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Thomas Weiland

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Thomas Weiland(born October 24, 1951, inRiegelsberg,Saarland,Germany)[1]is a Germanphysicist,engineerandentrepreneur.He is aprofessorofelectrical engineeringand headed theInstitute of Electromagnetic Field Theoryat theDepartment of Electrical Engineering and Information Technologyof theTechnical University of Darmstadtfor many years. In 1988, Weiland was awarded theGottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize.[2]He was also named anIEEEFellowin the year 2012, for development of theFinite Integration Techniqueand impact of the associatedsoftwareonelectromagneticengineering.[3]

Life and work

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Training

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From 1961 to 1970, Thomas Weiland attended the Ludwigsgymnasium inSaarbrücken.[4]His thirst for research became apparent early on here, as he received six mathematics and physics prizes at state and national level while still a student. This also included several successful participations in theJugend forschtprogram, which was already very popular at the time.[5][6][7]After being accepted into theFriedrich Ebert Foundation'sstudy sponsorship program, Weiland studied at the Technische Hochschule Darmstadt (TH Darmstadt) beginning in 1970. He graduated there in 1975 with adiplomainTheoretical Electrical Engineering.[4]

Scientific career

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As aresearch assistantat theChair of Fundamentals of Electrical Engineering,Thomas Weiland remained loyal to the TH Darmstadt for the next four years after receiving his diploma. In the meantime, there he was also awarded hisdoctorateinengineeringin 1977. In 1979, he finally joined the Theory Group at theCERNparticle laboratory in Switzerland as a fellow. From 1981, he worked as a research associate at theDESYresearch center inHamburgand headed the Electromagnetic Fields Group there from 1982 to 1989.[1]In parallel, he led theWakefield AcceleratorResearch Group and here he was able to eventually prove the wakefield transformation – which was previously invented by himself and G.A. Voss – with his wakefield experiment in 1987.[8][9][10]Also within this period, Weiland completed hishabilitationinexperimental physicsat theUniversity of Hamburg(1984).[1]

Furthermore, in the first half of the 1980s Weiland was a visiting scientist at scientific institutions in the USA and Japan several times, includingStanford University.Subsequently, he turned down several offers of professorships in Texas and Berlin, finally taking over as chair ofElectromagnetic Field Theoryat the TH Darmstadt (later renamed TU Darmstadt) in 1989 – a position he held until 2017. In 1994 and 1997, he spent twosabbaticalsat Stanford University and theUniversity of Victoria.[4]

Starting in 2000, Weiland, together with several other professors at the TU Darmstadt, pushed a comprehensivecomputational engineeringinitiative.[11]From 2003 to 2006, he waschairman of the board of directorsof the Computational Engineering Research Center, which had been newly established the year before.[1]In 2007, the founding of theGraduate School of Computational Engineering(Graduate School CE) followed as part of the Excellence Initiative of the German federal and state governments.[11][12]

In the course of his time as professor and head of his institute at the TU Darmstadt, Thomas Weiland guided over 100 doctoral students to a successful doctorate. In turn, ten professorships emerged from the circle of these. Together with his staff, Weiland published almost 1400 scientific publications.[13]

Scientific work

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Thomas Weiland's scientific fields of activity within theoretical electrical engineering are complex. His core competences are research and further development ofnumerical methodsfor thecomputationofelectromagnetic fieldsand theirelectromagnetic interactionorelectromagnetic compatibility,accelerator physics,computational engineering(computer-aided modeling, simulation, analysis and optimization),time domain analysis and simulation,as well asmultiphysics simulation methodsandproblem solving.

Weiland had already dealt with the numerical computation of electromagnetic fields in the course of his doctorate. This was not only to shape his own career. Particularly a few years later, it should revolutionize the general approach to prototype construction within electrical engineering and have a lasting influence on it to this day. A central position of Weiland's calculations and his scientific work is occupied by his development of the Finite Integration Theory (FIT). He first presented this in 1977, as a consistent formulation for the discrete representation ofMaxwell's basic electromagnetic equationson spatial grids. Finite Integration Theory (also known as Finite Integration Technique) forms the physical-mathematical basis of simulation programs that are currently almost indispensable in the development of a wide range of technological products, such asmobile phones.[14][15]

Entrepreneurship and economic importance

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In order to be able to use the results of his basic electromagnetic research for concretetechnical developments,Thomas Weiland began in 1985 to bundle his scientific findings with regard to FIT in what was then a new type of software:MAFIA(Maxwell's Equations by theFiniteIntegrationAlgorithm), aCAD system,prepared by an international collaboration between DESY,KFA JülichandLANLwhich had been initiatively set up by Weiland, quickly proved to be groundbreaking. It allowed electromagnetic fields and their interactions to be modeled and simulatedthree-dimensionally,automatically and so realistically on the computer that time-consuming experiments or tests during prototype construction became largely superfluous.[16][17][15]

For continuous development and smooth commercial distribution of his software, Weiland foundedComputer Simulation Technology GmbH (CST)in 1992. CSTGmbHquickly became the world market leader in the sector of electromagnetic field simulation in the time domain, with offices in 16 countries. 1998, the now further developed algorithms of the MAFIA software were re-embedded in its successor CST Microwave Studio and in 2005 again in the currently popular software packageCST Studio Suite.Worldwide, thousands of leading companies in various industries (such as theBosch Group,Airbus Defence & SpaceorDentsply Sirona) use this software grounded in the Finite Integration Technique. This is because with it they can drastically reduce development effort and costs as well as the time to market for new products.[15][18][19]

In the year 2008, CST GmbH was converted into anAktiengesellschaftin which Weiland acted as chairman of thesupervisory boarduntil 2016.[20]In the fourth quarter of 2016, CST AG became part ofDassault Systèmes SEand was thus integrated into Europe's second-largest software group afterSAP.Dassault Systèmes saw the integration of the CST solutions into its existingCAD applicationsas a forward-looking opportunity to set a new industry standard: formultiphysicsandmultiscale simulationofautonomous vehicles,networked buildings, medical equipment,wearable electronic devices,smartwatchesandsmart textilesas well as many other objects within theInternet of Things.[19]

Additionally, Weiland founded in 2014 Advanced Computational Engineering GmbH (ACE) together with othershareholders.ACE advises companies on the application of computational engineering methods and on related project development and study preparation.[21][22]Since 2017 he has been chairman of the supervisory board of ALCAN Systems GmbH which is active in the development ofliquid crystalflat panelsmart antennas.[23][24][25]

Social commitment and Thomas Weiland Foundation

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Weiland himself is well aware of the importance of the TU Darmstadt (former TH Darmstadt) in terms of his scientific and entrepreneurial career. He sees it as a place ofautonomyand flexibility that allows scientists an extraordinary degree of freedom in both teaching and research – and to which, in his own words, he would like to "give something back" accordingly.[26][18]With this in mind, following the sale of CST AG in 2016, he provided the university with a sum for a new building.[27]

Enabling young people to study and supporting university students, respectively, is also a very special concern of his. The Thomas Weiland Foundation, which he established 2014, therefore rewards excellent school and study achievements. It currently supports around 50 bachelor's and master's students (and around 20 new ones each year) with ascholarshipthat largely covers living expenses throughout their studies. In 2021, an additional funding line was created for prize winners ofJugend forscht.[28][29]

Awards and honors

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References

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  1. ^abcd"Die Mitglieder der Akademie und der Jungen Akademie | Prof. Dr.-Ing. Thomas Weiland".Akademie der Wissenschaften und der Literatur Mainz(in German).Retrieved2023-06-21.
  2. ^"Liste der mit dem Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz-Preis Ausgezeichneten"(PDF).Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG)(in German).Retrieved2023-06-21.
  3. ^"MTT Society News: Newly elevated fellows"(PDF).IEEE Microwave Magazine.13(2). IEEE: 94–95. March 12, 2012.doi:10.1109/MMM.2011.2181670.ISSN1557-9581.Retrieved2023-06-21– via IEEEXplore.
  4. ^abc"Staff at TEMF | Prof. Dr.-Ing. Thomas Weiland".Institute for Accelerator Science and Electromagnetic Fields (TEMF).Technical University of Darmstadt.Retrieved2023-06-21.
  5. ^"Tonmodulierte Hochfrequenz als Signalträger elektronisch chiffrieren und dechiffrieren".jugend forscht | Projektdatenbank(in German). Stiftung Jugend forscht e. V. 1968.Retrieved2023-06-21.
  6. ^"Mathematisch-elektronisches Chiffriersystem zur geheimen Nachrichtenübermittlung".jugend forscht | Projektdatenbank(in German). Stiftung Jugend forscht e. V. 1969.Retrieved2023-06-21.
  7. ^"Entwicklung und Bau eines billigen Präzisions-Frequenzmessers sowie einer automatischen Oszillographenschaltung".jugend forscht | Projektdatenbank(in German). Stiftung Jugend forscht e. V. 1970.Retrieved2023-06-21.
  8. ^Voss, G. A. & Weiland, T. (April, 1982)."Particle acceleration by wake fields"[Internal report No. M-82-10, unpublished].Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY),Hamburg, Germany: pp. 1-21.DESY Publications Database,retrieved 2023-06-27.
  9. ^Voss, G. A. & Weiland, T. (1982)."The wake field acceleration mechanism"[Conference paper].Proceedings of the ECFA-RAL topical meeting: The challenge of ultra-high energies,invited. Oxford, England, September 27–30, 1982: pp. 287–308.Fermilab Technical Publications,retrieved 2023-06-27.
  10. ^Bialowons, W., Bremer H. D., Decker, F. J., Lewin, H. C., Voss, G. A., Schütt, P., Weiland, T. & Xiao C. (1987)."The wake field transformer experiment at DESY"[Conference paper].ECFA - CAS/CERN - IN2P3 - IRF/CEA - EPS workshop on new developments in particle acceleration techniques[Conference report, October 12, 1987]. S. Turner (ed.). Vol. 1. Orsay, France, June 29 - July 4, 1987:pp. 298-307.CERN document server,retrieved 2023-06-27.
  11. ^ab"GSC 233: Graduate School of Computational Engineering".GEPRIS - Geförderte Projekte der DFG.Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft.Retrieved2023-06-22.
  12. ^"Graduate-School-CE".Computational Engineering at the Technical University of Darmstadt.Retrieved2023-06-22.
  13. ^"Publications - Thomas Weiland".TUbiblio.Technical University of Darmstadt.Retrieved2023-06-22.
  14. ^Weiland, Thomas. "A discretization model for the solution of Maxwell's equations for six-component fields"(1977).International Journal of Electronics and Communications(formerAEÜ - Archiv für Elektronik und Übertragungstechnik). Hirzel. Volume 31, Issue 3: pp. 116-120.ISSN1434-8411
  15. ^abcJohnston, Hamish (May 26, 2009)."Electromagnetic software accelerates ahead".Physics World.IOP Publishing.Retrieved2023-06-27.
  16. ^Weiland, Thomas (1985)."Computer modelling of two- and three-dimensional cavities"[Conference paper].11th Particle Accelerator Conference: Accelerator Engineering and Technology.Vancouver, Canada, May 13–16, 1985: pp. 1-5.DESY Publications Database,retrieved 2023-06-27.
  17. ^Klatt, R., Krawczyk, F., Novender, W. R., Palm, C. & Weiland, T. [DESY], Steffen, B. [Kernforschungsanlage Jülich], Barts, T., Browman, M. J., Cooper, R., Mottershead C. T., Rodenz, S.G. [Los Alamos National Laboratory] (1986)."MAFIA - a three-dimensional electromagnetic CAD system for magnets, RF structures, and transient wakefield calculations"[Conference paper].13th International Linear Accelerator Conference,Stanford, USA, January 2–6, 1986: pp. 14-16:DESY Publications Database,retrieved 2023-06-27.
  18. ^abLudwig, Astrid (July 17, 2018). "Millionenspenden als Dank für akademische Freiheit".Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung(in German) (163): 32.ISSN0174-4909.
  19. ^ab"Dassault Systèmes Completes CST Acquisition".Business Wire.October 3, 2016.Retrieved2023-06-27.
  20. ^"Firmenbekanntmachungen | CST - Computer Simulation Technology GmbH, Darmstadt".North Data(in German).Retrieved2023-06-27.
  21. ^"Firmenbekanntmachungen | ACE - Advanced Computational Engineering GmbH".North Data(in German).Retrieved2023-06-27.
  22. ^"ACE GmbH - About".ace-gmbh.biz.Retrieved2023-06-30.
  23. ^"Firmenbekanntmachungen | ALCAN Systems GmbH, Darmstadt".North Data(in German).Retrieved2023-06-27.
  24. ^"ALCAN Systems | About - Board members".ALCAN Systems.Retrieved2023-06-27.
  25. ^"ALCAN the smart antenna company".ALCAN systems.Retrieved2023-06-27.
  26. ^Thomas Weiland in his concluding remarks on honoring the new scholarship holders at the Georg Christoph Lichtenberg House in Darmstadt on July 9, 2022 [unpublished].
  27. ^"TU Darmstadt erhält neues Institutsgebäude".DIE WELT(in German). December 19, 2016.Retrieved2023-06-27.
  28. ^"The Thomas Weiland Foundation".TU Darmstadt - Thomas Weiland Foundation.Retrieved2023-06-27.
  29. ^Saß, Karl Ulrich (April 21, 2022)."Stipendien für kluge Köpfe und forschende Jugend: Thomas Weiland-Stiftung erweitert Stipendienangebot".TU Darmstadt - News Archiv(in German).Retrieved2023-06-27.
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