Ulrike Lohmann takes up her post as Vice Rector for Doctoral Studies

There are nearly 4,500 doctoral students at ETH Zurich. While the departments are responsible for study content, the regulatory framework is the responsibility of the Vice Rector for Doctoral Studies. The Vice Rector is in charge of the admission of the candidates and ultimately confers their doctoral degrees. In the event of a dispute, the Vice Rector heads the Arbitration Committee and is responsible for implementing the Ordinance on the Doctorate.

Manfred Sigrist has held this post – for a limited term at his request – for the past two years. During this time he was mainly concerned with working with the departments on the practical implementation of the new Ordinance on the Doctorate. This collaboration went very well. Although the new aptitude colloquium, the search for a second advisor and the annual status conversations involve additional effort, they are considered invaluable by most doctoral students.

Sigrist has now handed over his post to Ulrike Lohmann. In appreciation of his work, she says: “Dual supervision reduces direct dependence on single individuals, which is a good thing. And the annual status conversations are intended to help the doctoral students get a better idea of their achievements. This can reassure those who chronically underestimate themselves or put themselves under pressure.” Lohmann has supervised many doctoral candidates herself within her group. In her Institute they have formed very strong networks on their own initiative, she says. This is valuable, in her view, because unhappy situations can often arise when doctoral students work in isolation. 

Lohmann has held the post of Professor for Atmospheric Physics at ETH Zurich (D-USYS) since 2004. She conducts research into the role of clouds and aerosol particles (particulates) in the climate system. In 2021, she was awarded one of the European Research Council’s prestigious Advanced Grants. In addition to her research, she has been active in other areas, such as in the position of President of the Lecturers’ Conference (KdL) and as a member of the National Research Council of the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF). Lohmann has also been a recipient of the Golden Tricycle Award (since replaced by the ALEA Award) for particularly family-friendly leadership.