Franz W. Leberl

Franz W. Leberl is a chaired Professor of Computer Science at Graz University of Technology in Austria. He has been a Dean of Computer Science at the university from 2008 to 2011 and has been actively involved in academic and industrial research since the 1970s.

• Education:
  • Dipl.-Ing. from Vienna University of Technology (1967)
  • Dr.techn. from Vienna University of Technology (1972)

Leberl’s research interests span Computer Vision, Visualization, Computer Graphics, and Digital Image Processing, with a focus on geospatial technologies and aerial photography. He pioneered the development of the UltraCam Digital Large Format Aerial Camera through his company Vexcel Imaging GmbH, which was later acquired by Microsoft. His career bridges academia and industry, including roles as CEO of Austrian Research Centers (1996–1998) and Director of Microsoft Virtual Earth (2006–2007).

He founded the Institute for Digital Image Processing at Joanneum Research in Graz, Austria, in 1980, emphasizing interdisciplinary applications of computer vision. While no specific scientific awards are highlighted in the provided texts, his entrepreneurial and leadership contributions to technology and academia are notable.