Rate My Professor Gerd Simons

Prof. Dr. Gerd Simons serves as Head of the FHNW Institute for Sensors and Electronics at the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW), where he lectures on measurement and sensor technology. His research specializations include sensors in general, sensor diagnostics, applications of sensors in farming, and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies. Simons directs applied research projects such as the WHEATWATCHER project for safe wheat agriculture towards sustainable health, feasibility studies on embedding sensor systems into concrete for long-term structural health monitoring, and initiatives addressing macro- and micro-plastics in agricultural soils using sensor-based methods. He actively collaborates on interdisciplinary efforts, including electronics and sensors development for sustainable solutions and participation in events like the Quantum Industry Day in Switzerland.

Gerd Simons earned his Diploma in Mechanical Engineering (Dipl. Masch.-Ing. ETH) from ETH Zurich from 1993 to 1998 and his Doctor of Technical Sciences (Dr. sc. techn.) from ETH Zurich in 2005. His PhD dissertation, "Mechanical size effects in thin copper foils: an experimental study," supervised by Prof. Jürg Dual, investigated size-dependent mechanical properties in thin metal foils through experimental techniques. Key publications encompass "Experimental Investigations of Size Effects in Thin Copper Foils" (2004, with Jürg Dual, Christina Weippert, and Jürgen Villain), "Three-Dimensional Microstructure of Thin Copper Foils Revealed by Ion Beam Cutting and Electron Backscatter Diffraction (EBSD)" (2005), and a co-authored paper "Iron-Catalyzed Laser-Induced Graphitization Enabling Conductive Laser-Induced Graphene" (2025, with C.H. Dreimol et al.). His scholarly output has accumulated 184 citations. Simons' career trajectory reflects expertise in micromechanics and sensor technology, contributing significantly to advancements in engineering fields through institutional leadership and research impact at FHNW.