01.12.2011 | Potsdam: On 30 November 2011, Dr. Bernhard Raiser retires from the Office of the Administrative Executive Board of the GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences. His successor is Dr. Stefan Schwartze.

Dr. Bernhard Raiser was the head of the Administrative Executive Board since the founding of the GFZ on 1 January 1992. "He played a key role in the initiation of the GFZ and its rapid growth from 280 employees (1992) to the near 1100 employees today," said Professor Reinhard Huettl, chairman of the GFZ. "His contributions to the structural development of the Telegrafenberg as the director of the campus’ community of users, whose chairmanship he held for many years, are invaluable." To that effect Dr. Raiser also supported the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) from 1992 to 1994 as the administrative manager in a secondary appointment. In addition, Bernhard Raiser was a committed member in the German National Research and Education Network (DFN) from 1993 to 2002, and a board member since 1995. The GFZ is deeply grateful to Dr. Raiser for his successful work.

His successor Dr. Stefan Schwartze, a doctorate in law, will take up his position as head of the Administrative Executive Board on 1 December 2011. Dr. Schwartze is no stranger to the Helmholtz Association. Prior to being appointed chancellor of the Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster in February 2008, he was a member of the administrative board of the trust management of the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) Berlin-Buch since 2003. Dr. Schwartz was born in 1966 in Wuppertal, is married and has three children. Reinhard Huettl: "The GFZ is pleased to announce that Dr. Schwartze has joined the Administrative Board of the GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences. We look forward to working together. "

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