Something is happening at the Faculty: several new professorships were filled this spring - a small generational change that is taking place more or less silently.

Reason enough to take a closer look at who will be at the helm of one or the other chair in the future, what new directions can be expected in terms of content and who the people behind the title are. We start with Prof. Johanna Waimann, who has held the Chair of Mechanics - Materials Theory since March and as such succeeds Prof. Klaus Hackl.

What new impulses would you like to set at your chair? What changes are there compared to the previous chair?
We will partly tie in with old topics of the institute in the field of material modeling, but also provide new impulses. For example, I see a lot of potential in multiphysical and multiscale problems and in the development of data-driven methods, which I would like to focus on more in the future. In teaching, we will gradually adapt course content and introduce new teaching methods. Just as our media behavior changes over time, so does the learning behavior of students and we want to take this into account in the long term in order to create an interesting learning and teaching atmosphere for everyone.

What do you find most exciting about your field?

I really enjoy thinking my way into the smallest details of problems in order to find solutions. I find it exciting to develop methods for new materials to predict their behavior and I really like the fact that we work in such an interdisciplinary way in mechanics. I originally studied civil engineering, but now I also work on problems from very different disciplines such as mechanical engineering and aerospace engineering: it never gets boring and you always learn something new!

What is your favorite memory from your student days?

During my studies, I built up a circle of friends that is still very important to me personally and I like to think back to the many hours we spent together in the study rooms of the former IA building and the countless coffees we drank together. I also found it very exciting to gain an insight into current research as a student assistant at the Chair of Mechanics - Materials Theory!

What do you like best about RUB?

I like - and this is not meant ironically - the campus very much. The university is not spread out all over the city like other universities. As a result, the student body is much more diverse and you can network better with the other departments.

Do you already have a favorite place on campus?

I really like the Botanical garden - especially the pond under the trees with the footbridge.

Is there anything you would like to pass on to students of the subject for the future?

Dare to ask questions and always be aware of why you are learning things!

More to read.