Appointment of EPFL professors

Dr Thomas Bourgeat, currently Lecturer at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, USA, as Tenure Track Assistant Professor of Computer Science and Communication Systems in the School of Computer and Communication Sciences (IC)
Thomas Bourgeat’s research investigates programming languages, computer architecture and formal hardware verification. He is a leader in the area of hardware verification and has already collaborated with a number of groups from the worlds of research and industry. Thomas Bourgeat is regarded as an up-and-coming researcher in this future-oriented area and will be an asset to the School. Expanding education, research and technology transfer in the area of cybersecurity is a key component of EPFL’s strategy.

Dr Caglar Gulcehre, currently Senior Research Scientist at the Google research laboratory DeepMind in London, as Tenure Track Assistant Professor of Computer Science and Communication Systems in the School of Computer and Communication Sciences (IC)
Caglar Gulcehre’s research interests lie in the fields of reinforcement learning, deep learning, representation learning and natural language processing. This acclaimed researcher has won several awards and has a network of cooperations with leading groups in academia and industry. His appointment enables the School to close a key gap in the area of machine learning. Caglar Gulcehre will have a fundamental influence on the School of Computer and Communication Sciences and on

Dr Gioele La Manno, currently Group Leader at EPFL, as Tenure Track Assistant Professor of Life Sciences in the School of Life Sciences (SV)
Gioele La Manno's research has a focus on single-cell genomics, computer biology and developmental neuroscience. He develops new technologies and complex computer-assisted analyses for investigating brain development. His work has contributed significantly to new discoveries as well as to several patents that have been licensed to leading companies in single-cell biology and to a very well-known and widely distributed open-source software. The appointment of this internationally renowned researcher is in line with the technological orientation of life sciences at EPFL.

Dr Yanina Shkel, currently Research Associate at EPFL, as Assistant Professor of Computer Science and Communication Systems in the School of Computer and Communication Sciences (IC)
Yanina Shkel’s research covers theoretical aspects of data science as well as statistics, data protection and cryptography. She has received a competitive SNSF Starting Grant 2023 for her remarkable work. The appointment of Yanina Shkel not only strengthens the School’s research results but is also a perfect match with EPFL’s strategic aim of developing information theory, security and data protection.

Promotions at EPFL

Professor Martin Jaggi, currently Tenure Track Assistant Professor at EPFL, as Associate Professor of Computer Science and Communication Systems in the School of Computer and Communication Sciences (IC)
Martin Jaggi's research takes place at the intersection between the theoretical foundations and concrete applications of machine learning. His scalable and decentralised models are used not only by famous multinational corporations but also by smaller Swiss companies. This multi-award-winning researcher serves on the most important committees in his specialist area and is also very active at EPFL, where he co-founded Applied Machine Learning Days, Europe's leading conference for machine learning.

Professor Mikhail Kapralov, currently Tenure Track Assistant Professor at EPFL, as Associate Professor of Computer Science and Communication Systems in the School of Computer and Communication Sciences (IC)
Mikhail Kapralov works in the field of theoretical computer science. His research on sublinear algorithms has led to significant breakthroughs in the areas of big data and data analysis. He has been awarded several prizes, including an ERC Starting Grant in 2017. Although his research is theoretical, he nevertheless cultivates strong links with industry. His contacts with important companies such as Microsoft Research Lab and Google Research open up unique opportunities for his students as regards their career prospects.

Professor Tamar Kohn, currently Associate Professor at EPFL, as Full Professor of Environmental Engineering in the School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering (ENAC)
Tamar Kohn works in the field of environmental chemistry and environmental virology, in which she has established herself as one of the world’s leading researchers. Her current focus is on the fate of human viruses in the natural and built environment, such as in sewage treatment plants or in aerosol particles. During the COVID-19 pandemic, her research results enabled SARS-CoV-2 viruses to be identified and tracked in wastewater. She serves on a number of expert bodies, has been appointed to advisory committees of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and is an Adjunct Researcher at Eawag.

Professor Dimitrios Lignos, currently Associate Professor at EPFL, as Full Professor of Civil Engineering in the School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering (ENAC)
Dimitrios Lignos conducts research with emphasis on the performance-based design of earthquake-resistant steel and composite structures. His work on integrated computational modelling and multi-scale experimentation for the fundamental understanding and simulating structural collapse has influenced international codes and standards with regards to seismic safety of building infrastructure. This internationally acclaimed researcher has received numerous awards including the prestigious Walter L. Huber Civil Engineering Research Prize (2019). Since September 2021 he has been the director of the Civil Engineering Institute at EPFL.

Professor Karen Mulleners, currently Tenure Track Assistant Professor at EPFL, as Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering in the School of Engineering (STI)
Karen Mulleners studies non-stationary aerodynamics with a special focus on the analysis and modelling of unsteady vortex-dominated flow phenomena, with applications in bio-inspired propulsion, design of wind turbine rotor blades and gust interactions. She is an internationally recognized innovator, committed to high-quality teaching at EPFL. With her highly innovative research and wide network of partnerships, Karen Mulleners is contributing to the future development of this area of research at EPFL.

Professor Vasiliki Tileli, currently Tenure Track Assistant Professor at EPFL, as Associate Professor of Materials Science and Technology in the School of Engineering (STI)
Vasiliki Tileli's research focuses on the the characterisation of nanomaterials using in situ electron microscopy methods and electron microscopy. Her studies have applications in the areas of energy conversion, energy storage and electronic devices. Thanks to her original research approach, Vasiliki Tileli is one of the leading researchers in this field worldwide. Her activity is contributing key academic partnerships, high-quality teaching and innovative research to EPFL.

Award of the title of Professor

Professor Andrea Cavalli, currently Full Professor at the University of Bologna, Italy, and Director of the Centre Européen de Calcul Atomique et Moléculaire (CECAM) at EPFL, as Adjunct Professor at EPFL
Andrea Cavalli is a world leader in the development and application of computer-assisted methods used in different research areas, including drug discovery and precision medicine. He applies machine learning to datasets obtained from industry and hospitals.