Christophe BallifChristophe Ballif is director of the Phototovoltaics and Thin Film Electronics Laboratoryb) (PV-Lab at the institute of microengineering (IMT) in Neuchâtel (part of the EPFL since 2009). The lab focus is on the science and technology of high efficiency heterojunction crystalline cells,so-called passivating contacts for solar cells, multi-junction solar cells include novel generation Perovskite on innovative optical high speed detector and on various macroelectronics application. It also deals with energy management with a focus on integration of solar electricity into the energy system. The PV-Lab has strongly contributed to technology transfer and industrialization of novel devices and full technology with numerous companies. Christophe Ballif graduated as a physicist from the EPFL in 1994, where he also obtained in 1998 his Phd degree working on novel PV materials. He accomplished his postdoctoral research at NREL (Golden, US) on compound semiconductor solar cells (CIGS and CdTe). He worked then at the Fraunhofer ISE (Ge) on crystalline silicon photovoltaics (monocrystalline and multi-crystalline) until 2003 and then at the EMPA in Thun (CH) before becoming full professor at the University of Neuchâtel IMT in 2004, taking over the chair of Prof. A. Shah. Since 2013, C.Ballif is also the director of the new CSEM PV-Center, also located in Neuchâtel. The CSEM PV-Center is focussing more on industrialisation and technology transfer in the field of solar energy, including solar electricity management and storage. At the core of the CSEM PV-center activities lies several "pilot lines" for various kinds of solar cells manufacturing, with a focus coating technologies, wet chemistry processes for crystalline silicon, metalisation techniques for solar cells, and a platform for developing "ideal packaging solutions and polymers" for PV modules. In addition, joined facitilites between CSEM and EPFL of over 800 m2 are available for modules manufacturing, measuring and accelerated aging. CSEM PV-center has also full team dedicated to storage and energy systems and operates a joined center with BFH in Biel for research on electrochemical storage. He (co-) authored over 500 journal and technical papers, as well as several patents. He is an elected member of the SATW, member of the scientific council of the Swiss AEE, and member of the board of the EPFL Energy center. In 2016, he recieved the Becquerel prize for his contributions to the field of high efficiency photovoltaics.
François GallaireNé le 26 février 1975, François Gallaire obtient, en 1998, le diplôme dingénieur de lEcole Polytechnique à Paris et, en 1999, un master en « Physique des liquides » à lUniversité Pierre et Marie Curie, toujours à Paris. Il rejoint ensuite le Laboratoire dhydrodynamique (LadHyX) à lEcole polytechnique où il soutient, en 2003, une thèse sur le thème des instabilités des jets tournants et sur le contrôle de léclatement tourbillonnaire sous la direction de Jean-Marrc Chomaz. En 2003, il est nommé chargé de recherche au CNRS au Laboratoire J.A. Dieudonné de lUniversité de Nice Sophia-Antipolis.En 2009, il rejoint l'EPFL pour y fonder le laboratoire des mécanique des fluides et instabilités (LFMI). Ses recherches se concentrent sur létude des propriétés fondamentales de stabilité des écoulements de fluides et sont guidées par les applications réelles, en particulier le contrôle des écoulements. Récemment, il a réalisé dimportantes contributions dans les domaines de la micro-fluidique (lanalyse de la manipulation par laser dune goutte dans un micro-canal) et la dynamique des bio-fluides (le descriptif mécanique de lanévrisme de laorte abdominale).
Gérard GremaudGérard Gremaud was born in Fribourg (Switzerland) in 1949. After classical studies at College St Michel in Fribourg, he received his diploma in physics engineering in 1974 and his PhD in 1981 at EPFL. From this date, he became responsible for research at EPFL (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology of Lausanne). He is then co-responsible for the Mechanical Spectroscopy Laboratory at the Institute of Physics of Complex Materials. In 2002, he became also chief of the service of physics teaching laboratories and physics classroom demonstrations of EPFL. In 2005, he obtained the title of Professor of EPFL. From 1976, he was teaching in the fields of acoustics, vibrations, metallurgical physics, thermodynamics, dislocation theory, metrology, physics laboratories, and of basic physics (mechanics, thermodynamics and introduction to quantum physics) and physics demonstrations. Since 2012, he is honorary professor of EPFL.
He was active in a variety of research fields : dislocation dynamics, structural phase transitions, mechanical and tribological properties at nanoscale, and mechanical properties of vibrated granular materials (mechanical-spectroscopy). In these fields, he has directed about ten PhD thesis. He is the author of numerous theoretical models which are largely cited. Specialized in acoustical spectroscopy techniques, he developped several original experimental techniques, such as the US-LF coupling technique (representative publications). His publications include about 130 research papers, 13 book chapters, 6 popular publications, 3 books as editor and 2 books as author.
In addition to about 40 invited lectures and conference talks in leading institutions worldwide, he has co-organized several international conferences and summer schools. Member of several scientific societies, he contributes also as referee for numerous scientific journals and several scientific research funding organisations. He was collaborating also during several years to two small companies in Switzerland, as administrator or president.
In 2011, Gérard Gremaud has been awarded the Zener prize and Zener Gold medal. This distinction recognizes important contributions in the field of Materials Science and Physics.
