Mar 27, 2023
Passing the baton at the Institute of Urban Engineering and Road Construction
On March 16, Dresden's Haus der Kirche slowly filled up with guests at lunchtime. In the event rooms, where once the Saxon Parliament had its meeting place, festively dressed companions, friends, colleagues and employees of the Institute of Urban Engineering and Road Construction of the TU Dresden met to say goodbye to the long-time director of the institute into retirement. An entertaining program was planned for the afternoon, which was to last into the night hours. After a snack, there were presentations reflecting on the long and very successful time of the institute's director. Professor Wellner himself spoke as an introduction, followed by his successor, Prof. Zeissler, the head of the road construction laboratory, Dipl. Ing. Andreas Otto, Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Markus Oeser (President of the Federal Highway Research Institute), Dr.-Ing. Knut Johannsen (DAV (German Asphalt Association) and DAI (German Asphalt Institute)), Prof. Dr.-Ing. Ulf Zander (BAst) and Prof. Dr. Wolfram Ressel, (Rector of the University of Stuttgart). Dr.-Ing. Mike Wolf led through the event in a very humorous manner.
In his lecture, Professor Wellner outlined in fast motion the developments of the last 24 years, both in road construction and at the institute. He described the tasks facing road construction as a result of ever-increasing traffic volumes and climatic changes, a challenge for the institute and for his successor.
Prof. Wellner began his professional career in 1981 as a research associate at the Technical University of Dresden before being appointed professor at the University of Hannover in 1996. Since 1999, he has headed the Institute for Urban Engineering and Road Construction in Dresden. His creative time here is measurable in particular by several guidelines for traffic surfaces, 27 doctorates and 3 habilitations at his institute as well as 45 expert opinions for doctorates and 4 expert opinions for habilitations at other universities. The following lectures were, besides scientific explanations, mainly filled with very personal humorous tributes to Prof. Wellner as an extremely appreciated colleague, professor, institute director, road construction expert and friend. Even the house of the church symbolically joined in the greetings, the organist of the house played an organ concert in the church hall for the guests. Those who wished were allowed to climb the tower of the historic building, and everyone sat together for a long time over a good dinner. All the best for Professor Wellner and much success for Professor Zeissler.
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