Annual Report 2018 IST Austria scientists by The Scientists country of previous institution Austria 15.6% Germany 13.8% USA 11.1% of IST Austria UK 7.2% Spain 4.5% France 4.5% Italy 4.2% Scientists come from all over the world to conduct Switzerland 3.6% research at IST Austria. This map provides an overview Czech Republic 3.3% China 3.0% of the nationalities on campus. Russia 2.7% India 2.4% Other 24.1% North America Europe Asia Canada Austria Afghanistan Mexico Belgium China USA Bosnia and India Herzegovina Iran Bulgaria Israel Croatia Japan Cyprus Jordan Czech Republic Nepal Denmark Palestine Estonia Russia Finland Turkey France Vietnam Germany Greece Hungary Italy Lithuania Netherlands Poland Portugal Romania Serbia IST Austria scientists by nationality Slovakia Austria 15.6% Slovenia Germany 11.1% Spain Italy 5.7% South America Sweden Russia 5.1% Argentina Switzerland China 4.8% Bolivia Slovakia 4.5% UK Brazil Hungary 4.2% Ukraine India 4.2% Chile Poland 3.3% Colombia Czech Republic 3.3% France 3.0% Spain 2.7% UK 2.4% Oceania United States 2.4% Australia Other 27.7% Content Introduction Outreach & Events 4 Foreword by the President 70 Outreach and 6 Board Member Statements Science Education 72 Scientific Discourse Institute Development 8 10 Years IST Austria IST Austria's Future 18 A Decade of Growth 76 Technology Transfer 20 A Decade of Science 78 Donors 26 IST Austria at a Glance 28 Campus Life 81 Facts & Figures Education & Career 30 Career Options at IST Austria 32 PhD Students at IST Austria 38 Interns at IST Austria 40 Postdocs at IST Austria 42 IST Austria Alumni 44 New Professors Research & Work 48 Biology 50 Computer Science 52 Mathematics 54 Neuroscience 56 Physics 60 Scientific Service Units 62 Staff Scientists 66 Administration 2 3 Foreword Thomas A. Henzinger President, IST Austria Almost ten years ago, in June 2009, our campus in Remaining at the forefront of science requires cutting- Klosterneuburg was officially inaugurated and opened edge equipment and services. One of our largest its doors to welcome the first staff and scientists, investments so far, the Nobel prize-winning technology embarking on a path towards the ambitious goal of of cryo-electron microscopy, will be available for use becoming a beacon for scientific excellence in Austria on campus in early 2019. and worldwide. 2019 will be a year of celebration for us, as well as a year of reflection and planning, as we enter Construction on campus is progressing as planned. In the next phase of the Institute’s development. October, IST Austria held the groundbreaking ceremony for Lab Building Five, the future home of chemistry labo- The past decade has seen the campus grow into a pro- ratories, the Graduate School, and the Institute’s library. ductive, vibrant center for basic research of the highest Also, the winning projects for the sixth science building quality, as evidenced by the very encouraging figures and a campus visitor center were selected this year. The in this year’s annual Nature Index survey. Of all research latter will be the future home of the Institute’s outreach institutions established within the last 30 years, IST and educational activities; these will comprise a broad Austria is ranked eighth among the “rising stars” of the program including the hosting of school visits and world, the only institution outside of Asia to appear in the organization of regular events such as the Science the top ten. Another positive sign is our faculty’s con- Education Day, which took place for the first time in tinuing success in acquiring funding from the European 2018. Our technology transfer activities are also ramping Research Council (ERC), the premier funding source up: the construction of the IST Technology Park is for basic research in the EU. With 50% of the grant progressing rapidly, and the Institute’s incubator fund applications awarded, IST Austria has by far the highest is supporting its first two start-up companies. success rate in Europe among all research institutions hosting more than 30 ERC grantees. Currently, about This year has given us many reasons to be confident two thirds of our faculty have obtained at least one about the future of IST Austria. At the same time, we ERC grant, including two Starting Grants awarded in continue to depend on the strong support of our public 2018 to computer scientist Dan Alistarh and physicist and private partners. We are grateful to all donors, Mikhail Lemeshko. With Herbert Edelsbrunner, the supporters, and friends of IST Austria, especially the Institute hosts already the third Wittgenstein Award— Federal Minister of Science, Education, and Research, the highest honor of the Austrian Science Fund (FWF)— Heinz Faßmann, and the Governor of Lower Austria, in its first ten years. Johanna Mikl-Leitner, who have shown their steadfast commitment to our ambitious plans and to the Institute’s The campus community continues to grow: around 700 founding principles of excellence, internationality, and scientists and staff are currently employed, among them independence. The coming decade will present new four new faculty members. These new group leaders milestones to reach and new challenges to overcome, strengthen the Institute’s research profile in number and achieving our aspirations will also depend on theory, neurobiology, quantum physics, and soft-matter engaging new partners. With supporters both old and physics. The past year also saw two successful tenure new, we are eager to take on these challenges and con- evaluations: biologist Călin Guet and mathematician tinue to work towards becoming a globally recognized Uli Wagner were promoted to full professors. institution for basic science and doctoral education in Austria. In June, we celebrated the achievements of 18 new PhDs. In the past decade, a total of 60 students have obtained their doctoral degrees and left the Institute to pursue their next career steps. Our growing network of alumni have taken on positions in over 30 different countries, from Australia to Poland, and at organizations including Harvard University and Google. 4 5 Haim Harari Catherine Cesarsky Chair of the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees, IST Austria, since 2006 Member of the Board of Trustees, IST Austria, since 2006; Former President, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel member of the Scientific Board, IST Austria, 2007–2009 Chief Scientific Advisor, Former High Commissioner for Atomic Energy, CEA-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France More than fifty years ago, Sixth, permission to train students and grant degrees I was invited to participate in groups and play a role in the hiring of junior scientists. I began my studies towards in PhD and MSc programs. Seventh, no external political the Board of IST Austria very Soon, we realized that it took time and persuasion to an MSc degree at the Weizmann or business interference in the science and management early on, in 2006. I received convince senior professors to leave their institutions Institute in Israel. I have been of the organization. Eighth, an optimal rate of growth, the visionary report by Haim Harari, and move to the IST Austria campus, and thus the pace associated with that institute as a PhD allowing the creation of a critical mass in one new area Olaf Kübler, and Hubert Markl, and was of growth of the Institute could be compromised. We student, a young professor, department head, dean, after another, without compromising quality for the sake tremendously impressed with it. The report took decided to proceed faster than originally planned with president for 13 years, founder of several new enterprises of rapid growth. Ninth, contributing to the national and inspiration from the best proven practices of institutions the hiring of junior scientists, still keeping the original in and around it, and now as a partly retired, partly international economy and to human development, by from around the world—hiring practices like those at very high standards and betting on their promise as active “institute professor”. During those years, exploiting intellectual property created by the institute ETH Zurich, career paths similar to the US university future leaders. In the end, it worked out. Now that the I have sampled numerous European and American scientists, without allowing it to redirect research system, technology transfer and fundraising as pursued faculty of the Institute comprises more than 50 profes- research organizations, serving in many different capaci- programs away from basic science. Tenth, contributing by the Weizmann Institute of Science, and so on—and sors and assistant professors, it has become much ties and activities. I committed endless errors, learned to society in a variety of other ways, primarily by used them to shape a beautifully coherent proposal. easier to continue expanding the faculty. The excellence many lessons, and even took some successful steps advancing science education for young and old and Another essential ingredient was the independence of the hiring, at all levels, is reflected in the fact that and decisions. Among other countries, I became familiar bringing an awareness of science to every mind. of the Institute. I had been involved in many advisory IST Austria is the institute with the highest proportion of with the basic research landscape of Austria, and family committees of university departments and research ERC grantees, and by far, the highest rate of acceptance reasons attached me further to the country. When, at the In many ways, this blueprint is an approximate descrip- centers, but this was the first time I had a chance to of ERC proposals, among those institutes with over beginning of the new millennium, Anton Zeilinger started tion of the Weizmann Institute, an outstanding multidis- see an ambitious science institute born ex nihilo.