Constantin Häfner named new director of Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology ILT

Well-known to the Laser Focus World audience for its wide-ranging research into lasers and their applications, the Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology ILT (Aachen, Germany) is about to get a new director: beginning in November 2019, Dr. Constantin Häfner will assume responsibility as the director of Fraunhofer ILT. Häfner is not only well-known in Europe, but has in the past spent time in the U.S. at some of its most renowned research institutions focusing on lasers.

After graduating from the University of Konstanz with a degree in physics, Häfner obtained a Ph.D. in laser physics from the University of Heidelberg. In 2004, Häfner moved to the United States, first to the Nevada Terawatt Facility at the University of Nevada, Reno, and subsequently in 2006, to the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (Livermore, CA). As Program Director for Advanced Photon Technologies, he headed up the development of the world's most powerful laser systems and conducted R&D into pioneering laser technologies.

In addition to emphasizing the close link between academic and applied research at Fraunhofer ILT, Häfner notes that research and technology transfer is a question of culture, not merely a process. "Fraunhofer ILT sets international standards in training of future laser scientists and engineers for both industry and the research community," he says. "It is important to me that we integrate and promote people of different genders, origins and cultures with their many different points of view. Diversity is a source of new ideas and approaches and enhances our competitiveness significantly."

In addition to his role as institute director, Häfner will hold the associated Chair for Laser Technology LLT at RWTH Aachen University. RWTH Aachen University is one of the eleven universities of excellence in Germany and is an integrated, interdisciplinary university for science and technology, with a focus on the convergence of knowledge, methods, and research findings. As university lecturer and ILT director, Häfner will also be involved in the many-faceted R&D activities at RWTH Aachen University, which include interdisciplinary research projects conducted by 16 different RWTH institutes as part of the Research Center for Digital Photonic Production RCDPP and joint research with industry in the Research Campus Digital Photonic Production DPP.

The previous chairholder and Fraunhofer ILT director, Prof. Reinhart Poprawe, was honored for his life's work with an honorary symposium, "Digital Photonic Production and Industrie 4.0 and what it means for education and research," on June 23, attended by high-ranking representatives of science and industry and many friends and companions. Poprawe is taking retirement after handing over to his successor.

Source: https://www.ilt.fraunhofer.de/en/press/press-releases/press-release-2019/press-release-2019-9-16.html