Karl Reinisch

Prof. Karl Reinisch is renowned as the founder of the 'School of Control Engineering' at TU Ilmenau. A Professor Emeritus, he held academic leadership roles at the Department of Computer Science and Automation. He studied electrical engineering at TU Dresden and became the first in the GDR to earn a PhD in control engineering.

His research focused on integrating control engineering with systems modeling and optimization, pioneering applications in water management systems, greenhouse climate control, and ecological systems. He established the Institute of Control Engineering and later merged four institutes into the Section for Technical and Biomedical Cybernetics, shaping the modern Faculty structure.

Reinisch played a pivotal role in TU Ilmenau's post-reunification reforms, preserving institutional strengths while fostering expansion in computer science. His legacy includes interdisciplinary approaches emphasizing ethical research frameworks. An honorary event celebrated his 100th birthday in 2021, highlighting his enduring impact on automation and systems engineering.