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, bio-based 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 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.
