The ETH Board has appointed the following individuals as professors at the ETH Zurich:

Philipp Grohs (*1981), currently a post-doctoral researcher at the ETH Zurich, as Assistant Professor of Applied Mathematics. Philipp Grohs has established himself at an international level as a talent in the field of the mathematical basis of image and signal processing and has also rendered services to teaching. Besides his studies on high-dimensional partial differential equations, he will also deal with an efficient mathematical representation, parametrisation and compression of large data volumes. The appointment of Philipp Grohs ties in ideally with the ETH Zurich’s strategic initiatives.

Ansgar Kahmen (*1974), currently a scientist at the ETH Zurich, as Assistant Professor of Physiological Plant Ecology. Ansgar Kahmen conducts research into the effects of changes in the global environment on the physiological functions of plants and thus into the concomitant consequences for ecosystem processes. His results contribute towards the solution of current environmental problems. In spring 2011, Ansgar Kahmen was awarded a starting grant by the European Research Council.

Mirko Meboldt (*1975), currently a lecturer at the University of Karlsruhe and in an executive function with Hilti AG in Schaan, Principality of Liechtenstein, as Full Professor of Product Development and Engineering Design. Mirko Meboldt has a high degree of scientific competence and a broad base of industrial experience. He is interested in integrative modelling in product creation – from mental models to management processes and practical workflows. His research results will help enterprises to develop new construction methods in a cost-effective way.

Lukas Novotny (*1966), currently Full Professor at the University of Rochester, USA, as Full Professor of Photonics. Lukas Novotny is an internationally recognised expert in nano-optics and has been a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science since 2010. With the appointment of Lukas Novotny, the ETH Zurich is reinforcing its strongly interdisciplinary teaching and research activities in optics and nano-photonics. The results arising from these activities have a high degree of practical relevance, for instance for solar energy, optical sensors and high-efficiency light sources.

Periklis Pantazis (*1975), currently a post-doctoral researcher at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, USA, as Assistant Professor (Tenure Track) of Biosystems Analysis. Periklis Pantazis combines physical and mechanistic approaches in order to develop methods for quantitative optical microscopy. He has already published several ground-breaking research results and is regarded as an expert in the exploration of cell development processes and the analysis of molecular networks. For the ETH Zurich, the appointment of Periklis Pantazis represents a significant reinforcement in the field of light microscopy.

Maria Schönbächler (*1969), currently Reader at the University of Manchester, UK, as Associate Professor of Isotope Geochemistry. Maria Schönbächler has developed high-precision mass spectrometric analyses to examine the chemical and isotopic composition of cosmochemical processes in the emergence of meteorites and their components. In spring 2011, Maria Schönbächler was awarded a starting grant by the European Research Council.

Joost VandeVondele (*1975), currently Senior Academic Assistant at the University of Zurich, as Assistant Professor of Nanoscale Simulations. Joost VandeVondele is an internationally recognised expert in the computer-assisted simulation of molecular dynamic processes. In the last few years, his research has focused on the field of large atomistic simulations with reference to dye-sensitised solar cells and radicals in solutions. With the use of supercomputers, he was able to further enhance the precision of the simulations, thus paving the way for research on a new scale. Joost VandeVondele was awarded a starting grant by the European Research Council in spring 2011.

Martin Vechev (*1977), currently a researcher at the IBM T.J. Watson Research Center in Hawthorne, USA, as Assistant Professor (Tenure Track) of Computer Science. Martin Vechev is an internationally recognised expert in the development of parallel software. His research is characterised by creativity and a balance between theory and practice. The topic of parallel software is of high relevance as a consequence of the increasing spread of multicore processors and cloud computing.

Marcy Zenobi-Wong (*1963), currently a senior scientist at the ETH Zurich, as Assistant Professor (Tenure Track) of Cartilage Engineering and Regeneration. Marcy Zenobi-Wong has earned herself an excellent reputation at the ETH Zurich with the establishment of an interdisciplinary Master’s programme in Biomedical Engineering and further courses. In the new Department of Health Sciences and Technology, she will play a key part in tissue and cartilage technology and will develop methods for tissue regeneration.

The ETH Board would like to thank the departing professors for their services to science, teaching and academic administration:

Professor Peter Bösiger (*1946), currently Full Professor of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Zurich and at the ETH Zurich. Peter Bösiger rendered great services to the exploration and development of methods of magnetic resonance imaging, opening up new ways of examining the functioning of human organs. Through close cooperation with the industry, he ensured that new scientific findings were quickly applied in practice. Since 2004, Peter Bösiger has been at the helm of the Institute of Biomedical Engineering. He will take early retirement as from 31 January 2012.

Professor Ludwig Gauckler (*1948), currently Full Professor of Nonmetallic Materials at the ETH Zurich. Ludwig Gauckler focuses his research on colloidal chemistry, as well as high-temperature superconductors, computer-assisted thermodynamic modelling and conducting oxides for fuel cells and sensors. In addition, he is Chairman of the Scientific Advisory Board of the Swiss Academy of Engineering Sciences. Ludwig Gauckler will leave the ETH Zurich on 31 January 2012.

Professor Richard F. Hurrell (*1946), currently Full Professor of Human Nutrition at the ETH Zurich. Richard F. Hurrell pioneered the establishment of the Laboratory for Human Nutrition at the ETH Zurich and is currently dealing with techniques of mass spectrometry for the measurement of the absorption of minerals and trace elements by the human body and of iron and iodine deficiencies in people in the Third World. Richard F. Hurrell will retire on 31 January 2012.

Professor Hans Kollhoff (*1946), currently Full Professor of Architecture and Construction at the ETH Zurich. Besides his scientific activities and teaching at the Department of Architecture, Hans Kollhoff runs an office of his own together with his partner in Berlin. As one of his generation’s leading architects, he realised office and business buildings, as well as residential buildings, all over Europe. After German reunification, he was one of the instrumental players in the makeover of Berlin with projects such as that in Potsdamer Platz. Hans Kollhoff will take retirement on 31 January 2012.

Professor Hans-Jakob Lüthi (*1946), currently Full Professor of Operations Research at the ETH Zurich. Hans-Jakob Lüthi focuses his research on the application of mathematical models in economic practice, primarily with methods for the coordination and control of processes in complex systems. Hans-Jakob Lüthi is also a co-founder of RiskLab Switzerland, an institute for applied research in the field of integrative risk management for the finance and insurance industry. He will retire on 31 January 2012.

Professor Thomas Rutherford (*1955), currently Full Professor of Economics, particularly Energy Economics, at the ETH Zurich. Thomas Rutherford primarily deals with issues in the fields of energy, the environment and climate, as well as with topics related to foreign trade. He is one of the internationally leading experts in the field of quantitative modelling. The instruments he has developed are among the most important cornerstones of political evaluation, for instance with regard to climate protection and development aid. Thomas Rutherford will leave the ETH Zurich on 31 December 2011 in order to take up a full professorship at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, USA.