Head of Institute

Michael Felderer, Head of the Institute for Software Technology

Professor Dr Michael Felderer has been Director of the DLR Institute for Software Technology and W3 Professor of Computer Science at the University of Cologne since January 2023.

His research focusses on software and systems engineering as well as artificial intelligence. Prof Felderer is an internationally recognised researcher and also has extensive relevant experience in business.

Main focus of work:

  • AI engineering and trustworthy AI
  • Software systems engineering for quantum computing and digital twins
  • Quality assurance of software-based systems, especially with regard to properties such as security, safety, reliability and sustainability
  • Empirical software engineering
  • System architectures and digital platforms

Important career milestones:

  • Professor of Computer Science at the University of Innsbruck, Austria (2016-2022)
  • Visiting Professor at Blekinge Institute of Technology, Sweden (2018-2022)
  • Managing Director and Senior Consultant of the academic spin-off QE LaB Business Services GmbH, Austria (2012-2020)
  • Habilitation in Computer Science at the Faculty of Mathematics, Computer Science and Physics at the University of Innsbruck, Austria (2015)

Commitments and honours:

  • Chairman of the IT Steering Committee of the DLR
  • Member of the Editorial Boards of the journals IEEE Software, Information and Software Technology and PeerJ Computer Science
  • Listed among the Top 20 Most Active Experienced Reserachers in Software Engineering 2013 to 2020 by the Journal of Systems and Software
  • Recognised for his research work with a total of 14 Best Paper Awards and several prizes such as the Promotion Prize for Science of the Province of Tyrol 2015
  • Member of the International Software Engineering Research Network (ISERN)
  • General Chair of the Software Engineering 2020 conference

Links:

New Head of the Institute of Software Technology: Prof Dr Michael Felderer

In an interview, Prof. Michael Felderer sheds light on how his career as a software engineering expert led him to the German Aerospace Centre. He also takes a look at current and future issues facing a software institute in the midst of a rapidly changing software landscape.