Prof. Iurie Curosu became aware of the vacancy for a professorship at the Ruhr University Bochum thanks to a tip from a friend. Since April, the scientist from the Republic of Moldova, who completed his doctorate at TU Dresden, has held the Chair of Building Materials Technology. In this interview, he explains what motivates him personally and what he would like to focus on at the chair.

Prof. Curosu, what do you find most exciting about your field?
Depending on the focus, e.g. on chemical processes or material behavior under mechanical load, building materials research can be very diverse. In addition, the possible questions range from the nano to the macro or component level. I find it particularly exciting to explore and test these questions and the working hypotheses on the basis of measurements and observations at as many levels of observation as possible in cooperation with researchers from different fields and disciplines. The broad spectrum of findings and the added value of such an approach are particularly motivating for me.

What new impulses would you like to set at your chair?
I would like to continue working on fundamental building material issues relating to the durability and resilience of infrastructure. My research activities focus on the experimental investigation of concrete, mineral composites with metallic and non-metallic reinforcement and the formulation of development principles for their use in concrete repair and component reinforcement. Due to the complex material structure, the interaction of different material phases, the special material behavior and the load scenarios investigated, my experimental material research is based almost exclusively on tailor-made testing and measurement methods, some of which are implemented in close cooperation with other departments. The implementation of digital tools to complement the mechanical investigations is also a prerequisite for in-depth material analyses. Finally, analytical and numerical simulations are indispensable for testing various hypotheses or for predicting material behavior under a wide variety of influences.

What do you like best about the RUB?
The scientific infrastructure and environment at RUB is particularly designed for interdisciplinary research. I would like to mention the Research Departments such as the Materials Research Department, with which I would like to find and explore relevant interfaces. The University Alliance Ruhr (UaRuhr), including the scientists working here in the fields of civil engineering, building materials research and materials science, also offers considerable synergy potential in research.

Is there anything you would like to pass on to students of the subject for the future?
The professional foundations are laid during their studies. They should therefore take advantage of their time at university to gain as much knowledge and develop as many skills as possible from their studies and the associated opportunities such as academic work, internships or excursions. It is also the right time to look around, get a taste of different areas and discover a discipline that they will be passionate about for the next 40 years.

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