More students and new professors:
The Universität Hohenheim continues its expansion as planned  [13.01.09]

First chairs from the 2012 Expansion Programme filled/ Endowed Chair in Plant Breeding filled / number of new students has increased again / Greatest number of students since the university was established

The Universität Hohenheim is also preparing for further growth in the coming years: In view of the increasing demand for student places nationwide, the university had declared that it was ready to create a total of 300 new student places within 5 years. With the “University 2012" expansion programme, the state guaranteed the university that it would increase the number of professors.

The Universität Hohenheim is well on schedule given the current numbers for the winter semester: Firstly, the university awarded 60 additional first semester places the new specialisation “European Innovation and Service Management”. 60 further first semester places had already been created in the past year with the new specialisation "Health Management". About 180 further places will be created in the coming three years, most notably in the Economic and Social Sciences, but also in the Natural Sciences.

For the first time, the Universität Hohenheim filled two of the additional chairs during the current winter semester that were created by the 2012 expansion programme. The state already promised the university a total of nine new W3 chairs with a first and second tranche. A number that could yet rise to 15 W3 chairs as a result of the upcoming third tranche of the special programme.

On the 1st of December the Universität Hohenheim filled the new F.W. Schnell endowed chair for Agricultural Crop Biodiversity and Breeding Information Technology. Thanks to eight-year co-financing by KWS SAAT AG, a new sector of priority in plant breeding with a new unique pan-European research approach has been created.

The Universität Hohenheim welcomes a further six professors during the current semester as successors to chairs that became free as a result of retirement or their predecessors changing university. These comprise a successor to the Faculty of Natural Sciences, four successors to the Faculty of Agricultural Science and a successor to the Faculty of Economic and Social Sciences.

Student statistics: Hesitant growth

In the short-term, it seemed as if the Universität Hohenheim was set to experience a period of growth for the first time in ten years: The number of new students upon commencement of lectures was about ten per cent compared with the same valuation date the previous year. In hindsight, this lower number turned out to be a lag which, in the course of the finally shot upwards above the previous year’s value.

“Since school-leavers can apply to as many universities as they like simultaneously, the number of those applying to us has exploded", reckoned the rector of the Universität Hohenheim, Prof. Hans-Peter Liebig. At the same time, it is becoming increasingly difficult to make predictions about the university that the applicants will finally opt for - which means that student places across the country are being filled at an increasingly late stage.

More specifically, the first semester numbers for new entrants into the Natural Sciences is 231 (previous year: 219) and 591 for Agricultural Science (previous year: 502). Thanks to new courses offers, the number of new entrants to the Economic and Social Sciences increased from a current number of 894 students in the first semester (previous year: 862).

An overview of new professors

1. FIRST FILLING OF THE ENDOWED CHAIR

Prof. Karl Josef Schmid
Endowed chair “Agricultural Crop Biodiversity and Breeding Information Technology“
Faculty of Agricultural Science

Since the 1st of December 2008, Prof. Karl Schmid is the first holder of the unique pan-European endowed chair for“Agricultural Crop Biodiversity and Breeding Information Technology”.The aim of his scientific work is to rediscover plants with beneficial properties while the population genetician carries out a comprehensive analysis of modern agricultural crops. Today’s agricultural crops are genetically depleted by breeding. In the light of problems such as climate change, water shortages and new types of pesticides, it is important that the lost properties of plants are rediscovered. In terms of teaching, Karl Schmid is responsible for the field of population and quantitative genetics. In addition, he is also responsible for covering the areas of plant genome research and practical bioinformatics for Masters Courses.

Karl Schmid was born Aindling in 1966. He studied biology at the University of Munich where he then wrote his thesis entitled “Research into the evolutionary conservation of transcribed sequences from Drosophila melanogaster“ . He obtained his degree for this in 1992. In 1996, Schmid did his doctorate at the Zoologisches Institut in Munich on the subject of the “Isolation and Characterisation of rapidly-evolving genes from Drosophila melanogaster”. In 2007, he was promoted as a professor for genetics at the University of Jena. Karl Schmid was a post doc in Munich and at Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA: In Jena, he was Emmy-Noether junior scientist group leader at MPI for Chemical Ecology. He was head of the AG „Evolution genetics“ at the Leibniz Institute for Plant Genetics in Gatersleben from 2006 to 2008 and Professor for Genetics at the Swedish Agricultural University in Uppsala in 2008.

2. NEW PROFESSORS THANKS TO THE 2012 UNIVERSITY EXPASNION PROGRAMME

Dr.Karsten Hadwich
New chair „Service Management and Service Markets“
Faculty of Economic and Social Science.

In Karsten Hadwich the university was able to win over a young scientist who is remarkably suited to the new future-oriented chair of the Faculty of Economic and Social Sciences, both with regard to the focus of his research and his teaching experience which spans several years.

Karsten Hadwich, born 1970, studied Industrial Engineering and Management at the TU (Technical University) Berlin and obtained his engineering degree in 1999. Previously, he had trained as a bank official. From 1999 to 2003 he was employed as a research assistant with Prof. Manfred Bruhm at the chair for Marketing and Corporate Management at the University of Basel where he obtained the doctoral titled Dr. rer. pol. He was a managing assistant at the chair from 2003 and from 2005 he was responsible for the full coordination of teaching activities. He completed a two-year in-service training course in University Didactics and was awarded a certificate. In 2004, he won the dissertation prize awarded by the Department of Economics at the University of Basel as well as the Swiss Market and Social Research advancement award. Since 2001, he has gained teaching experience from a total of 20 classes on Bachelors and Masters courses as well as on advanced courses. These were given primarily at the University of Basel, but also at the TU Munich, the University of Berne and in the Swiss Education Centre for Marketing, Advertising and Communication. In October 2008, he completed his postdoctoral teaching qualification at the University of Basel on the subject of the “Development and Implementation of Technology-Based Service Innovations”. In Karsten Hadwich the university was able to win over a young scientist who is remarkably suited to the new future-oriented chair of the Faculty of Economic and Social Sciences, both with regard to the focus of his research and his teaching experience which spans several years.

Dr. Jörg Schiller
Dr. Jörg Schiller“
Faculty of Economic and Social Science

The focus of Jörg Schiller’s research is in the area of social contract theory which is applied in various ways to current problems in insurance markets. He was awarded numerous national and international prizes, including the “Hamburg Insurance Industry Prize” and the “Ernst-Meyer Prize” conferred by the Geneva Association for Risk & Insurance Economics, for his research in this area. In Schiller, the university gained a scientist who, due to his extensive teaching and research experience, will make an important contribution to a theory-led, insurance training at the Universität Hohenheim.

Jörg Schiller, who was born in Frankfurt am Main in 1975, studied Business Studies at the Goethe University Frankfurt and completed his degree there in 1999. After being employed as a research assistant with Prof. Martin Nell, Chair for Insurance Economics at the University of Frankfurt, he then attended the University of Hamburg where he did his doctorate in 2004 on the subject of “Insurance Fraud as an Economic Problem – a Social Contract Theory Analysis” He then pursued a professional lecture qualification at the WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management, Vallendar as part of the Chair for Organisation Theory with Prof. Peter-J. Jost, which he then completed in September 2008. In terms of teaching, Schiller has comprehensive experience in the areas of Insurance Business Operations, General Business Operations and Economics as well as Management and Organisation and was awarded the “Best Assistant” Best Teaching Award by the WHU Vallendar in WS 2006. From 2007 to mid-2008, Schiller spent time at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania in the USA as part of a DFG project for market function and remuneration of insurance brokers. He then half a year as a research assistant with Prof. Andreas Richter at the Institute of Risk Research and Insurance Economics at the LMU in Munich.

Prof. Thorsten Quandt
New professorship "Communication Science, especially interactive Media and Online Communication"
Faculty of Economic and Social Science

Thorsten Quandt’s research focus is in the area of online communication, media innovation research/media change and communication research (especially online journalism).

In 2006, Quandt was employed as a guest professor at the Institute of Journalism and Communication Science at the Free University Berlin and, since 2007, has held the professorship in Communication Science, specialising in Journalism/Online Communication. In Quandt, the university was able to gain an innovative academic who is also a member in numerous national and international organisations and scientific committees.

Thorsten Quandt, born 1971, studied Journalism and Communication Science at the Ruhr University in Bochum and completed his Masters in 1996. He work as a radio journalist after completing his studies. From 1998 to 2003, he was a research assistant at the TU Ilmenau and from 2003 to 2007 a research assistant at the LMU Munich at the Chair for Empirical Communication Research where he was responsible as a research assistant, amongst others, for the sub-project “Convergence and Media Change” as part of the interdisciplinary BMBF research project “intermedia”. In addition, he lectured at the University of Arts, Berlin (Electronic Business), the University of Trier (Media Science), the FH Bremen (Specialist Journalism) and the FHW Vienna (Journalism). He was awarded his doctorate in 2004 for the subject “Journalists on the Net. A study of journalistic activity in online editorial offices” for which he was awarded the dissertation prize by the German Association for Journalism and Communication Science (DGPuK). In July 2008, he qualified as a professor with the subject “Media innovations and convergence. Forms, factors and fields of media change” at the LMU Munich.

3. SUCCESSION TO EXISTING AND NON-DEDICATED CHAIRS

Prof. Jochen Weiss
New professorship "Technology of Functional Foodstuffs"
Faculty of Natural Sciences

The new professorship, “Technology of Functional Foodstuffs” is the result of a strategic new orientation and resulted from the rededication of the former discipline of Meat Technology. The research work undertaken by Prof. Jochen Weiss concentrate on the production of novel colloidal and nanostructural carrier systems, antioxidants, colourants, flavours, enzymes in foodstuffs. Three primary meat products are used as foodstuff model systems. Over the last 8 years, Prof. Weiss has published more than 70 research articles, 10 book chapters, 140 conference proceedings and a book. His research article "Functional Materials in Food Nanotechnology" was the most quoted publication in the Journal of Food Science in 2006. Weiss was the head of more than 50 third-party fund projects with a funding volume of approx. 4 million dollars. He was awarded the "2007 Samual L. Prescott Young Academic Award" by the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) and the "2007 Distinguished Teacher Award" by the University of Massachusetts.

Prof. Weiss was born in Neckarsulm (Baden-Wuerttemberg) in 1969 and obtained his degree in Process Engineering in 1996 at the University of Karlsruhe. He then changed to the University of Massachusetts where he was awarded his doctorate in the field of Food Science in 1999. He was then employed as Assistant Professor at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. There he received “Tenure & Promotion” in 2004 and was promoted to Associate Professor. In August 2004, Dr. Weiss accepted a new professorship in the field of "Food Biophysics and Nanotechnology" at the University of Massachusetts and received “Tenure & Promotion” in May 2007.

Prof. Enno Bahrs
Professorship "Agricultural Business Operations"
(Succession to Prof. Jürgen Zeddies)
Faculty of Agricultural Science

Prof. Erno Bahrs followed Prof. Jürgen Zeddies footsteps by accepting the professorship “Agricultural Business Operations”. The aim of his scientific work is grappling with important and current issues in Agricultural Business Operations. Questions relating to taxation and accounting form the focus of his work. In recent times Bahrs has dealt with the subject of Renewable Energy and Sustainable Raw Materials in agriculture. With his focus on research in these areas and his teaching experience which spans several years, Bahrs is remarkably suited to the teaching and research profile of the Faculty of Agricultural Science where he teaches and researches the subject of “Agricultural Business Operations” since the beginning of the 2008/09 winter semester.

Enno Bahrs was born in Bremen in 1967. After completing his training period in practical agriculture, he studied Agricultural Science at the Georg-August University in Göttingen and was also awarded his doctorate there in 1999. In 2000, he passed the tax consultant exam before the Lower Saxon Finance Ministry. In 2002, Bahrs was appointed Junior Professor for Applied Agricultural Business Operations. This was followed by work as a visiting researcher in Kirgistan and California and he qualified as a professor in Göttingen in 2006. From January 2007 until his changeover to Hohenheim, Bahrs managed the Institute of Agricultural and Forest Economy at the University for Soil Culture in Vienna.

Prof. Jörn Bennewitz
Professorship “Animal Breeding and Biotechnology"
(Succession to Prof. Dr. Hermann Geldermann)
Faculty of Agricultural Science

Prof. Jörn Bennewitz is taking over the professorship, “Animal Breeding and Biotechnology” from Prof. Hermann Geldermann. The focus of his research is quantitative-genetic analyses in the field of genome analysis as applied to farm animals. He is involved in several national joint research projects that deal with the mapping of genes and genetic groups (Quantitative Trait Loci, QTL) as well as the implementation of results in the form of marker and genetically based selection. In the area of population genetics, Bennewitz works on the advancement of performance testing and evaluation of genetic parameters and breeding values for functional features in cattle, horses and pigs. The aim is to elucidate the genetic background, e.g. of genetic defects and the improvement of characteristics that pose difficulties for animal breeding. With Bennewitz, the university was able to gain an academic and university teacher who is remarkably suited to the field whose intense collaboration with animal breeding organisations meant that results achieved during research can be implemented in a timely manner in practical animal breeding.

Jörn Bennewitz was born in Rendsburg in 1972 and grew up on an agricultural holding. After completing his studies in Agricultural Science, he was awarded his doctorate with honours at the University of Kiel. In Summer 2005 he qualified as a professor at the same university in the field of “Animal Breeding and Domestic Animal Genetics”. During his postdoctoral studies in Kiel he spent several months at the University for Life Sciences in Ås, Norway.

Prof. Harald Grethe
Professorship “Agricultural and Food Policy”
(Successor to Prof. Werner Großkopf)
Faculty of Agricultural Science

Prof. Harald Grethe takes over the professorship “Agricultural and Food Politics” from Prof. Werner Großkopf. The focus of his research is in the areas of the analysis of the effects of the EU’s Agricultural and Food Policy whereby the analysis of international trade policy for products belonging to the agricultural and food industry take centre stage. Grethe deals with both classical agricultural policies such as pegging, but also with more recent policies such as the implementation of quality standards in international trade. With Grethe the university was able to gain a academic and university teacher who has both excellent professional as well as methodical national and international credentials.

Harald Grethe was born in Buchholz an der Nordheide in 1965. From 1986 to 1989 he attended the agriculture school MLTS Warmonderhof in the Netherlands and studied human medicine from 1990 to 1993 as far as the state examination at the University of Witten-Herdecke and Agricultural Science from 1992 to 1995 at the Georg-August University Göttingen. He was conferred with a doctorate at the same university in 2004 and already qualified as a professor two years later at the Humboldt University in Berlin. From 1996 to 1997 Grethe worked as a consultant at the Turkish Ministry of Agriculture for the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).

Prof. Markus Rodehutscord
Professorship “Animal Nutrition”
(Successor to Prof. Winfried Drochner)
Faculty of Agricultural Science

Prof. Markus Rodehutscord follows in the footsteps of Prof. Winfried Drochner by accepting the professorship “Animal Nutrition”. The focus of his research work are in phosphorate conversion and its influence on poultry and pork, protein and energy supply in ruminants and amino acid digestion in poultry. Furthermore, he is concerned with the energetic evaluation of feed for ruminants. With Rodehutscord, the university was able to gain an outstanding academic and university teacher who not only possesses broad and deep professional credentials but is also a leading member in numerous national and international scientific committees.

Markus Rodehutscord was born in Rüthen, Kreis Soest in 1962. After completing professional training to be an agriculturist, he studied Agricultural Science from 1985 to 1989 at the Rhenish Friedrich-Wilhelms University in Bonn. From 1989 to 1992 he completed his dissertation in Bonn as a doctoral scholar within the context of graduate promotion on the part of the state of North Rhine Westphalia. He was promoted as a professor four years later. In 1999, he accepted the professorship of Animal Nutrition at the Martin-Luther University in Halle Wittenberg.

PhD Gabriel Felbermayr
Professorship “Foreign Trade”
(Successor to Prof. Ansgar Belke)
Faculty of Economic and Social Sciences

PhD Gabriel Felbermayr followed in the footsteps of Prof. Ansgar Belke by accepting the professorship “Foreign Trade”. The focus of his research is in the field of foreign trade theory. The content of his publications ranges from work on international trade, the WTO, migration issues right through to empirical analyses of growth models and the effects of regulatory measures on unemployment. Felbermayr received numerous prizes and awards for his work, including the Reinhard-Selten prize from the Association for Social Policy. With Felbermayr the university was able to gain a young, internationally-oriented academic whose work is characterised by an extraordinarily high academic level.

Gabriel Felbermayr was born in Steyr/Österreich in 1976. In 2000, he obtained a Masters in Economics at the Johannes Kepler University in Linz, Austria. From 2000 to 20003, he completed a doctoral programme at the European University Institute in Florence and completed his doctorate at the same university in 2004. From 2005 to March 2008, he was an academic advisor at the University of Tübingen at the Chair for International Economics under Prof. Wilhelm Kohler. Felbermayr also gained teaching experience at the University of Zürich, Switzerland and at the University of Konstanz.

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