Jonathan GravesProf. Jonathan P. Graves is a Senior Scientist at EPFL and Honorary Visiting Professor at the University of York, UK. He achieved first class joint honours in Electronic Engineering and Mathematics from the University of Nottingham, UK in 1996. He completed his Ph.D. in Theoretical Mechanics from the University of Nottingham, UK, three years later in 1999. During his Ph.D. he was based in the Culham theory group of the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority, developing kinetic descriptions of the internal kink instability, and participating in deuterium-tritium experimental analysis in the Joint European Torus. After a short time in industry, and a postdoc at Nottingham University, he took a position at the Swiss Plasma Center at EPFL, becoming a Senior Scientist in 2014, and became an Honorary Visiting Professor at the University of York, UK, in 2020. In 2015 he became a member of the EUROfusion Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee (STAC) and a member of the EUROfusion DEMO Technical Advisory Group. He is on the editorial board for the journal Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion, and in 2020 became Scientific Secretary of the Varenna-Lausanne International Workshop in Theory of Fusion Plasmas.
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.
Jan Van HerleNé à Anvers, Belgique, 1966. En Suisse depuis 1983. Naturalisé Suisse en 2004 par persuasion de la culture suisse démocratique et participative 'bottom-up'. Pas de double nationalité. Conseiller communal durant 2 mandats de 5 ans de 2006 à 2016.
1987 : Chimiste de l'Université de Bâle (CH).
1988 : Post-grade informatique de l'Ecole d'Ingénieurs de Bâle.
1989 : Stage industriel chez ABB à Baden (CH).
1990-1993 : Thesè EPFL
1994-1995 : Postdoc au Japon (Tokyo).
1996-2000 : Chercheur à l'EPFL, Dpt. Chimie, responsable de groupe.
1998-2000 : Master en Energy Technology, EPFL.
2000 : Cofondateur de HTceramix SA (EPFL spin-off), à Yverdon (actuellement 12 employés). La maison mère SOLIDpower en Italie, qui a acheté notre technologie en 2007, emploie 250 personnes et a levé 70 MCHF.
2000-2012 : 1er Assistant et chargé de cours en STI-IGM. Promu à MER en 2008.
2013-présent: MER responsable d'unité.
Output : 135 publications, 120 papiers de conférence, 15 théses de doctorat, 4 thèses en cours, 37 thèses de master. Facteur h-42, >5000 citations.
Fonds levés jusqu'à présent >19 MCHF.
5 langues couramment (néerlandais, français, allemand (y.c. suisse-allemand), anglais, espagnol).