In memoriam: Prof. Dr. Martin Volk

It is with deep sorrow that we bid farewell to Prof. Dr. Martin Volk, who passed away on 15 September 2025 at the age of 64 after a brief and sudden illness. Martin was a dear friend, colleague, and lecturer, and his passing leaves a significant void at the Institute of Computational Linguistics and the Department of Informatics, at the University of Zurich, and far beyond. We mourn with his family and loved ones and are grateful for the time we were privileged to share with him. His subtle humor, genuine interest in people, and unwavering support for his colleagues and students will remain a lasting example to us all.

Martin Volk studied Computer Science and Computational Linguistics at the EWH in Koblenz, and Artificial Intelligence at the University of Georgia, USA. He earned his PhD in 1994 from the University of Koblenz and subsequently worked as a postdoctoral researcher and academic staff member at the University of Zurich from 1994 to 2001. After being appointed Professor of Computational Linguistics at Stockholm University in 2003, he returned to the University of Zurich in 2008 as Associate Professor, where he remained active until his passing.

Prof. Martin Volk’s research focused on multilingual language processing, with a particular emphasis on machine translation and the application of language technology in the Digital Humanities. He successfully led numerous projects, especially enjoying interdisciplinary collaborations. From 2008 to 2018, he directed the project Text+Berg digital, which digitized the historical yearbooks of the Swiss Alpine Club (SAC) dating back to 1864. He greatly valued the collaboration with the Alpine Club and with disciplines such as geography, linguistics, literary studies, and cultural history. In recent years, he was particularly engaged in the Bullinger Digital project, which explores the extensive correspondence of Heinrich Bullinger, bridging fields such as theology, editorial studies, and archival science.

His research also provided essential contributions to the development of practical translation systems, notably through the UZH spin-off TextShuttle (now Supertext AG), which he co-founded.

As long-time Head of the Institute of Computational Linguistics (2015–2024) and Director of Studies (2015–2022), Martin was tireless in his commitment to the well-being of staff and students. His enthusiasm for teaching inspired generations of students to pursue computational linguistics.

Those who knew Martin personally will remember how deeply he cared about teaching and student engagement. He organized extracurricular events such as the Intro and Study Days at Eseltritt and the intensive study week, supervised thesis projects, and created opportunities for students to participate in research on topics close to their hearts—and his.

Within the university, Martin was also highly active in shaping institutional structures. He played a key role in establishing the Zurich Center for Linguistics and the Linguistic Research Infrastructure, and contributed significantly to numerous collaborative projects, including the UFSPs Language and Space and Digital Religion, as well as the NCCR Evolving Language. His tireless dedication cannot be thanked enough.

The University of Zurich, along with his colleagues, staff, and students, will remember him with deep gratitude.

Further information about the memorial service will follow.

If you have any question, please contact Alexandra Bünzli.