Prof. Dr.-Ing Regine Gerike is the new Dean of the "Friedrich List" Faculty of Transport and Traffic Sciences. She was elected by the Faculty Council on 12 September 2022, for the legislative period 2022 - 2025. She had already been a member of the Faculty Board as Vice Dean since 2019. The new Vice Dean is Prof. Dr. rer. pol. habil. Georg Hirte. He was previously Dean of Studies in Transport Economics. He is succeeded in this position by Prof. Dr. rer. pol. habil. Jörn Schönberger.

Prof. Regine Gerike is the ninth person - and first woman - to head the Faculty since its foundation on 6 November 1992.

The members of the different groups of the Faculty congratulate Prof. Regine Gerike, Prof. Georg Hirte and Prof. Jörn Schönberger, and wish them all the best for their successful work.

Prof. Gerike justified her willingness to stand for election by saying that she wanted to "support and help shape the faculty to the best of its ability in the current times of personnel change and reorientation. The social relevance of research in transport science is clearer today than ever before. Transport systems should provide a high level of mobility and at the same time contribute to achieving social goals, e. g. in climate protection or road safety. For the faculty, this is both an opportunity and a responsibility. I would like to help us seize the opportunities for research and teaching associated with these societal challenges and thus live up to our responsibility", says the new dean.

Focal points in research and teaching

In line with the faculty strategy adopted two years ago, the main focus in research is on further strengthening cooperation, internationalisation, publication culture and the consistent continuation of appointment activities. Important topics in teaching include the quality of the faculty's offerings, the fundamental restructuring of the study programmes in transport engineering and also student marketing.

"With today's election, we are once again well positioned in the extended leadership team of the faculty. I look forward to continuing to shape our faculty together with all staff and students," says Regine Gerike.

As the new dean, Prof. Gerike expressly thanks her predecessor, Prof. Günther Prokop, for his great commitment as dean over the past four years. "Prof. Prokop led the faculty with a lot of passion and initiated and accompanied important future-oriented developments. I know that it was not easy for him to resign. At the same time, his motives are understandable," said Prof Gerike.

The election took place off-panel. Prof. Dr.-Ing. Günther Prokop, who was re-elected as dean last December, had announced in July that he would be stepping down from the dean's office in the near future for family reasons.