1947

19 January, birthday, Basel

1954 - 1958

Primary school, Basel

1958 - 1966

Secondary school, Basel, Graduation Matura A

1966 - 1969

Study at the University of Basel in Geography, Geology, Biology and History

1969 - 1974

Dissertation/Ph.D. thesis on the distribution of permafrost in an Alpine test area (University of Basel, Dr. Phil II with Geography, Geology, Botany, Zoology)

1974

Beginning of work at the Laboratory of Hydraulics, Hydrology and Glaciology (VAW), Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETHZ)

1974 - 1978

Working with the group on glacier mechanics within Glaciology Section of VAW/ETHZ (main topics: glacier hazards, temperature of ice, permafrost, deep drilling on glaciers)

1978 - 1979

Advanced training as a visiting scientist at the US Geological Survey in Tacoma/Washington and Fairbanks Alaska

1979 - 1988

Chairman of the group on "applied glaciology" within the Glaciology Section at VAW/ETHZ (main topics: glacier hazards, permafrost, paleoglaciology)

1982 - 1998

Correspondent for Switzerland of the International Glaciological Society

1983 - 1986

Director of "Permanent Service on the Fluctuations of Glaciers" for UNESCO, ICSI/IAHS and FAGS/ICSU

1985

Habilitation in Glaciology and Geomorphology at ETH Zurich (Earth Sciences Department) with the study: "Creep of Mountain Permafrost: Internal Structure and Flow of Alpine Rock Glaciers"

1985 - 

Member of the the Swiss Disaster Relief Organisation (later: Swiss Organisation for Humanitarian Help – expert group on Disaster Prevention)

1987 - 

Director of the "World Glacier Monitoring Service" GEMS/UNEP, UNESCO, ICSI/IAHS and FAGS/ICSU

1988 - 1995

Head of the Glaciology Section at ETH Zurich

1988 - 1996

Member of the Geophysical Commission within the Swiss Academy of Sciences (SANW)

1988 - 1998

Chairman of the "working group on mountain permafrost" of the International Permafrost Association

1989 - 1992

President of the Swiss Geomorphological Society within the Swiss Academy of Sciences (SANW)

1989 - 1992

Member of the Glacier Commission within the Swiss Academy of Sciences (SANW)

1992 - 1995

Vice President of the Swiss Geomorphological Society (SANW)

1992 - 1996

Vice President of the Glacier Commission (SANW)

1993 - 1995

IPCC Lead Author - Working Group II/Cryosphere

1994 - 1998

Member of the Commission on Climate and Atmospheric Research within the Swiss Academy of Sciences (SANW)

1995 - 

Professor of Physical Geography at the University of Zurich

1995 - 

Editorial Board Member of the Journal "Permafrost and Periglacial Processes"

1995

IPCC Contributing Author - Working Group I/Changes in Sea Level

1996 - 2002

President of the section IV (geography and environment) of the Swiss Academy of Sciences

1996 - 2009

Member of the Terrestrial Observation Panel for Climate (TOPC) within the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS) of WMO/UNESCO/UNEP/ICSU

1998 -

Editorial Board Member of the Journal "Zeitschrift für Geomorphologie" (Annals of Geomorphology)

1998 -

Editorial Board Member of the Journal "Geographica Helvetica" 

1998 - 2003

Vice President of the International Permafrost Association (IPA)

1998 - 2000

Chair of the IPA Task Force ”Rock Glacier Dynamics”

1999 -

Member of the Federal Commission on Environmental Research

2000 - 2002

Deputy Director, Geography Department, University of Zurich

2000 -

Editorial Board Member, Norwegian Journal of Geography

2000

IPCC Contributing Author - Working Group I/Observed Variability and Change

2000 -

Editorial Board Member, Geografia Fisica e Dinamica Quaternaria

2002 - 2006

President Geoforum, Swiss Academy of Sciences

2002 - 2006

Director, Geography Department, University of Zurich

2003 - 2006

Vice President, Swiss Academy of Sciences

2005 -

IPCC Reviewer - Working Group I, Contributing Author – Working Group 2

2006 - 

President of the Federal Commission on Environmental Research

2006 - 2008

Deputy Director, Geography Department, University of Zurich

2006 -

Istituto Lombardo, Academia di Science e Lettere, Milano: membro straniero