The Federal President of the Republic of Austria, by resolution of 07 Dec. 2018 a has awarded the professional title “Professor” to the Managing Director of AC2T research GmbH – Center of Excellence for Tribology and Member of the Board of the Austrian Tribological Society, Dipl.-Ing. Dr. Andreas PAUSCHITZ.
In general, professional titles represent an award for persons who have rendered outstanding services to the Republic of Austria in the course of many years of professional practice. The professional title “Professor” is intended for persons who are active in the field of science. Accordingly, the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research is responsible for the procedure of the award. On the basis of the availability of information concerning the achievements to be honoured, it obtains an expert opinion from a domestic university or university-like institution. If a positive expert opinion is available, a corresponding proposal will be sent to the Federal President’s Office.
Dr. PAUSCHITZ, born in Graz in 1964, studied industrial engineering and mechanical engineering at the Graz University of Technology after attending the HTL (technical college) in Kapfenberg. After several years as a project manager in the automotive industry (Steyr Daimler Puch Fahrzeugtechnik Ges. m. b. H. in Graz), he returned to the university sector – this time to the TU Vienna – where he came into contact with the field of tribology as a university assistant. Without a doubt, Mr. PAUSCHITZ, based on his experience in the industry, recognized the special importance of the relevant topic for the innovation and quality requirements of the industries in the close relationship to mechanical engineering, production technology, drive technology and above all vehicle technology. Andreas PAUSCHITZ decided in an obvious way to work on a tribological topic – focus on “Tribo-Design” – in the course of his doctoral studies, which were finally completed with excellent results.
By decision of the General Assembly of the Austrian Tribological Society, he was entrusted with the agenda of the Secretary General in 1996. In 1999, Dr. PAUSCHITZ was appointed head of the Department of Tribology and Design at the Institute of (Micro- and) Precision Engineering at the Vienna University of Technology. In a special way he took care of the preparation and realization of the 2nd World Tribology Congress 2001 (WTC 2001, over 850 participants) in Vienna.
Almost simultaneously with the preparation for the aforementioned congress WTC 2001, Dr. PAUSCHITZ – in cooperation with his former PhD supervisor Univ.-Prof. Dr. Friedrich FRANEK – also mastered the planning and application preparation of a Kplus Centre for Tribology, which, after successful presentation of the application to an international jury and subsequent approval by the Federal Ministry of Transport, Innovation and Technology, on the basis of the privately organized company AC2T research GmbH was able to commence operations in the Technology and Research Centre Wiener Neustadt in autumn 2002.
PAUSCHITZ fully integrated himself as co-owner into this “Austrian Competence Centre for Tribology”, where he initially played a key role as key researcher in the development and expansion of this research institution. In October 2003, he was appointed authorized signatory of the company AC2T research GmbH, finally in October 2006 he became its managing director, a position he still holds today. Although Dr. PAUSCHITZ – according to his ambitions and undoubtedly also his talent – dedicates himself with great personal commitment (up to accepting financial risks in connection with the managing directorship) to the organizational and economic concerns of the center, he also attaches importance to the clear scientific orientation of the center among the requirements that define the international visibility and the position of a leading research institution in the field of tribology. Following these guidelines, he himself is still involved in the scientific-technical management of the AC2T team, although the institution, which now has a staff of over 130 (mostly working in the scientific-technical field), has corresponding hierarchical structures (heads of research areas, heads of specialist pools, etc.).
Andreas PAUSCHITZ contributes his relevant scientific experience in order to pass on his knowledge especially to the project managers. In this sense, he proves to be a “trainer” or teacher in the discipline of tribology and beyond in the skills that require scientific work. He often discusses the written project documentation and in particular publications in detail with the scientific staff involved, where he is also active as an author or co-author.
The awarding of the professional title “Professor” to Dr. Andreas PAUSCHITZ is a well-deserved recognition with regard to his field of activity, the achievements of his professional work as well as his personality. The presentation of the award certificate by Federal Minister Univ.-Prof. Dr. Heinz FASSMANN took place on 18 March 2019 in the “Audienzsaal” (audience hall) of the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research in Vienna.
Univ.-Prof. DI Dr. Friedrich FRANEK / 10.05.2019