The Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg has a new president: Prof. Dr. Ralph Bruder, an ergonomist and former head of the Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors at the Technical University of Darmstadt, takes office today. Bruder was unanimously elected as president by the university's Senate on 2 December 2020.
"To be President of the Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg is both a pleasure and an honour for me," said Bruder, adding that with its clear profile in studies, teaching and research, the university has attained national and international visibility and contributed in many ways to the development of the region. "Its embedment in the region is very important to me. I am impressed by the active support our university receives, for example as regards the necessary expansion of our medical school." He explained that he is now eager to get to know the city and the region better and to start thinking about further potential for cooperation.
"I am particularly looking forward to personal contact and exchange within our university," Bruder emphasized. "A culture of communication based on trust as well as equality and diversity are prerequisites for further developing the university's strengths. Furthermore, we can only overcome the current and future challenges of the coronavirus pandemic together."
Prof. Dr. Dr. Hans Michael Piper, whose six-year term ends on 31 July, congratulated his successor on his inauguration as president. Piper noted that with his extensive experience in university management Bruder is well prepared to deal with the diverse challenges of the University of Oldenburg's dynamic and highly successful development process.
Profile:
Born in Bad Homburg vor der Höhe, Ralph Bruder (58) studied electrical engineering at the Technical University of Darmstadt, where he also earned his doctorate in 1992 and then held a research and teaching post. In 1996, he joined the University of Duisburg-Essen, where he was Professor of Ergonomics in Design until 2005 and founding director of the Institute for Ergonomics and Design Research. He was also the founding president and managing director of the Zollverein School of Management and Design gGmbH until 2006, when he returned to TU Darmstadt as Professor of Ergonomics at the Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors.
In his position as Scientific Director, he established an umbrella organization for young scientists. From 2014 to 2019 he was Vice President of the TU Darmstadt in charge of academic affairs and early career researchers.
Bruder was also president of the German Society for Occupational Science and has held leading positions in several other organizations. He is currently Chair of the Scientific Advisory Board of the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, as well as being active in numerous other specialist bodies. He was also co-editor of the journal Applied Ergonomics and has been a member of the scientific advisory boards of several national and international journals.
