April 2024 | The Department for Industrial Furnaces and Heat Engineering, RWTH Aachen, is pleased to announce that Christian Wuppermann has taken up his position as Head of Department and holder of the Chair of Sustainable Thermal Process Technology.
Christian Wuppermann brings with him experience and extensive industry knowledge – he was a research associate at the Department for Industrial Furnaces and Heat Engineering until 2013. After completing his doctorate, he moved to plant manufacturer Tenova LOI Thermprocess. There, among other things, he headed the research and development department. One focus of his work was and is the transformation of energy-intensive thermal processes towards sustainable material production.
During a one-month transition phase, he will lead the Institute together with Herbert Pfeifer, who has successfully managed the Institute to date. The seamless transition will ensure that the institute continues to provide excellent services in research and teaching.
Official handover to the new professor of the Department for Industrial Furnaces and Heat Engineering, Foto: IOW/RWTH Aachen
Outstanding influence of Herbert Pfeifer
The official handover to the new professor of the Department for Industrial Furnaces and Heat Engineering took place in a moving ceremony. Herbert Pfeifer, the long-standing head of the department, symbolically handed over the key to the department building and with it the responsibility to his successor Christian Wuppermann. The event in the SuperC of RWTH Aachen University was a well-deserved farewell for Herbert Pfeifer and a warm welcome for Christian Wuppermann.
The ceremony started with an introductory speech by Professor Ulrich Krupp, the spokesperson for the Faculty’s Division of Materials Science and Engineering. This was followed by greetings from new and old colleagues as well as friends and companions of both professors. They not only paid tribute to the academic achievements of the two scientists, but also to their personal qualities and their contribution to the academic community.
Herbert Pfeifer, Foto: IOB/RWTH Aachen
The highlight of the event was undoubtedly Herbert Pfeifer’s moving farewell speech. It became clear once again what an outstanding influence he has had on the Institute over the past 26 years. At the beginning of his tenure, there were only eight employees, including two senior engineers, but not a single research assistant. Today, the institute counts 47 colleagues, including 34 research assistants.
The official ceremony concluded with a speech from Christian Wuppermann, who expressed his gratitude for the trust and support placed in him. He emphasized the importance of continuity in research and promised to continue the legacy of his predecessor in a dignified manner. Prolonged applause accompanied his words and showed the recognition and support of the audience for the new head of the institute.
The ceremonial handover of the keys marked a significant moment in the department’s history and was a worthy expression of their shared history and vision for the future.
