Prof. em. Dr. Josef Zeyer

Josef Zeyer is full professor for Environmental Microbiology at the Institute of Biogeochemistry and Pollutant Dynamics. His main studies focus on the biological structures and functions in terrestrial and aquatic systems. Central research topics include the characterization of microorganims using molecular molecular methods, the in situ quantification of the microbial production and oxidation of methane, the microbial degradation of pollutants and the interaction of microorganisms and plants in pioneer sites such as fore fields of retreating glaciers.

Josef Zeyer was born on April 18, 1950 in Ettiswil, Lucerne. He studied biochemistry and microbiology at the ETH Zurich. In the context of his dissertation under Professor Dr. R. Hütter at the ETH Zurich Institute of Microbiology he investigated the microbial transformation of Atrazine (Ph.D. 1979). Prof. Zeyer worked from 1979 to 1982 at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (subjects: chemical analysis and metabolism of pesticides in soil) and subsequently as senior assistant at the University of Geneva (subjects: genetics, biochemistry). From 1984 to 1991 he was a scientific assistant at the Federal Institute for Water Resources and Water Pollution Control (EAWAG), where his main focus was on the microbial ecology of aquatic and terrestrial systems. In November 1991 Josef Zeyer was elected a full professor at ETH Zurich.

Currently Prof. Josef Zeyer is the head of the Institute of Biogeochemistry and Pollutant Dynamics as well as a member of the Research Commission of ETH. Moreover, he is actively engaged in a number of national and international boards dealing with environmental research.