Since January 1, 2021, Dr. Denise Müller-Friedrich and Dr. Jens-Uwe Garbas have jointly taken over the management of the Smart Sensing and Electronics research division at the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IIS. They succeed Josef Sauerer, who has successfully headed the division since 2016.
Josef Sauerer, the previous head of the Smart Sensing and Electronics division, will retire at the end of March 2021. "As a man of the first hour, Josef Sauerer has decisively shaped the development of the core competence of microelectronics at Fraunhofer IIS for over 35 years and has made a significant contribution to Germany as a microelectronics location," says Institute Director Prof. Dr. Albert Heuberger in recognition of his extraordinary commitment.
Six years ago, Sauerer began setting up the Smart Sensing and Electronics research division, which today has around 125 employees and an annual budget of around 23 million euros. Together with its partners from industry and science, the division is working at full speed not only on solutions for the markets of today and tomorrow, but also on building blocks for a sustainable and liveable society in the face of digitalization, particularly in the strategic research fields of microelectronic circuits, intelligent medicine, artificial intelligence and next generation computing.
Dr. Denise Müller-Friedrich and Dr. Jens-Uwe Garbas succeed Dr. Müller-Friedrich as division heads. Since January 1, 2021, they have headed the division under the shared leadership model. Prof. Dr. Albert Heuberger is looking forward to working with the two new managers: "As a dual leadership team, they will complement each other perfectly as personalities and in terms of their professional qualifications and lead the division into a successful future."
The electronics engineer Dr.-Ing. Jens Garbas joined Fraunhofer IIS after completing his doctorate in 2010. His responsibilities there included strategy and business unit development in the field of image sensor technology and artificial intelligence. Most recently, he successfully built up a new business field for perception-based sensor technology. In tandem with the division management, he will primarily be involved in the overall strategy and personnel management. Garbas: "The Smart Sensing and Electronics division has a very broad spectrum of expertise and value propositions. From sensor technology for medical applications and the development of AI software in image processing to IC design suitable for large-scale production, we deliver first-class solutions for industry and science. My aim is to leverage even more synergies between the business divisions and build on our strengths in established fields. Strategic initiatives and new partnerships are particularly important here."
Dr. Denise Müller-Friedrich completed her doctorate in chemistry at the University of Bayreuth. After holding various positions in scientific institutions, she moved to industry in 2014, most recently as Head of Sales and Strategic Marketing at the Seuffer Group. Since 2017, she has been responsible for parts of the Smart Sensing and Electronics division at Fraunhofer IIS. In the new dual leadership, she will primarily be responsible for organizational development, strategy and business processes and finance. Müller-Friedrich: "Our vision of developing smart sensors, microelectronics and software for a better everyday life is the driving force behind our research work. We want to build on the technical and strategic successes of recent years, launch new initiatives and network topics and people in the best possible way. I am looking forward to contributing my previous professional experience in a profitable way, thinking one step ahead together and shaping the area sustainably."
