Summary
The ETH Board appointed a total of 10 new professors at ETH Zurich and EPFL on July 15/16, 2026. Among them are 7 women and 3 men, corresponding to a female share of 45% among new appointments in the past 12 months. The appointments are distributed across research priorities such as ecosystem health, materials science, discrete mathematics, computational biology, cloud infrastructure, computer vision, network security, intelligent maintenance systems, forest ecology, and algorithm theory. One professor will retire with honors at the end of September 2026.
People
- Carolina Bello (Assistant Professor, Species Interactions and Ecosystem Health)
- Raphael Mario Steiner (Tenure-Track Assistant Professor, Mathematics and Higher Education Didactics)
- Dagmar Iber (Full Professor, Computational Biology)
Topics
- Higher Education Policy and Personnel Development
- Sustainability Research and Climate Change
- Artificial Intelligence and Computer Science
- Materials Science and Solid-State Chemistry
- Biodiversity Management and Forest Ecology
Clarus Lead
The appointments signal a strategic alignment of both universities toward research fields critical for the future: Artificial intelligence, sustainable infrastructure, and climate adaptation dominate the profile of the new professors. With a female share of 45% among new appointments, ETH Zurich and EPFL are moving closer to gender parity in the professorate – an indicator of institutional diversity goals. The promotions of several tenure-track assistant professors (Klimovic, Tang, Fink, Grossiord) further underscore the importance of career pathways for female early-career researchers in STEM fields.
Detailed Summary
The appointments are distributed across both universities and multiple disciplines. At ETH Zurich, 7 people are appointed or promoted: Carolina Bello focuses on the role of animals in ecosystem processes of tropical forests with relevance to international policy areas such as carbon offsetting and biodiversity management. Elzbieta Gradauskaite researches at the intersection of inorganic chemistry and solid-state physics, specializing in the synthesis of complex transition metal oxides. Raphael Mario Steiner, one of the world's leading early-career researchers in discrete mathematics, completely solved the Kohayakawa-Kreuter conjecture established in 1997 and has already published nearly 100 scientific papers.
Dagmar Iber is promoted to full professor and is considered a leading expert in computational biology, using data-driven models for development and disease research. Ana Klimovic develops improved systems and architectures for cloud computing and artificial intelligence; her "Dandelion" project is shaping new trends in the field. Siyu Tang is internationally recognized for groundbreaking research in motion estimation and avatar creation with applications in augmented reality and robotics. Laurent Vanbever, promoted to full professor, ranks among the world's leading researchers in computer networks and network verification.
At EPFL, 3 people are promoted: Olga Fink is an expert in deep learning and intelligent maintenance systems, applied to rail transport, tunnel boring machines, and infrastructure. Charlotte Grossiord researches at the intersection of forest ecology and climate change and leads the Functional Plant Ecology research group at the Federal Research Institute WSL. Ola Svensson, promoted to full professor, works in algorithm theory and combinatorial optimization.
Additionally, Christophe Galland at EPFL receives the title of Titular Professor for work in quantum optics and nanophotonics. At ETH Zurich, Markus Kalousek, lecturer and biotechnology entrepreneur with industry experience, is appointed Professor of Practice.
Key Messages
- 10 new appointments/promotions with 45% female share in the past 12 months
- Strategic priorities: AI infrastructure, climate adaptation, sustainable technologies, and computational biology
- Career pathways for women: Several tenure-track assistant professors receive promotions to associate professor positions
- External recognition: Several appointees awarded ERC Starting Grants and SNSF funding
Critical Questions
Evidence/Data Quality: How is the 45% female share among new appointments in the past 12 months evaluated in relation to overall professorate quotas? Are the figures concentrated in specific disciplines?
Conflicts of Interest: What role do external funding sources (ERC Grants, SNSF funding, industry partnerships) play in appointment decisions, particularly for individuals like Markus Kalousek with venture capital connections?
Causality/Alternatives: To what extent do these appointments reflect genuine institutional diversity strategy versus external market trends (e.g., global demand for AI experts)?
Feasibility/Risks: How is it ensured that new professors, particularly on tenure-track, receive adequate resources and mentoring for career development?
Gender Representation: The female share is 70% of new appointments (7 of 10). Is this quota maintained in higher positions (full professors), or is the increase concentrated in assistant and associate professor positions?
Strategic Alignment: How is the selection of research priorities (AI, sustainability) coordinated with federal research priorities and international trends?
Sources
Primary Source: Switzerland-EU Package (Bilateral III) – ETH Board Meeting July 15/16, 2026 – https://www.news.admin.ch/de/newnsb/Bb1OMDz55xsp0Em4vcoMr
Verification Status: ✓ 16.07.2026
This text was created with the support of an AI model. Editorial Responsibility: clarus.news | Fact-Check: 16.07.2026