Today (January 23, 2024), the Supervisory Board of KIT elected Professor Jan S. Hesthaven President of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). Presently, the Danish mathematician is Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs of the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne in Switzerland (EPFL, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne), one of the leading research and education institutions worldwide. Hesthaven is expected to considerably strengthen KIT’s international orientation and standing in worldwide competition. Dr. Stefan Schwartze was elected Vice President Finance, Human Resources, and Infrastructure by the Supervisory Board. The holder of a doctoral degree in law is Administrative Executive Director of the Helmholtz Centre Potsdam – German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ). According to the KIT Act, both decisions still remain to be confirmed by the KIT Senate in February.
“Professor Hesthaven has presented a convincing vision for KIT. I am sure that he will push both the international standing of KIT and the scientific and cultural advancement of this unique institution,“ says Chairman of the Supervisory Board of KIT Professor Michael Kaschke. “His reputation as a scientist and his vast expertise in leading large science organizations make him an ideal candidate for presidency and for shaping the next stage of KIT.“ KIT’s previous President Professor Holger Hanselka was elected President of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft in mid-2023.
Professor Jan S. Hesthaven, born in 1965, has been Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs of the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne) since 2021. His scope of responsibility includes strong integration of research and academic education, all appointment procedures, as well as close cooperation with the President of EPFL on the university’s strategic orientation, among others. Since 2013, Hesthaven has been Professor of Mathematics of EPFL. Before, in 1995, he started to work at Brown University, one of the oldest and most renowned universities in the USA, where he was Founding Director of the Center for Computation and Visualization (2006 to 2013). Having co-founded the Institute for Computational and Experimental Research in Mathematics, he served as its Deputy Director from 2010 to 2013. Hesthaven studied Computational Physics and earned his doctorate at the Technical University of Denmark in Copenhagen. His successful research is reflected by more than 175 publication in scientific journals. Since 2022, Hesthaven has been Fellow of the American Mathematical Society.
Stefan Schwartze Will Be Future Vice President for Administrative Tasks
The Supervisory Board elected Dr. Stefan Schwartze Vice President Finance, Human Resources, and Infrastructure of KIT. Schwartze will succeed Michael Ganß, who will retire this summer.
The Chairman of the Supervisory Board emphasizes: “Dr. Schwartze is an acknowledged expert in the administration of universities and large research institutions. He possesses vast legal and financial know-how. I am convinced that Mr Schwartze will address the challenges and opportunities associated with this big and demanding Executive Board Department in a determined and cooperative way.“
Dr. Stefan Schwartze, born in 1966, has been Administrative Executive Director of the Helmholtz Centre Potsdam – German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) since 2011. From 2019 to 2022, he also worked as Administrative Vice President of the Helmholtz Association. Before, from 2008 to 2011, Schwartze was Chancellor of the University of Münster. Prior to that, he worked at the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, and the German Research Foundation. Schwartze studied law at the universities of Mannheim, Heidelberg, and Münster and earned his doctorate at the University of Bochum.
“I would like to thank all members of the search committee for their very high commitment. It helped us swiftly complete both appointment procedures. Following the required confirmation of both elections by the KIT Senate, the newly composed Executive Board of KIT will be able to concentrate on the important and strategic tasks lying ahead, such as the German excellence competition,“ Kaschke adds.
Professor Hesthaven and Dr. Schwartze will introduce themselves to the KIT public in February. The term of office of a member of the KIT Executive Board is six years.
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.