Heinrich HofmannOriginaire de Mellingen (AG), Heinrich Hofmann est né en 1953. Après des études d'ingénieur en soudures (Ing. grad.) à Duisburg (D), et d'ingénieur en science des matériaux à la Technische Hochschule de Berlin, il obtient le titre de docteur ingénieur en 1983 pour une thèse dans le domaine des matériaux.De 1983 à 1985, il travaille comme assistant scientifique au Laboratoire de Technologie des Poudres de l'Institut Max Planck pour la science des matériaux à Stuttgart. En 1985 il entre au Centre de Recherche et Développement d'Alusuisse-Lonza à Neuhausen-am-Rheinfall, en tant qu'ingénieur consacré à la recherche dans l'étude et le développement des procédés de synthèse des poudres céramiques.En 1993 il entre à l'EPFL en tant que professeur extraordinaire et directeur du Laboratoire de technologie des poudres du Départmeent des matériaux. Son enseignement porte sur les céramiques I (procédés) et les phénomènes de transfert. Son domaine de recherche couvre la synthèse des poudres minérales, leur caractérisation et la modification des surfaces, ainsi que la mise en forme et le frittage. Ses recherches incluent aussi les matériaux nanostructurés (composites semi-conducteurs et polymères) et la métallurgie des poudres. Hofmann Heinrich, Prof. Dr.-Ing. got his PhD in Material Science with a thesis prepared at the Powder Metallurgy Laboratory at the Max Planck Institute in Stuttgart. In 1985 he joins the R&D center of Alusuisse-Lonza Services AG, at Neuhausen-am-Rheinfall. In 1993 he joins the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology as Professor and Director of the Powder Technology Laboratory at the Department of Materials science and engineering. His research area includes the synthesis of nanostructured materials based on nanoparticles and the modification of surfaces with nanoparticles using colloidal methods. The fields of application of such materials are medical and biological, (drug delivery, hyperthermia, cell separation, biosensors), electronics and sensors.
Philippe BuffatBorn in Lausanne (Switzerland) in 1942. EPUL physics engineer diploma in 1967 and EPFL PhD in physics in 1976. From 1966 he studies at the Experimental Physics Laboratory (Prof. J.P. Borel) the physical properties peculiar to the very small size metal crystals and gets a PhD degree for his thesis "Abaissement de la température de fusion de petits cristaux d'or par effet de taille thermodynamique" (Lowering of the melting temperature of small gold crystals by thermodynamic size effect). In 1971, he starts to develop an electron microscopy facility available to all EPFL students and researchers (nowadays Centre Interdisciplinaire de Microscopie Electronique CIME) that he manages till 2007. In parallel he teaches the principles of electron microscopy and the Experimental methods of physics at the Physics/Basic Sciences School (SB). In addition, he trains a large part of the facility users. Honorary professor BS/EPFL he carries-out a free-lance research at CIME and in collaboration with the Institute of Crystallography of the Russian Academy of Sciences (ICRAS, Moscow) and the International Centre of Electron Microscopy for Material Science (IC-EM AGH Krakow) This activity covers all the techniques related to transmission and scanning electron microscopy applied to materials science and solid-state physics. His interest is directed towards the structure of nanocrystals, their size effects and behavior under strong electron irradiation, the phase transitions in perovskites, the characterization of nanophases, multilayer and interface structures of crystalline materials and bioceramics. More recently a large research part has moved to understanding/pointing-out the adequacy between the limits of the instruments and their interpretation means in regard of their use in a multiusers facility with a large turnover and a wide range of materials/structures. He is past-president (2006-2007) of the Société Française des Microscopies (Sfµ), honorary member of the Sfµ and of the Swiss Society of Optics and Microscopy (SSOM).
Paul BowenDr. P. Bowen after gaining his BSc in Physics at Imperial College (UK), he obtained his Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry in the field of catalysis from the University of Cambridge, UK, in 1982, He then worked at the BP Research Centre, Sunbury, UK, for 4 years in applied surface sciences before moving to Switzerland and EPFL in 1987. He has been at the Powder Technology Laboratory, in the Materials Institute since its conception in 1988. He has over 190 publications and has written an undergraduate book on ceramic synthesis and processing. Education: 1976-1979 Imperial College of Science and Technology, University of London. B.Sc. Honours in Physics. 1979-1982 Department of Physical Chemistry, University of Cambridge. Certificate of Postgraduate Studies in Chemistry. Thesis: A Mössbauer Study of Some Clay Minerals and their Surfaces. Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry. Thesis: An Iron-57 and Tin-119 Mössbauer Spectroscopic Study of Some Graphite Intercalation Compounds and Carbon Supported Iron Catalysts. Professional Experience: 1983-1986 Research Scientist (Physical Chemist), New Technology Division, British Petroleum Company plc, BP Research Centre, Sunbury on Thames, Middlesex TW16 7LN, England. 1987-1988 Engineer, Ceramics Laboratory, Département des Matériaux, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, CH - 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland. 1988-2008 Research Associate/lecturer, Powder Technology Laboratory (Present) Institute des Matériaux, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, CH - 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland. 1988- 2015 Maitre DEnsiegnement et Recherche (Lecturer & Researcher), Powder Technology Laboratory, Institute des Matériaux, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne,CH - 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland 2015 – present Adjunct Professor (Professeur Titulaire), Powder Technology Laboratory (LTP), Materials Institute, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH - 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
Laure-Emmanuelle Perret AebiLaure-Emmanuelle Perret-Aebi a obtenu son doctorat en chimie de l’Université de Fribourg en 2004. Après 4 ans de post-doctorat à l’Université d’Edinburgh (Ecosse) et de Neuchâtel (Suisse), elle rejoint en 2009 le PVlab de EPFL en tant que cheffe de groupe des activités back-end liées aux modules PV. En 2013 elle rejoint le CSEM PV-center à Neuchâtel en tant que cheffe du secteur “Module Technology” jusqu’en 2018. Ces principales activités sont liées aux aspects d’encapsulation et fiabilités des modules PV pour diverses applications telles que l’intégration au bâtiment, la mobilité ou les centrales solaires. Elle a été de 2015 à 2017 experte dans la Commission micro et nanotechnologies de la Commission pour la Technologie et l’Innovation (CTI). En 2017 elle a fondé l’association Compáz qui a pour but de lier Art et Science. Parallèlement à son activité chez Compáz, elle a créé sa société LMNT consultancy afin d'accompagner les entreprises et personnes intéressées à l'intégration du photovoltaïque dans le bâtiment et coordonne depuis octobre 2018 le projet européen BeSmart sur l’intégration architecturale du BIPV en tant que collaboratrice scientifique au PVLab de l'EPFL à Neuchâtel.
2019-date : Senior Expert at the PVLab of EPFL. Coordinator of the EU project Be-Smart H2020-LC-SC3-2018, 818009 ( started in October 2018 for 4 years)
2018-date : CEO of LMNT consultancy, Neuchâtel, Switzerland. Scientifique and technical advisory in the field of building integrated photovoltaics.
2018 -2019 : Scientific expert at the PV-centre of CSEM, Neuchâtel, Switzerland.
2018- date : Founder and Scientific advisory of COMPÁZ, Association for the promotion of Science through Art. Neuchâtel, Switzerland.
2014- 2017: Expert in the CTI commission micro-nano, Bern, Switzerland.
2013- 2018 : Sector Head and activity manager “Modules & Systems” at the PV-centre of CSEM, Neuchâtel, Switzerland.
2009-2013: Group leader, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale Lausanne,Institute of Microengineering, Photovoltaics and Thin Film Electronics Laboratory, Switzerland.
2008-2009:
Postdoctoral research assistant, Institute of Physics, University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland.
2006-2007:
Postdoctoral research assistant, Institute of Microtechnology, University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland.
2004-2006:
Postdoctoral research assistant, Institute of Chemistry, University of Edinburgh, Scotland.
2004:
Postdoctoral research assistant, Institute of Chemistry, University of Fribourg, Switzerland.