia on medical robotics and biomechanics.

Professor Bruno Studer (*1977), currently Associate Professor at ETH Zurich, as Full Professor of Molecular Plant Breeding in the Department of Environmental Systems Science. Bruno Studer is a leading researcher in the area of grasses and fodder crops, and plays a pioneering role in research into apple breeding. His aim is to develop and apply genetic and genomic tools to optimise plant breeding strategies. Bruno Studer’s professorship is run in collaboration with Agroscope, the Swiss centre of excellence for agricultural research. He thus acts as an important bridge between basic and applied research, while forging a strategically important connection between ETH Zurich and Agroscope.

Professor Barbara Treutlein (*1982), currently Associate Professor at ETH Zurich, as Full Professor of Quantitative Development Biology in the Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering. Barbara Treutlein is a leading scientist in the field of quantitative development biology, and her research is dedicated to understanding human ontogeny. Among other things, she investigates the formation of human organoids in order to understand the failure of processes in the event of illness and to influence the development of organoids in vitro so that they correspond more closely to real tissues. Barbara Treutlein is a member of several prestigious bodies and numerous appointment committees. She has received a large number of awards for her research, including an ERC Starting Grant and an ERC Synergy Grant.

Dr Jake Alexander (*1980), currently Lecturer and Senior Scientist at ETH Zurich, as Adjunct Professor in the Department of Environmental Systems Science at ETH Zurich. Jake Alexander is an internationally recognised plant ecologist with a focus on alpine plants. He studies how ecological and evolutionary processes such as climate change affect the distribution and spread of species and lead to changed interactions. Jake Alexander's research has been awarded an ERC Starting Grant, among others.

Dr Eva Lieberherr (*1980), currently Lecturer and Group Leader at ETH Zurich, as Adjunct Professor in the Department of Environmental Systems Science at ETH Zurich. Eva Lieberherr’s research is concerned with natural resources and the impact of policies and administrative processes on the use and protection of natural spaces. In the area of environmental governance, she examines how the behaviour of the population can be steered towards meeting agreed environmental objectives. Eva Lieberherr shows great commitment to ETH Zurich.

Dr Maarten Nachtegaal (*1974), currently Private Lecturer at ETH Zurich and Group Leader at the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), as Adjunct Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences at ETH Zurich. Maarten Nachtegaal is an expert on beamline operando X-ray measurements. His work combines inorganic chemistry and chemical physics, with a focus on further developing synchrotron techniques in order to investigate the structure of catalysts and improve catalytic processes. Maarten Nachtegaal is highly regarded in his field and is a dedicated and successful supervisor and mentor.

Dr Meret Branscheidt (*1984), Deputy Medical Director and Medical Research Director at the cereneo clinic in Hertenstein as well as Researcher and Lecturer at Zurich University Hospital, as Professor of Practice in the Department of Health Sciences and Technology at ETH Zurich. Meret Branscheidt is a neurologist who specialises in neurorehabilitation. The aim of her research is to gain a deeper mechanistic understanding of the brain so that therapeutic methods can be improved. Meret Branscheidt has gained international recognition in the field of strokes, in particular. Her commitment to high-quality research, her extensive experience in her own research area and her successful cooperation with other researchers and industry will make a significant contribution to the Department and to ETH Zurich.

Dr Sylke Poehling (*1967), Global Head and Senior Vice President for Therapeutic Modalities at Roche Pharma Research & Early Development (Roche pRED) and Member of the Supervisory Boards of Roche Diagnostics GmbH and Roche Deutschland Holding GmbH, as Professor of Practice in the Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering at ETH Zurich. Sylke Poehling has more than 25 years of experience in the biotechnology and pharmaceuticals sector and has contributed to groundbreaking innovations and numerous achievements in pharmaceutical research. She will strengthen the cooperation between higher education and industry, while also driving forward the close exchange in science and teaching between ETH Zurich and Roche pRED as part of the joint postdoctoral programme.

Walter Thurnherr (*1963), former Federal Chancellor, as Professor of Practice at ETH Zurich. During his term of office as Federal Chancellor from 2016 to 2023, Walter Thurnherr showed strong commitment to fostering dialogue between science and politics, and he was a particular advocate of involving the scientific community in political decision-making. As Professor of Practice at ETH Zurich, Walter Thurnherr will offer applied courses on policy-making in Switzerland and also help to set up the planned School of Public Policy, with particular responsibility for impact. His many years in leadership roles have given him unique experience of policy design and diplomacy, as well as proven skills in strategic planning, interdisciplinary cooperation and problem-solving.