# Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology

> laboratory in Dübendorf, Switzerland

**Wikidata**: [Q683116](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q683116)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swiss_Federal_Laboratories_for_Materials_Science_and_Technology)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/swiss-federal-laboratories-for-materials-science-and-technology

## Summary
The Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, commonly known as Empa, is a research institute and laboratory located in Dübendorf, Switzerland. Founded in 1880, it operates as part of the ETH Domain and serves as a center for materials science and technology research under the parent organization of the ETH Board.

## Key Facts
- **Official Name:** Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology
- **Short Name:** Empa
- **Founded:** 1880
- **Location:** Ueberlandstrasse 129, Dübendorf, Canton of Zürich, Switzerland
- **Coordinates:** 47.402185° N, 8.611343° E
- **Parent Organization:** ETH Board
- **Governance:** Part of the ETH Domain
- **Current Director:** Tanja Zimmermann (since 2022)
- **Website:** https://www.empa.ch (Available in English, German, French, Italian)
- **Instance of:** Research institute, Laboratory
- **Archives:** ETH Zurich University Archives (Reference: CH-001807-7:EMPA-DUE)

## FAQs
### Q: What is Empa?
A: Empa is the acronym for the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology. It is a Swiss research institute dedicated to materials science and technology.

### Q: Where is the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology located?
A: The laboratory is located in Dübendorf in the Canton of Zürich, Switzerland, specifically at Ueberlandstrasse 129.

### Q: When was the institute founded?
A: The institute was founded in 1880.

### Q: Who oversees Empa?
A: Empa is part of the ETH Domain and operates under the parent organization of the ETH Board. It is also a member of Informationsdienst Wissenschaft.

## Why It Matters
The Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa) holds a significant position within the Swiss scientific landscape as a federal research institution. As part of the ETH Domain—the strategic management area containing the two Swiss Federal Institutes of Technology—it plays a critical role in bridging the gap between fundamental research and industrial application in the field of materials science.

Established in 1880, the institute represents over a century of accumulated knowledge and infrastructure, evidenced by its archives being maintained at the ETH Zurich University Archives. Its governance under the ETH Board ensures alignment with Swiss federal research strategies. The institute supports the broader scientific community through platforms like DORA Empa and maintains affiliations with notable researchers, such as computer scientist Lorenz M. Hilty. By providing specialized research capabilities and maintaining a distinct identity within the ETH network, Empa contributes to technological advancement and innovation in Switzerland and globally.

## Notable For
- **Federal Status:** Being a federal institute within the prestigious ETH Domain, distinct from standard cantonal universities.
- **Longevity:** Operating continuously since 1880, providing historical depth to Swiss materials research.
- **Multilingual Accessibility:** Maintaining a web presence in four languages: English, German, French, and Italian.
- **Global Identifiers:** Possessing a wide array of international academic identifiers, including ROR, GRID, ISNI, and Ringgold IDs, highlighting its integration into global scientific infrastructure.
- **Archival Preservation:** Having its institutional history preserved in the ETH Zurich University Archives.

## Body
### Identity and Mission
The Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, widely referred to as **Empa**, is classified as both a **research institute** and a **laboratory**. Its primary purpose is research in the field of materials science. The organization is known by multiple aliases internationally, including *Eidgenössische Materialprüfungs- und Forschungsanstalt* (German), *Eidgenössische Materialprüfungsanstalt*, and translations such as *スイス連邦材料研究所* (Japanese) and *瑞士聯邦材料科技實驗室* (Chinese).

### Governance and Structure
Empa is a constituent part of the **ETH Domain** and answers to the **ETH Board** as its parent organization. It also holds membership in **Informationsdienst Wissenschaft** (IDW), a German science news service. The institute operates a specific item known as **DORA Empa**, likely referring to a digital repository or administrative system.

### Location and Facilities
The physical facility is situated in **Dübendorf**, within the Canton of Zürich, Switzerland. The specific street address is **Ueberlandstrasse 129**. The precise geographic coordinates are **47.402185 latitude and 8.611343 longitude**. The institute's assets and historical records are archived at the **ETH Zurich University Archives** under specific identifiers (e.g., CH-001807-7:EMPA-DUE).

### Leadership and Affiliations
As of 2022, the institute is led by **Tanja Zimmermann**. The institute lists **Lorenz M. Hilty**, a computer scientist born in 1959 (ORCID ID: 0000-0001-5020-0586), as an affiliated researcher.

### Digital Presence and Identifiers
Empa maintains a robust digital footprint with a website accessible at `https://www.empa.ch`. It utilizes a Shibboleth API endpoint (`https://aai.empa.ch/idp/shibboleth`) for authentication. The institute is indexed in numerous academic and authority databases:
- **GRID ID:** grid.7354.5
- **ROR ID:** 02x681a42
- **ISNI:** 0000000123313059
- **VIAF ID:** 141404134
- **GND ID:** 2109756-2
- **Library of Congress Authority ID:** nr96022919
- **Open Funder Registry ID:** 501100003044
- **Ringgold ID:** 28501

### Historical Context
The institute was established in **1880**. It has a discontinued Microsoft Academic ID (71824836) and a Freebase ID (/m/05ms_1g), reflecting its presence in historical databases. Its Wikipedia presence spans multiple languages, including German, English, French, Chinese, and Catalan.

## References

1. Open Funder Registry
2. GRID Release 2017-01-10
3. Virtual International Authority File
4. [Source](https://idw-online.de/de/institution1017)
5. [Source](https://vls.hsa.ethz.ch/client/#/de/archiv/einheit/8804727692494e858905dfe0bd8ae020)
6. [Source](https://vls.hsa.ethz.ch/client/link/de/archiv/einheit/595230644cff4db39120edf5372c827d)
7. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
8. Czech National Authority Database
9. GRID Release 2015-12-14
10. GRID Release 2016-12-06
11. Quora
12. Aligned ISNI and Ringgold identifiers for institutions
13. [Source](https://orcid.org/signin)
14. Microsoft Academic Knowledge Graph
15. HAL
16. [Source](https://ror.org/02x681a42)