Excellent new professors at the THI

In March, one female researcher and three male researchers answered the call to the THI:

Prof. Dr. Christine Hennighausen is a Professor of Media and Communication Psychology at the THI Business School. After studying psychology, she worked as a consultant, behavioral psychologist, manager, and team leader at international corporations. In 2016, she received her doctorate at the Würzburg Chair of Media Psychology. At the THI, she teaches in the "Media Psychology and Digital Business" program, the concept of which immediately "convinced her all along the line." In Ingolstadt, she particularly appreciates the "very pleasant atmosphere between lecturers, students, and in the collegium."

Prof. Dr. Matthias Huber is a professor at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering. After studying mechanical engineering and economics, he worked for the Boston Consulting Group and in central research at Siemens Corporate Technology. During his doctoral studies, which were accompanied by stays abroad in Singapore, Austin, and Stanford, he worked on "Flexibility in Power Systems". After a post-doctoral phase at the Ifo Institute, he took up a professorship at the Technical University of Deggendorf in 2020. In his teaching, Huber focuses primarily on energy storage, CHP, energy distribution, and optimization methods.

Prof. Dr. Cristian Loza Adaui joins the THI Business School in the area of corporate management and corporate social responsibility. He conducts research on economic and business ethics and sustainable financial management. After studying business administration and philosophy, Adaui completed a master's degree in Christian social ethics and corporate social responsibility. Following various professional positions at national and international universities, he received a doctorate in economics in 2020 and worked as acting director and professor at the CBS International Business School Cologne.

Prof. Dr. Christian Sturm has held the professorship for Human Factors Engineering and Usability Engineering at the Faculty of Computer Science since the beginning of March. His thematic focus is on international and intercultural aspects of the user/customer experience as well as entrepreneurship. Sturm brings with him many years of international teaching experience. He has also worked as a software developer and human factors engineer and founded two start-up companies himself. "I am especially looking forward to further developing international relationships with Latin America through the AWARE Center," Sturm said.

Prof. Dr. Philipp Tröber took up a junior professorship at the THI in April. The mechatronics engineer's teaching area is design. After graduating from Munich University of Applied Sciences, Tröber not only worked in higher education but also as a freelance project manager in product development, materials qualification, and process design. In addition to his passion for teaching and working with students, he says the decisive factors in his decision to become a professor were the attractiveness of the newly created junior professor program and the family-friendly working environment at the THI.

Prof. Dr. Alexander Gelner started as a junior professor for Innovative Drive Systems and Commercial Vehicle Technology at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering in June. Like Prof. Tröber, he is participating in the THI's evaluation-based "Professional Tenure Track" qualification program. There, in the coming years, he will complete the required practical work for a HAW professorship in addition to teaching. Alexander Gelner is looking forward to the new challenge: "As a native of Altmühltal, I am very familiar with the THI ecosystem. I also appreciate that it is a leader in the automotive sector, which is relevant to me."

THI President Prof. Dr. Walter Schober was pleased to welcome the new colleagues. "With the new appointments, we exceed the threshold of 200 professors at the THI - and strengthen the science and technology location Ingolstadt with a competence in engineering and business that is now outstanding in Bavaria."