Hans Josef Rath

Hans Josef Rath (born May 24, 1947 in Nuttlar ; † September 4, 2012 in Wilstedt ) was a German professor for technical mechanics and fluid mechanics , space technology and microgravity at the University of Bremen .

Life

After an apprenticeship as a steel mold maker and one year of skilled labor from 1961 to 1965 at the FW Oventrop fittings factory in Bigge , Rath studied from 1967 to 1970 at the University of Paderborn . After a stopover at AEG-Telefunken in Ulm, he studied fluid mechanics at the University of Hanover in mechanical engineering . There he received his doctorate in 1976 as Dr.-Ing. and then worked as a research assistant.

Since 1981 he held a chair for technical mechanics and fluid mechanics at the University of Bremen. His research and teaching area was expanded to include space technology and microgravity in 1997.

In 1985 Rath founded the Center for Applied Space Technology and Microgravity (ZARM) at the University of Bremen, which he headed as managing director until his death. A few years later, on his initiative, he built the drop tower in Bremen , which he designed in 1986 and put into operation in 1990. The commissioning took place in the presence of the then Federal Research Minister Riesenhuber .

In addition, Rath was a member of numerous associations. Among other things, he was active in the German Aerospace Society (DGLR) , including several years as chairman, and in the International Astronautical Federation (IAF), there for four years as vice-president. The International Academy of Astronautics (IAA) accepted him as a full member as did the European Academy of Sciences and Arts (Academia Scientiarum et Artium Europaea). He was also a member of several supervisory boards, including those of OHB and ZARM Technik. As a science manager, he was heavily involved in microgravity research and space travel, not least for Bremen as a space location, and made numerous contacts abroad, particularly to Japan and China.

In addition to his work as a scientist and science manager, Hans J. Rath was also an artist. The question of where do we come from played a role in his art. Where are we going? a crucial role. He dealt with a wide variety of religious and philosophical worldviews, often also in connection with the fundamental scientific questions in the areas of universe theories.

Publications (selection)

• New Results in Numerical and Experimental Fluid Mechanics V: Contributions to the 14th STAB / DGLR Symposium Bremen, Germany 2004 . Springer, Berlin Heidelberg 2006, ISBN 3-540-33286-3 . (With: Carsten Holze, Hans-Joachim Heinemann, Rolf Henke, Heinz Hönlinger)
• Peristaltic currents . Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg, New York 1980
• Calculations for a valveless pumping principle . 1976

Web links

• Vita on ZARM, University of Bremen (PDF; 78 kB)
• Obituary, career and information about ZARM at bigge-online