Bavarian Order of Merit for six TUM professors

Campus news

7/23/2019
Reading time 4 min.

Prestigious honors awarded to six members of the Technical University of Munich (TUM) community: The Bavarian minister president Dr. Markus Söder has presented the Bavarian Order of Merit to Prof. Ann-Kristin Achleitner and Prof. Ulrich Walter, the emeritus professors Prof. Hannelore Daniel, Prof. Ludwig Narziss and Prof. Sophie Wolfrum, and the honorary professor Rudolf Staudigl. It is granted in recognition of distinguished contributions to the State of Bavaria.

Six professors of TUM were awarded a Bavarian Order of Merit yesterday.

Prof. Dr. Ann-Kristin Achleitner

Prof. Ann-Kristin Achleitner has held the Chair in Entrepreneurial Finance since 2001 and has served as the Scientific Co-Director of the Center for Entrepreneurial and Financial Studies (CEFS) at TUM since 2003. She completed her studies, doctorate and post-doctoral teaching qualification at the University of St. Gallen, Switzerland. From 1995 to 2001, she was then a professor of banking and finance at the European Business School (ebs) in Oestrich-Winkel, Germany. "As a successful researcher in the economic sciences, Prof. Achleitner attaches great importance not only to teaching, but especially to the value of combining studies with practical experience. She is also a committed advocate of a stronger role for women in management positions," said Minister President Söder at the presentation ceremony.

Prof. Dr. Hannelore Daniel

Prof. Hannelore Daniel held the Chair of Nutrition Physiology at the TUM School of Life Sciences Weihenstephan from 1999 to 2018. She initially studied at the Justus Liebig University in Giessen. After earning her doctorate and qualifying as a lecturer in the biochemistry of nutrition, she worked at the University of Glasgow and spent three years at the School of Medicine in Pittsburgh, among other positions. "Prof. Daniel is a world-renowned pioneer in nutrition sciences and a member of many specialized associations and committees. In her research she takes a comprehensive view of the nutrition chain, from food intake to the breakdown and processing of nutrients through to human physiology," said Minister President Söder.

Prof. Dr. Ludwig Narziß

As an ordinary professor from 1964 until 1992 in the field that has developed into the Chair for Brewing and Beverage Technology, and as a director of the predecessor of today's Weihenstephan Research Brewery, Prof. Ludwig Narziss had a decisive impact on a field of research with a long and distinguished tradition at TUM. More than 600 publications bear witness to his influence on developments in this area of food technology. "Professor Narziss is respected around the world as an expert in brewing sciences and is in demand internationally as a consultant and speaker," said Dr. Söder in his speech honoring the new member of the Order of Merit. "The global reputation of the Bavarian Research and Teaching Brewery in Weihenstephan is inextricably linked to his name."

Prof. Dr. Rudolf Staudigl

Prof. Rudolf Staudigl teaches industrial chemistry at TUM. After completing his first degree and doctorate at the Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich, he conducted research at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, among other locations. He joined Wacker Chemie AG in 1983 and was appointed President and CEO of that company in May 2008. "Prof. Staudigl supports the Bavarian Industry Association in an honorary capacity and is a member of various associations dedicated to the common good in the fields of science and engineering," said Minister President Söder. "He is a co-founder of the 'Education Pact Bavaria', which is dedicated to promoting future-readiness in Bavaria's schools. Prof. Staudigl thus combines business success with a commitment to society."

Prof. Dr. Ulrich Walter

Prof. Ulrich Walter is the head of the Chair of Astronautics at TUM. After studying physics and completing his doctorate at the University of Cologne, he was a member of the German astronaut team from 1987 until 1994. He became the fifth German in space when he joined the crew of the German D2 Spacelab mission as a payload specialist from April 26 to May 6 1993. "With his unique experience, Prof. Walter also has the ability to get non-specialized audiences excited about aviation and space flight with his many publications, as a commentator and through his television appearances," said Minister President Söder.

Prof. Sophie Wolfrum

Prof. Sophie Wolfrum served as a professor of urban design and regional planning at TUM from 2003 until 2018. She studied spatial planning at the University of Dortmund and then joined Prof. Alban Janson in establishing the firm Janson + Wolfrum Architektur + Stadtplanung, which has received numerous awards. "Prof. Wolfrum stands for urban design concepts of outstanding quality. With her ideas on the creation of living space, she makes important contributions to public discourse in this area," said Minister President Söder.