Martin Steinbacher

Martin Steinbacher is a senior scientist with the Laboratory of Air Pollution and Environmental Technology at Empa, the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology in Switzerland. He is a meteorologist by training graduating from the University of Frankfurt (Germany), received a PhD in Natural Sciences (Atmospheric Chemistry) at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) in Zurich (Switzerland), and obtained a University Certificate of Advanced Studies in Environmental Diplomacy from the University of Geneva (Switzerland). He worked as a research fellow at the Paul Scherrer Institute (Switzerland) on tropospheric chemistry and ozone formation. Since 2004, he is at Empa where he is in charge of continuous monitoring of air pollutants within the Swiss National Air Pollution Monitoring Network. Moreover, he leads the Quality Assurance / Science Activity Centre Switzerland (QA/SAC-CH) in support of the Global Atmosphere Watch Programme of the World Meteorological Organization. One of QA/SAC-CH’s tasks is to maintain and increase the quality and spatial coverage within the GAW network in particular in developing countries through training, twinning and capacity building.