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SUMMARY:Honorary Lecture - Prof. Christof Holliger
DTSTART:20250320T180000
DTEND:20250320T193000
DTSTAMP:20260531T104803Z
UID:4cbefde8f6b04c61c7bc979935edf5ef07b90078e810853d59c6d694
CATEGORIES:Inaugural lectures - Honorary Lecture
DESCRIPTION:Prof. Christof Holliger\nDate: 20 March 2025\nTime: 18:00 –
  19:30\nIntroduction by the Dean Katrin Beyer and IIE Director Tamar Kohn\
 , lecture by Prof. Christof Holliger\, conclusion by Prof. Pierre Dillenbo
 urg. Followed by an Apero.\n\nPlace: CE 1 6\nLive stream: link \n\n\nTi
 tle:\nThe challenge of the great divide\n\nAbstract\nWe\, humans\, have a 
 profound impact on what happens on planet Earth through our various activi
 ties. The most widely discussed example today is climate change. However\,
  we must not forget that we also have a negative impact on terrestrial and
  aquatic systems with our aqueous and gaseous effluents and the use of var
 ious chemicals in agriculture. Environmental biotechnology can help mitiga
 te the impact humans have on the environment. The most important applicati
 on of this technology is the biological treatment of wastewater\, but it i
 s also used in the bioremediation of contaminated soil.\nThis is the conte
 xt in which LBE (Laboratory for Environmental Biotechnology) has been work
 ing for decades\, both in research and teaching. And we faced the challeng
 e of several significant gaps. One major gap\, and probably the most impor
 tant\, was the one between basic and engineering sciences. For example\, t
 he study of bacteria involved in soil and water decontamination revealed s
 ome fascinating biochemical phenomena\, although it is not necessary to un
 derstand all these details to apply these depolluting bacteria. Another ma
 jor gap existed between different cultures\, as demonstrated by a project 
 between Switzerland and India that lasted over 10 years. And finally\, the
  great divide between dozens of opinions to find a consensus on the analys
 is of a single parameter. This lecture will therefore explore how we addre
 ssed the challenge of these substantial gaps.\n\n\nAbout the speaker\nAlwa
 ys interested in environmental issues\, Christof Holliger studied biology 
 at ETH Zurich before going on to do a doctorate in environmental microbiol
 ogy at Wageningen University in the Netherlands. He returned to Switzerlan
 d in 1992 and had the chance to set up a research group in the same field 
 of microbiology at Eawag\, a research institution in the ETH domain where 
 interdisciplinarity is written with a capital "i". He joined EPFL in autum
 n 1998 as assistant professor in environmental biotechnology\, and was pro
 moted to associate professor in 2004 and full professor in 2013. He headed
  the Laboratory for Environmental Biotechnology from 2004 to 2025 and was 
 Director of Environmental Science and Engineering Section SIE from 2005 to
  2013. He was involved in the creation of the Ecotox Center\, integrated i
 nto Eawag and EPFL\, and was committed to the Swiss Microbiology Society. 
 In both teaching and research\, he has always endeavored to establish a li
 nk between the basic and engineering sciences. He has taught biochemistry 
 and microbiology to environmental engineering students\, as well as applie
 d subjects such as the investigation and remediation of contaminated sites
  and wastewater treatment. This same diversity is reflected in his researc
 h topics and experimental approaches\, as well as in the academic training
  of the individuals he has mentored\, whose research activities have spann
 ed areas from biochemistry and biology to environmental engineering.\n\n\n
  \n 
LOCATION:CE 1 6 https://plan.epfl.ch/?room==CE%201%206
STATUS:CONFIRMED
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