Name: Prof. Dr. Rafael Batres  
Home country: Mexico
Sending university: School of Engineering and Sciences Tecnologico de Monterrey
Special field: Wirtschaftsingenieurwesen

Modules: 

• Machine Learning (MALA), regular lecture, Degree programs: Bachelor Business and Engineering IBE / Bachelor Wirtschaftsingenieurwesen BWW
• Production engineering with optimization and artificial intelligence methods, lecture in the FWI International teaching week, Degree programs:  Bachelor Business and Engineering IBE / Bachelor Wirtschaftsingenieurwesen BWW / Bachelor Logistik BLO / Bachelor Logistics IBL

I learned that one must be humble and unpretentious to be able to achieve significant improvements in the classroom, in the lab, or in our life.   

1. Would you please be so kind as to tell us from which country and university you are coming from?

I am a professor at the School of Engineering and Sciences at Tecnologico de Monterrey in Mexico.

2. Since when have you been working at your home university and which is your function there?

After living 18 years in Japan and one-and-half years in France, I returned to Mexico in 2014. Since then, I have been a professor at Tecnologico de Monterrey. I teach at the department of industrial and systems engineering department and occasionally at the computer science department. I also do research at the intersection between artificial intelligence and engineering.

3. Have you already been at Würzburg in Lower Franconia before or is this your first trip to Würzburg? What is your first impression of this region?

This is my second time in Franconia. Last year I came to Schweinfurt to participate in the International Teaching Week and also had the opportunity to visit Würzburg. This region is very beautiful because of its balance between urban and nature but also because people here are friendly, kind, and unpretentious.

4. Which is your experience field?

My expertise includes Industry 4.0, surrogate-model based optimization, supply chain management, modeling for decision making, operations management, business process modeling, business dynamics, material and product design, operating procedure synthesis, metaheuristic optimization, machine learning, case-based reasoning, agent-based modeling, and lean thinking.   

5. You will be teaching at the Faculty of Business and Engineering of the THWS. Which courses you will offer? Did you teach at THWS before?

I will be teaching “Production Engineering with Optimization and Artificial Intelligence” during the International Teaching Week. During this course, students will learn how to apply AI methods and techniques to solve problems ranging from demand-forecasting, production scheduling to supply-chain decision making. This is going to be the third time at teach this course, the first time being online during pandemics and the last one here at THWS.

6. Please give us some information of what have been the most interesting or fascinating experiences in your professional career

It is very interesting to realize how many achievements that we think of as ours actually happen as the result of the actions of many people. One example is my current collaboration with THWS. It started when I learned about a grant opportunity from a colleague who knew about my previous collaborations with German universities. I contacted a professor from THWS who was interested in the grant after meeting a faculty member from THWS at the international teaching week in 2021. We submitted a proposal that was accepted and started a collaboration with another professor from THWS and one from Tec. Later, we found some common research interests and applied for another fund that enabled me to visit THWS as a Guest Professor.

7. What is the moving spirit for your work?

To watch students, develop competences and grow. It is so rewarding when current or former students share their achievements with me or tell me that they found the job of their dreams, or when they tell me that they managed to get a scholarship to study abroad and so on.

8. What is the most important advice you could give to young scholars studying at the Faculty of Business and Engineering?

Learning from other colleagues has been an important influence in my career, and this applies to teaching or research. There were moments early in my career when I was arrogant and then discovered that such an attitude is one of the largest obstacles for personal and academic growth. I learned that one must be humble and unpretentious to be able to achieve significant improvements in the classroom, in the lab, or in our life.

Name: Prof. Dr. Mónica Aguilar Alba  
Home country: Spanien
Sending university: Universidad de Sevilla    
Special field: Faculty of Plastics Engineering and Surveying       

Modules: 

• Wissenschaftliches Arbeiten

• Study programmes: Bachelor BGV and BVG;
• Master MGT

Research projects:

Research into the development of diseases in relation to geospatial contexts; correlation between physical geographical factors and climate change.

Name: Prof. Dr. Taih-Cherng Lirn   
Home country: Taiwan
Sending university: National Taiwan Ocean University (NTOU)

Special field: Wirtschaftsingenieurwesen

Modules: 

• International Teaching Week 2024: „Seminar on Modern Maritime Logistics Management“, 4 SWS

Research:

Zusammenarbeit mit Prof. Dr. Bremer im Forschungsprojekt „A Study on the Core Competency of Logistics Service Providers (LSPs) and Logistics Professionals - A cross-cultural perspective“.

The more you work, the more you learn.   

1. Would you please tell us from which country and university you are coming from?   

I am a professor from the National Taiwan Ocean University (NTOU), Taiwan

2. Since when have you been working at your home university and which is your function there?

I have been teaching in the NTOU since Feb. 2010 and I am a professor and was a director for internship and career development office between Aug. 2017 ~Dec. 2023

3. Have you already been at Schweinfurt or Würzburg before or is this your first trip to Lower Franconia?What is your (first) impression of this region ?

I have been to  Würzbur twice and Schweinfurt once. Lower Franconia is a very beautiful and safe region and people are friendly as well.

4. Which is your experience field?

International Logistics Management, Maritime Transportation Management

5. You will be teaching at the Faculty of Business and Engineering (FWI) at Schweinfurt. Which courses you will offer at THWS? Did you teach at THWS before?

I have taught the Modern Maritime Transportation course in 2023 at THWS and I will offer the same course in 2024.

6. Will you be also working on research projects during your visiting professorship?

Yes, I will work together with Prof. Peik Bremer on a collaborated research project related with logistics management.

7. Please give us some information of what have been the most interesting or fascinating experiences in your professional career?

I was a deck officer on a container ship that provided round-the-world service in the late 1980s. This experience has indeed broadened my view about the world.

8. What is the moving spirit for your work?

Self-accomplishment

9. What is the most important advice you could give to young scholars of the Faculty of Business and Engineering?

The more you work, the more you learn.

Name: Prof. Dr. Rafael Batres  
Home country: Mexico
Sending university: School of Engineering and Sciences Tecnologico de Monterrey
Special field: Wirtschaftsingenieurwesen

Modules: 

• Machine Learning (MALA), regular lecture, Degree programs: Bachelor Business and Engineering IBE / Bachelor Wirtschaftsingenieurwesen BWW
• Production engineering with optimization and artificial intelligence methods, lecture in the FWI International teaching week, Degree programs:  Bachelor Business and Engineering IBE / Bachelor Wirtschaftsingenieurwesen BWW / Bachelor Logistik BLO / Bachelor Logistics IBL

I learned that one must be humble and unpretentious to be able to achieve significant improvements in the classroom, in the lab, or in our life.   

1. Would you please be so kind as to tell us from which country and university you are coming from?

I am a professor at the School of Engineering and Sciences at Tecnologico de Monterrey in Mexico.

2. Since when have you been working at your home university and which is your function there?

After living 18 years in Japan and one-and-half years in France, I returned to Mexico in 2014. Since then, I have been a professor at Tecnologico de Monterrey. I teach at the department of industrial and systems engineering department and occasionally at the computer science department. I also do research at the intersection between artificial intelligence and engineering.

3. Have you already been at Würzburg in Lower Franconia before or is this your first trip to Würzburg? What is your first impression of this region?

This is my second time in Franconia. Last year I came to Schweinfurt to participate in the International Teaching Week and also had the opportunity to visit Würzburg. This region is very beautiful because of its balance between urban and nature but also because people here are friendly, kind, and unpretentious.

4. Which is your experience field?

My expertise includes Industry 4.0, surrogate-model based optimization, supply chain management, modeling for decision making, operations management, business process modeling, business dynamics, material and product design, operating procedure synthesis, metaheuristic optimization, machine learning, case-based reasoning, agent-based modeling, and lean thinking.   

5. You will be teaching at the Faculty of Business and Engineering of the THWS. Which courses you will offer? Did you teach at THWS before?

I will be teaching “Production Engineering with Optimization and Artificial Intelligence” during the International Teaching Week. During this course, students will learn how to apply AI methods and techniques to solve problems ranging from demand-forecasting, production scheduling to supply-chain decision making. This is going to be the third time at teach this course, the first time being online during pandemics and the last one here at THWS.

6. Please give us some information of what have been the most interesting or fascinating experiences in your professional career

It is very interesting to realize how many achievements that we think of as ours actually happen as the result of the actions of many people. One example is my current collaboration with THWS. It started when I learned about a grant opportunity from a colleague who knew about my previous collaborations with German universities. I contacted a professor from THWS who was interested in the grant after meeting a faculty member from THWS at the international teaching week in 2021. We submitted a proposal that was accepted and started a collaboration with another professor from THWS and one from Tec. Later, we found some common research interests and applied for another fund that enabled me to visit THWS as a Guest Professor.

7. What is the moving spirit for your work?

To watch students, develop competences and grow. It is so rewarding when current or former students share their achievements with me or tell me that they found the job of their dreams, or when they tell me that they managed to get a scholarship to study abroad and so on.

8. What is the most important advice you could give to young scholars studying at the Faculty of Business and Engineering?

Learning from other colleagues has been an important influence in my career, and this applies to teaching or research. There were moments early in my career when I was arrogant and then discovered that such an attitude is one of the largest obstacles for personal and academic growth. I learned that one must be humble and unpretentious to be able to achieve significant improvements in the classroom, in the lab, or in our life.

Name: Prof. Dr. Mónica Aguilar Alba  
Home country: Spanien
Sending university: Universidad de Sevilla    
Special field: Faculty of Plastics Engineering and Surveying       

Modules: 

• Wissenschaftliches Arbeiten

• Study programmes: Bachelor BGV and BVG;
• Master MGT

Research projects:

Research into the development of diseases in relation to geospatial contexts; correlation between physical geographical factors and climate change.

Name: Prof. Dr. Taih-Cherng Lirn   
Home country: Taiwan
Sending university: National Taiwan Ocean University (NTOU)

Special field: Wirtschaftsingenieurwesen

Modules: 

• International Teaching Week 2024: „Seminar on Modern Maritime Logistics Management“, 4 SWS

Research:

Zusammenarbeit mit Prof. Dr. Bremer im Forschungsprojekt „A Study on the Core Competency of Logistics Service Providers (LSPs) and Logistics Professionals - A cross-cultural perspective“.

The more you work, the more you learn.   

1. Would you please tell us from which country and university you are coming from?   

I am a professor from the National Taiwan Ocean University (NTOU), Taiwan

2. Since when have you been working at your home university and which is your function there?

I have been teaching in the NTOU since Feb. 2010 and I am a professor and was a director for internship and career development office between Aug. 2017 ~Dec. 2023

3. Have you already been at Schweinfurt or Würzburg before or is this your first trip to Lower Franconia?What is your (first) impression of this region ?

I have been to  Würzbur twice and Schweinfurt once. Lower Franconia is a very beautiful and safe region and people are friendly as well.

4. Which is your experience field?

International Logistics Management, Maritime Transportation Management

5. You will be teaching at the Faculty of Business and Engineering (FWI) at Schweinfurt. Which courses you will offer at THWS? Did you teach at THWS before?

I have taught the Modern Maritime Transportation course in 2023 at THWS and I will offer the same course in 2024.

6. Will you be also working on research projects during your visiting professorship?

Yes, I will work together with Prof. Peik Bremer on a collaborated research project related with logistics management.

7. Please give us some information of what have been the most interesting or fascinating experiences in your professional career?

I was a deck officer on a container ship that provided round-the-world service in the late 1980s. This experience has indeed broadened my view about the world.

8. What is the moving spirit for your work?

Self-accomplishment

9. What is the most important advice you could give to young scholars of the Faculty of Business and Engineering?

The more you work, the more you learn.

Name: Prof. Dr. Mónica Aguilar Alba  
Home country: Spanien
Sending university: Universidad de Sevilla    
Special field: Faculty of Plastics Engineering and Surveying       

Modules: 

• Wissenschaftliches Arbeiten

• Study programmes: Bachelor BGV and BVG;
• Master MGT

Research projects:

Research into the development of diseases in relation to geospatial contexts; correlation between physical geographical factors and climate change.

Name: Prof. Dr. Taih-Cherng Lirn   
Home country: Taiwan
Sending university: National Taiwan Ocean University (NTOU)

Special field: Wirtschaftsingenieurwesen

Modules: 

• International Teaching Week 2024: „Seminar on Modern Maritime Logistics Management“, 4 SWS

Research:

Zusammenarbeit mit Prof. Dr. Bremer im Forschungsprojekt „A Study on the Core Competency of Logistics Service Providers (LSPs) and Logistics Professionals - A cross-cultural perspective“.

The more you work, the more you learn.   

1. Would you please tell us from which country and university you are coming from?   

I am a professor from the National Taiwan Ocean University (NTOU), Taiwan

2. Since when have you been working at your home university and which is your function there?

I have been teaching in the NTOU since Feb. 2010 and I am a professor and was a director for internship and career development office between Aug. 2017 ~Dec. 2023

3. Have you already been at Schweinfurt or Würzburg before or is this your first trip to Lower Franconia?What is your (first) impression of this region ?

I have been to  Würzbur twice and Schweinfurt once. Lower Franconia is a very beautiful and safe region and people are friendly as well.

4. Which is your experience field?

International Logistics Management, Maritime Transportation Management

5. You will be teaching at the Faculty of Business and Engineering (FWI) at Schweinfurt. Which courses you will offer at THWS? Did you teach at THWS before?

I have taught the Modern Maritime Transportation course in 2023 at THWS and I will offer the same course in 2024.

6. Will you be also working on research projects during your visiting professorship?

Yes, I will work together with Prof. Peik Bremer on a collaborated research project related with logistics management.

7. Please give us some information of what have been the most interesting or fascinating experiences in your professional career?

I was a deck officer on a container ship that provided round-the-world service in the late 1980s. This experience has indeed broadened my view about the world.

8. What is the moving spirit for your work?

Self-accomplishment

9. What is the most important advice you could give to young scholars of the Faculty of Business and Engineering?

The more you work, the more you learn.

Name: Prof. Dr. Alexander Pérez Ruiz  
Herkunft: Bogotá, Kolumbien
Entsendende Hochschule: Escuela Colombiana de Ingeniería Julio Garavito Bogotá D.C.

Fachgebiet: Vermessung und Geoinformatik

Lehrveranstaltungen: 

• Durchführung von Lehrveranstaltungen im Teamteaching: Projektseminar "Digitale Bildverarbeitung - Geodaten für Ashaiman (Ghana)" im Masterstudiengang Geodatentechnologie

Forschung:

Seit ca. 6,5 Jahren arbeitet der Stbr Geo intensiv mit der ESCUELA im Themengebiet der Auswertung von digitalen Bilddaten zusammen. Ein  Schwerpunkt der Zusammenarbeit ist die Nutzung von Drohnendaten. Die Forschung ist an das Krankenwagenprojekt in Ghana angedockt, wo aktuell das Stadtgebiet photogrammetrisch per Drohne  erfasst wurde.

Learning to learn is the most important part while you are doing your bachelor's. Then, focus all your effort on solving small problems around you and make possible the future with your own hands.   

1. Would you please be so kind as to tell us from which country and university you are coming from?

I’m from Colombian School of Engineering Julio Garavito University, placed in Bogotá, Colombia.

2. Since when have you been working at your home university?

I have been working at my home university from January of 2002.

3. Which is your function there?

I’m a professor in the Electronics Engineering program at my home university. The main areas I teach and research include Robotics and automation, embedded systems, and control systems. I also instruct undergraduates in finishing work projects and advise master's and PhD students on their theses. I have been a master's program head for 6 years and a dean of the Electronics Engineering bachelor's program for the last 5 years.

4. Have you already been in Lower Franconia before or is this your first trip to our region?

Because I have been collaborating with THWS since 2018, I have been to Würzburg once before. This region is a beautiful place, especially during the summer when the wine culture is booming.

5. What is your first impression of this region?

The wine culture is the core of this region.

6. Which is your experience field?

I have my master's in Electronics and Computer Engineering and PhD in Advanced automation and have been teaching and researching in path planning, autonomous robots and control and embedded systems along last 20 years.

8. Would you please give us some information of what have been the most interesting or fascinating experiences in your career?

Collaborating with THWS in the students exchange program and guest teaching has been fascinating because I can follow the growing of the student facing an international experience.

9. What is the moving spirit for your work?

Stay learning and asking questions about how to create or apply theoretical concepts to build technology apps.

10. What is the most important advice you could give to young scholars at the Faculty of Engineering?

Learning to learn is the most important part while you are doing your bachelor's. Then, focus all your effort on solving small problems around you and make possible the future with your own hands.

Name: Prof. Dr. Taih-Cherng Lirn   
Home country: Taiwan
Sending university: National Taiwan Ocean University (NTOU)

Special field: Wirtschaftsingenieurwesen

Modules: 

• International Teaching Week 2024: „Seminar on Modern Maritime Logistics Management“, 4 SWS

Research:

Zusammenarbeit mit Prof. Dr. Bremer im Forschungsprojekt „A Study on the Core Competency of Logistics Service Providers (LSPs) and Logistics Professionals - A cross-cultural perspective“.

The more you work, the more you learn.   

1. Would you please tell us from which country and university you are coming from?   

I am a professor from the National Taiwan Ocean University (NTOU), Taiwan

2. Since when have you been working at your home university and which is your function there?

I have been teaching in the NTOU since Feb. 2010 and I am a professor and was a director for internship and career development office between Aug. 2017 ~Dec. 2023

3. Have you already been at Schweinfurt or Würzburg before or is this your first trip to Lower Franconia?What is your (first) impression of this region ?

I have been to  Würzbur twice and Schweinfurt once. Lower Franconia is a very beautiful and safe region and people are friendly as well.

4. Which is your experience field?

International Logistics Management, Maritime Transportation Management

5. You will be teaching at the Faculty of Business and Engineering (FWI) at Schweinfurt. Which courses you will offer at THWS? Did you teach at THWS before?

I have taught the Modern Maritime Transportation course in 2023 at THWS and I will offer the same course in 2024.

6. Will you be also working on research projects during your visiting professorship?

Yes, I will work together with Prof. Peik Bremer on a collaborated research project related with logistics management.

7. Please give us some information of what have been the most interesting or fascinating experiences in your professional career?

I was a deck officer on a container ship that provided round-the-world service in the late 1980s. This experience has indeed broadened my view about the world.

8. What is the moving spirit for your work?

Self-accomplishment

9. What is the most important advice you could give to young scholars of the Faculty of Business and Engineering?

The more you work, the more you learn.

Name: Prof. Dr. Taih-Cherng Lirn   
Home country: Taiwan
Sending university: National Taiwan Ocean University (NTOU)

Special field: Wirtschaftsingenieurwesen

Modules: 

• International Teaching Week 2024: „Seminar on Modern Maritime Logistics Management“, 4 SWS

Research:

Zusammenarbeit mit Prof. Dr. Bremer im Forschungsprojekt „A Study on the Core Competency of Logistics Service Providers (LSPs) and Logistics Professionals - A cross-cultural perspective“.

The more you work, the more you learn.   

1. Would you please tell us from which country and university you are coming from?   

I am a professor from the National Taiwan Ocean University (NTOU), Taiwan

2. Since when have you been working at your home university and which is your function there?

I have been teaching in the NTOU since Feb. 2010 and I am a professor and was a director for internship and career development office between Aug. 2017 ~Dec. 2023

3. Have you already been at Schweinfurt or Würzburg before or is this your first trip to Lower Franconia?What is your (first) impression of this region ?

I have been to  Würzbur twice and Schweinfurt once. Lower Franconia is a very beautiful and safe region and people are friendly as well.

4. Which is your experience field?

International Logistics Management, Maritime Transportation Management

5. You will be teaching at the Faculty of Business and Engineering (FWI) at Schweinfurt. Which courses you will offer at THWS? Did you teach at THWS before?

I have taught the Modern Maritime Transportation course in 2023 at THWS and I will offer the same course in 2024.

6. Will you be also working on research projects during your visiting professorship?

Yes, I will work together with Prof. Peik Bremer on a collaborated research project related with logistics management.

7. Please give us some information of what have been the most interesting or fascinating experiences in your professional career?

I was a deck officer on a container ship that provided round-the-world service in the late 1980s. This experience has indeed broadened my view about the world.

8. What is the moving spirit for your work?

Self-accomplishment

9. What is the most important advice you could give to young scholars of the Faculty of Business and Engineering?

The more you work, the more you learn.

Name: Prof. Dr. Shrikumar Margabandhu  
Home country: India
Sending university: Christ University

Special field: Wirtschaftsingenieurwesen

Modules: 

• International Teaching Week 2024: SIXS SixSigma

   

Research:

In Zusammenarbeit mit Prof. Dr. Ing. Ulrich Deutschle:

• How to incorporate Demand Sensing in Supply Chain inventory planning: Model for generating business insights or scenarios – advanced versions of data visualization reports; Factors influencing optimization an a green supply chain.
• Development of case studies in the areas of (a) Supplier Sourcing and (b) Operational Excellence