Michael Grätzel is a Professor of Physical Chemistry at EPFL whose research has transformed solar energy conversion through pioneering molecular photovoltaics and dye-sensitized solar cells. He developed mesoscopic photosystems using molecular light harvesters, helping create low-cost, high-efficiency solar cells that advanced beyond conventional designs by shifting light absorption to the molecular level. With more than 1,650 publications and over 528,000 citations, his work is among the most influential in energy science. He has held major international roles at the Max Planck Institute and NTU Singapore and was ranked first among top scientists across all fields in a 2021 Stanford ranking.