New SLF management team

Following the retirement of the former head of the SLF, the renowned Davos-based institute is now being co-led by the four on-site heads of unit, with effect from 1 June 2026.

• New SLF management: the Davos-based research institute is being led by a team of four. 
• First woman in the SLF's top role: Ruzica Dadic takes over as head. 
• A new generation at the SLF: management is now split between several individuals.

The WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF is the Davos-based branch of the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL. Three of WSL's ten research units and one of its six support units are based entirely in Davos. As of 1 June 2026, the leaders of these units now make up the SLF's management team:

• Ruzica Dadic has been leading the Snow and Atmosphere research unit for over three years and is taking on the formal role of head of the SLF within the management team. In this capacity, she will act as the SLF's main point of contact and representative, both internally and externally (for more about Ruzica, see: "We should give something back to society"). She is the first woman to hold this position in the institute's almost 90-year history.
• Nadine Salzmann has been head of the Alpine Environment and Natural Hazards research unit for the past five years (for more about Nadine, see: An interview with Dr Nadine Salzmann, the new head of the SLF's Alpine Environment and Natural Hazards research unit). She will represent the SLF in the WSL Directorate and, since 1 January, has also been heading up the Climate Change, Extremes and Natural Hazards in Alpine Regions Research Centre CERC, which forms part of the SLF.
• Pascal Haegeli took over as head of the Snow Avalanches and Prevention research unit, which includes the avalanche warning service, on 1 June 2026.
• Marco Collet has worked at the SLF for 14 years and has been head of the Facility Management support unit since 2022. This unit is responsible for the day-to-day running of the SLF, and also for its workshops.

While the on-site heads of unit had already been holding regular informal discussions, the SLF was led solely by Jürg Schweizer, who also represented the institute in the WSL Directorate and headed up the Snow Avalanches and Prevention research unit before this role was taken over by Pascal Haegeli. The fact that responsibilities are now shared among several individuals means that coordination and collaboration between all members of the management will be increasingly important: the SLF management team will meet regularly for discussions and will tackle research-related and operational challenges together.

• Ruzica Dadic: “We should give something back to society”
• Nadine Salzmann: An interview with Dr Nadine Salzmann, the new head of the SLF's Alpine Environment and Natural Hazards research unit

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