Markus W. Sigrist obtained his PhD degree from ETH Zürich (Switzerland) in 1977. From 1996 until his retirement in 2013 he was Professor of Experimental Physics at ETH heading a group active in laser spectroscopy and sensing. His research focused on infrared laser development and spectroscopy emphasizing applications ranging from trace gas detection to medical sensing. He has authored or co-authored over 190 publications in reference journals and several book chapters and books. He is a fellow of the Optical Society (OSA) and OSA Traveling lecturer, and acts as Foreign Expert at the Chinese Academy of Sciences.