Dr. Colette Heald

Professor

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Biography

Colette Heald is a Full Professor in the Department of Environmental Systems Science at ETH Zurich. She completed her undergraduate degree in Engineering Physics at Queen's University, Canada, in 2000 and earned her Ph.D. in Earth and Planetary Science from Harvard University in 2005. Following her doctorate, she held a NOAA Climate and Global Change postdoctoral fellowship at the University of California, Berkeley, from 2006 to 2007. Colette served as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Atmospheric Science at Colorado State University from 2008 to 2011 and was subsequently an Associate Professor and later a Full Professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the Departments of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences from 2012 to 2023. She joined ETH Zurich in 2024. Her research focuses on global tropospheric chemistry, atmospheric aerosol sources, biosphere-atmosphere interactions, and chemistry-climate interactions. Colette has received several accolades throughout her career, including the American Geophysical Union’s James B. Macelwane Medal for early career contributions to geosciences and multiple teaching awards during her tenure at MIT.

Research Interests

Experience

Professor

2024-01-01 — Present

ETH Zurich • Zürich

Joined faculty as a Full Professor in the Department of Environmental Systems Science.

Professor

2012-01-01 — 2023-01-01

Massachusetts Institute of Technology • Cambridge, Massachusetts

Served in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and the Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences.

Assistant Professor

2008-01-01 — 2011-01-01

Colorado State University • Fort Collins, Colorado

Held position in the Department of Atmospheric Science.

NOAA Climate Global Change Postdoctoral Fellow

2006-01-01 — 2007-01-01

University of California Berkeley • Berkeley, California

Participated in research on climate change.

Awards

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James B. Macelwane Medal

2015-01-01
#

Maseeh Excellence in Teaching Award

2016-01-01
#

Committed Caring Faculty Award

2020-01-01
#

Distinguished Service Leadership Award

2022-01-01
#

Capers Marion McDonald Award for Excellence in Advising

2022-01-01

Courses

Colloquium Atmosphere Climate 1 Colloquium Atmosphere Climate 2 Colloquium Atmosphere Climate 3 Atmospheric Chemistry Atmospheric Chemistry Global Change

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.