Professor Götz W. Werner, founder and supervisory board member of dm-drogerie markt GmbH, and the Chairman of the Executive Board of Sparkasse Karlsruhe Ettlingen, Michael Huber, were granted the honorary citizenship of KIT by KIT President Professor Eberhard Umbach during yesterday’s first gala evening of the president. In the past, the KIT honorary citizenship was granted once only in 2012 to the former Chairman of the Executive Board of Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe, Professor Manfred Popp. The KIT Medal of Merit was awarded to the couple Ulrike and Dr. Thomas Roth.
During the gala evening, KIT President Umbach expressed his sincere thanks to all honorary senators, friends, and sponsors of KIT for their long commitment to the development of KIT. “All of you have repeatedly demonstrated your close relationship to KIT. We are very grateful for your support in establishing KIT as an excellent institution of research and education in Germany, Europe, and the world.”
In particular, Umbach referred to the support of the KIT Foundation. This foundation was established by KIT in July last year in order to optimally promote research, education, and academic life at KIT and to pool the foundation activities under a single roof. “We wish and hope that many friends and sponsors will continue to support KIT and act as publicly visible examples and models.”
The KIT President honored Götz W. Werner for his extraordinary merits in the education of young people and his unselfish commitment to the development of education at KIT. Moreover, Umbach gratefully acknowledged Michael Huber’s commitment to the KIT Foundation and the promotion of young scientists at KIT by the Umweltstiftung (Environmental Foundation) of Sparkasse Karlsruhe Ettlingen. Ulrike and Thomas Roth support the education of young people and research at KIT. The alumni of KIT were granted the KIT Medal of Merit. The KIT Medal of Merit will also be awarded to Rai-ner Blickle. The Managing Director of the SEW-EURODRIVE Group and chairman of the SEW-EURODRIVE Foundation was not able to take part in the gala evening and will be handed over the medal in the near future. The KIT Senate decides on honors granted by KIT based on proposals made by the Presidential Committee.
Being “The Research University in the Helmholtz Association”, KIT creates and imparts knowledge for the society and the environment. It is the objective to make significant contributions to the global challenges in the fields of energy, mobility, and information. For this, about 10,000 employees cooperate in a broad range of disciplines in natural sciences, engineering sciences, economics, and the humanities and social sciences. KIT prepares its 22,800 students for responsible tasks in society, industry, and science by offering research-based study programs. Innovation efforts at KIT build a bridge between important scientific findings and their application for the benefit of society, economic prosperity, and the preservation of our natural basis of life. KIT is one of the German universities of excellence.