RWTH Aachen Announces Appointment of Professor in Security Research
RWTH is proud to announce the establishment of the endowed chair of “Security Research and Sustainability Assessments in Strategic Foresight,” funded by the TÜV Rheinland Foundation.
This new junior professorship marks a significant step in integrating security and sustainability considerations into early-stage technology development, reflecting the increasing importance of these aspects in an ever-complex society facing both technological and non-technological risks.Despite its growing relevance, security research has yet to be firmly established as an academic discipline in Germany. In response, RWTH Aachen University, in collaboration with TÜV Rheinland, is addressing this need by creating the junior professorship “Security Research and Sustainability Assessments in Strategic Foresight” within the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering. The new professorship will be part of the Chair of Production Engineering of E-Mobility Components, led by Professor Achim Kampker, and will closely collaborate with the Institute for Technology Analysis and Foresight in the Field of Security Research, headed by Professor Michael Lauster, as well as the Fraunhofer Institute for Technological Trend Analysis (INT). The TÜV Rheinland Foundation has committed 200,000 euros annually for up to seven years, amounting to a total of 1.4 million euros.
Recognizing the importance of addressing security and sustainability issues early in the technology development process, the term “security” here encompasses both “safety” and “security,” while “sustainability” covers ecological, economic, and sociological dimensions. The goal of the professorship is to determine the optimal timing for initiating certification processes, balancing the need to avoid hindering technological innovation with the necessity of timely consideration of critical safety and sustainability requirements.
“The establishment of this endowed professorship of “Security Research and Sustainability Assessments in Strategic Foresight” addresses a mutual challenge. RWTH, with its technical focus, and TÜV Rheinland, as a pioneer in new technologies, are uniting in a strong partnership. At RWTH, we believe that such challenges are best tackled with robust partnerships and networks,” said RWTH Rector Professor Ulrich Rüdiger. “And this is exactly the kind of strong partnership we are entering into here.
TÜV Rheinland has a longstanding and fruitful relationship with RWTH and its Faculty of Mechanical Engineering. We anticipate that the new professorship will provide a crucial impetus for advancing the concept of foresight.” Technology foresight already helps us anticipate technological developments that may become critical in terms of safety and sustainability, guiding our strategic planning at TÜV Rheinland,” remarked Professor Dieter Spath, President and Chairman of the Board of TÜV Rheinland Berlin Brandenburg Pfalz e.V.
Emerging Technologies Present Significant Risks
Emerging technologies, particularly those in the developmental phase, present significant risks that must be identified and mitigated before widespread societal adoption.
Ongoing discussions on the potential hazards of artificial intelligence and genetic engineering underscore this urgency. The new professorship will develop methodologies to assess such risks in advance and disseminate the findings to researchers and developers. In the spirit of foresight, the professorship will closely monitor scientific and technical developments, evaluate their evolution, and explore if discernible patterns emerge from which quantifiable criteria for appropriate certification processes can be derived.
This unique combination of technology analysis, foresight, security research, and the broad range of technical applications positions RWTH at the forefront of sustainability studies in mechanical engineering, offering a significant contribution to developing safe and sustainable technologies.
TÜV Rheinland, a pioneer in new technologies for over 150 years, emphasizes the need for systematic technology foresight to ensure safe and sustainable applications. The new professorship will further scientific advancement in this field and is named after Professor Bruno O. Braun, the former CEO and current Honorary Chairman of the Supervisory Board of TÜV Rheinland AG, who also served as President of the Association of German Engineers (VDI) from 2007 to 2012.