Dr. Leonardo Degiorgi

Professor

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Biography

Leonardo Degiorgi was appointed as Professor at ETH Zurich in 2005 and served as the Coordinator (Delegierter) of the Department of Physics from 2004 to 2019, overseeing the Optical Spectroscopy Group in the Laboratory for Solid State Physics. His research mainly focuses on magneto-optical investigations of strongly correlated systems and novel materials with peculiar ground states. Degiorgi completed his studies in physics at ETH Zurich from 1980 to 1985 and received his PhD degree in 1990. He conducted postdoctoral research at the University of California, Los Angeles, from 1990 to 1992, and returned to ETH Zurich as an associate researcher. He gained his lecturer title in physics in 1996 and became an Assistant Professor in 1999. Degiorgi chose to continue his work at ETH Zurich instead of accepting professorship offers from other prominent institutions. He received various awards during his career, including the ETH Medal for an excellent PhD thesis in 1990 and the ETH-Tokyo Institute of Technology prize in 1992. He also held the Profil 2 scholarship provided by the Swiss National Science Foundation from 1994 to 2000. In recognition of his outstanding teaching, he was awarded the ETH Golden Owl in 2012. Leonardo Degiorgi will retire in January 2026.

Research Interests

Experience

Retired Adjunct Professor

— Present

ETH Zurich • Zürich, Switzerland

Oversaw the Optical Spectroscopy Group in the Laboratory for Solid State Physics and led research activities focusing on magneto-optical investigations.

Awards

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Goldene Eule

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University Latsis Prize

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Profil 2 Scholarship

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ETH-Tokyo Institute of Technology Prize

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ETH Medal

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.