Eight professors appointed at ETH Zurich

Professor Maarten Delbeke (*1970), currently Full Professor at Ghent University, Belgium, as Full Professor of History and Theory of Architecture. Maarten Delbeke is an internationally renowned expert on the period from the Early Modern era to the present, with a special focus on the art and architecture of the 17th century and its echoes in the 20th century, as well as on the architectural theory of the 18th and 19th centuries. He is the founder and editor-in-chief of the first open access journal on architectural theory, which he launched with the help of a grant. By appointing Maarten Delbeke, the history section of the Department of Architecture is building an important bridge between the technical disciplines and the humanities at ETH Zurich.

Professor Irena Hajnsek (*1970), currently Associate Professor at ETH Zurich, as Full Professor of Earth Observation and Remote Sensing. Irena Hajnsek is one of the world’s leading scientists in the field of remote sensing using radar waves and in the application of satellite radar data. A key focus of her work is the development of bio/geophysical inversion models for determining environmental parameters such as soil moisture from multi-parametric SAR data. Her results contribute significantly to improving global environmental monitoring and forecasting harvests and food security. Irena Hajnsek’s versatility offers ETH Zurich considerable potential for networking and innovation.

Professor Dominik Hangartner (*1981), currently Associate Professor at the London School of Economics, United Kingdom, as Associate Professor of Public Policy. Dominik Hangartner is an internationally acclaimed expert on migration. His award-winning research findings on the life of migrants and the effects of migration on host countries have also generated interest in the media and the political arena. His research topics include current issues such as the effects of long asylum procedures on the integration of refugees into the labour market, and the misgivings about asylum seekers in European societies. In Dominik Hangartner, ETH Zurich is appointing a scientist who will make substantial contributions to the debate about migration.

Professor Jonathan Home (*1979), currently Tenure Track Assistant Professor at ETH Zurich, as Associate Professor of Experimental Quantum Information. Jonathan Home’s main research focus is on the topics of quantum state engineering, simulation and information processing using ion traps. Using the precise control available with this technology, he investigates interactions between a quantum system and its environment. By appointing Jonathan Home, this year's winner of the ETH Zurich Latsis Prize, the Federal Institute of Technology is retaining a highly qualified scientist and underlining the great importance it attaches to the quantum sciences and quantum technologies.

Professor Dennis M. Kochmann (*1982), currently Professor at the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, USA, as Full Professor of Mechanics and Materials. Dennis Kochmann has a particular research interest in the modelling and design of solid bodies. He investigates the evolution of microstructure, for example, by means of models that bridge across scales from atomistics to the continuum, using analytical, numerical and experimental methods. By appointing Dennis Kochmann, whose work has won several awards, the Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering is gaining an ideal complement to its expertise in the field of mechanical engineering, particularly at the interface with materials science.

Professor Maksym Kovalenko (*1982), currently Tenure Track Assistant Professor at ETH Zurich, as Associate Professor of Functional Inorganic Materials. Maksym Kovalenko has achieved internationally acclaimed research results in the area of nanocrystalline semiconductor materials. His achievements include developing a completely new method of manufacturing colloidal nanocrystals. These are used in electronic, optoelectronic and infrared optical components, for example. His work has been awarded an ERC Starting Grant, among others. Through the appointment of Maksym Kovalenko as an associate professor, ETH Zurich is strengthening its research in the forward-looking field of inorganic functional materials.

Professor Markus Niederberger (*1970), currently Associate Professor at ETH Zurich, as Full Professor of Multifunctional Materials. Markus Niederberger is an internationally renowned scientist with an excellent network of contacts. His research has a particular focus on precise synthesis processes for the manufacture of new kinds of functional materials with optimised properties. His results are used in areas such as energy storage (batteries), energy conversion, gas sensor technology and electronics. These research areas are an excellent fit with ETH Zurich's general strategy. Markus Niederberger is also an outstanding university lecturer. In 2013, the students awarded him the “Golden Owl” for his exceptional commitment to teaching.

Professor Christian Wolfrum (*1972), currently Associate Professor at ETH Zurich, as Full Professor of Translational Nutrition Biology. Christian Wolfrum is an internationally recognised expert on obesity. His research concentrates on identifying factors that promote the development of obesity and its complications, such as diabetes. Its main focus is on the interaction of lipids and their derivatives with cellular receptors and the ensuing modulation of transcriptional processes. Christian Wolfrum has already received numerous awards for his work on this nutritional and metabolic disorder, which causes huge problems throughout the world, both for the individuals concerned and in terms of its economic impact.