Dr. Nicola Spaldin

Professor

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Biography

Nicola Spaldin studied Natural Sciences at Cambridge University, obtaining her B.A. in 1991. She moved to the University of California, Berkeley, where she earned her PhD in Chemistry in 1996. Following her PhD, Spaldin worked as a postdoctoral researcher in the Applied Physics Department at Yale University. She then held academic positions at UC Santa Barbara's Materials Department, starting as an Assistant Professor (1997-2002), becoming an Associate Professor (2002-2006), and achieving the rank of Full Professor in 2006. In 2011, she moved to ETH Zürich to lead the Department of Materials Theory. Her research primarily focuses on materials theory and the fundamental physics of novel materials with potential technological applications. She has participated in numerous collaborations, developing new theoretical methods and designing materials with specific functionalities. Notable materials of interest include magnetoelectric multiferroics and transition-metal oxides, particularly those displaying strong electron correlations. Spaldin has held visiting professorships in various institutions and is recognized for her contributions to materials science through numerous awards, including the Lise Meitner Award and the Europhysics Prize.

Research Interests

Experience

Professor and Chair of Materials Theory

2010-01-01 — Present

ETH Zürich, Department of Materials • Zürich, Switzerland

Lead the Department of Materials Theory, focusing on theoretical techniques to study novel materials.

Professor

2006-01-01 — 2010-01-01

University of California, Santa Barbara, Materials Department • Santa Barbara, CA, USA

Conducted research in materials science and taught graduate-level courses.

Awards

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Carus Medal Prize

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ETH Zurich Golden Owl Award Teaching Excellence

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Miller Institute Visiting Professorship

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Europhysics Prize

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IUPAP Magnetism Award Néel Medal

Courses

Quantum Mechanics Solid State Physics II Joint Group Seminar

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.