Dieter W. Fellner

Dieter W. Fellner is a distinguished Professor of Computer Science at Technical University of Darmstadt, Germany, where he serves as Director of the Fraunhofer Institute of Computer Graphics (IGD). He also holds a concurrent position as Professor of Computer Science and Founding Director of the Institute of Computer Graphics and Knowledge Visualization at Graz University of Technology, Austria. With a career spanning over three decades, Fellner has established himself as a leading figure in computer graphics, digital libraries, and related fields.

Education:

• Diploma in Technical Mathematics, Graz (1981)
• Doktorate (Ph.D.) in Technical Mathematics, Graz (1984)
• Habilitation, Graz (1988)

Professor Fellner's research spans multiple domains within computer science, with a primary focus on computer graphics and its applications. His work encompasses computational geometry, 3D modeling and rendering, virtual and augmented reality, and digital libraries with emphasis on cultural heritage preservation. He has made significant contributions to algorithms for integrating modeling and rendering processes, efficient visualization techniques, and generative modeling approaches. His research extends to practical applications in internet-based multimedia systems, where he coordinated a strategic initiative funded by the German Research Foundation that supported approximately 50 researchers across 21 groups from 1997 to 2005.

An analysis of Professor Fellner's publication record reveals a consistent trajectory of innovation in computer graphics and digital document systems. His early work focused on foundational graphics algorithms and videotex systems, evolving toward more complex 3D document modeling, visualization techniques, and digital library architectures. A notable trend is his interdisciplinary approach, bridging computer graphics with applications in cultural heritage, bioinformatics, and brain-computer interfaces. His research demonstrates a progression from theoretical algorithms to practical implementations addressing real-world challenges in information visualization and knowledge management.

Scientific Awards:

• Fellow of the Eurographics Association (2000)
• Member of the IST Advisory Group for the European Commission (ISTAG) (2007)
• Best Technical Paper Award (Günther Enderle Award) at Eurographics'98 Conference
• Honorary Doctorate from the University of Rostock (2019)

Throughout his career, Professor Fellner has supervised numerous students and researchers, though specific names are not documented in the available sources. His leadership extends to significant grant activities, most notably coordinating the German Research Foundation's strategic initiative on distributed processing and mediation of digital documents from 1997 to 2005. This major project provided funding for approximately 50 researchers annually across 21 research groups, demonstrating his capacity to lead large-scale collaborative research efforts. He has also served on editorial boards of leading journals and program committees of international conferences, shaping the direction of research in his fields of expertise.

Professor Fellner directs the Fraunhofer Institute of Computer Graphics (IGD) in Darmstadt, a prominent research institution focused on applied computer graphics. He also founded and chairs the Institute of Computer Graphics and Knowledge Visualization at Graz University of Technology. These institutions serve as hubs for interdisciplinary research, bringing together computer scientists, domain experts, and industry partners to advance the state of the art in visualization, digital libraries, and knowledge management systems. The teams under his leadership have produced influential work in 3D document processing, cultural heritage digitization, and advanced visualization techniques.