Christophe Ballif receives honorary doctorate
Christophe Ballif with rector Gregor Majdič at the University of Ljubljana on December 3rd © 2024 EPFL
School of Engineering professor Christophe Ballif has received the title of Doctor Honoris Causa for his outstanding scientific achievements and long-term collaboration with the Faculty of Electrical Engineering at the University of Ljubljana.
One of the leading scientists and engineers in the field of photovoltaics and energy solutions, Christophe Ballif is head of the Photovoltaics and Thin-Films Electronics Lab (PV-lab), located in Neuchâtel, within EPFL’s Institute of Electrical and Microengineering. His honorary doctorate was awarded on December 3rd 2024 during the University Week of the University of Ljubljana – Slovenia’s oldest and largest university with 38,000 enrolled students – on the occasion of its 105th anniversary. According to a press release from the school, Ballif’s collaboration with the University of Ljubljana involves many research projects, mentoring young researchers, and strengthening the links between the academic and industrial communities, significantly contributing to the school’s increased international recognition.
Christophe Ballif has left an indelible mark on both the scientific community and on our faculty with his outstanding scientific work and his commitment to the development of sustainable energy solutions. The title of Doctor Honoris Causa reflects our deep respect for his contribution.
The PV-lab’s focus is on solar technologies, such as high-efficiency heterojunction crystalline cells, passivating contacts for solar cells, and multi-junction solar cells; as well novel solar module technologies including lightweight and building integrated components. The lab explores innovative optical high-speed detectors and energy management, particularly the integration of solar electricity into the broader energy system. The team has strongly contributed to technology transfer and industrialization of novel photovoltaic devices and technologies in partnership with numerous companies.
An EPFL alumnus, Ballif earned a degree in physics in 1994, and a PhD working on novel PV materials in 1998. Since 2013, he has been the director of the CSEM Sustainable Energy Center, also located in Neuchâtel, where he leads a team of 90 researchers addressing solar energy, storage, and digital energy in partnership with over 40 companies. He has coauthored over 600 journal and technical papers, as well as several patents, and is an elected member of the Swiss Academy of Engineering Sciences (SATW) among other scientific organizations. In 2016, he received the Becquerel prize for his contributions to the field of high efficiency photovoltaics, and was named one of the School of Engineering’s highly cited researchers by Clarivate in 2024.