Two New Emeriti of Excellence from CIT
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Erwin Biebl and Alfons Kemper were professors at the TUM School of Computation, Information and Technology (CIT) until October 2025 – now they are TUM Emeriti of Excellence. With this honorary title, TUM recognizes exceptional scientists who have distinguished themselves through excellent research, teaching, and commitment to the university. As Emeriti of Excellence, they remain closely connected to TUM and contribute their expertise in research, consulting, and mentoring young talent.
At the Senior Faculty of Excellence meeting on December 1, 2025, at the Institute for Advanced Study in Garching, TUM President Thomas Hofmann officially welcomed the new members. On the occasion of their retirement, we spoke with both of them about their careers, defining moments, and plans for the future. Read the interviews here.
Professor Erwin Biebl: A Childhood Dream Becomes a Career in Research
Erwin Biebl was Professor of Microwave Engineering at TUM from 1999 to 2025. He is a senior member of the IEEE. He was a member of the faculty council of the Department of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology for seven years and a member of the TUM Library Advisory Board.
Simply explained: What is your research focus?
My research focused on sensors that detect and localize objects in their environment using electromagnetic waves. These objects can be cooperative by evaluating the sensor’s query signals and actively responding to them. Applications include so-called RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) solutions in logistics or the Internet of Things. However, we mainly dealt with non-cooperative objects that passively reflect the query signals. A key application
here is automotive radar, which captures the driving environment for highly automated driving.
What was your dream job as a child?
I practically always wanted to become an electrical engineer. During my school years in the 1970s, electronics underwent a dramatic development: integrated circuits became affordable, and the first microprocessors entered the market. The new possibilities inspired me immensely; I experimented with them in my free time and school projects. Even 50 years later, this topic remains as fascinating to me as ever; indeed, I can say today that I have truly found and practiced my dream job.
How did you get into science?
After graduation, I worked at the company Rohde & Schwarz, developing radio test systems. The often insufficient problem analysis due to time pressure felt unsatisfactory. I then returned to the university to focus on research. For me, it was always important that a project resulted in a demonstrable prototype. In that sense, I always remained a “developer.”
What was your most formative professional experience?
My time at Rohde & Schwarz! Never again did I gain such a wealth of practical experience in such a short time, which benefited me both in research and especially in teaching.
What are your plans now, and what are you most looking forward to?
I’m most looking forward to having more time for my family.
What will you miss at the CIT?
What I already miss and will continue to miss are the encounters and conversations with colleagues. The extremely collegial, often friendly atmosphere was very pleasant and helped enormously in solving difficult problems. This was especially true during my time as chair of the master’s examination board, where constructive collaboration repeatedly defused conflict situations to the benefit of students. From a professional perspective, the insight into different
approaches to the same problem was enlightening and inspiring. This friendly interaction at all levels is, in my opinion, a key factor in TUM’s success in general and that of the TUM School of CIT and its predecessor faculties.
What advice would you give to students?
The key to success in studies and a career is unwavering perseverance. Do not be discouraged by inevitable setbacks and failures – learn from them! That way, you can emerge stronger.
Professor Alfons Kemper: Pioneering Work for Scalable Database Systems
Alfons Kemper was Professor of Database Systems at TUM from 2004 to 2025. He also served as Dean of the former Department of Informatics for four years and was Head of the Department of Computer Science at the TUM School of CIT from its founding until his retirement.
Simply explained: What was your research focus?
We are currently being “overrun” by a true flood of information (Big Data) and are well on our way to becoming an information society. Database systems play an enormous role in science, business, government, and other organizations. Their importance will increase significantly due to global networking and data-driven AI applications. At the same time, the systematic use of database systems is becoming increasingly difficult due to the growing amount of information, its distribution across a network of database servers, the rising complexity of applications, and higher performance requirements. The internationally successful database group at TUM, which I helped build, focuses on advancing database technology to meet these scaling challenges.
What was your dream job as a child?
I wanted to become an agricultural scientist like my uncle of the same name, because I grew up on a farm.
How did you get into science?
I came to science by chance, and through the encouragement and guidance of mentors such as Armin B. Cremers, Seymour Ginsburg, Ellis Horowitz, and Peter Lockemann.
What was your most formative professional experience?
The realization that “others put their pants on the same way as me” and sometimes have their papers rejected was formative.
What are your plans now …
I’m now an active retiree ;-)! As an Emeritus of Excellence, I will continue to engage with and on behalf of TUM. In addition, I want to maintain my database systems textbook, which I am currently revising for the 11th edition with my colleague Leis.
… and what are you most looking forward to?
I’m looking forward to FC Bayern’s away games in the Champions League and to free bike and seat spaces on the BOB on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.
What will you miss about the CIT?
The biweekly InfoCafé of the former Informatics Department with tech updates and discussions – and cake.
What advice would you give to students?
I'm telling our students what I told the bachelor’s and master’s graduates at the 2025 graduation ceremony – we had a record number of 1,600 this year: Go out and change the world!
When I was your age, I felt like a pioneer. After my bachelor’s degree, I left Germany 45 years ago to study in the USA. It was my first time flying on a plane. There was no internet and no mobile phones. To call home, I needed coins. Then, as computer scientists, we created the “new world” – the internet. It revolutionized the world in every way: economically, socially, culturally, and more.
You, too, are pioneers of a new era: the era of AI. Leave your comfort zone, be brave, and try new things. We are at the beginning of an industrial and social revolution. Create new opportunities that benefit humanity, including medical applications, social impact, and education for all, even in developing countries. Also consider possible negative consequences and take responsibility. Make the world a better place – or at least don’t ruin it.