Rüdiger Westermann

Prof. Rüdiger Westermann is a full Professor leading the Chair of Computer Graphics and Visualization at the Technische Universität München (TUM). His academic career includes roles at RWTH Aachen University (2001–2003) and research stays at Caltech and the University of Utah. He holds a doctorate from the University of Dortmund (1996) and has conducted foundational work in practical computer science, focusing on computer graphics, scientific visualization, and real-time numerical simulation. His research emphasizes algorithm development for interactive data exploration and physical simulation, particularly leveraging many-core architectures.

Key research areas include volume visualization, multi-scale finite element simulation, and hierarchical data representation. Recent contributions involve stress-guided 3D design optimization, Bayesian imaging techniques, and GPU-accelerated visualization tools. His work bridges theoretical advancements with practical applications in meteorology, materials science, and medical visualization.

Prof. Westermann’s academic journey includes a postdoctoral position under Prof. T. Ertl at Erlangen-Nuremberg (1998–2001) and prior research at GMD St. Augustin (1992–1997). He is actively involved in developing visualization tools for ensemble weather forecasts (e.g., Met. 3D) and structural design optimization for additive manufacturing. His publications span high-impact venues like IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics, emphasizing real-world applicability of visualization and simulation techniques.

His research group at TUM collaborates on projects such as the Alpine benchmark for PDE emulators and GPU-based algorithms for large-scale data processing. Current efforts focus on neural fields for ensemble visualization, adaptive sampling techniques, and Bayesian methods for radio interferometry imaging.