Science and business each have their own priorities and meet their own responsibilities, but they must also complement each other if they are to flourish. On the basis of this philosophy, Peter Chen, as both basic researcher and a player in the business world, has consistently promoted exchanges between cutting-edge research and the world of business. In 1994 he was appointed Full Professor of Physical-Organic Chemistry at ETH Zurich; on 1 September 2007 he took up the post of Vice President Research and Corporate Relations.

Systematic knowledge transfer

It is thus scarcely surprising that Peter Chen, starting from the foundation of strong basic research with internationally-acclaimed researchers, has not only paid special attention to the applications from research results: He embodies a paradigm shift with regard to knowledge transfer at ETH Zurich. With the result that ETH Zurich is now systematically prospecting the market for new technologies and is thus more successful than ever before. During his time in office alone, 44 spin-off companies have been established, more than 143 patents filed and more than 490 cooperation agreements concluded. The most important and latest example of a strategic partnership is the decision by Peter Chen to work towards collaboration with IBM’s Zurich research laboratory. Within unusual speed by Swiss standards, i.e. within the space of only a few months, the university and the company reached agreement on the construction of joint large-scale laboratory for nanotechnology in Rüschlikon. Another milestone during Peter Chen’s period in office is the industrial partnership between ETH and the Walt Disney Corporation on the ETH campus.

Encouragement of top young researchers

Likewise, ETH’s own research sponsorship system was and is an object of special attention from Peter Chen. He rapidly closed the gaps that he identified in this area. The “ETH Independent Investigator’s Research Award” was thus created for doctoral candidates opening up new fields, as well as a two-year Fellowship programme for advanced researchers, i.e. highly-qualified post-doctoral students. Peter Chen has thereby made an important contribution towards increasing the competitiveness of ETH to recruit the best international talent.

He also promoted themed and interdisciplinary research: During Peter Chen’s period in office, not only the Competence Centre for Coping with Crises in Socio-Economic Systems was inaugurated, but the Centre for Climate Systems Modelling (C2SM) as well.

A decisive approach to ETH strategy

His contribution to the reinforcement of the ETH leadership structure initiated by the Executive Board in 2008 was also decisive. With the new division of responsibilities within the Board, he assumed responsibility for strategic planning in addition to his existing tasks in autumn of 2008. At the start of the process of development of the strategy and the 2012-16 development plan, the necessity of reorganising this process was recognised. Peter Chen tackled this issue masterfully, with the close integration of the university-wide and departmental levels being a central concern.

Major impetus for Zurich as a research location

Exemplary for Peter Chen’s far-sightedness and sustained impact as Vice President is the “Medical Engineering and Health Strategic Initiative”. It is essentially thanks to his efforts that it was possible to bundle all the strengths and competences of the ETH, of the university and the university hospital as well as other leading hospitals in Zurich, reinforcing the latter's position as a centre of research. And, together with ETH Rector Heidi Wunderli-Allenspach, Peter Chen provided the stimulus for the new study programme “Health Science and Technology”.

With the departure of Peter Chen, the Executive Board is losing an impressive leader, declared ETH President Ralph Eichler. He added: “In the name of the entire Executive Board, I would like to thank Peter Chen for the work that he has done on behalf of the ETH Zurich. He initiated important developments at the university, and accompanied strategic planning in a farsighted manner; I immensely regret his departure, but am confident that he will continue to give ETH Zurich important impetus as a researcher and teacher.”

Peter Chen

Peter Chen was born in 1960 in Salt Lake City, USA. He studied at the University of Chicago until 1982 and received his doctorate at Yale in 1987. From 1988 to 1991, he was an Assistant Professor at Harvard. From 1991 to 1994, he was an Associate Professor at Harvard. In 1994, he was appointed Full Professor of Physical-Organic Chemistry at ETH. Among other things, he led the ETH Zurich research commission, before becoming Vice President for Research and Corporate Relations on 1 September 2007. In this role he was responsible, among other things, for strategic planning, internal research coordination and cooperation with industry. The remit of Research and Corporate Relations includes the Scientific Coordination Staff Unit, Euresearch Zurich, the technology transfer agency ETH transfer, the FIRST Lab, the Functional Genomics Centre and the interdisciplinary Electron Microscopy Centre at ETH Zurich (EMEZ). Peter Chen is furthermore a member of the Board of Directors of the Swiss specialty chemicals group Clariant.