Seven professors nominated

Dr Bernard Cache was appointed as Associate Professor of Architecture and Digital Fabrication at the School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering (ENAC)
Bernard Cache studied at EPFL. As someone with great intellectual originality, he knows how to combine digital fabrication and architecture. His strengths lie in the interface between the conception and realization of elements, which he develops with the help of software applications. In 1995 he founded a company that develops and sells round and variable elements for the arts, industry and architecture. He sold the company in 2011 in order to concentrate on research and teaching. The appointment of Bernard Cache is an important boost for the theory and practice of architecture at EPFL.

Professor Thomas David, Full Professor at the University of Lausanne, was appointed as Director of the College of Humanities (CDH) and as Full Professor in Humanities and Social Sciences at the CDH.
Thomas David made a name for himself with his work on the history of Eastern Europe and the slave trade in Switzerland. His latest research focuses on the history of philanthropy in Geneva, the history of the elites in Switzerland and the development of worldwide healthcare through the activities of the World Health Organization. The appointment of Thomas David will enable EPFL to further develop its high-calibre teaching programme in the Humanities and Social Sciences.

Professor Pascal Frossard was appointed as Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering and Electronics at the School of Engineering (STI)
Pascal Frossard completed his undergraduate and postgraduate degrees at EPFL. He is an acclaimed expert in the field of multimedia signal processing. His work integrates the latest knowledge from the fields of applied mathematics, communications technology and systems optimization. This enables him to develop innovative algorithms for the transmission and coding of video signals. Pascal Frossard's work successfully combines theoretical content with wide-ranging applicability.

Dr Oliver Kröcher Head of the Bioenergy and Catalysis Laboratory at PSI, was appointed as Adjunct Professor at EPFL.
Olivier Kröcher is an acknowledged expert in the area of catalysis applied to the production of clean energy and to the optimization of chemical processes. He has contributed significantly to the development of catalytic processes for fuel combustion without emission of toxic gases and for conversion of biomass into synthetic natural gas. Oliver Kröcher is also studying the thermochemical and catalytic conversion of biomass, resulting from agricultural or forestry residues, into renewable fuel. He is developing large-scale applications of these processes through the spin-off company Hydromethan AG.

Dr Daniel Kuhn currently Senior Lecturer at Imperial College London was appointed as Associate Professor of Operations Research at the College of Management of Technology (CDM)
Daniel Kuhn, who studied at ETH Zurich, has established himself as a respected researcher in the field of robust optimization. He has conducted successful research into decision-making under uncertainty and has developed new simulation paradigms and solution systems. The robust optimization solutions developed by Daniel Kuhn can be applied to numerous topical issues, such as generating renewable energy, controlling hydroelectric power stations and setting tariffs in deregulated electricity markets.

Dr Francesco Mondada was appointed Adjunct Professor at the School of Engineering (STI)
Working at the interface between robotics, ethology, social sciences and art, Francesco Mondada focuses his research activities on miniature mobile robots, covering the broad fields of mechanical, electronic and software design. In 1995, Francesco Mondada co-founded K-Team SA, a company that markets developments in the field of mobile robots; he was its CEO and president until 2000. From 2001 until 2007, at EPFL, he served in a post-doctoral position, as associate and group leader in the Laboratory of Prof. Floreano, of Prof. Siegwart, and then of Prof. Bleuler, where he was appointed as senior scientist. Since 2010, he has been leading the “Robots for daily life” project at NCCR Robotics.

Professor Paola Viganò currently Full Professor at the University of Venice (IAUV) was appointed as Full Professor of Architectural Theory and Urban Design at the School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering (ENAC)
Paola Viganò explores the latest concepts of urban design and confronts them with the elementary principles of contemporary towns such as sustainability and cultural conservation. She has set new standards in the development of methodological concepts for describing cities, and her publications have helped shape specific urban design projects. Paola Viganò runs her own architecture and urban design studio, in collaboration with the architect Bernardo Secchi, and has made a successful contribution to major international projects such as “Grand Paris” and “New Moscow”.
In May 2013, Paola Vigano was awarded the Grand Prix de l'Urbanisme, created in 1989. She is the first woman ever to receive this prestigious prize.