President, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
Member of the IAC Board
Born May 24th, 1955 in Recklinghausen, GermanyMarried to Christine Burkhardt-Kleiner, PastorChildren: Mara Marthe (1989), Jan Jonathan (1990), and Jürn Jakob (1992) Research area: Engineering Sciences Curriculum Vitae
June 1974 Graduation diploma, Geschwister-Scholl-Gymnasium, Dortmund 1975 to 1976 Alternative civilian service 1976 to 1982
Mechanical engineering studies, University of DortmundSeptember 1982 Diplom-Ingenieur degree, Mechanical Engineering, University of Dortmund 1982 to 1987 Research assistant to Prof. E. v. FinckensteinChair of Forming Technology, University of Dortmund January 1987 Doktor-Ingenieur degree, thesis: "Einsatz von Mehrprozessor-Steuerungen in der Umformtechnik"("Application of Multiprocessor-Controls in Forming Technology") 1987 to 1994 Senior researcher, Chair of Forming Technology, University of Dortmund 1990
Research-Prize of the Federal State of North Rhine-WestphaliaOctober 1991 Habilitation in the field "Forming Technology", Thesis: "Prozeßsimulation in der Umformtechnik" ("Simulation of Forming Processes") 1994 - 1998 Full professor, Chair of Design and Manufacturing at the newly founded Brandenburg Technical University of Cottbus (BTU Cottbus) 1995 to 1996 Vice-rector for planning and finance in the BTU Cottbus rectorate with foundation rector Professor Günter Spur January 1997 Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz-Prize of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG - German Research Foundation). The Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz-Prize is the highest honour awarded in German research. 1997 to 2000
Chairman of the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Umformtechnik (AGU)November 1997 Membership of the German Academic Society for Production Engineering (Wissenschaftliche Gesellschaft für Produktionstechnik - WGP) June 1998 Election as Ordinary Member of the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities (Formerly Prussian Academy of Sciences and Humanities) September 1998 Full professor, Chair of Forming Technology, University of Dortmund 2000 to 2002 Dean of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Dortmund July 2000
Appointment to a "Canadian Research Chair" (Full Professor in Metal Forming), McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada (not accepted)Since Oct. 2000 Coordinator of the DFG Priority Programme 1098 "Workmedia Based Sheet Metal Forming" October 2001 Appointment to the board of directors of an industrial group (not accepted) 1999 to 2002 Membership of the Committee on Scientific Instrumentation of the DFG 2000 to 2002 Membership of the Nomination Committee for the Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz-Programme of the DFG Since 2001
Coordinator of the DFG Research Unit 443 "Investigation of the Working Mechanisms of Electromagnetic Sheet Metal Forming"Since Oct. 2002 Membership of the Senate, Joint Committee, and Grants Committee on General Research Support of the DFG Since Jan. 2003 Coordinator of the DFG Transregional Collaborative Research Centre SFB/TR10 "Integration of forming, cutting, and joining for the flexible production of lightweight structures" , Dortmund, Karlsruhe, and Munich) Since Oct. 2003 Membership of the Senate Committee on Strategic Planning of the DFG Since Jan. 2004 Membership of the Scientific Commission of Lower Saxony (Wissenschaftliche Kommission Niedersachsen) Since Sept. 2004 Managing Director of the newly founded Institute of Forming Technology and Lightweight Construction (IUL), University of Dortmund Since April 2005
Member of the "acatech" Executive BoardSince July 2005 Member of the Executive Committee of the DFG Since January 2007 President of the DFG
Professional Memberships
Main research at the Institute of Forming Technology and Lightweight Construction in three departments:
Two work groups complement the departments:
Research work focuses on the following projects: