United Nations University

The United Nations University (UNU) is the academic arm of the United Nations. It bridges the academic world and the United Nations system. Its goal is to develop sustainable solutions for current and future problems of humankind in all aspects of life. Through a problem-oriented and interdisciplinary approach it aims at teaching, applied research and education on a global scale. UNU was founded in 1973 as an autonomous organ of the United Nations General Assembly. The University comprises headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, and more than a dozen Institutes and Programmes worldwide.

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Professor Jakob Rhyner

Vice Rector in Europe

Tel .: + 49-228-815-0201

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Background

Professor Rhyner joined the United Nations University in 2010. He holds a PhD and diploma in theoretical physics from ETH Zurich . He is a member of the Agricultural Faculty of the University of Bonn. He has been active in numerous professional organizations and boards, such as the Fachleute Naturgefahren Schweiz (Experts Natural Hazards Switzerland), the Group of European Avalanche Warning Services, and research project evaluation boards of the European Commission.

He has various international experiences, including as a guest scientist at L.D. Landau Institute of Theoretical Physics in Moscow, Former Soviet Union (1986), and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1990-91). From 1988 until 2001, he was active in industrial research (energy technology).

From 2001 on, he served as Head of the WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research (SLF) in Davos, Switzerland, and its Research Unit Warning and Prevention. He also acted as a member of the Directorial Board of the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape WSL , to which SLF belongs. At WSL/SLF, he has been involved in the area of natural hazards safety and risk management .

Working Area at UNU-ViE

Professor Rhyner is Vice Rector in Europe as well as Director of the United Nations University Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS).