The Brazilian Academy of Sciences has appointed Professor Dieter Rautenbach from Ulm University as a corresponding member. The honour for the University Vice President and Head of the Institute of Optimization and Operations Research follows years of successful collaboration between the mathematician and Brazilian institutions. The appointment ceremony in Rio de Janeiro is planned for May 2026.
In mid-November, the board of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences (Academia Brasileira de Ciências, ABC) announced thenew full and corresponding members. Among the 25 newly elected members is Professor Dieter Rautenbach, Head of the Institute of Optimization and Operations Research and Vice President of Ulm University.
Rautenbach has maintained contacts with Brazil since 2008 and has visited the federal universities of Rio de Janeiro and Fluminense several times for research visits. He worked intensively with female scientists and supervised students, which led to numerous joint publications and various joint research projects.
By accepting him as a corresponding member, the ABC recognises scientific merit that has made a significant contribution to the development of science in Brazil. Researchers honoured in this way have been based abroad for over ten years. "His commitment to science in Brazil is particularly evident in the coordination of research projects of the German Research Foundation and the German Academic Exchange Service as well as the Brazilian Funding Agency for Higher Education (Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior, CAPES)", as stated in the nomination for Dieter Rautenbach's admission.
"I am delighted to receive this honour and thank the Academy for accepting me. It's great to see how my efforts to promote transnational collaboration are bearing fruit. Several of the PhD students jointly supervised by me and my Brazilian colleagues have received prizes for their theses and are now professors in Brazil," says Professor Rautenbach.
With currently more than 900 members, the Brazilian Academy of Sciences is the most prestigious association of female scientists in the South American country. Its focus is on the scientific, educational and social development of Brazil. It promotes science by recognising scientific merit and advises policymakers on socially relevant issues. The new full and corresponding members will receive their certificates of appointment during the ABC's General Assembly, which will take place in Rio de Janeiro from 5 to 7 May 2026.
Text and media contact: Daniela Stang