Farewell lecture by Manfred Curbach: A look back at successes and innovations

In an emotional and humorous farewell lecture with the theme "It's the impact, ...", Manfred Curbach reflected on his impressive career stages and developments in civil engineering over the past decades on 26.09.2024. Numerous colleagues, friends and companions had accompanied him on this journey and were present at the ceremony in the Dülfersaal at TU Dresden - and he expressed his special thanks to them. He emphasized the team at his institute at TU Dresden, which has contributed significantly to the scientific successes. A remarkable 57% of women in his core group was a sign of diversity and strength for the speaker.

© André Terpe

In addition to personal anecdotes and memories, the focus of the farewell lecture was on scientific achievements and future challenges in the construction industry. Manfred Curbach referred to the history of important buildings, such as the Centennial Hall in Wroclaw with its 65-metre reinforced concrete dome, and emphasized the importance of learning from failures. Current research topics such as the behavior of concrete under multi-axial and dynamic loads and the use of carbon concrete to increase durability were discussed in detail.

Curbach is particularly interested in linking the technical responsibility of civil engineers with global ecological challenges. He quoted the astronomer Carl Sagan and his famous image "Pale Blue Dot" of the Earth as a pale blue dot surrounded by the darkness of space, taken during the Voyager mission, to illustrate the fragility and uniqueness of our planet. From this, he derived a moral responsibility that goes far beyond the mere construction of buildings and extends deep into the protection of the environment and the mitigation of climate change.

© André Terpe

The construction industry in particular must find and implement solutions to reduce its CO₂ emissions, as the link between CO₂ emissions and rising temperatures and the extreme weather events resulting from global warming, such as droughts, floods and forest fires, are clear calls for action. Stronger networking among civil engineers is important in order to increase their social significance. Manfred Curbach calls for a rethink in the construction industry that takes greater account of climate neutrality, resource efficiency and social responsibility. He also called for the long-term effects of engineering work on society, the environment and culture to be kept in mind at all times.

Overall, Manfred Curbach drew a line from technical feasibility and responsibility for safety and the environment to a deep reflection on the social mission of engineering. He concluded with an appeal to always consider one's own work in terms of "impact", i.e. the long-term effects on society, culture, health and the environment.

Although his farewell lecture marked the end of his academic career, Manfred Curbach will probably continue to work on the important issues of our time as part of the pioneering large-scale research project "LAB - Living Art of Building" and thus also be a source of inspiration for future generations of civil engineers.

Manfred Curbach was Director of the Institute of Concrete Structures at the Technische Universität Dresden from 1994 to 2024. He will be succeeded by his long-time colleague Prof. Dr.-Ing Steffen Marx.