Stefan Funken

Prof. Dr. Stefan Funken serves as Professor of Numerical Analysis, Dean of the Faculty of Mathematics and Economics, and Deputy Director of the Institute for Numerical Mathematics at the University of Ulm. His distinguished academic career spans over two decades with significant contributions to numerical mathematics and computational methods.

His educational journey includes:

• 1982-1986: Vocational training as energy plant electronics technician at RWE
• 1986-1988: Abitur (secondary education) at Friedrich-Spee-Kolleg in Neuss
• 1988-1993: Mathematics studies at University of Hannover and Brunel University, earning MSc in Numerical Analysis (1992) and Diplom (1993)
• 1996: PhD with dissertation 'Fast solution methods for FEM-BEM coupling equations' at University of Hannover
• 2002: Habilitation on 'Contributions to a posteriori error estimation in the numerical treatment of elliptic partial differential equations' at University of Kiel

Prof. Funken's research focuses on developing and analyzing discretization methods for partial differential and integral equations. His work emphasizes efficient algorithm implementation in MATLAB, C++, and Python, with applications spanning engineering simulations, corrosion analysis, and fluid dynamics. He has made seminal contributions to adaptive mesh refinement techniques, a posteriori error estimation frameworks, and the coupling of finite element and boundary element methods.

His recent publications reveal a consistent research trajectory focused on practical implementations of numerical methods, particularly through MATLAB-based tools. The work demonstrates evolution from theoretical foundations to robust software implementations that serve both academic research and industrial applications, with particular emphasis on computational efficiency and error control.

Prof. Funken actively mentors doctoral researchers, with current students working on adaptive mesh refinement algorithms, polygonal mesh analysis for corrosion simulation, and lubrication oil validation. He has developed extensive educational resources including the 'Mathe? Logisch!' YouTube channel (launched 2018) and specialized tutorials for LaTeX and MATLAB learning.

He maintains active professional engagement through memberships in the German Mathematical Society (DMV) and the Society for Applied Mathematics and Mechanics (GAMM), contributing significantly to the mathematical community through these organizations.

Leading specialized research groups in numerical mathematics, Prof. Funken has developed critical software tools including epsBEM (Efficient P-Stable Boundary Element Methods) and AMESHREF (Matlab-Toolbox for Adaptive Mesh Refinement in 2D). His team bridges theoretical numerical analysis with practical computational implementations, creating accessible educational resources and open-source tools that democratize advanced numerical methods for students and researchers worldwide.