New challenges, new structures: acatech - The German Academy of Science and Engineering now under dual leadership

21.10.2008 | Potsdam: The German Academy of Science and Engineering promotes an innovation-friendly climate in Germany. And the Academy itself is also prepared to undergo internal change: At a function on 21. October acatech presented its new organizational structure, with which the Academy can perform its tasks as a national Academy even more efficiently. acatech now has a dual leadership: Together with Joachim Milberg, Reinhard Hüttl will also represent the German Academy of Science and Engineering. The Director of the GFZ - German Research Centre for Geosciences in Potsdam will strengthen, in particular, the substance of the Academy.

„The tasks will now be carried on more shoulders. This will increase the effectiveness of the Academy. Furthermore the new structure reflects the functioning interaction between science and industry, “says Joachim Milberg. In the next years the German Academy of Science and Engineering will work more intensively on its scientific profile. Reinhard Hüttl will concentrate on this aspect in particular: „The most important projects in the next months include the Bio-Economy Council, the development of an integrated Energy Research Project for Germany together with the Leopoldina, as well as the completion and the subsequent supervision in the realization of the recommendations of the Academy Group “Aging in Germany” .

With its promotion to a national Academy and in view of its new role as innovations-adviser for the Federal Government, the challenges facing acatech are increasing. The modifications to the organisational structure are a reaction to these new duties. They will increase the capacity to act and will accelerate the decision-making process of the Academy.

Joachim Milberg is Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the BMW-Group and was Professor for Machine Tools and Industrial Management at the Technical University of Munich. As President of the Academy, the Leibniz-Prize winner has been managing acatech since its foundation as an assembly in 2002. Reinhard Hüttl is the Scientific Executive Director and Spokesman of the Executive Board of the GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences in Potsdam and holds a Professorship in “Soil Protection and Recultivation” at the BTU in Cottbus. On 10. October this year, the long-term member of the Executive Board and Vice President of the German Academy of Science and Engineering was conferred with the Federal Cross of Merit, First Class.

The Vice-presidents of the Academy are Prof. Dr. Henning Kagermann, Spokesman of the Executive Board of the SAP Group and Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dieter Spath, University Professor for Technology Management and Industrial Engineering at the University of Stuttgart and Head of the Fraunhofer-Institute for Industrial Engineering (IAO) in Stuttgart.


As members of the Steering Group the Academy is led by:

• Prof. Dr. Rolf Emmermann, former Scientific Executive Director of the GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences in Potsdam
• Prof. Dr. Utz-Hellmuth Felcht, Managing Director of One Equity Partners Europe Ltd and Chair of the Supervisory Board of the Süd-Chemie Group
• Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jürgen Gausemeier, University Professor for Computer-integrated Production at the Heinz Nixdorf Institute at the University of Paderborn
• Prof. Dr.-Ing. Bernd Hillemeier, University Professor for Construction Materials and Testing and Head of the Institute for Civil Engineering at the Technical University of Berlin
• Prof. em. Dr. Hartwig Höcker, Emerita University Professor for Textile Chemistry and Macromolecular Chemistry at the RWTH Aachen
• Prof. Dr.-Ing. Fritz Klocke, University Professor for Manufacturing Technology at the Machine Tools Laboratory at the RWTH Aachen
• Prof. em. Dr.-Ing. Reiner Kopp, Emerita Professor for Metal Forming Technology at the RWTH Aachen
• Dr.-Ing. E. h. Bernd Pischetsrieder, Adviser for Volkswagen AG
• Prof. Dr.-Ing. Günter Pritschow, former Director of the Institute for Control Engineering of Machine Tools and Manufacturing Units at the University of Stuttgart
• Prof. Dr. Ortwin Renn, University Professor for Sociology at the University of Stuttgart, Head of Department for Environmental Sociology

And there are not only changes in the leadership of the Academy: The two pillars of the German Academy of Science and Engineering are the members, organized in the General Assembly and the Senators, represented in the Senate. The 14 members of the Executive Board are selected from the Senate and the General Assembly.
With the Senate Commission the Senate avails of a panel which bundles the work of the Senators – experts from companies, associations and the large-scale science organizations- thus increasing the effectiveness of the Senate.


About acatech – The German Council of Science and Engineering

acatech represents the interests of the German technical sciences at home and abroad in a self-determined and independent manner for the common benefit of all. As a working academy, acatech advises politics and society in technical-scientific and in technical-political issues of the future. Furthermore, acatech aims to facilitate a transfer between science and industry and to promote junior scientists.
Members of the Academy include outstanding scientists from universities, research institutions and companies. acatech is financed through institutional funding from state and country as well as through donations and project-related third-party funding. To promote the acceptance of technical progress in Germany and to emphasis the potential of trendsetting technology for industry and society, acatech organises symposia, forums, podium discussions and workshops. And with studies, recommendations and comments acatech goes public. The acatech headquarters are in Munich, and acatech is also represented in Berlin with its city office.

Contact and further Press material:

Jann Gerrit Ohlendorf
Leiter Presse- und Öffentlichkeitsarbeit acatech
Residenz München
Hofgartenstraße 2
80539 München
Tel. +49(0)89/5 20 30 940
mob.+49(0)/176 23 88 61 65
Fax +49(0)89/5 20 30 99
ohlendorf@acatech.de
www.acatech.de