Prof. Dr. Lukas Hollenstein

Work at ZHAW

Position

• Co-Head Centre for Digital Labs & Production
• Head Simulation & Optimization Research Group

Focus

Modelling, simulation and optimization of complex systems. Core topics include production and logistics systems with complex interdependences and control strategies; application of simulation based optimization methods.

Teaching

• BSc Applied Digital Life Sciences: Lecturer in Mathematics, Modelling & Simulation
• MSc Computational Life Sciences: Supervision of Master theses in Digital Labs & Production
• BSc Biotechnology: Lecturer in Mathematics

Professional development teaching

CAS in Digital Life Sciences

Experience

• Co-Head Digital Labs & Production, ICLS, ZHAW
  ICLS Institute of Computational Life Sciences, ZHAW
  01 / 2022 - today
• Head Simulation & Optimization
  ICLS Institute of Computational Life Sciences, ZHAW
  05 / 2019 - today
• Senior Lecturer
  ICLS Institute of Computational Life Sciences, ZHAW
  09 / 2013 - today
• Postdoc
  Institute of Theoretical Physics, CEA Saclay, France
  2012 - 2013
• Visiting Postdoc
  Institute of Theoretical Astrophysics, University of Oslo, Norway
  2012 - 2013
• Postdoc
  Postdoc, Department of Theoretical Physics, University of Geneva, Switzerland
  2009 - 2012

Education and Continuing education

Education

• PhD / Theoretical Cosmology
  University of Portsmouth, UK
  2006 - 2009
• Diploma / Theoretical Physics
  University of Zurich
  2000 - 2005

Continuing Education

• CAS Teaching and Learning in Higher Education
  Zurich University of Teacher Education (PHZH)
  2017
• Project Management for Researchers
  ZHAW
  2015

Network

Membership of networks

• ASIM Simulation Working Group - Specialist Group Simulation in Production and Logistics - Member of the Board, contact person for members in Switzerland
• VNL Verein Netzwerk Logistik - Swiss Logistics Faculty

ORCID digital identifier

ORCID ID: 0000-0002-2317-6071

Social media

• LinkedId
• ResearchGate
• Loop Frontiers
• ORCID
• Google Scholar

Projects

• SmartRecipe - Real-Time Production Optimization / Co-project leader / ongoing
• Automation and logistics of the waste disposal plant at the Mitholz facility / Project leader / ongoing
• Breeding Wheat for High Baking Quality Under Reduced Nitrogen Input / Co-project leader / ongoing
• Space sufficiency in office buildings / Team member / ongoing
• Digital Twin: supporting the optimization of bioreactor operation and automation / Project leader / completed
• Digital Self-Learning Unit Design of Experiment / Team member / completed
• Simulation-based optimization of bulk carrier unloading systems / Co-project leader / completed
• Reinforcement Learning Analysis Framework / Deputy project leader / completed
• Simulation-based comparison of an end-to-end and a platform configuration for injection molding line / Deputy project leader / completed
• PE(K)O Sustain – Physically modified oils as sustainable alternative to tropical fats for the baking and sweet goods industry / Team member / completed
• Designing Business Models for the IoT / Project leader / completed
• A top-down indicator of lean-green alignment in small and medium-sized enterprises / Project leader / completed
• Digital Simulation of the Swiss Vaccination Center Winterthur / Team member / completed
• Predicitve Waste Management for SBB Train Stations / Project leader / completed
• Data-driven decision support for intracranial aneurysms and hospital catering using Bayesian networks / Team member / completed
• Simulation of pedestrian and traffic flows / Team member / completed
• Simulation & Optimization needs HPC / Project leader / completed
• Complexity 4.0 / Team member / completed
• Generic Simulation and Scheduling Tool for Powder Spray Coating Facilities / Project leader / completed
• Scheduling & Simulation USM / Project leader / completed
• Cooperational platform for urban logictis: An economically and ecologically efficient business model for the city of Zürich and other agglomerations / Team member / completed

Publications

Articles in scientific journal, peer-reviewed

• Husmann, C. et al. (2025) 'Crystallized pickering emulsions from plant oil as a local alternative to palm oil', Foods, 14(1), p. 104. doi: 10.3390/foods14010104.
• Schmid, T. et al. (2024) 'Effect of press cake-based particles on quality and stability of plant oil emulsions', Foods, 13(18), p. 2969. doi: 10.3390/foods13182969.
• Rüegg, R. et al. (2022) 'Effect of particle characteristics and foaming parameters on resulting foam quality and stability', LWT - Food Science and Technology, 167(113859). doi: 10.1016/j.lwt.2022.113859.
• Heim, E. et al. (2021) 'Coopetition : Kooperationen unter Mitbewerbern am Beispiel der Logistikbranche', Zeitschrift Führung + Organisation, 2021(1), pp. 4–9.
• Hollenstein, L., Lötscher, A. and Luccarini, F. (2019) 'SimLack : simulation-based optimization and scheduling of generic powder coating lines', Simulation Notes Europe, 29(3), pp. 127–132. doi: 10.11128/sne.29.tn.10483.
• Cardona, W., Hollenstein, L. and Kunz, M. (2014) 'The traces of anisotropic dark energy in light of Planck', Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics, 2014(7), p. 032. doi: 10.1088/1475-7516/2014/07/032.

Book chapters, peer-reviewed

Hollenstein, L. et al. (2019) 'Unsupervised learning and simulation for complexity management in business operations', in Braschler, M., Stadelmann, T., and Stockinger, K. (eds) Applied data science : lessons learned for the data-driven business. Cham: Springer, pp. 313–331. doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-11821-1_17.

Written conference contributions, peer-reviewed

• Brunschwiler, M. et al. (2025) 'Enhancing information extraction for simulation modelling using large language models', in Rank, S., Kühn, M., and Schmidt, T. (eds) Simulation in Produktion und Logistik 2025. Dresden: Technische Universität Dresden, pp. 49–1–49–10. doi: 10.25368/2025.282.
• Scherrer, M. et al. (2021) 'Towards a symbiotic mutualism through external supply chain integration', in Proceedings of the 28th EurOMA Conference. European Operations Management Association.
• Hollenstein, L., Lötscher, A. and Luccarini, F. (2018) 'SimLack: simulation-based optimization and scheduling of generic powder coating lines', in Deatcu, C., Schramm, T., and Zobel, K. (eds) Tagungsband ASIM 2018, 24. Symposium Simulationstechnik. Wien: Argesim, pp. 45–50. doi: 10.21256/zhaw-4956.

Other publications

• Windlinger Inversini, L. et al. (2025) Zwischenbericht Projekt FBB : Flächensuffizienz bei Bürogebäuden. Bundesamt für Energie BFE. Available at: https://www.aramis.admin.ch/Dokument.aspx?DocumentID=73830.
• Derman, M. and Hollenstein, L. (2024) 'Reduktion potenzieller Schadensmengen entlang der Kakao-Supply-Chain', Transfer, 2024(1), p. 5. doi: 10.21256/zhaw-30613.
• Gerber, N. and Hollenstein, L. (2022) 'Wie die Digitalisierung den Food Service im Care Bereich erreicht', Clinicum, 2022(4), pp. 79–80. doi: 10.21256/zhaw-25448.
• Vorburger, R. and Hollenstein, L. (2021) 'Neue Verrechnungsmodelle für die Maschinenindustrie', Transfer, 2021(2), p. 5. doi: 10.21256/zhaw-23748.
• Krähenbühl, A. et al. (2021) 'Simulationen von Verpflegungsprozessen : auf Knopfdruck zur richtigen Entscheidung', fmpro service, 2021(4), pp. 22–24. doi: 10.21256/zhaw-23063.
• Hollenstein, L. and Rinkel, A. (2020) 'Komplexe Dynamik mit Data Science und Simulation beherrschen', Logistics Innovation, 2020(2), pp. 42–44. doi: 10.21256/zhaw-21453.
• Hollenstein, L., Busin, A. and Derman, M. (2020) 'Simulation & optimization needs high performance', Transfer, 2020(2), p. 5. doi: 10.21256/zhaw-21455.
• Brunschwiler, M., Hollenstein, L. and Müller, J. (2020) 'Automatisierte Modellierung der mikrobiologischen Sicherheit von Rezepturen', Lebensmittel-Industrie: Fachmagazin für das Management der Nahrungsmittel- und Getränkeindustrie, 2020(5/6), pp. 18–19. doi: 10.21256/zhaw-20194.
• Starostina, T. and Hollenstein, L. (2019) 'Logistik mit Simulation sicher planen und optimieren', Lebensmittel-Industrie: Fachmagazin für das Management der Nahrungsmittel- und Getränkeindustrie, 2019(11/12), pp. 14–15. doi: 10.21256/zhaw-20245.
• Vorburger, R. and Hollenstein, L. (2019) 'Virtuell Schäumen : Simulieren und Visualisieren', Transfer, 2019(2), p. 6. doi: 10.21256/zhaw-18853.
• Hollenstein, L. (2018) 'Komplexität in Industrie 4.0 beherrschen mit Simulation', Transfer, 2018(1), p. 9. doi: 10.21256/zhaw-1445.
• Schmelzer, H. et al. (2017) Kooperationsplattform für die urbane Güterlogistik : Schlussbericht.
• Schmelzer, H., Bütikofer, S. and Hollenstein, L. (2016) 'Kooperieren? Ja! Aber wie? : Chancen und Herausforderungen bei der Entwicklung einer Kooperationsplattform für urbane Güterlogistik in der Stadt Zürich', Logistics Innovation, 2016(1), pp. 16–19. doi: 10.21256/zhaw-3864.
• Hollenstein, L., Derman, M. and Lötscher, A. (2016) 'Simulationsgestützte Optimierung der Produktionsreihenfolge', Transfer, 2016(2), p. 6. doi: 10.21256/zhaw-2050.
• Lötscher, A. and Hollenstein, L. (2015) 'Komplexe Anlagen einfach simuliert : Past, Present, Future', Transfer, 2015(3), p. 4. doi: 10.21256/zhaw-2052.

Oral conference contributions and abstracts

• Gerber, N., Hollenstein, L. and Krähenbühl, A. (2021) 'Was wäre wenn?! Unsichtbares sichtbar machen mit Simulationen im Verpflegungsprozess', in FM Perspektiven: FM Innovationen in HC digital, Wädenswil, 26. November 2021.
• Hollenstein, L. (2016) 'Mit Advanced Dynamic Planning Energiebedarf, Betriebskosten und Investitionsrisiken reduzieren : am Beispiel von Lackieranlagen', in 16. Thurgauer Technologietag, Kreuzlingen, 18. März 2016.

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