Prof. em. Dr. Carl August Zehnder

Carl August Zehnder was Full Professor of Computer Science; he was focusing on development and application of large information systems, information management, project management in information technology (IT), IT education and IT law. He retired in March 2003.

Prof. Zehnder is born in Baden, Switzerland, on 5 October 1937, went to school in Baden and Aarau and entered ETH Zurich 1957 to study mathematics. Already in 1958, he followed a programming course for the ETH-built early computer ERMETH. In 1962 he graduated in mathematics (dipl.Math.), and in 1965 he earned his doctoral degree (Dr. sc. math.), both from ETH Zurich. His doctoral thesis concerned computer based calculations of timetables and transportation schedules under the advise of professors E.Stiefel and H.Künzi. Thereafter he did industry consulting, and 1966-1967 he worked as a postdoc at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

In 1967 he returned to ETH Zurich, initially as deputy head of the newly-founded Institute of Operations Research (Professor Weinberg), then in the rapidly expanding field of information technology as head of the coordination group for data processing (1969-1973), Assistant Professor (1970), Associate Professor (1973), and Full Professor (1979) of computer science, where he introduced databases as a new research and teaching field.

In parallel with his teaching and research activities, Prof. Zehnder was engaged in additional responsibilities for ETH Zurich including Rector's delegate for study organization (1973-1977), founding head of the new Division of Computer Science IIIC (1981-1982), ETH Vice-president (1987-1990), and head of the Department of Computer Science (1991-1997). He has also been engaged in introducing IT to the Swiss army (since 1963) and in several professional organizations for IT/ computer science.