Biography

About

michael

I am a geoscientist with a broad interest in investigating, quantifying and modelling subaqueous geomorphodynamic processes and assessing the related hazard. It is my motivation to understand processes of our environment, and to inspire people to do the same.

During my research career, I have had a strong focus on the geological and sedimentological aspect of subaqueous mass movements and their consequences, including tsunamis. Next to the broad field- (geophysical data acquisition, sediment coring, CPT) and laboratory-work (Core data analysis) experience, I have strong skills in developing conceptual approaches and conducting geospatial analyses.

My work at the Swiss Seismological Service has enabled me to transfer my previous knowledge to current earthquake-related projects and to extend my seismological skills.

Research interests

  • Natural hazard assessment
  • Subaqueous mass movements
  • Tsunamis
  • Limnogeology
  • Seismic stratigraphy
  • Sediment dynamics
  • Earthquakes
  • Geospatial Analyses

Projects

Currently, I am involved in the following projects:

  • TSUNAMI-CH: The project investigates the tsunami hazard on Swiss Peri-Alpine lakes, in collaboration with the Laboratory of Hydraulics, Hydrology and Glaciology at ETHZ and the University of Bern

  • artEmis (awareness and resilience through European multi sensor system): The European collaboration project aims at developing, building and operating a multi sensor system that will measure with unprecedent spatial and temporal resolution changes in radon concentration in ground water. The resulting data are fed into ML Algorithms, analysed, and correlated to seismic data, in order to test if changes in radon concentrations can be used as potential precursors to earthquakes.

Teaching

  • Limnogeology (BSc level)
  • Geophysical Field Class (BSc level)

Work experience

  • Since Nov. 2020: Senior Research Assistant and Lecturer at Swiss Seismological Service (ETH Zurich)
  • Aug 2018 - Oct 2020: Postdoctoral Researcher at Swiss Seismological Service
  • 12/2017 - 7/2018: Risk Management (New Reinsurance Company Ltd., Trainee)
  • 05/2012 - 12/2012: Staff at Renard Centre of Marine Geology (Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium)

Education

  • 01/2014 -10/ 2017: PhD studies (ETH Zurich, Geological Institute and SED): “Basin-wide assessment of the earthquake-triggered landslide- and tsunami hazard: A conceptual approach and its application, tested in perialpine Lake Zurich (Switzerland)“

  • 02/2010 - 02/2012: MSc studies in Physical Geography (University of Zurich, Switzerland). Glaciology, Geomorphodynamics, Geochronology

  • 07/2009 - 09/2009: Traineeship Remote Sensing / GIS (Mongolian Academy of Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia)

  • 10/2006 - 07/2009: BSc studies in Geography (University of Zurich, Switzerland)

Fieldwork Experience

  • Spring 2022: Airborne orthophoto and DEM acquisition with DJI Phantom 4 Drone on Lake Kloental, Switzerland with our BSc Student Sabine Mawet.

  • 2018: OBS Campaign, Lake Lucerne, Switzerland. Related to our projet on Lake Tsunamis.

  • Spring 2016: Pinger Seismic Survey, Oberrieden, Lake Zurich, Switzerland. Related to my PhD studies.

  • Spring 2015: Kullenberg-Type longcoring Campaign, Lake Zurich, Switzerland. Related to my PhD studies.

  • Spring 2015: Cone Penetration Testing (CPT) Campaign, Lake Zurich, Switzerland. Related to my PhD studies.

  • Spring 2014: R/V ArETHuse, Multibeam Echosounder Survey, Lake Zurich, Switzerland. Related to my PhD studies.

  • Autumn 2012: Pinger Seismic Survey, various lakes in the high Atlas mountains (Lakes Sidi Ali, Tislit, d’Isli), Morocco. Related to my position in Belgium.

  • Summer 2012: R/V Moose Dancer, Pinger Seismic Survey and Short Coring on Lakes Kenai, Skilak, Tustumena and Eklutna, Southern Alaska. Related to my position in Belgium.

  • Summer 2011: R/V Perca, Sparker Seismic Survey, Lake Lucerne, Switzerland. Related to MSc thesis.

  • 2006 - 2012: Various Terrain courses (Glaciology, Geomorphology, Geology, Remote Sensing, Soil Science) related to the University of Zurich Bachelors and Masters program

Contact

NO G48, Sonneggstrasse 5, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland

e-mail

OrcID

ResearchGate

LinkedIn