Prof. Dr. Paolo Ermanni

Prof. Dr.  Paolo Ermanni

Prof. Dr. Paolo Ermanni

Deputy head of Inst. f. Design, Mat. und Fabrikation

ETH Zürich

Verbundwerkst. u. Adaptive Strukt.

LEE O 201

Leonhardstrasse 21

8092 Zürich

Switzerland

Additional information

Paolo Ermanni has been Full Professor of Structure Technologies the ETH Zurich since April 1st, 2003.


Paolo Ermanni, born June 15, 1959, from Bissone (TI) studied Mechanical Engineering at the ETH Zurich. He received his Dr. sc. techn. degree at the ETH Zurich in 1990 under the guidance of Prof. Dr. M. Flemming. His research work was focusing on process technologies for highly integrated aircraft fuselage structures made of composite materials. He spent more than five years at DaimlerChrysler Aerospace Airbus GmbHcall_made in Hamburg as a senior engineer and later on, as a project manager. At Airbus he was mainly dealing with structural and technological issues related to the realisation of a second generation of civil supersonic aircraft. In 1997 he took on a new challenge as a manager in the consulting firm A.T. Kearneycall_made in Milan. He was appointed associate professor at ETH Zurich in 1998.


His interests focus on lightweight and adaptive structures made of composite and smart materials. Research is currently focusing on two areas. The first area includes design, modelling and characterisation of novel material systems and processes. A second focal point of the group is computational structural mechanics including the development of novel optimisation algorithms in conjunction with the numerical simulation of structures and manufacturing processes. The Centre of Structure Technologies is closely working together with different national and international research institutes and industries, seeking a well-balanced project portfolio of fundamental and applied projects.


The research team of Paolo Ermanni has provided a number of valuable contributions in internationally recognised refereed journals. Paolo Ermanni is currently chair of student affairs of the Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering. He is a member of the research commission of the EMPAcall_made (Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Testing and Research) and President of the Swiss Chapter of the Society for the Advancement of Materials and Process Engineering (SAMPEcall_made).

Course Catalogue

Spring Semester 2024

Number Unit
151-0073-51L NOCTUA
151-0366-00L Aircraft Structures
151-0548-00L Manufacturing of Polymer Composites
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