Dr. Matteo Spada

Work at ZHAW

Position

Senior Researcher in Risk and Resilience

Focus

Risk assessment, Resilience assessment, Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis, Critical Infrastructures, Natural Hazards

Experience

• Senior Researcher
  Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW), Switzerland
  11 / 2021 - today
• Senior Researcher/Risk Analyst
  Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), Switzerland
  01 / 2013 - 10 / 2021
• PostDoc
  Swiss Seismological Service (SED), Switzerland
  09 / 2011 - 10 / 2012
• Research Associate
  Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV), Italy
  09 / 2005 - 10 / 2006

Education and Continuing education

Education

• Ph.D. / Earth Sciences
  ETH Zurich
  11 / 2006 - 08 / 2011
• MSc / Physics
  University of Bologna
  10 / 1999 - 07 / 2005

Network

Membership of networks

• European Safety and Reliability Association (ESRA)
• Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS)
• Special Activity Group - Sustainable Concrete Structures (The International Federation for Structural Concrete (fib))
• Digital Futures Lab
• Sustainability Academic Network

ORCID digital identifier

ORCID ID: 0000-0001-9265-9491

Social media

• X
• GitHub
• LinkedIn

Projects

• A probabilistic decision- support system for adaptive forest management under climate change / Team member / ongoing
• Innovative Spatio-Temporal multi-criteria decision analysis Interface to support informed decision-Making for real-world applications / Project leader / ongoing
• Integrated Framework for Smart City Economic Resilience Assessment / Project leader / ongoing
• Urban Positive Clean neigHborhood energy trAnsition: driving innovative solutions for Renovation, diGitalisation and energy Efficiency / Team member / ongoing
• Designing and simulating resilient supply chain networks: ensuring mission critical supplies in disruption with ripple effect / Team member / completed
• Massive Decarbonisation of the Swiss Building Stock / Team member / completed

Publications

Articles in scientific journal, peer-reviewed

• Catalli, F. and Spada, M. (2025) 'ProMCDA : a Python package for probabilistic multi-criteria decision analysis', Journal of Open Source Software, 10(105), p. 6190. doi: 10.21105/joss.06190.
• Mignan, A. et al. (2022) 'Dynamics of severe accidents in the oil & gas energy sector derived from the authoritative ENergy-related severe accident database', PLOS ONE, 17(2), p. e0263962. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0263962.

Written conference contributions, peer-reviewed

• Spada, M. et al. (2024) 'Effect of weights and criteria uncertainty on scoring in multi criteria decision analysis ranking problem : application to electricity supply resilience index', in Kolowrocki, K. and Magryta-Mut, B. (eds) Advances in Reliability, Safety and Security, Part 7. Gdynia: Polish Safety and Reliability Association, pp. 133–142. Available at: https://esrel2024.com/wp-content/uploads/articles/part7/effect-of-weights-and-criteria-uncertainty-on-scoring-in-multi-criteria-decision-analysis-ranking-problem-application-to-electricity-supply-resilience-index.pdf.
• Burgherr, P. et al. (2023) 'Energy security in the context of hybrid threats : the case of the European natural gas network', in Hämmerli, B. et al. (eds) Critical Information Infrastructures Security. Cham: Springer, pp. 212–221. doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-35190-7_15.
• Burgherr, P. et al. (2023) 'Comparative risk assessment of wind turbine accidents from a societal perspective', in Brito, M. P. et al. (eds) Proceeding of the 33rd European Safety and Reliability Conference. Singapore: Research Publishing, pp. 453–460. doi: 10.3850/978-981-18-8071-1_P551-cd.
• Spada, M. and Burgherr, P. (2023) 'Comparative accident risk assessment of energy system technologies for the energy transition in OECD countries', in Brito, M. P. et al. (eds) Proceeding of the 33rd European Safety and Reliability Conference. Singapore: Research Publishing, pp. 445–452. doi: 10.3850/978-981-18-8071-1_P542-cd.
• Spada, M., Dickey, G. and Burgherr, P. (2022) 'Accident risk assessment for solar photovoltaic manufacturing', in Leva, M. C. et al. (eds) Proceedings of the 32nd European Safety and Reliability Conference. Singapore: Research Publishing, pp. 2605–2612. doi: 10.3850/978-981-18-5183-4_S16-01-018-cd.
• Burgherr, P. et al. (2022) 'A multi-criteria decision model for the assessment of sustainability and governance risks of tailings dams', in Leva, M. C. et al. (eds) Proceedings of the 32nd European Safety and Reliability Conference. Singapore: Research Publishing, pp. 2621–2628. doi: 10.3850/978-981-18-5183-4_S16-03-424-cd.

Other publications

• Spada, M. and Baumgartner, C. (2026) Report on final LCSA-framework. Winterthur: ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences. doi: 10.21256/zhaw-36109.
• Pomianowski, M. et al. (2026) D1.2 Energy flexibility and resilience framework. UpChange. doi: 10.21256/zhaw-36542.
• Spada, M., Lobsiger-Kägi, E. and Baumgartner, C. (2025) Report on initial LCSA-framework and comprehensive list of sustainability indicators. Winterthur: ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences. doi: 10.21256/zhaw-35998.

Publications before appointment at the ZHAW

• Linden, D., Cinelli, M., Spada, M., Becker, W., Gasser, P. and Burgherr, P. (2021). A framework based on statistical analysis and stakeholders’ preferences to inform weighting in composite indicators. Environmental Modelling & Software
• Spada, M., Sutra, E. and Burgherr, P. (2021). Comparative Accident Risk Assessment with focus on Deep Geothermal Energy Systems in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries, Geothermics
• Spada, M. and Burgherr, P. (2021). Comparative Risk Assessment and External Costs of Accidents for Passenger Transportation in Switzerland. In Castanier, B. and Cepin, M. (Eds.): Proceedings of the 31st European Safety and Reliability Conference (ESREL). Research Publishing, Singapore.
• Burgherr, P., Siskos, E., Spada, M., Lustenberger, P. and Dupuy, A. (2021). Resilience of the European Natural Gas Network to Hybrid Threats. In Castanier, B. and Cepin, M. (Eds.): Proceedings of the 31st European Safety and Reliability Conference (ESREL). Research Publishing, Singapore.
• Kalinina, A., Spada, M., Vetsch, D., Marelli, S., Whealton, C., Burgherr, P. and Sudret, B. (2020). Metamodelling for Uncertainty Quantification of a Flood Wave Model for Concrete Dam Breaks, Energies
• Cinelli, M., Spada, M., Kim, W., Zhang, Y. and Burgherr, P. (2020). MCDA Index Tool - An Interactive Software to Develop Indices and Rankings, Environment Systems and Decisions
• Kalinina, A., Spada, M., Burgherr, P. and Sacco, T. (2020). Probabilistic analysis of dam accidents worldwide: Risk assessment for dams of different purposes in OECD and non-OECD countries with focus on time trend analysis, Risk Analysis
• Gasser, P., Cinelli, M., Labijak, A., Spada, M., Burgherr, P., Kadziński, M. and Stojadinovic, B. (2020). Quantifying Electricity Supply Resilience of Countries with Robust Efficiency Analysis, Energies, Vol. 13, 1535
• Spada, M. and Burgherr, P. (2020). Comparative Risk Assessment for Fossil Energy Chains using Bayesian Model Averaging, Energies, Vol. 13(2), 295
• Gasser, P., Suter, J., Cinelli, M., Spada, M., Burgherr, P., Hirschberg, S., Kadzinski, M. and Stojadinovic, B. (2020). Comprehensive resilience assessment of electricity supply security for 140 countries, Ecological Indicators, Vol. 110, 105731
• Lustenberger, P., Schumacher, F., Spada, M., Burgherr, P. and Stojadinović, B. (2019). Assessing the Performance of the European Natural Gas Network for Selected Supply Disruption Scenarios Using Open-Source Information. Energies, Vol. 12 (24), 4685
• Cinelli, M., Spada, M., Kadzinski, M., Miebs, G. and Burgherr, P. (2019). Advancing hazard assessment of energy accidents in the Natural Gas sector with rough set theory and decision rules, Energies, Vol. 12
• Lordan-Perret, R., Wright, A.L., Burgherr, P., Spada, M. and Rosner, R. (2019). Attacks on energy infrastructure targeting democratic institutions, Energy Policy
• Gasser, P., Lustenberger, P., Cinelli, M., Kim, W., Spada, M., Burgherr, P., Hirschberg, S., Stojadinovic, B. and Sun, T. Y. (2019). A review on resilience assessment of energy systems, Sustainable and Resilient Infrastructure
• Kim, W., Burgherr, P., Spada, M., Lustenberger, P., Kalinina, A. and Hirschberg, S. (2019). Energy-related Severe Accident Database (ENSAD): cloud-based geospatial platform, Big Earth Data
• Gasser, P., Cinelli, M., Spada, M., Burgherr, P. and Stojadinovic, B. (2019). Indices under the spotlight: An Approach to Unveil and Manage the Implicit Tradeoffs between Indicators. In Beer, M. and Zio, E. (Eds.): Proceedings of the 29th European Safety and Reliability Conference (ESREL). Research Publishing, Singapore
• Burgherr, P., Spada, M., Kalinina, A., Vandepaer, L., Lustenberger, P. and Kim, W. (2019). Comparative Risk Assessment of Accidents in the Energy Sector within Different Long-Term Scenarios and Marginal Electricity Supply Mixes. In Beer, M. and Zio, E. (Eds.): Proceedings of the 29th European Safety and Reliability Conference (ESREL). Research Publishing, Singapore
• Spada, M. and Burgherr, P. (2019). A Hierarchical Approximate Bayesian Computation (HABC) for Accident Risk in the Energy Sector triggered by Natural Events. In Beer, M. and Zio, E. (Eds.): Proceedings of the 29th European Safety and Reliability Conference (ESREL). Research Publishing, Singapore
• Kalinina, A., Spada, M. and Burgherr, P. (2018). Application of a Bayesian hierarchical modeling for risk assessment of accidents at hydropower dams, Safety Science, Vol. 110, pp. 164-177
• Spada, M., Burgherr, P. and Boutinard Rouelle, P. (2018). Comparative risk assessment with focus on hydrogen and selected fuel cells: Application to Europe, International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, Vol. 43(19), pp. 9470-9481
• Spada, M., Burgherr, P. and Hohl, M. (2018). Toward the validation of a National Risk Assessment against historical observations using a Bayesian approach: application to the Swiss case, Journal of Risk Research
• Spada, M., Paraschiv, F. and Burgherr, P. (2018). A Comparison of Risk Measures for Accidents in the Energy Sector and Their Implications on Decision-Making Strategies, Energy, Vol. 154, pp. 277-288
• Burgherr, P., Cinelli, M., Spada, M., Blaszczynski, J., Słowiński, R. and Pannatier, Y. (2018). Risk assessment of worldwide refinery accidents using advanced classification methods: effects of refinery configuration and geographic location on outcome risk levels. In Haugen, S., Barros, A., van Gulijk, C., Kongsvik,T. and Vinnem, J. E. (Eds.): Safety and Reliability – Safe Societies in a Changing World. CRC Press, Taylor and Francis Group, London, UK
• Kalinina, A., Spada, M. and Burgherr, P. (2018). Alternative life-loss rates for failures of large concrete and masonry dams in mountain regions of OECD countries. In Haugen, S., Barros, A., van Gulijk, C., Kongsvik, T. and Vinnem, J. E. (Eds.): Safety and Reliability – Safe Societies in a Changing World. CRC Press, Taylor and Francis Group, London, UK
• Kalinina, A., Spada, M., Burgherr, P. and Sacco, T. (2018). Analysis of historical dam accidents worldwide: risk indicators and risk maps. In CIGB ICOLD (Eds.): 26th International Congress on Large Dams. CRC Press, Taylor and Francis Group, London, UK
• Lustenberger, P., Kim, W., Schumacher, F., Spada, M., Burgherr, P., Hirschberg, S. and Stojadinovic, B. (2018). Network analysis of the European natural gas infrastructure to quantify its performance in long-duration pipeline shutdown scenarios. In Haugen, S., Barros, A., van Gulijk, C., Kongsvik,T. and Vinnem, J. E. (Eds.): Safety and Reliability – Safe Societies in a Changing World. CRC Press, Taylor and Francis Group, London, UK
• Spada, M. and Ferretti, V. (2018). Toward the integration of uncertainty and probabilities in spatial multi-criteria risk analysis: an application to tanker oil spills. In Haugen, S., Barros, A., van Gulijk, C., Kongsvik,T. and Vinnem, J. E. (Eds.): Safety and Reliability – Safe Societies in a Changing World. CRC Press, Taylor and Francis Group, London, UK
• Sutra, E., Spada, M. and Burgherr, P. (2017). Chemicals usage in stimulation processes for shale gas and deep geothermal systems: A comprehensive review and comparison, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Vol. 77, pp. 1-11
• Burgherr, P., Spada, M., Kalinina, A., Hirschberg, S., Kim, W., Gasser, P. and Lustenberger, P. (2017). The Energy-related Severe Accident Database (ENSAD) for comparative risk assessment of accidents in the energy sector. In Cepin, M. and Bris, R. (Eds.): Safety and Reliability. Theory and Applications. CRC Press, Taylor and Francis Group, London, UK
• Gasser, P., Lustenberger, P., Sun, T., Kim, W., Spada, M., Burgherr, P., Hirschberg, S. and Stojadinovic, B. (2017). Security of electricity supply indicators in a resilience context. In Cepin, M. and Bris, R. (Eds.): Safety and Reliability. Theory and Applications. CRC Press, Taylor and Francis Group, London, UK
• Kalinina, A., Spada, M. and Burgherr, P. (2017). Uncertainty of the outflow hydrograph resulting from the break of a concrete dam. In Cepin, M. and Bris, R. (Eds.): Safety and Reliability. Theory and Applications. CRC Press, Taylor and Francis Group, London, UK
• Lustenberger, P., Sun, T., Gasser, P., Kim, W., Burgherr, P., Spada, M., Hirschberg, S. and Stojadinovic, B. (2017). Potential impacts of selected natural hazards and technical failures on the natural gas transmission network in Europe. In Cepin, M. and Bris, R. (Eds.): Safety and Reliability. Theory and Applications. CRC Press, Taylor and Francis Group, London, UK
• Spada, M., Boutinard, P., Burgherr, P. and Giardini, D. (2017). Comparative risk assessment of hydrogen accidents in Europe. In Cepin, M. and Bris, R. (Eds.): Safety and Reliability. Theory and Applications. CRC Press, Taylor and Francis Group, London, UK
• Cinelli, M., Spada, M., Miebs, G., Kadziński, M. and Burgherr, P. (2017). Classification models for the risk assessment of energy accidents in the natural gas sector. In The 2nd International workshop on Modelling of Physical, Economic and Social Systems for Resilience Assessment, 14-16 December 2017, Ispra, Italy. Publications Office of the European Union
• Kalinina, A., Spada, M., Sacco, T. and Burgherr, P. (2017). Risk assessment for dams of different types and purposes in OECD and non-OECD countries with focus on time trend analysis., HYDRO 2017, Sevilla, Spain
• Hirschberg, S., Bauer, C., Burgherr, P., Cazzoli, E., Heck, T., Spada, M. and Treyer, K. (2016). Health effects of technologies for power generation: Contributions from normal operation, severe accidents and terrorist threat. Reliability Engineering & System Safety, 145, 373-387
• Spada, M. and Burgherr, P. (2016). An aftermath analysis of the 2014 coal mine accident in Soma, Turkey: Use of risk performance indicators based on historical experience. Accident Analysis & Prevention, 87, 134–140
• Volkart, K., Bauer, C., Burgherr, P., Hirschberg, S., Schenler, W. and Spada, M. (2016). Interdisciplinary assessment of renewable, nuclear and fossil power generation with and without carbon capture and storage in view of the new Swiss energy policy. International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control, 54, Part 1, 1-14
• Burgherr, P., Spada, M., Kalinina, A., Eckle, P. and Pannatier, Y. (2016). Accident risk assessment of refineries depending on configuration and geographic location. In Walls, L., Revie, M., Bedford, T. (Eds.): Risk, Reliability and Safety: Innovating Theory and Practice. CRC Press, Taylor and Francis Group, London, UK
• Kalinina, A., Spada, M., Burgherr, P., Marelli, S. and Sudret, B. (2016). A Bayesian hierarchical modelling for hydropower risk assessment. In Walls, L., Revie, M., Bedford, T. (Eds.): Risk, Reliability and Safety: Innovating Theory and Practice. CRC Press, Taylor and Francis Group, London, UK
• Burgherr, P., Hirschberg, S., Spada, M. and Eckle, P. (2016). Towards a Safe, Secure and Sustainable Energy Supply: The Role of Resilience in a Holistic and Integrated Framework. International Risk and Disaster Conference (IDRC), Davos, Switzerland
• Lordan-Perret, R., Spada, M., Burgherr, P. and Rosner, R. (2016). Qualitative Risk Assessment of Coal Combustion Residue Impoundment Closure. International Risk and Disaster Conference (IDRC), Davos, Switzerland
• Rosner, R., Burgherr, P., Spada, M. and Lordan-Perret, R. (2016). Resilient Energy Infrastructures: Energy Security and Sustainability Implications. International Risk and Disaster Conference (IDRC), Davos, Switzerland
• Spada, M., Burgherr, P. and Hohl, M. (2016). Towards the Validation of National Risk Assessments against Historical Observations Using a Bayesian Approach: Application to the Swiss Case. International Risk and Disaster Conference (IDRC), Davos, Switzerland
• Burgherr, P., Giroux, J. and Spada, M. (2015). Accidents in the Energy Sector and Energy Infrastructure Attacks in the Context of Energy Security. European Journal of Risk Regulation, 6(2), 271-283
• Lordan, R., Spada, M. and Burgherr, P. (2015). Import-adjusted fatality rates for individual Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries caused by accidents in the oil energy chain. Journal of Cleaner Production, 108, Part A, 1203-1212
• Burgherr, P., Spada, M., Kalinina, A. and Page, P. (2015). Regionalized risk assessment of accidental oil spills using worldwide data. In Podofillini, L., Sudret, B., Stojadinovic, B., Zio, E. and Kröger, W. (Eds.): Safety and Reliability Complex Engineered Systems. CRC Press, Taylor and Francis Group, London, UK
• Lordan, R., Spada, M. and Burgherr, P. (2015). Import-adjusted fatality rates for OECD countries caused by fossil fuel accidents. In Podofillini, L., Sudret, B., Stojadinovic, B., Zio, E. and Kröger, W. (Eds.): Safety and Reliability Complex Engineered Systems. CRC Press, Taylor and Francis Group, London, UK
• Spada, M., Burgherr, P. and Tsianou, E. (2015). Comparative Risk Assessment for Fossil Energy Chains: Severe Accidents triggered by Natural Hazards. In Podofillini, L., Sudret, B., Stojadinovic, B., Zio, E. and Kröger, W. (Eds.): Safety and Reliability Complex Engineered Systems. CRC Press, Taylor and Francis Group, London, UK
• Hirschberg, S., Benighaus, C., Burgherr, P., Evans, K., Kant, M., Kissling, E., Renn, O., Rudolf Von Rohr, P., Scheichinger, B., Schenler, W., Spada, M., Stauffacher, M., Treyer, K., Wiederkehr, R. and Wiemer, S. (2015). Chapter 10: Conclusions. In Hirschberg S., Wiemer S. and Burgherr P. (Eds.): Energy from the Earth. Deep Geothermal as a Resource for the Future? TA-SWISS Study TA/CD 62/2015, vdf Hochschulverlag AG, Zurich, Switzerland
• Hirschberg, S., Burgherr, P., Schenler, W., Spada, M., Treyer, K. and Bauer, C. (2015). Chapter 9: WP8: Integration. In Hirschberg S., Wiemer S. and Burgherr P. (Eds.): Energy from the Earth. Deep Geothermal as a Resource for the Future? TA-SWISS Study TA/CD 62/2015, vdf Hochschulverlag AG, Zurich, Switzerland
• Spada, M. and Burgherr, P. (2015). Chapter 6.1: Accident Risk. In Hirschberg S., Wiemer S. and Burgherr P. (Eds.): Energy from the Earth. Deep Geothermal as a Resource for the Future? TA-SWISS Study TA/CD 62/2015, vdf Hochschulverlag AG, Zurich, Switzerland
• Burgherr, P., Spada, M. and Kalinina, A. (2015). Regionalized Risk Assessment of Accidental Tanker Spills using Worldwide Data. The 5th International Symposium on Ship Operation, Management & Economics (SOME), Athens, Greece.
• Burgherr, P., Giroux, J. and Spada, M. (2014). Vulnerability of energy infrastructure to intentional attacks – The interplay of resource, conflict and security. In Nowakowski, T., Młyńczak, M., Jodejko-Pieruczuk, A. and Werbińska-Wojciechowska, S. (Eds.): Safety and Reliability: Methodology and Applications. CRC Press, Taylor and Francis Group, London, UK
• Spada, M., Sutra, E., Wolf, S. and Burgherr, P. (2014). Accident Risk Assessment for Deep Geothermal Energy Systems. In Nowakowski, T., Młyńczak, M., Jodejko-Pieruczuk, A. and Werbińska-Wojciechowska, S. (Eds.): Safety and Reliability: Methodology and Applications. CRC Press, Taylor and Francis Group, London, UK
• Hirschberg, S., Bauer, C., Burgherr, P., Cazzoli, E., Heck, T., Spada, M. and Treyer, K. (2014). Health Effects of Technologies for Power Generations: Contributions from Normal Operation, Severe Accidents and Terrorist Threat. Probabilistic Safety Assessment and Management Conference (PSAM), Honolulu, USA
• Spada, M., Burgherr, P. and Hirschberg, S. (2014). Comparative Assessment of Severe Accidents Risk in the Energy Sector: Uncertainty Estimation Using a Combination of Weighting Tree and Bayesian Hierarchical Models. Probabilistic Safety Assessment and Management Conference (PSAM), Honolulu, USA.
• Burgherr, P. and Spada, M. (2014). Comparative Risk Assessment of Energy Technologies in the Context of Energy Security, Critical Infrastructure Protection and Sustainability. International Risk and Disaster Conference (IDRC), Davos, Switzerland
• Lordan, R., Spada, M. and Burgherr, P. (2014). Import-Adjusted Fatality Rates for Individual OECD Countries Caused by Accidents in the Oil Energy Chain. International Risk and Disaster Conference (IDRC), Davos, Switzerland
• Spada, M. and Burgherr, P. (2014). Towards Extreme Consequence Accidents in Energy Sector: Are they expected based on historical observations? International Risk and Disaster Conference (IDRC), Davos, Switzerland
• Spada, M., Bianchi, I., Kissling, E., Piana Agostinetti, N. and Wiemer, S. (2013). Combining controlled-source seismology and receiver function information to derive 3-D Moho topography for Italy. Geophysical Journal International, 194(2), 1050–1068
• Spada, M., Tormann, T., Wiemer, S. and Enescu, B. (2013). Generic dependence of the frequency-size distribution of earthquakes on depth and its relation to the strength profile of the crust. Geophysical Research Letters, 40(4), 709-714
• Burgherr, P., Hirschberg, S. and Spada, M. (2013). Comparative Assessment of Accident Risks in the Energy Sector. In Kovacevic, R. M., Pflug, G. C. and Vespucci, M. T. (Eds.): Handbook of Risk Management in Energy Production and Trading. International Series in Operations Research & Management Science, 199. Springer Science+Business Media, New York, USA
• Sørensen, M. B., Spada, M., Babeyko, A. J., Wiemer, S. and Grünthal, G. (2012). Probabilistic tsunami hazard in the Mediterranean Sea. Journal of Geophysical Research – Solid Earth, 117(B1)
• Spada, M., Wiemer, S. and Kissling, E. (2011). Quantifying a Potential Bias in Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Assessment: Seismotectonic Zonation with Fractal Properties. Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, 101(6), 2694-2711
• Li, H., Michelini, A., Zhu, L., Bernardi, F. and Spada, M. (2007). Crustal velocity structure in Italy from analysis of regional seismic waveforms. Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, 97(6), 2024-2039

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