Jean-Claude Bünzli was born in 1944. He earned a degree in chemical engineering in 1968 and a PhD in 1971 (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Lausanne) for his work on the kinetic behaviour of Nb and Ta pentachloride adducts. He spent two years at the University of British Columbia as a teaching postdoctoral fellow (photoelectron spectroscopy) and one year at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zürich (physical organic chemistry).
Positions
He was appointed assistant-professor at the University of Lausanne in 1974 and started a research program on the spectrochemical properties of f-elements. He was promoted as a full professor of inorganic and analytical chemistry in 1980. He transferred to EPFL in 2001 where he directed the Laboratory of Lanthanide Supramolecular Chemistry until 2010.
From 2009 to 2013, he was World Class University Professor at Korea University (South Korea) helping developing a new research center for photovoltaics. In 20154-2015 he acted as visiting professor at FJIRSM (Fuzhou, Fujian), a laboratory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
He presently holds the Dr Kennedy Wong Distinguished Visiting Professorship at Hong Kong Baptist University (3 months/year) and a position as Distinguished Scholar at University of Technology, Sydney (NSW, Australia, 1 month/year).
Administrative and reviewer duties
He acted as the elected Dean of the Faculty of Sciences (1990-1991) and as one of the elected Vice-Rectors of the University (1991-1995), in charge of students' affairs and of research programs in the field of biomedical sciences. He held a position of invited professor at the Université Louis Pasteur, Strasbourg in 1996 and at the Science University of Tokyo in 1998. In 1989, he founded the European Rare Earths and Actinide Society which coordinate international conferences in the field (cf. http://ereswww.epfl.ch).
He served as a World Bank Project Specialist within the framework of the Chinese Provincial Universities Development Project (Northwest China, 1989) and as a member of a Panel in charge of evaluating chemical research at Norwegian universities (1997). In 2001, he was hired as "Peer leader" for the evaluation of the Swiss universities of applied sciences. In 2005, he acted as a member of the "Physical Inorganic Panel" of the Science Foundation of Ireland and in 2006 he was nominated to the "Chemistry Panel" of the same foundation.
He is a member of the Editorial Board of Spectroscopy Letters, associate editor-in-chief of the Journal of Rare Earths, and senior editor of the Handbook on the Physics and Chemistry of Rare Earths (54 volumes published to date).
Teaching
Regarding teaching, he has directed the joint project of the universities of Geneva, Lausanne, Neuchâtel and Fribourg "General chemistry for students enrolled in a life sciences curriculum", within the frame of the "Swiss virtual campus", a program sponsored by the Conference of Swiss universities and the Swiss federal office for science and education (2000-2004). Web site: http://chimge@epfl.ch
Research
His research is centered on lanthanide luminescent molecular and supramolecular edifices, with main applications in biology & medicine. He is the author or the co-author of 350 research papers, 260 contributed communications and has presented 285 invited conferences, seminars, and courses. He has collected >22800 citations (h-index 72). Lothar Helm was born in Gernsbach (Germany) in 1952. He studied physics at the University of Karlsruhe (Germany) and obtained his diploma degree in 1977. He remained in Karlsruhe for his Ph.D. research with Prof. H. G. Hertz and received his degree in physical chemistry in 1980. In 1980 he joined the laboratories of Prof. André Merbach at the University of Lausanne, Switzerland. From 1983 to 2001 he was maître denseignement et de recherche at the Faculty of Science of the University of Lausanne. In 2001 he moved, together with the whole chemistry department, from the University of Lausanne to the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL). Since 2006 he is adjunct professor at the Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering at EPFL and director of the NMR services of the institute.
From 2007 to 2011 he was director of the "Conférence du corps Enseignant" at EPFL. Since 2011 he is member of the School Assembly of EPFL (AE).
MAIN RESEARCH INTERESTS:
Physico-chemical studies of contrast agents for medical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
Study of reactivity and reaction mechanisms in coordination chemistry by variable temperature and pressure nuclear magnetic resonance
Computer simulation of solvent dynamics on cations and metal complexes in solution
Professional course
Web of Science Researcher ID F-4905-2011
Google Scholar page: https://scholar.google.ch/citations?user=O_HhJUEAAAAJ&hl=fr&oi=ao
ORCID number is 0000-0001-9222-3866
Anne-Sophie Chauvin studied chemistry and biology at the university Paris V-René Descartes in France where she did a PhD in organic chemistry, working on mimetic complexes of the active site of Nitrile Hydratase, under the supervision of Prof. Jean-Claude Chottard. On 1999 she moved for 20 months to the University of Geneva, for a post-doctoral stay under the supervision of Prof. Alexandre Alexakis, where she focused on the determination of the absolute configuration of chiral alcohols using Organophosphorous Diamine Derivatizing Agents by 31P and 1H NMR Spectroscopy. On 2000 she joined the group of Prof Jean-Claude G. Bünzli and was appointed part-time lecturer in 2001, assuming teaching and research responsibilities. On 2006, she obtained the habilitation to direct research from the University René Descartes (HDR, Paris V, France) and since october 2007 she is Maître d'Enseignement et de Recherche at the EPFL. In 2010, she joigned the Laboratory for Photonics and Interfaces (LPI), headed by Pr. Michaël Graëtzel. Since the end of 2014, with the arrival of Dr Marinella Mazzanti at EPFL, she is back to lanthanide chemistry, dealing with coordination polymers.
Her research interests concern supramolecular chemistry with the design of ligands which form water soluble complexes with luminescent lanthanides in view of biological applications. She is also interested in the synthesis of ligands and polymers for the extraction of lanthanide ions with high selectivity, and in the development of invisibke inks. She also developed organic dyes for dyes sensitized solar cells DSSC. She is now focusing on coordination polymers with luminescent properties and catalytic activity.
Anne-Sophie Chauvin is involved in the teaching of General and Analytical Chemistry for students enrolled on first year in Pharmacy and Biology (UNIL): ex-cathedra courses (Chimie Générale et analytique I et II, approfondissement en chimie analytique pour pharmaciens) and exercices.
She is in charge of practical sessions for students enroled in chemistry, forensic sciences, pharmacy and biology.
She is elected at the FSB Faculty Council and was member of the EPFL Assembly (AE) for 6 years, until 2018.
She was member of the Management committee of the Cost CM 1006 action entitled Eufen: European F-Element Network.
She is Member of the Swiss Chemical Society (SCS) and Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC). Originaire de Pully (Vaud), André E. Merbach est né en 1940. Il étudie à l'Ecole Polytechnique de l'Université de Lausanne (Prix Pelet et de l'A3E2PL) et obtient son diplôme d'ingénieur chimiste en 1962 avec un travail de recherche en chimie organique. En 1964, l'Université de Lausanne lui confère le doctorat ès sciences avec félicitations du jury pour ses travaux sur les systèmes quaternaires de solubilité avec formation de cristaux mixtes. Il effectue ensuite un stage postdoctoral au Lawrence Radiation Laboratory de l'Université de Californie à Berkeley, où il étudie la ionisation d'électrolytes forts par RMN.
En 1965, de retour à l'Institut de chimie minérale et analytique de l'UNIL, on lui demande de développer une recherche et de créer un enseignement en chimie de coordination. En 1971 il y est nommé professeur assistant.
En 1973, la Société Suisse de Chimie lui attribue le Prix et la Médaille Werner pour ses travaux sur la structure, la stabilité et la dynamique d'adduits d'halogénures métalliques par RMN. Cette même année, l'UNIL le nomme professeur de chimie minérale et analytique.
Il a été membre de la division mathématiques, des sciences naturelles et de l'ingénieur du Fonds national de la recherche scientifique (1985-1996). Il représente la Suisse au Comité Technique COST Chimie (Coopération Européenne dans le domaine scientifique et technique: 35 pays, 1000 groupes de recherche en chimie) et a présidé ce Comité de 1998 à 2000. Il a présidé le Comité de gestion européen pour l'Action COST D6 pour les "procédés et réactions chimiques dans des conditions extrêmes ou non classiques" (1992-1997).
Il a organisé à Lausanne, en 1992, la XXIXe Conférence Internationale de Chimie de Coordination (ICCC). L'Université Lajos Kossuth, de Debrecen (Hongrie), lui a conféré, en 1993, le doctorat honoris causa pour ses études par RMN sous haute pression des mécanismes réactionnels en chimie de coordination. Il a été appelé à la présidence de la Société Suisse de Chimie (2001-2004). L'Université de Genève lui a délivré un doctorat honoris causa en 2003.
Originaire de Münich en Allemagne, né en 1961, Harald Brune obtient son diplôme en physique de l'Université Ludwig Maximilians en 1989. Après une thèse en chimie physique à l'Institut Fritz-Haber de la Société Max-Planck à Berlin il obtient son titre de docteur ès sciences en 1992. Dès cela, il rejoint le groupe du Prof. K. Kern à l'Institut de physique expérimentale à l'EPFL. En 1995 il est chercheur invité à Copenhague travaillant en modélisation chez le Prof. J. Nørskov. De retour à l'EPFL, il se voit décerné le prix Latsis EPFL 1996 pour ses études par microscopie à effet tunnel de processus atomiques déterminants la croissance cristalline de couches minces. En 1998 il obtient son habilitation (venia legendi) en Physique et est nommé Maître d'enseignement et de recherche (MER) en nanophysique à l'EPFL. La même année il recoit une offre de Professeur Ordinaire (C4) de l'Université Philipps de Marburg. Début 1999 il réfuse cette offre et accepte un poste de Professeur Extraordinaire à l'EPFL et s'installe au sein de l'Institut de la Physique des Nanostructures. Il est nommé Professeur Ordinaire en 2005. Sa recherche porte sur les propriétés physiques (en particulier le magnétisme et la structure électronique) de nouvelles formes de la matière condensée comme des nanostructures et des couches ultra-minces. Il s'intéresse également à la catalyse hétérogène sur des systèmes inspirés dans leur composition et taille par celle des sites actives dans les enzymes en biologie. Il enseigne la Physique Générale pour ingénieurs, la Physique des matériaux solides pour physiciens, les méthodes expérimentales pour physiciens, ainsi que la Physique des surfaces, interfaces et nanostrcutures à l'école doctorale.
Marco Grioni est né à Milan (Italie). Après une thèse au Politecnico di Milano en 1982, il occupe des positions de recherche à Minneapolis (USA), Nijmegen (Pays Bas), Orsay (France) et Neuchâtel, où il devient Privat Docent en Physique du Solide en 1994. A l'EPFL depuis 1996, il est nommé professeur titulaire en 2005. Il enseigne la physique générale et dirige actuellement le Laboratoire de Spectroscopie Electronique de l'Institut de Physique.
Ses recherches portent sur les propriétés électroniques de nouveaux matériaux tels que les supraconducteurs à haute température, les métaux à basse dimension et les fermions lourds, qu'il étudie par la spectroscopie des photoélectrons (ARPES) à très haute résolution, par ultrafast time-resolved ARPES, et par d'autres techniques utilisant le rayonnement synchrotron. Auteur d'env. 220 publications, il participe activement au niveau suisse et européen au développement de nouveaux instruments. Entre 2003 et 2006 il a été chairman de l'organisation des utilisateurs du synchrotron européen de Grenoble (ESRF). De 2010 à 2017 il a été chairman du Scientific Advisory Committee du synchrotron national français SOLEIL.
Education:
• 1999 Doctoral degree in Physics obtained at the Physics Department, University of Genova PhD thesis title: “STM study of nanostructures induced by ion sputtering on noble metals”.
• 1994 University degree in Physics achieved at the Physics Department, University of Genova. Final mark: 110/110 cum laude
Diploma thesis title: “A project for a new method of EELS spectroscopy”.
• 1988 High school at the Liceo Scientifico G. P. Vieusseux in Imperia. Final mark: 60/60.
Research career plan:
• 2016 – present MER: Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in the group of Prof. Harald Brune
• 2003 – 2016: 1er. Assistant: Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in the group of Prof. Harald Brune
• 2000-2003: Assistant: Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) under the direction of Prof. Harald Brune
• 1999-2000: Research associate: Max-Planck-Institut of Stuttgart under the direction of Prof. Klaus Kern
Miscellaneous of professional activities:
a) Review panel
• Member of the Elettra proposal review panel
• Member of the committee of the EDPY doctoral school in Physics at the EPFL
b) Co-worker in the building of the X-Treme beamline:
c) Referee for scientific journals:
• Nat. Commun., Phys. Rev. Lett., Phys. Rev. B, J. Appl. Phys., Surf. Sci., J. Magn. Magn. Mater.
Funding record
a) Funding awarded
• Quantum Properties of Nanostructures at Surfaces, FNS 200020-157081/1;
(01/10/2014 – 31/09/2017); total amount attributed: 832'558 CHF; co-applicant
• Controlling magnetic anisotropy by interfacial coupling, FNS 200021_146715/1;
(01/01/2014 – 31/12/2016); total amount attributed: 367'800 CHF; co-applicant
• Self-assembled bi-metallic magnetic pillar superlattices with enhanced blocking temperature, SER C10.0135; (01/08/2011 – 01/08/2013); total amount attributed: 170'000 CHF; co-applicant
• Magnetic and Catalytic Properties of Surface Supported Metallic Nanostructures, FNS 200020-120493/1; (01/04/2008 – 31/03/2010); total amount attributed: 402'669 CHF; co-applicant
• Magnetic and Catalytic Properties of Surface Supported Metallic Nanostructures, FNS 200020-112322/1; (01/04/2006 – 31/03/2008); total amount attributed: 347'633 CHF; co-applicant
b) Approved proposals for the allocation of beamtime
Swiss Light Source (SLS):
main proposer: 9
co-proposer: 4
Elettra:
main proposer: 5
co-proposer: 1
European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF):
main proposer: 2
co-proposer: 11
Student supervisor
• Co-director of PhD thesis: 4 PhD students
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Dimitris Mousadakos: Seeking the smallest room temperature magnets; (in progress)
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Romana Baltic: Controlling single atom magnetic anisotropy by interfacial coupling; (in progress)
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Alberto Cavallin: Growth and magnetism of nanostructures investigated by STM, MOKE, and XMCD; (Oct. 2013), Thèse N°5941
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Sergio Vlaic: Magnetism and atomic scale structure of bimetallic nanostructures at surfaces; (Dec. 2012), Thèse N° 5625
• Supervisor of PhD thesis (without co-direction): 4 PhD students
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Anne Lehnert: Magnetism of individual adatoms and of epitaxial monolayers; (Jun. 2009), Thèse N° 4411
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Geraud Moulas: Growth and magnetism of 2D bimetallic nanostructures; (Dec. 2008), Thèse N° 4231
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Philipp Buluschek: Submonolayer growth of cobalt on metallic and insulating surfaces studied by scanning tunneling microscopy and kinetic Monte-Carlo simulations; (Nov. 2007), Thèse N° 3944
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Nicolas Weiss: Propriétés magnétiques de nanostructures de Co adsorbées; (Apr. 2004), Thèse N° 2980
• Supervisor of Master thesis: 6 students
• Supervisor of semester projects: 9 students
• PhD thesis referee: 2 students 