Alexander Zehnder

Professor Alexander Zehnder is a globally recognised water expert with decades of experience.

Building on his accomplished academic standing, Professor Zehnder has managed some of the world's foremost public and private institutions, and universities. He has published a number of books and over 200 articles in peer reviewed journals and chaired a number of international expert commissions. He is currently Scientific Director of the Alberta Water Research Institute (AWRI) and founder of triple Z consulting. His major knowledge areas cover a range of water related subjects in the fields of scientific research, engineering, economics and sustainability.

From 1992 to 2004, he was Director of EAWAG and Professor for Environmental Biotechnology at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) in Zurich. From 2004 to 2007, he was president of the ETH-Board, responsible for ETH Zurich and Lausanne and four national laboratories (PSI, EMPA, WSL, EAWAG) with an annual budget of US$2bn. Prior to EAWAG and ETH, he was Professor and Chairman of the Department of Microbiology of the Wageningen Agricultural University since 1982.

Professor Zehnder completed his studies in Natural Sciences at the ETH. He then did a Ph.D. at ETH and the Swiss Water Research Institute (EAWAG), became a Research Associate at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, USA, and accepted an Assistant Professorship at Stanford University.