When alumni, staff and professors from the university are seated in the lecture theatre alongside students, you can be sure there’s a special lecture on: Last week, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Joachim Gebel, Professor of Process Engineering and Thermodynamics at the Faculty of Technology and Bionics, retired.
In the university’s packed main lecture theatre, the mechanical engineer linked his professional career to his current research in his farewell lecture. The audience learnt not only that the Saarland native had almost become a professional footballer, but also how, amongst other things, his research had led to the development of wind turbine blades modelled on maple seeds. Afterwards, the guests raised a glass with Prof. Dr.-Ing. Joachim Gebel to mark his retirement; the faculty’s beer-brewing team, which he had mentored, had brewed a special beer for the occasion.
However, he will not be leaving the university entirely after a total of twelve years; since the start of this semester, Prof. Gebel has been working as a lecturer on the ‘Mechanical Engineering’ degree programme, of which he was the programme director for many years. “So we’ll still be seeing you on campus,” said the dean of the faculty, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dirk Nissing, in his speech of thanks, before presenting the soon-to-be retiree with gifts on behalf of his colleagues, including the current Bundesliga football.
