Leadership Transition at TU Darmstadt’s Department of Computer Science: Prof. Dr. Dr. Christian Reuter concludes his term as Dean and is passing the baton
The Department looks back on an intense period with a large Faculty growth in two years (12 new appointments, 22 regular professors at the beginning), personnel reorganisation in the Dean’s office, secured special developments and academic achievements.
The Department of Computer Science at TU Darmstadt is undergoing a change in leadership as Christian Reuter completes his term and leaves the Dean’s office after four years. He served as Vice-Dean (and deputy to former Dean Prof. Dr. Felix Wolf) from 1 April 2021 to 31 March 2023, before assuming the role of Dean from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2025, supported by his Vice-Dean Prof. Dr. Carsten Binnig who will take over as the new Dean, Managing Director Dr.-Ing. Doreen Böhnstedt and the Dean‘s office. New vice dean will be Prof. Dr. Matthias Hollick.
The past few years have been characterised by a special dynamic for our department.
- We started with 22 regular research groups/professorships in the department, and since then, we have been able to fill 12 new professorships (guest and substitute professorships not included). In addition, we have received two new courtesy professorships, three appointments are about to be made, and three more are underway. In addition, three LOEWE Top Professorships have been established in the department during this period.
- In addition to a sharp increase in the number of research groups and their staff (from 350 to 400), our new degree programs have increased our student numbers to over 4,000, making us the largest department at TU Darmstadt – almost in time for the department’s 50th anniversary, which we celebrated in 2022. In addition to new degree programs, we were able to revise the doctoral regulations and processes and, fittingly, award the department of computer science’s 1000th doctoral degree in 2023.
- This growth has also required significant changes in the Dean’s Office: Following the appointment of a new manager in 2022, several further appointments were made to the Dean’s Office to ensure we are well-positioned for the future.
- To give our growing department space the CYSEC building (S2/20, Pankratiusstr. 2) was officially opened in 2022. We have also initiated the necessary steps to finish another building planned for 2026. We also made sensible investments in the Piloty building (S2/02) (insulation, media equipment, locking system).
- Our strong and rapid growth harbors opportunities but also challenges. Our aim is, therefore, not only to grow but also to grow together. To address this, we have established regular department summer and winter colloquia, in which 15 new colleagues have been able to introduce themselves and their research groups over the past two years.
- On the research side, the establishment of hessian.AI, ATHENE and the DFKI lab, significant projects such as emergenCITY, NHR4CES, the CROSSING and MAKI CRCs, several ERC grants and, most importantly, the two hopefully forthcoming Clusters of Excellence have enabled us to continue to support outstanding projects and excellent research.
All these developments were only possible thanks to the dedicated collaboration of many colleagues, staff members, and students. The Dean’s Office has supported and facilitated these processes, but the success is the result of a collective effort.
I want to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude for all the initiatives and constructive cooperation. Thank you to all colleagues, academic and administrative/technical staff, students, and the Student Council. Above all, I would like to thank the entire team in the Dean’s Office, led by Dr. Doreen Böhnstedt, who works in the background and contributes significantly to the success of the department’s activities! Thanks to the (former) Vice-/Deans (of Studies) Profs. Felix Wolf, Carsten Binnig, Jan Peters, Michael Waidner and Karsten Weihe during my time in the Dean’s Office. I will remember this intense time as a busy one, but above all, with fond memories. (Christian Reuter)
