The appointment of the two professors also stands for continuity and new beginnings. As long-time companions and former managing senior engineers, they jointly succeed Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dipl.-Wirt. Ing. Günther Schuh, who has significantly shaped research, teaching, and transfer at WZL for more than two decades. To meet the growing and increasingly complex demands of the industry, this area will now be strategically expanded: While Prof. Michael Riesener takes over the Chair of Production Systems, Prof. Wolfgang Boos will lead the new Chair of Production Management.
Prof. Michael Riesener, a native of Aachen and a renowned researcher in the field of production and innovation management, returns to WZL and brings diverse scientific and practical experiences to his new role. He studied industrial engineering with a focus on mechanical engineering at RWTH Aachen and at the National University of Singapore, and earned his doctorate at WZL with distinction. Until 2024, he was active as a managing senior engineer at the Chair of Production Systems. Since then, he has led the research area of Deep Tech Innovation at RWTH Aachen, is managing director of RWTH Innovation GmbH, and is the rector's representative for translation at RWTH Aachen, where he strengthens the bridge between science and industrial application. In addition to these roles, he will also be responsible for technology management at the Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology IPT.
His scientific work has been recognized, among other things, with the Otto Kienzle Memorial Prize from the Scientific Society for Production Technology (WGP), a visible sign of outstanding achievements in the field of production research. Riesener combines scientific excellence with a clear view of industrial practice. He represents a holistic perspective on production systems that integrates technology, innovation, and production management as well as factory planning. At the center of his work is the understanding of production as a complex interplay of technology, people, and organization – with the aim of translating sound scientific findings into effective industrial applications.
"Production in Europe is undergoing a profound transformation, and therein lies its opportunity," says Riesener. "I look forward to researching interdisciplinary solutions together with colleagues from across RWTH Aachen and setting impulses for a future-proof industry."
With Prof. Wolfgang Boos, RWTH Aachen gains a personality who uniquely combines scientific excellence and entrepreneurial practice. After training as a tool mechanic, he studied mechanical engineering with a focus on production technology at RWTH Aachen, earned his doctorate at WZL with distinction, and took on early responsibility as a managing senior engineer under Prof. Günther Schuh. At the same time, he completed an Executive MBA for technology managers at the University of St. Gallen and sits on various advisory boards of companies and research associations. Similar to his colleague Riesener, his appointment stands for an organic development of the institute that combines proven tradition with forward-looking impulses.
Boos takes over the Chair of Production Management and brings extensive expertise from research, technology transfer, and industrial practice. In his formative roles – as managing director of FIR e. V. at RWTH Aachen, as head of the Smart Logistics Cluster on the RWTH Aachen Campus, and as founder of the WBA Aachen Toolmaking Academy GmbH – he has impressively demonstrated how innovative concepts can be successfully transferred into industrial applications. Today, he exemplifies a generation of engineers who think holistically about production: digital, connected, and sustainable.
"We are currently experiencing a fundamental transformation of production – the future of production must not only be efficient but also resilient and circular-oriented," says Boos. "I look forward to transferring data-driven concepts into industrial practice at WZL."
With the new appointments, the Machine Tool Laboratory WZL of RWTH Aachen will further strengthen its position as a leading research institution in the field of production technology. At the same time, the appointments enhance the education of students and young researchers, who will benefit from the close integration of research, industrial practice, and entrepreneurial thinking.
"With the new appointments, we are relying on personalities who will carry our values forward while also setting new impulses," says Prof. Dr.-Ing. Christian Brecher, managing director at WZL.
With Riesener and Boos, WZL is reorienting itself for the coming years with a clear stance, solid expertise, and the ambition to actively shape the production of the future.
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