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.
Francis LévyAprès sa formation secondaire à La Chaux-de-Fonds, Francis Lévy étudie à l'Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Zurich où il obtient le diplôme de physicien (1963). Assistant au Laboratoire de physique des corps solides de l'ETHZ, il publie sa thèse de doctorat sur les propriétés structurales et magnétiques de composés des terres rares (1969). A l'Institut de physique appliquée de l'EPFL, ses recherches concernent la croissance de cristaux et la physique des semi-conducteurs. De 1974 à 1975, au Laboratoire Cavendish de l'Université de Cambridge (UK), il étudie les matériaux à structures cristallines de basse dimensionnalité et leurs propriétés électroniques. De retour à l'EPFL, ses recherches portent sur de nombreux composés des métaux de transition. Il crée un groupe de recherche sur la physique et les technologies pour les couches minces. Ses travaux visent à comprendre les propriétés physique et chimiques de couches minces fonctionnelles en relation avec des caractéristiques structurales et électroniques ainsi qu'avec des paramètres de dépôt.
Avec le titre de professeur (1987), il enseigne la physique générale, la physique du solide et des semi-conducteurs. Il est l'auteur du volume 18 du Traité des Matériaux: Physique et Technologie des Semi-conducteurs (PPUR) ainsi que auteur ou coauteur de plus de 460 publications scientifiques originales.
Roger HerschRoger D. Hersch is professor of Computer Science and head of the Peripheral Systems Laboratory at EPFL. He received his engineering degree from ETHZ in 1975, worked in industry from 1975 to 1980, and obtained his PhD degree from EPFL in 1985. He directed the widely known
Visible Human Web Server project
, which offers a number of services for the visualization of human anatomy.
His current research focuses on color reproduction, spectral color prediction models, moiré imaging, and visual document security. Recent achievements include the PhotoProtect technology, which incorporates text as chromatic differences in order to protect identity photographs (Swiss driving license), microstructure imaging, which is used by railways companies (SNCF, RENFE) and festival organizers (Paleo) to print tickets at home and the band moire imaging technology for the protection of security documents.
Martyn Douglas WakemanDr. Martyn Wakeman is a seasoned professional in advanced composites with a proven record of 20 yrs, spanning academia and global corporations. He has worked in M&A deep dive projects in the Advanced Composites Space and has a proven publication (80 ) and patent (30) history in the development of continuous fibre thermoplastic composites from formulation, processing, to applications. He is currently attached at 50% to the Laboratory for Processing of Advanced Composites at the EPFL focused on 3D printing and advanced composites and also available as an independent consultant.
Prior to this role he worked at DuPont from 2007-2016 in Geneva, Switzerland where he worked to drive the development strategy and led research of the DuPont Vizilon thermoplastic composites offer including continuous carbon and glass reinforced composites. From 1997 to 2007 he was a Scientific Collaborator at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, EPFL, in which he was Head of the Composite and Polymer Laboratory's "Industrial implementation group", located in the EPFL science park, focused on the automotive industry both in Europe and North America. He has a PhD in mechanical engineering focused on composites.
Ursula OesterleUrsula Oesterle joint the EPFL as Vice President for Innovation on March 1st 2021.
She holds a PhD in physics from EPFL and a master's degree in physics and chemistry from ETH Zurich.
Prior to that, Ursula spent 20 years in Silicon Valley and Asia working in open innovation and with start-ups. First, she worked in the telecom-IT industry and then in Life Science. She led digital innovation initiatives and corporate transformation programs.
Ursula is also an entrepreneur and co-founded The Mixing Bowl, whose mission is to promote IT innovation in food and agriculture industry through a business-driven dialogue between existing industry players, startups, investors and other food innovators.
She co-founded Corporate Innovators Huddle, a forum for sharing information and best practices on various aspects of innovation in large corporations.
LinkedIn
