01. December 2016

Professor Franz Pischinger Inducted into the Hall of Fame of German Research

Manager magazine honors founder of FEV for achievements in emission reduction of combustion engines

FEV founder Professor Dr. Franz Pischinger has been inducted into the Hall of Fame of German Research. (Source: Peter Winandy)

Professor Dr. techn. Dr. e.h. Franz Pischinger, founder of FEV GmbH and the retired Director of the Institute for Combustion Engines at the RWTH Aachen University has been inducted into the Hall of Fame of German Research. With this induction the German “manager magazine” has honored him for his substantial contribution to the purification of the exhaust gas from gasoline and diesel engines and, hence, reduction of pollutant emissions.

The official awards presentation took place on November 17, 2016 during an festive evening event in Wiesbaden, Germany. Approximately 100 guests from the fields of research, economics, and politics honored the scientist and developer whom experts refer to as the “engine pope.”

After receiving the 2015 Aachen Engineering Award recognizing his life’s work and continuous presence as a role model for aspiring scientists and developers, this induction into the Hall of Fame of German Research represents another important honor for Professor Pischinger. Several of the 20 laureates are Nobel Prize winners.

On the life and works of Prof. Dr. Franz Pischinger:

After completing his engineering studies, Pischinger became a science assistant to the chair of internal combustion engines and thermodynamics at Graz Technical University and completed his doctorate there in 1954. In 1958, after a post-doctoral study in the field of thermodynamics and internal combustion engines, he took over the management of the research department of a leading engineering service provider in Graz. From 1962 to 1970, he worked at Klöckner Humboldt Deutz AG, ultimately as manager of engine development.

In 1970, Pischinger moved to Aachen where he became a Professor for Applied Thermodynamics and Director of the Institute for Thermodynamics at RWTH Aachen. Until 1997, he passed on his knowledge and experience in the area of internal combustion engines and applied thermodynamics to approximately 9,000 students. Meanwhile, during the course of many research projects he led, more than 200 of his students completed their doctorate degrees as “Dr.-Ing” under Pischinger’s guidance.

In 1978, Pischinger founded FEV in Aachen. The company had humble beginnings in a converted flat in the Augustinergasse, which was the home of FEV’s first four-person engineering team. The company quickly grew into a world-leading development partner for the engine and vehicle industry. In 2003, Franz Pischinger handed over the operational management of FEV to his son and business partner Professor Stefan Pischinger, who followed his father into the Institute at the RWTH.

About FEV

FEV has always pushed the limits.
FEV is a globally leading engineering provider in the automotive industry and internationally recognized leader of innovation across different sectors and industries. Professor Franz Pischinger laid the foundations by combining his background in academia and engineering with a great vision for continual progress. The company has supplied solutions and strategy consulting to the world's largest automotive OEMs and has supported customers through the entire transportation and mobility ecosystem.

As the world continues to evolve, so does FEV.
That’s why FEV is unleashing its technological and strategic expertise into other areas. It applies its forward thinking to the energy sector. And its software and system know-how will enable the company to lead the way making intelligent solutions available to everyone. FEV brings together the brightest minds from different backgrounds and specialties to find new solutions for both current and future challenges.

But FEV won’t stop there.
Looking ahead, FEV continues to push the limits of innovation. With its highly qualified >7300 employees at more than 40 locations globally, FEV imagines solutions that don’t just meet today’s needs but tomorrow’s. Ultimately, FEV keeps evolving – to a better, cleaner future built on sustainable mobility, energy and software that drives everything. For the company’s partners, its people and the world.
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