Prof. Dr. Tanja ZIMMERMANN is a Swiss materials scientist and the Director of the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa), a position she has held since 2022 .
A specialist in wood science, biomimetics, and sustainable materials, she has built her career at Empa since 1994, leading research groups and departments before joining the institution's executive leadership Empa.
She holds a PhD from Empa in collaboration with the University of Hamburg and has contributed extensively to the fields of cellulose nanocomposites, functional materials, and applied wood technologies .
In addition to her scientific leadership, she is a professor of materials science at ETH Zurich and EPFL and is recognized as a Fellow of the International Academy of Wood Science.
Reappointed by the Swiss Federal Council for a second term extending to 2030, Zimmermann plays a central role in shaping Switzerland's research strategy across the ETH Domain and strengthening collaboration among leading national research institutions.
