Ralf Hielscher

Ralf Hielscher is a Professor at the Institute of Applied Analysis within the Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science at the Technical University of Freiberg, Germany. His research lies at the intersection of applied mathematics, materials science, and imaging, with a strong focus on crystallographic texture analysis and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). He is a core developer and leading figure behind MTEX, a widely used open-source MATLAB toolbox for texture and orientation data analysis.

Research Interests: His work centers on mathematical methods for analyzing crystallographic orientations, including spherical harmonic transforms, kernel density estimation on rotation groups, manifold-valued data processing, and inverse problems in tomography and texture reconstruction. He develops algorithms for parent grain reconstruction, orientation mapping, denoising, and visualization of microstructures.

The recent publications reveal a consistent trend in advancing computational techniques for EBSD and texture analysis, particularly through the MTEX platform. His work bridges theoretical mathematics with practical materials characterization, enabling more accurate and efficient analysis of polycrystalline materials across geology, metallurgy, and engineering.

• Email: ralf.hielscher@math.tu-freiberg.de

Scientific Contributions: While no formal awards are listed, his extensive publication record in high-impact journals such as SIAM Journal on Imaging Sciences, Journal of Applied Crystallography, and Inverse Problems underscores his significant contributions to the field. He has developed foundational algorithms now embedded in MTEX, which is used globally by researchers in materials science and geology.

Teaching and Advising: He teaches courses such as Function Theory, Analysis 3, and Mathematics for Engineers. Although specific students are not mentioned, his leadership in MTEX and numerous collaborative publications suggest he mentors researchers and contributes to training the next generation of scientists in computational materials analysis.

Labs and Teams: He is part of the team at the Institute of Applied Analysis and leads research efforts related to signal and image processing in crystallography. The MTEX project serves as a virtual research platform involving international collaborators in Germany, France, the UK, and beyond, facilitating open science in texture analysis.