Prof. Dr. Bernd Nowack

Empa, Switzerland

Bernd Nowack holds a PhD in environmental sciences from ETH Zürich. After research stays at the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, USA, Eawag in Dübendorf, Switzerland, and ETH Zürich, he is now leading the "Environmental Risk Assessment and Management" group at Empa. He is also adjunct professor in the Department of Environmental Systems Science at ETH Zürich.

His research deals with the environmental risks of engineered nanomaterials, nanobiomaterials, plastics and nano/microplastics, comprising a wide spectrum of different approaches: development and application of methods for material flow modeling, exposure modeling, biouptake modeling and environmental risk assessment; experimental studies about release of materials from products and development of methods for safe and sustainable by design (SSbD).

Bernd Nowack has published more than 240 peer-reviewed publications and has aSocpus h-factor of 83. He acted as co-advisor of 32 PhD projects and is founding co-Editor-in-Chief of the journal NanoImpact. He has been listed between 2014 to 2022 for nine consecutive times as “Highly Cited Researcher” in the category “Environmental Sciences/Ecology” from Clarivate Analytics.

Prof. Dr. Jan Lagerwall

University of Luxembourg

Jan Lagerwall is an internationally active soft matter physicist with a strong interest in materials science, physical chemistry, and cross-disciplinary research. Driven by a deep fascination with the scientific beauty of the field and its diverse applications, he has gained extensive experience in world-class academic research and teaching environments across five countries on three continents.

His long-term expertise in liquid crystals—both thermotropic and lyotropic—has expanded to include electrospinning, microfluidics, and colloids, steering modern liquid crystal science in new directions. His research focuses on applications in wearable technology, soft robotics, and bio-derived performance materials.

Jan is an active network builder, experienced in organizing and leading international, multi-disciplinary scientific teams. He excels in communicating complex ideas to diverse audiences through engaging writing, presentations, digital media, and hands-on demonstrations.

Prof. Dr. Fabien Sorin

EPFL, Switzerland

Fabien Sorin is a distinguished professor at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), where he leads the Photonic Materials and Fiber Devices Laboratory. His research focuses on the development of advanced functional materials and fiber-based devices for applications in photonics, electronics, and sensing. 

Fabien earned his Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and has since contributed significantly to the fields of nanomaterials and optoelectronic devices. Under his leadership, the laboratory has pioneered innovative approaches to multifunctional fibers, enabling new possibilities in wearable technology and smart textiles.

Fabien's work has been widely published in leading scientific journals, and he is a frequent speaker at international conferences. In recognition of his contributions, he has received several prestigious awards and honors. Beyond his research endeavors, Fabien is committed to education and mentorship, guiding the next generation of scientists and engineers at EPFL.