A new chapter has begun at the SNSF with the retirement of its Director, Angelika Kalt. Over the past 17 years, she has played a central role in developing the institution and tackling the challenges it faces.
After eight years at the University of Neuchâtel as a professor of petrology and internal geodynamics, this perfectly trilingual German scientist joined the SNSF in 2008 as deputy director. Among other achievements, she oversaw the development of the evaluation processes, working to enhance their quality and scientific approach in line with international standards.
Angelika Kalt was also responsible for renewing project funding schemes, and, with the SNSF as a whole, she ensured that these schemes met the needs of scientists and guaranteed the excellence of the research funded. In 2014, she led the rapid implementation of the SNSF's temporary backup schemes to mitigate Switzerland's temporary exclusion from the European Horizon 2020 programme.
In 2016, Angelika Kalt succeeded Daniel Höchli as the Director of the SNSF. In her new role, she continued to professionalise and develop the institution, which now supports nearly 6,000 projects and tens of thousands of researchers. She played a significant role in transforming the Research Council and the Foundation Council as part of the GO2024 project, which concluded this year. "The past few years have presented an opportunity to strengthen our bilateral and multilateral international cooperation and to enhance our connections with Science Europe," Angelika Kalt highlighted.
"All these achievements are the fruit of incredible teamwork in the service of scientists and research," she added. "This collective effort will remain vital to overcome future challenges facing the SNSF and the research it supports, especially in light of the announced budget cuts."
Angelika Kalt will be succeeded by a new co-directorship. From the beginning of April, Katrin Milzow and Thomas Werder Schläpfer will share the leadership of the institution. Both are serving members of the Executive Management, Katrin Milzow as Head of Research Development and Thomas Werder Schläpfer as Head of Research Funding.
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