Technical University of Munich: TUM honors alumni milestones

It has been 50 or 25 years since they completed their undergraduate degrees or doctorates at the Technical University of Munich (TUM). TUM has now honored these alumni – including two Nobel laureates – with gold and silver anniversary certificates. TUM President Thomas F. Hofmann praised them as important ambassadors for the university who have played a formative role in society. Over the weekend the TUM family also got together for the Summer Matinee and the Vivat TUM Summer Concert.

These alumni can look back on many impressive achievements in business and research and important contributions to society at large. “Our alumni are valuable members of our university community”, President Hofmann said. “And as respected ambassadors, they also boost the renown of TUM throughout the world. For their decades-long loyalty to our university, I wish to extend my heartfelt thanks to this year’s honorees.”

Members of the TUM Board of Management presented the gold and silver certificates at a gala ceremony. Due to the pandemic-related cancellations in 2020 and 2021, this year’s event at the Garching Campus brought together alumni from three cohorts.

Those marking “golden anniversaries” included two Nobel laureates: Prof. Erwin Neher, who received the Nobel Prize for Medicine / Physiology in 1991, and Prof. Joachim Frank, who received the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 2017 (who was unable to attend) completed their doctorates in physics in 1970. Prof. Wolfgang A. Herrmann, who served as the president of TUM for many years, and the current president, Prof. Thomas F. Hofmann, honored each other. Prof. Herrmann finished his undergraduate studies at TUM in 1971 before earning a doctorate in Regensburg. Prof. Hofmann completed a doctorate in the TUM Department of Chemistry in 1995.

Over the weekend the TUM family also got together in the Isarphilharmonie concert hall for the Summer Matinee and the Vivat TUM Summer Concert. Traditionally held in the pre-Christmas advent season, due to the pandemic the two concerts for students, staff, alumni and friends of the university were now held for the first time in the summer. The Symphonische Ensemble München, conducted by Prof. Felix Mayer, played works by Beethoven. The concerts yielded numerous donations for the TUM University Foundation to promote the next generation of young talents.

At the Vivat TUM concert, President Hofmann honored 11 TUM Ambassadors. This honorary title is granted to outstanding scientists who have spent research time at TUM and enriched the university with their scientific expertise, international experience and commitment to university politics.