Current Guest Lecturers at THWS

Name: Prof. Dr. Santosh Kurinec          
Home country: USA
Sending university: Rochester Institute of Technology
Special field: Faculty of Business and Engineering

Modules:

• Photovoltaic Engineering & Economics (5 ECTS)
• Bachelor Students IBE & BWW, 5th-7th Semester

Research:

• Development of a collaborative research plan with Prof. F. Scheller, addressing the following topics:
  • Emerging Solar PV Manufacturing in the UK
  • Share of Primary Energy from Solar Photovoltaics and Future Relevance
  • Modelling Solar and Nuclear Coexistence

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

I am a Professor of Electrical and Microelectronic Engineering Department at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), Rochester, NY, USA.

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

I joined RIT in 1989 as Associate Professor of Microelectronic Engineering.  I have been teaching semiconductor related courses covering materials, devices and fabrication. My research has been on advanced semiconductor devices and solar photovoltaics. I served as the Department Head for eight years and had a year of academic sabbatical at IBM, NY.  I am a Fellow of IEEE, IEEE distinguished lecturer and serve on many committees.  I emphasize the global impact and collaborations on advanced fields such as semiconductors and energy.  

3. We know that you have already been at Würzburg in Lower Franconia several times before. What is your opinion about this region? When was your first time you came here for a visiting professorship?

Through RIT Global initiatives, Lyndsey McGrath of RIT introduced me to Daniel Wimmer of FHWS (now THWS). I submitted a proposal to offer a course “Photovoltaic Engineering & Economics” at the FHWS  2021 International Technology Week which was accepted.  Due to Covid restrictions, the course was presented online.   Following that experience and students’ interest, this course was offered again in 2022 and 2023.   I visited Schweinfurt-Wurzburg in May 2022 for the first time.  It was an amazing experience. The Franconia region is full of marvelous historical iconic structures, art, industrial innovations, great food and culture of festivity.  The faculty and staff of THWS have been extremely welcoming, helpful and supportive. I visited again in 2023, attended a stunning Mozart Festival, Kleine Nachtmusik and met Mayor Roth-Jörg, Professional mayor and city school inspector (head of the education, school and sport department) and visited the famous Röntgen-Kuratorium museum.

4. Which is your experience field? Please give us some detailed information.

I am an Engineering Professor and have decades of teaching experience of engineering/science courses.  My research focusses on advanced electronic materials and devices that find applications in products for computing, communications, and energy.  I like to connect engineering with business and that is why my participation with THWS is so helpful and exciting.

5. You will be teaching at the Faculty of Business and Engineering of the THWS. Which courses you will offer in the upcoming summer semester?

This summer, I will be teaching the course „ the Sun: economics, engineering, and Sustainability of Photovoltaic Systems (PVSY“ participating with Prof. Fabian Scheller.

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

As a teacher, I must say that the most fascinating experiences have been educating young minds and see them grow and become significant contributors to the society.  In research, exploring the unknown frontiers has been my major motivation.  How materials can be tailored to specific properties needs strong understanding of fundamental science that leads to engineering/designing them.  Then, to move them to applications, business and economic aspects become important.

7. What is the moving spirit for your work?

Science & Engineering need constant learning as the technology keeps on evolving.  More so, we need global perspectives and collaborations.  That motivates me to seek partnerships across disciplines, institutes – nationwide and worldwide.

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

My take on this is to tell them:

Time is the most precious commodity - make full use of it.  Have curiosity and passion to learn, connect and communicate with people around and across.  Develop partnerships for the missions envisioned with confidence, honesty & humility.   

Name: Prof. Dr. Rafael Batres         
Home country: Mexico
Sending university: School of Engineering and Sciences Tecnologico de Monterrey
Special field: Faculty of Computer Science and Business Information Systems

Modules:

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

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. Kune-muh Tsai       
Home country: Taiwan
Sending university: National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology (NKUST)
Special field: Faculty of Computer Science and Business Information Systems

Modules:

• Module "Special Topics on Supply Chain Management in the degree programmes BLO (Bachelor Logistics)/ IBL (International Bachelor Logistics) as a specialised compulsory elective module (FWPM)

1. Would you please be so kind as to tell us from which country and university you are coming from?
I am from National Kaohsiuing University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.

2. Since when have you been working at your home university?
I have been working at my home university from August, 1995.

3. Which is your function there?
I am a professor from Department of Logistics Management in my home university. The main areas I teach and do research include Logistics Management, Supply Chain Management, Business Ethics and Sustainability, Simulations to Logistics Systems, Smart Logistics, Cold Chain Logistics, etc. I also instruct undergraduate graduating projects and advise master and PhD students on their theses. I had been a departmental head, associate dean and dean for more than 10 years.

4. Have you already been in Lower Franconia before or is this your first trip to our region?
Because my university and department have been collaborating with FHWS from 2012, I have been to FHWS for quite a few times (7-8 times). Lower Franconioa is a beautiful place especially during the spring and summer time. This is my first time here during the winter and I believe I will experience something different but interesting this time here.   

5. What is your first impression of this region?
This is a beautiful, kind and religious region that is rich in culture and history with proud wine making and tasting conventions.

6. Which is your experience field?
I had my master and PhD in Industrial Engineering and have been teaching and researching on logistics and supply chain management (SCM) for more than 25 years. Some specific fields of specialization include channels management, ICT application on SCM, cold chain logistics, autonomous systems, simulations, AI and fuzzy systems, etc.

7. We know that you are also very active in the research department.  In which countries you realized research projects? Please tell us about your projects!
My research projects are mainly supported in Taiwan and they can be divided into three parts:

• Research projects from NSTC (National Science and Tech. Committee) -17 research projects
• Industrial projects from companies and institutions – 50 more industrial projects
• Education/Research projects from Ministry of Education (when I was Dean of College of Management): Value-added distribution and cold chain innovation – 5 years, USD 2 Million and Smart Commerce – Smart Logistics/Retailing/ Technology, 2 year, USD 1.5 Million.

8. Would you please give us some information of what have been the most interesting or  fascinating experiences in your career?
Collaborating with FHWS in students and faculty exchange program is by far the most interesting and fascinating experiences because I can see how students from both sides learn and grow from this exchange program and this time, I finally engage myself in this wonderful program as well. Other interesting and fascinating experiences are to see the achievement of students, which rewards me the most as a professor.

9. What is the moving spirit for your work?
Stay curious on new things, apply theories in solving real world problems, enjoy passing knowldege and experiences to students are the major moving spirit for my work.

10. What is the most important advice you could give to young scholars at the Faculty of Business and Engineering?
Faculty of Business and Engineering covers a wide realm of specifications. Among them, young scholars had better look for a few but related research fields to focus on. Expand and enrich both teaching and research materials in these fields and besides teaching, try to publish some academic papers as well. 

Guest lecturers from the past semester

Name: Prof. Karl Korfmacher
Home country: USA
Sending university: Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT)
Special field: Faculty of Plastics Engineering and Surveying

Modules:

• Project Seminar "Flood Mapping and Land Use Change
• Master's programme Geodata Technology: Geodata Analysis, Co-Teaching 

Name: Prof. Arturo Sousa
Home country: Spain
Sending university: Universidad Sevilla
Special field: Faculty of Plastics Engineering and Surveying

Modules:

• Bachelor programme Geovisualisation (2nd semester): Project-related geovisualisation II
• Bachelor's degree programme Geovisualisation (6th semester): Web-GIS
• Bachelor's degree programme Geovisualisation (6th semester): Scientific work
• Bachelor's degree programme Surveying and Geoinformatics (6th semester): Scientific work

Name: Herr Prof. Oleksandr Melnyk
Home country: Ukraine
Sending university: Nationale Lesja-Ukrainka-Universität Wolynien, Lutzk
Special field: Faculty of Plastics Engineering and Surveying

Modules:

• Photogrammetry BGV
• Master seminar in the Master Geodata Technology
• Preparation of asynchronous digital courses for Ukrainian students in the field of photogrammetry

Name: Prof. Luz Espiro
Home country: Argentina
Sending university: Universidad Nacional de La Plata
Special field: Applied Social Sciences

Name: Prof. Dana Simian
Home country: Romania
Sending university: Lucian Blaga of Sibiu, Romania
Special field: Faculty of Computer Science and Business Information Systems

Modules:

• Data Management and Data Science (BIN programme, 3rd semester / subject block "Machine Learning")
• Algorithms and Data Structures 2 (BIN programme, 3rd semester / thematic block "Traveling Salesman Problem")
• Lectures in lecture series at CAIRO 

Name: Prof. Sarah Richling
Home country: USA
Sending university: Auburn University
Special field: Applied Social Sciences

Name: Prof. Demelash Debalkie Kassaye
Home country: Ethiopia
Sending university: Addis Ababa University (AAU)
Special field: Applied Social Sciences
Modules:

• MRM Module 1.2 Social Work and Migration: Attitudes and Approaches die LV: Postcolonial Social Work
• Focus Module Social Work in the migration society: Social Work in the Era of Post-Colonialism: Lessons Learned from the Horn of Africa 

Name: Prof. Dr. Ngozi Chukwu
Home country: Nsukka, Nigeria
Sending university: University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN).
Special field: Applied Social Sciences

Name: Nikos Xypolytas
Home: Greece
Sending University: University of the Aegean
Special field: Social Sciences

Lectures at FHWS:

• MRM Modul 1.3
• MRM Modul 2.2
• MRM Modul 5.2
• Reflection of the Summer School Greece 2021
• Development of the Summer School 2022 together with the MRM-Team
• Involvement in Research focuses, incl. PhD + MA Kolloquien

Name: Alexander Pérez Ruiz
Home: Colombia
Sending University: Escuela Colombiana de Ingeniería Julio Garavito Bogotá D.C., Colombia
Special field: Measurement and Geoinformatics

Lectures at FHWS:

• Lehrveranstaltungen im Modul „Vertiefungsseminar I (Digitale Bildverarbeitung)“ im Studiengang Vermessung und Geoinformatik.
• Teilnahme an der ITW: u.a. Vortrag am 09.06.2020 um 18.10 h „Photogrammetry in AgTech from Images to Decisions“

Name: Prof. Dr. Karola Dillenburger
Herkunft: Belfast, Nordirland
Entsendende Hochschule: Queen's University of Belfast (QUB)
Fachgebiet: Angewandte Sozialwissenschaften

Geplante Lehrveranstaltungen an der FHWS: 
• BSA Modul 7.4 „Vertiefungsbereich Entwicklung und Förderung in der frühen Kindheit“ (Lehreinheit
   „Verhaltensanalytisch fundierte Behandlung von frühkindlichem Autismus“)
• BSA Modul 7.4 „Vertiefungsbereich Soziale Arbeit mit psychisch kranken und suchtkranken Menschen“
   (Lehreinheit „Verhaltensanalytische Interventionen“)
• BSA Modul 2.4 „ Klinische Psychologie und Entwicklungspsychologie“ (Lehreinheit „Frühkindlicher
   Autismus“)
• BSA Modul 3.2 Übung „Basic Strategies of Behaviour Modification I“
• BSA Modul 3.3 Übung „Basic Strategies of Behaviour Modification II“
• BSA Modul 6.1 Seminaristischer Unterricht „Wissenschaftliches Arbeiten – Durchführung empirischer
   Studien“