Dr. Ruben Kretzschmar

Professor

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Biography

Ruben Kretzschmar is a Full Professor in Soil Chemistry at the Department of Environmental Systems Science at ETH Zurich. He earned his Ph.D. degree in 1994 from the Department of Soil Science at North Carolina State University, specializing in soil chemistry and mineralogy. He was elected as an Associate Professor at ETH Zurich in 1999 and became a Full Professor in 2002. His research group primarily focuses on the biogeochemical behavior and cycling of major trace elements in soils and sediments. Currently, the group investigates the biogeochemistry of metals and metalloids in periodically anoxic soils, contaminated river floodplains, irrigated rice paddies, and coastal wetlands. Kretzschmar has authored or co-authored over 200 research articles in peer-reviewed scientific journals, review articles, and book chapters, contributing to leading German textbooks in Soil Science.

Research Interests

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.