Heat Mass Transfer (2006) 42:1063–1064
DOI 10.1007/s00231-006-0179-6

LAUDATIO

Prof. em. Dr.-Ing. Dr.-Ing.E.h.mult. Franz Mayinger
on his 75th birthday
Andrea Luke Æ Dieter Mewes

Published online: 19 August 2006
Ó Springer-Verlag 2006

Prof. Mayinger is the former Editor in Chief of thisjournal and since 1999 he still serves as Honorary
Editor giving advices to the editorial staff and to many
authors. He is one of the leading authorities in thefields of thermodynamics, heat and mass transfer,
multiphase flow, combustion as well as in energy
engineering and in particular in nuclear reactor engineering. With his outstanding contributions to thisbroad field of basic engineering subjects which he first
named thermo-fluid dynamics he still gains much respect and admiration from colleagues all over theworld. His outstanding contributions are innovative
developments of new optical and many different conA. Luke
Institut für Thermodynamik, Universität Hannover,
Callinstr. 36, 30167 Hannover, Germany
e-mail: luke@ift.uni-hannover.deD. Mewes (&)
Institut für Verfahrenstechnik, Universität Hannover,
Callinstr. 36, 30167 Hannover, Germanye-mail: mewes@ifv.uni-hannover.detact less measurement methods for single and multiphase flows. With applications of real time and twowave interferometry, he contributed to heat and masstransfer for boiling as well as combustion phenomena.
His experimental results from applying optical
tomography and Raman-spectrographic methods forthe analysis of ignition and turbulent burning processes
in flames and diesel engines mark the basic knowledge
for the design of a new generation of automobiles.
Prof. Mayinger was born in Augsburg on September
2, 1931. He graduated from the Technical University ofMunich as Diplom-Ingenieur in Mechanical Engineering in 1955. Afterwards he became a scientificassistant to the Institute of Thermodynamics which waschaired at that time by Prof. Ernst Schmidt. In 1961 hereceived his degree as Doktor-Ingenieur and left theUniversity in order to take a management position in
the research department of the Maschinenfabrik
Augsburg Nurnberg MAN. It was there that he got first
involved into the rapidly expanding nuclear industry.
In 1969 he took the call for the full professorship at theUniversity of Hannover and built up the Institute ofProcess Engineering (Verfahrenstechnik). In 1981
after declining several calls to the Universities ofStuttgart and Karlsruhe he returned to the TU Munich
and worked there until 1999 as full professor anddirector of the Institute of Thermodynamics which waspreviously held by W. Nusselt, E. Schmidt and U.
Grigull. Although officially retired since 1999 he stillruns a busy schedule filled with many activities ranging
from the advice to government in educational issues aswell as in conceptual planning for energy consumption
and energy resources. He is also active in evaluating
national and international research strategies andprograms as well as lately in the establishment of the123

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newly founded Faculty for Applied Natural Sciences at
the University of Bayreuth where he served as its firstDean and since than as the Chairman of the Board ofthis University.
While he was still active he contributed his knowledge and scientific experience to many national andinternational academic and governmental associations
and committees. Only a few activities can be mentioned here: he served as a member of the Nuclear
Reactor Safety Commission at the Federal Department of Environment from 1971 until 1992 which hechaired in 1983/1984 and 1990, later he chaired theCommission of Accidents and Failures at the same
Federal Department during the years 1992/1996. Healso served as a member of the Senate of the German
Science Foundation (DFG) in 1977/1981 and theAdvisory Board for Science of the Federal Government of Germany in 1991/1997. He was the founder ofthe Bavarian Elite Academy and served as its first
Scientific Chairman in 1998 until 2002 .In recognitionof these outstanding efforts prestigious awards weregranted to him: he holds the first class ranked Federal
Distinguished Service Cross of the Federal Republic ofGermany and the Bavarian Sevice Cross.
Prof. Mayinger has given scientific and educational
guidance to more than 120 young researchers who
worked with him on their PhD-thesis in Hannover andMunich. He is author or co-author of more than 350
papers in journals, as monographs and conference
proceedings; among them seven books on thermodynamics, multiphase flow and optical measurement
techniques. In recognition of his outstanding contributions to the field of thermal sciences and thermo-123

Heat Mass Transfer (2006) 42:1063–1064

fluid dynamics many prestigious awards were grantedto him. In 1991 the Max Jacob Award was bestowed onhim, Honorary Doctorates he received in 1994 fromthe University of Hannover and recently in 2006 fromthe University of Bayreuth. The ‘‘Pro Meritis’’ Medalof the Bavarian Government was awarded to him in1998 and 2 years later in 2000 the Ernest-Solvay Pricehonoured his outstanding contributions to the field ofprocess engineering. He is an elected member of theBavarian Academy of Sciences and he holds theMaximilian Order which is the highest acknowledgement from the state of Bavaria.
It is far beyond this laudation to mention all thefacets and highlights of Prof. Mayinger‘s life in scienceand industrial related research and developments. All
who know him well are impressed by his competentadvices, his leadership and compromising suggestions
for complicated strategic decisions. All friends andcolleagues the international community of this journaland especially his scholars and friends would like tocongratulate him on the occasion of his 75th birthday.
They all wish many more active years in good healthand happiness with his wife Franziska, his children andgrandchildren. They all know him not only as an outstanding creative scientist and political advisor whoseroots based in experimental thermo-fluid dynamics
have grown with 45 years of active experience into allkinds of industrial and technology but also as a sympathetic, humorous and helpful expert, teacher andcolleague who many of us know as a very good friend.
A. LukeD. Mewes