Prof. Christoph Heitz, PhD

Work at ZHAW

Position

• Head of Research Group Maintenance, Mobility, AI & Society
• Member of Board, Institute for Data Science (since 2001)
• Management board SCRAI Swiss Centre for Responsible AI
• Member core team of ZHAW Digital: Pushing Innovation around digitization (since 2020)

Focus

• Algorithmic Fairness
• Ethics of AI
• Value co-creation in data-based services
• Data-based decision making

Teaching

• Algorithmic Fairness (BSc Computer Science, BSc Data Science, different CAS)
• Responsible AI (BSc, Continued Education programs)
• Service Operations Management (MSc)

Professional development teaching

• CAS Advanced Machine Learning and Machine Learning Operations
• CAS KI verstehen und anwenden: No-Code Lösungen für die betriebliche Praxis
• MAS Wirtschaftsingenieurwesen
• CAS Instandhaltungsmanagement
• CAS Safe and Secure AI – Standards, Methods and Best Practices

Education and Continuing education

Education

• PhD / Theoretical Physics
  University of Freiburg, Germany
  08 / 1992 - 06 / 1996
• Diploma / Physics
  University of Freiburg, Germany
  09 / 1986 - 07 / 1992

Network

Membership of networks

• data innovation alliance, Co-Founder and President, Academic Lead Expert Group Data Ethics (since 2017)
• European Association for Algorithmic Fairness, Co-Founder and President (since 2023)
• The Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS), Member Advisory Boards of Service Science Section (2013-2015)
• Swiss Institute of Service Science: Co-Founder and president (2007-2017)

ORCID digital identifier

ORCID ID: 0000-0002-6683-4150

Projects

• SCRAI – A Think-and-Do-Tank for Responsible Development and Societal Alignment of Artificial Intelligence Systems / Deputy project leader / ongoing
• AI for REAL-world NETwork operation / Team member / ongoing
• Stability of self-organizing net fragments as inductive bias for next-generation deep learning / Team member / completed
• User-based redistribution for free-floating car sharing / Project leader / completed
• Machine learning and algorithms in social work / Team member / completed
• Algorithmic Fairness in data-based decision making: Combining ethics and technology / Project leader / completed
• Socially acceptable AI and fairness trade-offs in predictive analytics / Project leader / completed
• Data-based analytics and predictions to increase overall wind plant revenues under market conditions / Project leader / completed
• Development of a freefloating e-bike sharing service with user co-production / Project leader / completed
• Risk Based Maintenance for safety equipment of Swiss National roads / Project leader / completed
• Business Models for Remote Services / Project leader / completed
• Development of a method for optimized fleet management / Project leader / completed
• System for an Integral Data-based strategic Asset Controlling of Real Estates / Project leader / completed
• Predicting customer behavior by combining freetext information with structured customer data / Project leader / completed
• Optimum asset management of infrastructure networks / Project leader / completed
• Optimized product-service bundle for a new heating system based on fuel cells / Project leader / completed
• Set up your ERP with a questionnaire and without manual / Team member / completed
• Planning and Optimization of marketing campaigns under dyanamical customer behavior / Project leader / completed
• Pegasus – Development of a standardized enterprise resource planning system especially for airline and rail catering companies / Team member / completed

Publications

Articles in scientific journal, peer-reviewed

• Scantamburlo, T., Baumann, J., & Heitz, C. (2024). On prediction-modelers and decision-makers : why fairness requires more than a fair prediction model. AI & Society. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00146-024-01886-3
• Bürgin, R., Muratori, C., Roca-Riu, M., & Heitz, C. (2023). A space-time model for demand in free-floating carsharing systems. Journal of Advanced Transportation, 2023(6610624). https://doi.org/10.1155/2023/6610624
• Meierhofer, J., & Heitz, C. (2023). On the value of data in industrial services : how to optimize value creation by reconfiguration of operant resources. Journal of Creating Value, 9(2), 245–258. https://doi.org/10.1177/23949643231199002
• Templ, M., & Heitz, C. (2020). Fleet management in free-floating bike sharing systems using predictive modelling and explorative tools. Austrian Journal of Statistics, 49(2), 53–69. https://doi.org/10.17713/ajs.v49i2.1114
• Heitz, C., Dettling, M., & Ruckstuhl, A. (2011). Modelling customer lifetime value in contractual settings. International Journal of Services Technology and Management, 16(2), 172–190. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJSTM.2011.042595
• Gustavsen, B., & Heitz, C. (2009). Fast realization of the modal vector fitting method for rational modeling with accurate representation of small eigenvalues. IEEE Transactions on Power Delivery, 24(3), 1396–1405. https://doi.org/10.1109/TPWRD.2008.2005462
• Gustavsen, B., & Heitz, C. (2008). Modal vector fitting : a tool for generating rational models of high accuracy with arbitrary terminal conditions. IEEE Transactions on Components, Packaging and Manufacturing Technology, 31(4), 664–672. https://doi.org/10.1109/TADVP.2008.927810
• Schawe, J. E. K., Hütter, T., Heitz, C., Alig, I., & Lellinger, D. (2006). Stochastic temperature modulation : a new technique in temperature-modulated DSC. Thermochimica Acta, 446(1-2), 147–155. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tca.2006.01.031
• Altenburger, R., Heitz, C., & Timmer, J. (2002). Analysis of phase-resolved partial discharge patterns of voids based on a stochastic process approach. Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics, 35(11), 1149–1163. https://doi.org/10.1088/0022-3727/35/11/309

Book chapters, peer-reviewed

Sorano, J., Heitz, C., Hutter, H.-P., Fernández, R., Hierro, J. J., Vogel, J., Edmonds, A., & Bohnert, T. M. (2013). Internet of services : telecommunication services evolution. In Evolution of telecommunication services (pp. 283–325). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-41569-2_14

Written conference contributions, peer-reviewed

• Stadelmann, T., Heitz, C., von Wartburg-Kottler, R., & Schärer, A. L. (2026, May 21). Pro-human AI design : concept, methodology, and preliminary results. uDay XXIV : #Responsible AI, Dornbirn, Austria, 21 May 2026. https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-36392
• Fedorova, A., Stefani, W., Heitz, C., & Chavarriaga, R. (2025, September 11). Continuous assessment-driven requirement elicitation for trustworthy AI systems. European Conference on Machine Learning and Principles and Practice of Knowledge Discovery in Databases (ECML PKDD), Porto, Portugal, 15-19 September 2025. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17099001
• Hertweck, C., Heitz, C., & Loi, M. (2024). What’s distributive justice got to do with it? Rethinking algorithmic fairness from a perspective of approximate justice [Conference paper]. Proceedings of the AAAI/ACM Conference on AI, Ethics, and Society, 7(1), 597–608. https://doi.org/10.1609/aies.v7i1.31661
• Hertweck, C., Loi, M., & Heitz, C. (2024). Group fairness refocused : assessing the social impact of ML systems [Conference paper]. 2024 11th IEEE Swiss Conference on Data Science (SDS), 189–196. https://doi.org/10.1109/SDS60720.2024.00034
• Baumann, J., Sapiezynski, P., Heitz, C., & Hannák, A. (2024). Fairness in online ad delivery [Conference paper]. Proceedings of the 2024 ACM Conference on Fairness, Accountability, and Transparency, 1418–1432. https://doi.org/10.1145/3630106.3658980
• Baumann, J., & Heitz, C. (2022). Group fairness in prediction-based decision making : from moral assessment to implementation [Conference paper]. Proceedings 2022 9th Swiss Conference on Data Science (SDS), 19–25. https://doi.org/10.1109/SDS54800.2022.00011
• Baumann, J., Hannák, A., & Heitz, C. (2022). Enforcing group fairness in algorithmic decision making : utility maximization under sufficiency [Conference paper]. Proceedings of the 2022 ACM Conference on Fairness, Accountability, and Transparency, 2315–2326. https://doi.org/10.1145/3531146.3534645
• Meierhofer, J., Benedech, R. A., & Heitz, C. (2022). On the value of data : multi-objective maximization of value creation in data-driven industrial services [Conference paper]. In C. Ceballos (Ed.), Proceedings : 2022 9th Swiss Conference on Data Science (SDS) (pp. 33–39). IEEE. https://doi.org/10.1109/SDS54800.2022.00013
• Loi, M., & Heitz, C. (2022). Is calibration a fairness requirement? : an argument from the point of view of moral philosophy and decision theory [Conference paper]. Proceedings of the 2022 ACM Conference on Fairness, Accountability, and Transparency, 2026–2034. https://doi.org/10.1145/3531146.3533245
• Viganò, E., Hertweck, C., Heitz, C., & Loi, M. (2022). People are not coins : morally distinct types of predictions necessitate different fairness constraints [Conference paper]. Faact ’22: Proceedings of the 2022 ACM Conference on Fairness, Accountability, and Transparency, 2293–2301. https://doi.org/10.1145/3531146.3534643
• Meierhofer, J., & Heitz, C. (2021). Service customization : optimizing value creation and capture by designing the customer journey [Conference paper]. Proceedings of the 8th SDS, 32–38. https://doi.org/10.1109/SDS51136.2021.00013
• Meierhofer, J., Heitz, C., & Hannich, F. (2021). Optimizing service value creation with smart, connected products [Conference paper]. In E. Gummesson, C. Mele, & F. Polese (Eds.), Proceedings of the 2021 Naples Forum on Service. https://naplesforumonservice.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/meierhofer-heitz-hannich-optimizing-service-value-creation.pdf
• Hertweck, C., & Heitz, C. (2021). A systematic approach to group fairness in automated decision making [Conference paper]. Proceedings of the 8th SDS, 1–6. https://doi.org/10.1109/SDS51136.2021.00008
• Hertweck, C., Heitz, C., & Loi, M. (2021). On the moral justification of statistical parity [Conference paper]. Proceedings of the 2021 ACM Conference on Fairness, Accountability, and Transparency, 747–757. https://doi.org/10.1145/3442188.3445936
• Loi, M., Heitz, C., & Christen, M. (2020). A comparative assessment and synthesis of twenty ethics codes on AI and big data [Conference paper]. Proceedings of the 7th SDS, 41–46. https://doi.org/10.1109/SDS49233.2020.00015
• Heitz, C., Etschmann, R., Stoeckle, R., Bachmann, T., & Templ, M. (2019). User-based redistribution in free-floating bike sharing systems [Conference paper]. Operations Research Proceedings 2018, 555–562. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-18500-8_69
• Heitz, C., Blume, M., Scherrer, C., Stöckle, R., & Bachmann, T. (2019). Designing value co-creation for a free-floating e-bike sharing system [Conference paper]. Smart Service Systems, Operations Management, and Analytics : Proceedings of the 2019 INFORMS International Conference on Service Science, 113–125. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-30967-1_11
• Loi, M., Heitz, C., Ferrario, A., Schmid, A., & Christen, M. (2019). Towards an ethical code for data-based business. 2019 6th Swiss Conference on Data Science (SDS). https://doi.org/10.1109/SDS.2019.00-15
• Heitz, C., Goren, L., & Sigrist, J. (2016). Decision making in asset management : optimal allocation of resources for maximizing value realization [Conference paper]. Proceedings of the 10th World Congress on Engineering Asset Management (WCEAM 2015), 259–268. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-27064-7_25
• Heitz, C. (2016). Optimum lifecycle management of asset portfolios with non-monetary value realization [Conference paper]. In R. W. Grubbström & H. H. Hinterhuber (Eds.), Nineteenth International Working Seminar on Production Economics, Pre-prints, Volume 2: Papers scheduled for Tuesday, February 24, 2016, 8.00 am to 21.15 pm (pp. 159–170).
• Heitz, C., Ruckstuhl, A., & Dettling, M. (2010). Customer lifetime value under complex contract structures [Conference paper]. In J.-H. Morin, J. Ralyté, & M. Snene (Eds.), Exploring services science : first international conference, IESS 2010, Geneva, Switzerland, february 17-19, 2010 - revised papers (pp. 276–281). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-14319-9_24
• Fragniere, E., Heitz, C., & Moresino, F. (2008). The concept of shadow price to monetarize the intangible value of expertise [Conference paper]. Proceedings of 2008 IEEE International Conference on Service Operations and Logistics, and Informatics IEEE/SOLI-2008, 1736–1741. https://doi.org/10.1109/SOLI.2008.4686331
• Gustavsen, B., & Heitz, C. (2007). Rational modeling of multiport systems by modal vector fitting [Conference paper]. Proceedings, 11th IEEE Workshop on Signal Propagation on Interconnects, 49–52. https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-3595
• Tiberg, M., Bormann, D., Gustavsen, B., Heitz, C., Hoenecke, O., Muset, G., Mahseredjian, J., & Werle, P. (2007). Generic and automated simulation modeling based on measurements. Proceedings of the International Conference on Power Systems Transients 2007 (IPST 2007). http://www.ipstconf.org/papers/Proc_IPST2007/07IPST104.pdf

Other publications

• Thouvenin, F., Volz, S., Weiner, S., & Heitz, C. (2024). Diskriminierung beim Einsatz von Künstlicher Intelligenz (KI) : technische Grundlagen für Rechtsanwendung und Rechtsentwicklung. Jusletter IT. https://doi.org/10.38023/9642ed9a-5c05-4884-b5b9-ebc66f2f3324
• Christen, M., Heitz, C., Kleiber, T., & Loi, M. (2020). Code of ethics for data-based value creation. Swiss Alliance for Data-Intensive Services. https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-24226
• Meierhofer, J., & Heitz, C. (2020). Data-Driven Management zur Steigerung des Kundennutzens. Netzwoche, 2020(07), 11. https://www.netzwoche.ch/news/2020-04-22/data-driven-management-zur-steigerung-des-kundennutzens
• Heitz, C. (2020). Algorithmic Fairness : Algorithmen und soziale Gerechtigkeit. Inside IT. https://www.inside-it.ch/post/dsi-insights-algorithmic-fairness-algorithmen-und-soziale-gerechtigkeit-20200110
• Schtalheim, U., Ott, S., Heitz, C., & Goren Huber, L. (2019). Risk Based Maintenance (RBM) : Minimierung der Nutzerrisiken und Betriebskosten mit einer risikobasierten Methode für den Unterhalt der BSA. Bundesamt für Strassen. https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-3341
• Heitz, C. (2019). Daten als Treibstoff der Instandhaltung? Technische Rundschau, 2019(2), 14–15. https://www.technische-rundschau.ch/archiv/2019/02/daten-als-treibstoff-der-instandhaltung/
• Heitz, C. (2019). Daten in der Instandhaltung : Potenziale und Stolpersteine. fmpro service, 2019(1), 44–47.
• Meierhofer, J., Heinatz Bürki, G., & Heitz, C. (2019). Data Science für KMU. Unternehmer Zeitung, 25(10), 20–23.
• Heitz, C., Heinatz Bürki, G., & Meierhofer, J. (2019). Zusammen in die Zukunft : fit für Data Science. KMU Rundschau, 2019(2), 34–35. https://issuu.com/prestigemedia/docs/kmurundschau_2019_02
• Heitz, C. (2018). Von smarten Produkten zu neuen Service-Modellen. fmpro service, 2018(3), 38–39.
• Heitz, C. (2018). Ausbildung zur Führungskraft in der Instandhaltung an der Hochschule. fmpro service, 2018(3), 14–16.
• Heitz, C. (2016). Instandhaltung im Zeitalter von Industrie 4.0. fmpro service, 2016(1), 4–6.
• Heitz, C. (2015). ISO 55 000 : die Norm für Asset Management. fmpro service, 2015(2), 32–34.
• Heitz, C. (2015). Strategieentwicklung in der Instandhaltung. fmpro service, 2015(2), 35–37.
• Heitz, C. (2015). Instandhaltung - Kostentreiber oder Garant des Betriebserfolges? fmpro service, 2015(1), 27–28.
• Heitz, C. (2015). Infrastruktur und Rollmaterial besser bewirtschaften mit Asset Management. By rail.Now!, 8–10.
• Heitz, C., & Sigrist, J. (2015). Asset Management im praktischen Einsatz. fmpro service, 2015(3), 21–23.
• Heitz, C. (2015). Asset Management - ein wichtiges Zukunftsthema für die Bahnwelt. Schweizer Eisenbahn-Revue, 2015(6), 9226–9228.
• Heitz, C. (2015). Neues Schlagwort: Asset Management. fmpro service, 2015(1), 24–25.
• Heitz, C., Bütikofer, S., & Dettling, M. (2014). Customers as investment objects : a new perspective on marketing [Conference paper]. Conference Proceedings of the 13th International Science-to-Business Marketing Conference on Cross Organizational Value Creation, 257–271. https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-1888
• Heitz, C., & Goren Huber, L. (2014). On the economics of asset management [Conference paper]. In R. W. Grubbström & H. H. Hinterhuber (Eds.), Eighteenth international working seminar on production economics : pre-prints (pp. 89–102). Kongresszentrum IGLS. https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-1893
• Goren Huber, L., Heitz, C., & Sigrist, J. (2014). Anlagenbewirtschaftung und Nutzenmaximierung. fmpro service, 2014(2), 22–23. https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-1886
• Schatzmann, A., Heitz, C., & Münch, T. (2014). Churn prediction based on text mining and CRM data analysis [Conference paper]. Conference Proceedings of the 13th International Science-to-Business Marketing Conference on Cross Organizational Value Creation, 296–310. https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-1889
• Heitz, C., Kienegger, E., & Sigrist, J. (2014). Assetmanagement : technische Anlagen als Mittel zur Wertschöpfung. EW - Magazin für die Energiewirtschaft, 2014(3), 57–60.
• Heitz, C., Ryder, G., & Ross, K. (2008). Knowledge management in call centers : how routing rules influence expertise and service quality. 13th INFORMS MSOM Conference Proceedings. https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-2680
• Sigrist, J., & Heitz, C. (2008). Flow-time estimation in dynamic job shops with priority scheduling using a hybrid modelling approach [Conference paper]. MITIP 2008 : Proceedings 10th International Conference on the Modern Information Technology in the Innovation Processes of the Industrial Enterprises, 155–160. https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-1896
• van Bonn, B., & Heitz, C. (2007). Weltweites Netz von Distributionsstandorten optimiert. Industrie 4.0 Management, 23(5), 71–74.
• van Bonn, B., & Heitz, C. (2007). Mit Durchblick gewinnen. Log., 2007(3), 32.
• Wildi, M., Heitz, C., Strankmann, M., & Ruckstuhl, A. (2006). Neuer Studiengang Wirtschaftsingenieurwesen : von IDP zu WI. ZHWInfo, 28, 28.
• Schubnell, M., Heitz, C., Hütter, T., & Schawe, J. E. K. (2005). TOPEM® – the new advanced multifrequency temperature modulated DSC technique [Conference paper]. In S. Chervin, M. J. Rich, I. Vitez, & K. E. Schoch (Eds.), Proceedings of the 33rd annual conference of the North American thermal analysis society. North American Thermal Analysis Society NATAS.
• Dietrich, J., & Heitz, C. (2005). Process performance analysis and layout optimization for a medium-sized manufacturing enterprise [Conference paper]. Needs and Opportunities for Swiss Industry, 1–9. https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-1887
• Meierhofer, J., Heitz, C., & Steiner, A. (2004). Simulation based case studies for management training in the fields of production and supply chain Management. Automation and Logistics for Manufacturing in Switzerland. https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-1884
• Heitz, C., & Gomez, C. (2004). Inventory management based on simulation of ordering process [Conference paper]. In C. Heitz (Ed.), Challenges of globalization for Swiss manufacturing and logistics : proceedings of the 3rd IPLnet workshop, september 9-10, 2003, Ebnat-Kappel, Switzerland. ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences. https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-1883
• Engeler, M., Heitz, C., & Zaglauer, H. (2004). Dynamical behaviour of cyclic production lines under instationary conditions with a system dynamics approach [Conference paper]. In M. Taisch (Ed.), Global challenges in manufacturing (pp. 666–673). Politecnico di Milano. https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-1885
• Heitz, C. (2003). Macro-level modelling of product lines. From Research to Applications : Proceedings.
• Heitz, C. (2003). Approximative modelling of manufacturing systems [Conference paper]. 7th IFAC Workshop on Intelligent Manufacturing Systems, Budapest, Hungary, 2003, 143–148.
• Bühlmann, M., & Heitz, C. (2003). Bodenverkehr am Flughafen Zürich-Kloten. Technische Rundschau.
• Hosang, J., Heitz, C., & Mönkeberg, S. (2002). Demand forecasting for inventory control and production planning. From Research to Applications : Proceedings.

Oral conference contributions and abstracts

• Heitz, C. (2021, March 12). Digitale Transformation : wie fair sind Algorithmen? NGW-Vorträge Freitagabend, Winterthur (online), 12. März 2021. https://www.ngw.ch/vortraege-archiv/digitale-transformation-wie-fair-sind-algorithmen
• Heitz, C., Kleger, S., & Sigrist, J. (2013). From maintenance management to asset management : shifting the view from functional behavior of assets to value creation with assets. The 2nd World Maintenance Forum, Lugano, 4-6 September 2013.
• Breymann, W., Dingerkus, S., & Heitz, C. (2013). Life cycle management of technical systems and integral financial modeling. World Trends in Maintenance Engineering, Pretoria, South Africa 13-15 August 2013.
• Heitz, C., & Sigrist, J. (2013). Asset management : from minimizing costs to maximizing value creation. The 2nd World Maintenance Forum, Lugano, 4-6 September 2013.
• Ryder, G., Heitz, C., & Ross, K. (2008). Maximizing service productivity through task routing rules. INFORMS Annual Meeting 2008, the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences, Washington, USA, 11-14 October 2008.
• Heitz, C., Hary, I., Dettling, M., & Ruckstuhl, A. (2008). Direct marketing of service contracts under autonomous customer dynamics. INFORMS Annual Meeting 2008, Washington, USA, 11-14 October 2008.
• Heitz, C., & Roithner, T. (2007). Estimation of job completion times in a dynamic job shop based on static job shop solution. IFAC Workshop on Intelligent Manufacturing Systems, Alicante, Spain, 2007.
• Corsten, D., Heitz, C., & Ruckstuhl, A. (2007, November). A method to detect out of stock. INFORMS Annual Meeting 2007, Seattle, USA, 3-6 November 2007.
• Tiberg, M., Hoenecke, O., Heitz, C., & Gustavsen, B. (2006). New simulation methodology for power systems. 13. European EMTP-ATP Conference, Dresden, 25–27 September 2006.
• Iantosca, C., Heitz, C., & Weibel, H. (2005). Synchronizing IEEE 1588 clocks under the presence of significant stochastic network delays. 2005 Conference on IEEE 1588, Standard for a Precision Clock Synchronization Protocol for Networked Measurement and Control Systems, Winterthur, 10-12 Oktober 2005.
• Heitz, C. (2001). Optimization of industrial processes in an uncertain environment. IPLnet 2001 Workshop, Monte Verità, September 2001.

Patents and patent applications

• Niayesh, Kaveh; Berth, Matthias; Dahlquist, Andreas; Tiberg, Martin; Heitz, Christoph,

  2017.

  Method and device for characterizing the linear properties of an electrical component.

  Patent number EP1684081 B1

  (2017-06-14)

  .

  Available from: https://worldwide.espacenet.com/patent/search?q=pn%3DEP1684081B1

• Hütter, Thomas; Heitz, Christoph; Schawe, Jürgen,

  2007.

  Verfahren und Vorrichtung zur Stoffuntersuchung.

  Patent number EP1494126 B1

  (2007-08-29)

  .

  Available from: https://worldwide.espacenet.com/patent/search?q=pn%3DEP1494126B1

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