Prof. Dr. Markus Rüggeberg has held the Chair of Forest Utilization at the Faculty of Environmental Sciences since the 2021/22 winter semester. To satisfy our curiosity, he answered a few short questions for us. In the following interview, Prof. Rüggeberg offers some insight into his work in research and teaching.

• What is your vision for the Chair? (for research and teaching)

First and foremost, I am a biologist who deliberately places his focus at the intersection with materials science and engineering and seeks interdisciplinarity. I will try to keep doing that. The inclusive perspective on wood as a material is very important to me. Forest utilization itself is an intersection between forest sciences and the application of wood in the timber and wood industry. I strive to pursue innovative approaches for using wood based on materials science. I feel a special sense of affinity to wood mechanics and wood physics. I would like to share my fascination for wood as a material with my students. Even though wood has a very long history, for me it is a material of the future.
Vitis the website of the Chair: https://tu-dresden.de/bu/umwelt/forst/institut-fuer-forstnutzung-und-forsttechnik/fn

• Where did you last teach, research, and live?

Most recently, I was at the Institute for Wood Technology in Dresden for over a year, so I was already on site. Before that, I spent eight years in Switzerland at ETH Zürich and at Empa in Dübendorf. At that time, I also worked on the deformation of wood and its utilization. Now, I have moved professionally from Dresden to Tharandt.

• What was your PhD topic?

I received my doctorate at the University of Freiburg. I completed my doctorate in cooperation with the Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces in the Department of Biomaterials. I worked on structure-property relationships of plant materials. This involves the behavior of plants in relation to their structure, their composition. This has always fascinated me. I focused on mechanics (growth, size, resilience). The interaction on different length scales is crucial. Nature very cleverly weaves a wide variety of structures with tailor-made properties and functions from just a few starting materials. The effects of the small structures on the big picture are important to me.

• What was the best experience during your studies?

Natural sciences and numbers piqued my interest as a child. While I studied biology, practical lab training lasting several weeks finally turned me into a researcher. Alongside a fellow student, I researched the failure of bamboo with a high-speed camera. The great thing was: we were able to conduct research almost independently. The creative scope was not only fun for us, it was just as much a scientific success. Subsequently, I was convinced that I wanted to go into research.

• What was the worst experience during your studies?

I actually fell flat on my face once as part of my thesis. I had little experience in scientific writing. Back then - as now - the subject was only dealt with too briefly during my studies. It’s not a skill we are born with. Since then, it has been essential for me to educate my students better in this area.

• When did you decide: "I want to become a professor!"?

At the beginning of my time as a postdoc, I thought that in order to be appointed, I simply had to continue publishing and delve further into a topic. Gradually, I realized how rare it is to be appointed to a Chair and how much work and responsibility this entails. This made me a little unsure as to whether I should continue to strive for it. But I was also reluctant to make a plan B because my focus was on becoming a researcher. Later, I realized how much I enjoyed leading a research group and guiding undergraduate and graduate students. And I also realized that in the long term, I could only implement my priorities if I held the corresponding position. Since then, I prepared myself for calls for applications and applied for openings at advertised Chairs.

• What do you always have on your desk?

What has been with me for some time now are samples of my own research. These are wooden objects with curved geometries, created by self-shaping. These change over time because they are made of “living” material, and that’s why I find it exciting to occasionally hold them in my hands. In the meantime, I also carry some hard drives with research data from one workplace to the next workplace, which I even still use from time to time. And a good cup of tea is a must for me - I really enjoy drinking tea.

What was a pleasant surprise to you on the TUD campus?

Here in Tharandt, I enjoy the beautiful surroundings. I am working at quite a small campus here, which is almost a world unto itself. I like the proximity to nature and also to the Forest Park Tharandt. This working environment inspires me. At the Dresden campus, what attracts me is the variety of buildings and the closeness of colleagues from different areas.

• How well do you know Dresden?

I have known Dresden for over 10 years now and I have already been introduced to the diverse culture of the city. The city in its whole fascinates me with its rich history. In addition, the beautiful surroundings are very appealing no matter what time of year it is. After the Swiss Alps, I can now enjoy the diversity of nature in Saxony.

• What are your favorites?

I currently enjoy the Ore Mountains for cross-country skiing. It's great to have this opportunity around the corner. In summer, I like to be in nature hiking. The “classics” of the area still offer beautiful and new experiences.

Thank you to Prof. Rüggeberg for the insights. We can look forward to his inaugural lecture, which is scheduled for the 2022 summer semester.

Contact:
Prof. Markus Rüggeberg
Judeich-Bau, Raum 1.36 Pienner Str. 19
01737 Tharandt
+49 351 463-31315