Welcome Prof. Josef Weidendorfer

On April 1, Josef Weidendorfer takes up the new Chair of Emerging Computing Technologies at the Institute of Computer Engineering. At the same time, he will take on the role of Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of the Center for Information Services and High Performance Computing (ZIH).

Josef Weidendorfer completed his habilitation at the Chair of Computer Technology and Computer Organization at the Technical University of Munich in 2016. His core research areas are high-performance computing (HPC) and new approaches to parallel programming models with regard to increasingly heterogeneous high-performance computing systems with new types of accelerators. His focus is on ensuring usability for end users with increasingly complex computer structures, as well as the necessary system-side software stack.

Since 2018, Josef Weidendorfer has worked at the Leibniz Supercomputing Center of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities in Garching, one of the three public supercomputing centers in Germany. In 20201, he took over the management of the newly founded "Future Computing" group, whose aim is to make internal recommendations for meaningful innovations in newly procured large computing systems based on practical experience with new computer technologies.

Josef Weidendorfer on his appointment: "After teaching and researching at the Chair of Computer Architecture at the TU Munich for a long time, and then being able to take a look at the practical side of things at the Leibniz Supercomputing Center - dealing with tenders and the day-to-day running of a data center - but still leading a practice-oriented research group, I am delighted to have been appointed to the TU Dresden so that I can now devote myself to both: Research as Chair of "Emergent Computing Technologies" and as Technical Manager of the ZIH. I am looking forward to new opportunities at TU Dresden with its interesting industrial environment and am excited about joint projects with my new colleagues in computer science and electrical engineering. And I am looking forward to the cooperation between the computing centers at NHR level, to which the ZIH belongs, in addition to the effort to maintain old contacts and use them for future projects."

Prof. Weidendorfer is also versatile in his private life: he is a passionate amateur musician and enjoys playing keyboard instruments as well as violin (or viola) with classical repertoire, whether in private chamber music ensembles or in amateur orchestras. "I still have to discover the relevant music scene in Dresden, but I've already received various tips."

He finds strong support in his family: as the youngest of his four daughters wants to complete her A-levels in Bavaria, the next year will be a commute between Dresden and Garching - family and work.

We wish you a lot of strength for this and are delighted that you have accepted the call to Dresden. Have a good start at our faculty and good luck with your plans!