It is with deep regret that the Paderborn University and the “Data Management in Mechanical Engineering” research group bid farewell to Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Rainer Koch, who passed away on 1 August. Prof. Koch had been a member of staff at Paderborn University’s Faculty of Mechanical Engineering since 1989. Through his outstanding commitment to research and teaching, his professional expertise and his warm personal approach, Prof. Koch left a lasting mark on the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and the specialist group ‘Computer Applications and Integration in Design and Planning’ – now known as ‘Data Management in Mechanical Engineering’ – over many years. He was a highly regarded academic. As a professor, the continuing/further education and professional development of his students and the opening up of new perspectives were an important part of his work. In his lectures, he guided generations of students and supervised and supported numerous doctoral examination procedures.
The focus of his work over several decades was research into the optimisation of design and planning processes through the use of information technology. His other areas of research included computer-aided design, virtual reality/augmented reality, database technologies, quality management, information and knowledge management, and mobile IT applications. Since 2000, research projects on the use of IT in the field of non-police emergency response have formed a further focus of his work. In this context, he has contributed his knowledge as a firefighter to national and international research projects.
Since 2014, Prof. Koch has also been involved in national, European and international standardisation bodies. He served at the “International Organisation for Standardisation” (ISO) as Convenor of Working Group 3 “Emergency Management” within the current ISO/TC 292 “Security and Resilience” committee. He was also deputy chair of NA 031-05-02 AA, the ‘Working Committee on Organisational and Management Standards for Civil Protection’, at the ‘German Institute for Standardisation e. V.’ (DIN).
His academic work was characterised in particular by a strong practical focus. He devoted himself with great dedication to applied research and made valuable contributions, particularly in the field of fire service research. His aim was always to combine scientific findings with the practical requirements of hazard prevention, thereby creating lasting benefits for society. His advice, his experience and his personality will be sorely missed by the ‘Data Management in Mechanical Engineering’ specialist group.
This text was translated automatically.
