Celebrating our Anniversary: 30 Years – 30 People

Strong partners – joining forces for TU Dresden!   

This year, the Association of Friends and Sponsors of TU Dresden (GFF) is celebrating the 30th anniversary of its re-establishment. On this occasion, we asked representatives of our strong network of over 600 members, who are either university members, corporate members or alumni, to tell us about their personal motivations for supporting our association. In the coming months we will add portraits, painting a fuller picture of our community.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank all our supporters and look forward to continuing our work with you in the coming years!

Alumni der TU Dresden Nicole Strauß © Crispin-Iven Mokry

Nicole Strauß – Head of ServiceCenterStudies at TU Dresden

Joining the GFF simply made sense – it always has been close to my heart. Over the years, I have seen how the GFF has supported students going through difficult times, and how they have helped shape our campus with the fundraising campaign “Sponsorships for Benches on Campus.

Professor Manfred Curbach © Stefan Gröschel

Prof. Manfred Curbach – Civil Engineer, Teacher & Scientist

The GFF organizes and implements many things that TU Dresden is not be able to do as a public body. It supports students, doctoral candidates and others both financially and immaterially. They sponsor TUDAG, which provides benefits for both the GFF and the researchers in performing practice-oriented work, including support for spin-offs.

Professor Clemens Kirschbaum © Susan Meusel

Prof. Clemens Kirschbaum – Chair of the School of Science at TU Dresden

The GFF provides exemplary support – especially for early-career researchers. It supports the faculties by providing funding for attending conferences both in Germany and abroad. This aid is crucial as chair holders often lack the required funding to send early-career researchers to present their research findings and establish important networking contacts.

Teambild Packwise GmbH © Packwise GmbH

Packwise GmbH – Automation in industry and intelligent containers

We have a strong connection to TU Dresden – our CTO René Bernhardt completed his Diplom in Computer Science here. This is why we want to support research and teaching in the city that houses our headquarters and establish contacts with future talent.

Pr4ofessorin Edeltraud Günther © TUD

Professor Edeltraud Günther – Director of the UNU-FLORES Institute of the United Nations University in Dresden

The GFF has brought many a smile to the faces of my PhD students, because their funding has made trips abroad and empirical surveys possible.

Professor Frank Ellinger © Frank Ellinger

Professor Frank Ellinger – Chair of Circuit Design and Network Theory

My profession is teaching and research on circuit design for communications technology for life and work in the future. I support the GFF because it supports students, lecturers and a host of interesting projects.

Professor Thomas Bürger und Altmagnifizenz Professor Müller-Steinhagen © Michael Kretzschmar

Professor Thomas Bürger – General Director of the SLUB (until 2018), Chair of the Sächsische Bibliotheksgesell­schaft e.V.

I have many links to TU Dresden: leadership of the SLUB from 2003–2018, collaboration on DRESDEN-concept, honorary chair, work with the University Council until 2019, adoption of a tree in front of the Rector’s Office... The GFF is committed to students, quality teaching, campus design and creativity. TUD is working for the future and everyone can be a part of it. That’s why I support the GFF!

Logo Sachsenmilch GmbH © Sachsenmilch Leppersdorf GmbH

Sachsenmilch Leppersdorf GmbH – Adding taste to life

We support the GFF because our company is deeply rooted in the region of Saxony, and as one of the largest employers in eastern Saxony, we want to support the next generation of highly qualified professionals. Continuous communication with the student body and researchers is essential for us. Sachsenmilch & GFF – working together for the region!

Visualisierung Globalfoundries © Globalfoundries

Globalfoundries – Semiconductor specialist

We associate TU Dresden with talent, excellence, diversity and our longstanding, fruitful partnership. We want to offer an exciting environment to well-qualified & dedicated individuals where we can develop and implement innovative ideas together. We are a supporting member because, working together with TUD, Saxony and the Dresden region, we want to foster a micro and nanoelectronics hub.

Dr. Roland Krause © Dekra e. V.

Dr. Roland Krause – DEKRA Automobil GmbH; Division Manager – Authorized Representative of DEKRA e.V. Dresden

DEKRA has been supporting TU Dresden and the GFF with its structures since the reunification of Germany. Since then, we have maintained close contact and a lively discourse, also with the aim of recruiting young talent. You will find TU Dresden graduates working at DEKRA throughout Germany – as test engineers, officially recognized experts and in management positions.

Horst Fritz Puchta © Puchta

Horst Fritz Puchta – Alumnus and Sponsor

My connection with TU Dresden was brought about by an interesting, challenging and excellent degree program in Rolling Stock Engineering at the former “Friedrich List” University of Traffic Sciences, of which I have fond memories. I support the Association of Friends and Sponsors of TU Dresden because I want to show my gratitude and give something back to my alma mater.

Professorin Regine Gerike © Caroline Koszowski

Professor Regine Gerike – Researcher

As a researcher, I associate TU Dresden with an excellent work environment balanced between excellence and deep cultural roots in an eventful history. I support the GFF so that even small ideas can have a big impact.

Professor Stefan Horlacher © TUD

Professor Stefan Horlacher – Professor of English Literature

The GFF has been a reliable partner for me over the years. Our collaboration has always been very easy on a human level, focused on the well-being of the students! The trust and agreeable collaboration and the GFF’s commitment are among my best memories at TU Dresden, and I am looking forward to what is yet to come.

Professorin Catrin Schmidt © Michael Kretzschmar

Professor Catrin Schmidt – Director of the Institute of Landscape Architecture, Professor of Landscape Planning

The feeling of being part of a creative, dynamic and congenial community that doesn’t let difficulties get in the way, but always seeks out new paths and horizons constructively and with respect for one another – this is what connects me to TU Dresden. It’s wonderful that we have the GFF – they have so often made things possible that otherwise wouldn’t have seemed doable.

Frau Kathrin Brömmer © TUD

Kathrin Brömmer – Head of Unit for Infrastructural Facility Management

I studied business administration at TU Dresden, was then employed as a Research Associate and helped establish environmental management at TU Dresden. I then spent some time working in the private sector and happily returned to TU Dresden in 2012. I want to help TU Dresden in its development as a university of the future and offer special support to its campus design.

Gruppenfoto SU © Santander Universitäten Deutschland

Santander Universities Germany

Being a member of the GFF enables us to emphasize our connection to the TUD and the trust in our cooperation even more. We are fully committed to a platform for dialogue between research, commerce and the public that is filled with life. Happy 30th anniversary and thank you for the fantastic work you do for students, TU Dresden and the region.

Professor Karl Leo © Kai SChmidt/APP

Professor Karl Leo – Physicist

Almost 30 years working as a member of teaching staff, in which I have been able to witness the wonderful development of TU Dresden and also of many young people – this is what connects me to TU Dresden. I support the GFF out of gratitude for the superb time I have spent working at TUD.

Frau Dr. Judith Matzke © Privat

Dr. Judith Matzke – Historian and Archivist

The GFF enables me to stay in contact with TUD, to be involved in the latest developments and challenges and to support projects even 20 years after my graduation. I gain so many insights into disciplines I am unfamiliar with and get to know so many interesting people. This also helps me in my new position at the University Archives.

Altrektor Prof. Dr. Achim Mehlhorn © DIU/Kretzschmar

Former Rector Professor Achim Mehlhorn

I am still fascinated by the then-Chancellor Alfred Post’s idea to make the GFF the relay station for outside donations to TU Dresden. I enjoy reading the annual report of what has been made possible at TUD through the GFF's 6-figure donations. The idea is to make big changes with a little money.

Professor Uwe Assmann © Uwe Assmann

Professor Uwe Assmann – Chair of Software Technology

TU Dresden has been achieving its goals in an outstanding way and works very efficiently with the resources it receives. However, not everything can be funded with the TUD budget – especially when it comes to supporting students. The GFF closes the gap fantastically in this regard – without it, Dresden’s university culture would be much poorer.

Professorin Verena Barth © Verena Barth

Professor Verena Barth – Foreign Language Teacher at the Faculty of Medicine and Teaching Center for Languages (LSK)

For almost 40 years, I have been teaching young, curious students various foreign languages and technical languages, contributing to a stable linguistic foundation for academic mobility. The GFF promotes the mobility of students and researchers and funds collaborative projects with foreign universities.

Professorin Ursula M. Staudinger © TUD

Professor Ursula M. Staudinger – Rector of TU Dresden

Vision. Innovation. Tradition. We want to continue writing our university’s success story together with the TUD community. Due to its closeness and connections to TU Dresden, the GFF helps TUD to implement an important host of projects every year and supports our members.

Ronny Timmreck © Ronny Timmreck

Dr. Ronny Timmreck – Founder and Managing Director of Senorics

TU Dresden is the home of Senorics. This is where the technology came about. Networks are crucial to making TU Dresden even more successful. We support the GFF and its ideas – TU Dresden has given us a lot and we want to give something back.

Nik Hagl - SAP Leiter Public & Energy © SAP

Nik Hagl – Head of Public & Energy SAP

Our technologies are designed to help TU Dresden gain further momentum in all fields of digitalization, as well as to achieve strength in research, quality teaching and efficient administrative processes. We enjoy working together with the GFF to identify important topics for the university, make contact with tomorrow’s leaders, and build and maintain personal relationships.

Professor Kurt Rössner © TUDAG

Prof. Kurt Rößner – President of the GFF

I had the great fortune to study mechanical engineering at TUD and later work as a university lecturer. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, I built a successful career in industry. This gave me the opportunity to promote the collaboration between my company, DEKRA, and TUD and to support the university through sponsorship. In this way, I have always remained connected with the university.

Bild IHK Dresden © IHK Dresden

Dresden Chamber of Industry and Commerce

TU Dresden has developed into a first-rate source of innovation and has also become an indispensable partner in securing skilled workers for the local economy. We associate the university with innovation and progress. We support the GFF to help fill many more chapters in the university’s success story.

Professorin Ulrike Stopka © TUD/Stopka

Professor Ulrike Stopka – Research Professor (rtd.) with a Focus on “Mobility & Communication”

Amidst the GFF’s many successful activities to support TU Dresden's work in research, art and culture, for internationalization and intercultural relations, I am very impressed by the GFF's broad orientation and extensive financial contributions to support programs for talented young people.

Logo AOK Plus © AOK Plus

AOK PLUS – Die Gesundheitskasse

What unites us at AOK PLUS with TUD is that we are both firmly anchored in the region. We are proud to be a long-standing partner at TUD’s side. As a health insurance company, we also benefit from TU Dresden's excellence through a wide range of joint projects, for example in the development of digital health applications or in research on long Covid.

Dr. Michael Gerner © Privat

Dr. Michael Gerner – Specialist for internal medicine and cardiology

I am connected with TU Dresden through the wonderful years I studied there from 2002–2009, which had a decisive influence on my life. I support the GFF out of solidarity and gratitude for the knowledge and skills I acquired here. I also support the GFF because I am impressed by the donation culture in North American universities, and I would like to see something similar at TUD.

Alumni Michael Keschka © Michael Keschka

Michael Keschka – Engineer at a large food processing company

I support the GFF because I experienced the value of material and immaterial support firsthand during my studies. Now I find myself in a the socially privileged position of an engineer, and I see it not only as necessary but also as a matter of course to share the wealth I have earned and to support early-career researchers.

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Tanja Matthes
Last modified: Jun 03, 2022