Back to the Lab

Prof. Dr. Margit Zacharias has served in the part-time post of Vice President for Innovation and Technology Transfer at the University of Freiburg since 1 October 2014. After four years, she has decided to resign from the post to again devote herself fully to her duties as professor of nanotechnology at the Department of Microsystems Engineering (IMTEK). “I am first of all a researcher – with ambitions and high standards for myself and my research team. I am still internationally well positioned and receive invitations. I would like to again devote my full efforts to research,” says Zacharias.

“In the name of the entire Rectorate, I would like to thank Margit Zacharias for her dedication and our close cooperation in the past four years. She has contributed essential ideas and carried the university forward. I regret that she has made the decision to resign from her post as vice president. Managing the balancing act between research and teaching on the one hand and university leadership on the other is highly demanding and deserves the highest of praise,” says Rector Prof. Dr. Hans-Jochen Schiewer.

The milestones of her term of office include the university’s success in the second round of the national competition “EXIST – University-Based Startups” as well as in the Baden-Württemberg state program “Entrepreneurial Culture in Studies and Teaching.” In addition, the University of Freiburg has achieved outstanding results for its entrepreneurial culture and innovative strength on rankings like the “Startup Radar” of the Stifterverband or the “Ranking of Innovation” of the Canadian media group Thomson-Reuters.

Her responsibilities will be reallocated among the other members of the Rectorate as of October 2018. The Center for Technology Transfer, including the departments Patent Office, Contract Office, and Founders Office, will be placed under the authority of Prof. Dr. Gunther Neuhaus, Vice President for Research and Vice Rector of the University of Freiburg. Head of Administration Dr. Matthias Schenek will assume full responsibility for the “Innovation Center” project on the campus of the Faculty of Engineering.