President of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft  

　　
   Hans-Joerg Bullinger was born in Stuttgart (Germany) on April 13th 1944. He began his career working as a manufacturer for the Daimler-Benz company in Stuttgart, after which he read a degree at the University of Stuttgart, graduating with a Masters degree and Ph.D. in Manufacturing.
　　Being in charge of the Stuttgarter Fraunhofer-Institute of Production Technology and Automation, Dr. Bullinger was responsible for many applied research projects in the field of design and manufacturing, with the goal being to increase the productivity of computer based systems. These projects were carried out together with well known German companies, such as Robert Bosch, Siemens, VW, Daimler Benz and others.  As much of his experience was gained working on several projects which took place abroad, he was often invited to lectures in the United States, Japan, Korea, China, India, Australia and South America. Hence he has rich knowledge regarding the international situation of applied informatics.
　　After two years of lecturing at the University of Hagen, Dr. Bullinger was asked to become a full-time lecturer at the University of Stuttgart. Besides his role as chairman of the University, Dr. Bullinger is also the head of the Institute for Human Factors and Technology Management (IAT) and the Fraunhofer-Institute for Industrial Engineering (IAO). The institutes are renowned for the carrying out of projects with both German and foreign countries. Since October 2002 he is President of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, Corporate Management and Research.
　　In 1978, Dr. Bullinger received the Kienzle-Medal as an award from the University Group of Manufacturing. In 1982 the gold Ring-of-Honour was awarded by the German Society of Engineers (VDI). In 1986 he received the Distinguished Foreign Collegue award from the Human Factor Society. In 1991 he became an honorary Doctor at the University of Novi Sad and in the same year an honorary Professor at the University of Science and Technology of China in Hefei. He has since 1993 been a member of the World Academy of Productivity Science and in 1994 became an elected honorary member of the Rumanian Society of Mechanical Engineers. In 1995 he received the Arthur Burckhardt Award, in 1998 the Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany and in 2003 the Officers Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany.
　　In 2004 he became an honorary Doctor at the University of Timisoara and in 2005 an honorary Professor at the South China University of Technology. In 2006 he received the Great Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany by the Federal President of Germany.
　　During these years, Dr. Bullinger has written in excess of 1.000 articles and books regarding industrial engineering.

The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft

Research of practical utility is at the heart of all activities pursued by the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft. Founded in 1949, the research organization undertakes applied research that drives economic development and serves the wider benefit of society. Its services are solicited by customers and contractual partners in industry, the service sector and public administration. The organization also accepts commissions from German federal and L?nder ministries and government departments to participate in future-oriented research projects with the aim of finding innovative solutions to issues concerning the industrial economy and society in general.
　　
Applied research has a knock-on effect that extends beyond the direct benefits perceived by the customer: Through their research and development work, the Fraunhofer Institutes help to reinforce the competitive strength of the economy in their local region, and throughout Germany and Europe. They do so by promoting innovation, accelerating technological progress, improving the acceptance of new technologies, and not least by disseminating their knowledge and helping to train the urgently needed future generation of scientists and engineers.
　　
As an employer, the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft offers its staff the opportunity to develop the professional and personal skills that will allow them to take up positions of responsibility within their institute, in other scientific domains, in industry and in society. Students working at the Fraunhofer Institutes have excellent prospects of starting and developing a career in industry by virtue of the practical training and experience they have acquired.
　　
At present, the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft maintains more than 80 research units, including 56 Fraunhofer Institutes, at 40 different locations in Germany. The majority of the 12,500 staff is qualified scientists and engineers, who work with an annual research budget of €1.2 billion. Of this sum, more than €1 billion is generated through contract research. Two thirds of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschafts contract research revenue is derived from contracts with industry and from publicly financed research projects. Only one third is contributed by the German federal and L?nder governments in the form of institutional funding, enabling the institutes to work ahead on solutions to problems that will not become acutely relevant to industry and society until five or ten years from now.
　　
Affiliated research centers and representative offices in Europe, the USA and Asia provide contact with the regions of greatest importance to present and future scientific progress and economic development.
　　
The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft is a recognized non-profit organization which takes its name from Joseph von Fraunhofer (1787-1826), the illustrious Munich researcher, inventor and entrepreneur.

Editor: Yan