Dr. Andreas Fichtner

Professor

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Biography

Professor Fichtner specializes in Seismology and Wave Physics at ETH Zurich. He received his PhD from the University of Munich in January 2010, focusing on Full Seismic Waveform Inversion for Structural and Source Parameters. Following his doctoral studies, he undertook postdoctoral research at Utrecht University, where he developed multi-scale methods for seismic waveform inversion. His research interests include seismic tomography and fibre-optic sensing technologies, which are applied to image the deep interior of the Earth. He leads a team that employs novel techniques in numerical wave propagation and specializes in non-linear optimization techniques, essential for understanding large-scale inverse problems. He has worked on deploying fibre-optic cables across extensive lengths in urban areas, volcanoes, and glaciers, turning them into seismic sensors that yield unprecedented insights into Earth's structure and seismicity. His work has received numerous accolades, including the Keiiti Aki Award from the American Geophysical Union in 2011, the Early Career Scientist Award from the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics in 2015, and the Hoffmann Prize from the Bavarian Academy of Sciences in 2018. Additionally, he is a co-founder and scientific adviser for Mondaic, a start-up that provides solutions for full-waveform modeling and inversion in both academia and industry. In 2024, he will serve on the Board of Directors for the Seismological Society of America.

Research Interests

Experience

Professor

2010-01-01 — Present

ETH Zurich • Zürich, Switzerland

Full Professor specializing in Seismology and Wave Physics, focusing on seismic tomography and fibre-optic sensing.

Awards

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Keiiti Aki Award

2011-01-01
#

Early Career Scientist Award

2015-01-01
#

Hoffmann Prize

2018-01-01

Courses

Dynamic Earth II Inverse Theory Basics Integrated Earth Systems

Requirements for ETH Zurich

Master Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3.4
IELTS
Overall
Required:7
TOEFL
Total
Required:100
GRE General
Verbal
Required:159
Verbal Percentile
Required:80
Quantitative
Required:168
Quantitative Percentile
Required:81
Analytical Writing
Required:4.5
Writing Percentile
Required:85
Prerequisites
Bachelor's degree in a related field (Engineering, Natural Sciences, or Mathematics) Minimum 180 ECTS credits Subject-specific knowledge equivalent to ETH Bachelor's programs
Application Checklist
  • Bachelor's degree diploma or transcript
  • Official academic transcripts
  • Curriculum Vitae (CV)
  • Letter of Motivation (1 page)
  • Two academic recommendation letters
  • English language proficiency certificate
  • GRE General Test (for non-EU/EFTA applicants)
Specialization Notes

The GRE is mandatory for students who did not obtain their Bachelor's degree in an EU/EFTA state. Some departments (e.g., Computer Science) have specific ECTS credit requirements in core subjects.