Franz Wotawa – Head of the Institute for Software Technology
After his computer science studies, Franz Wotawa was awarded his doctoral degree at Vienna
University of Technology in 1996. He has been professor at Graz University of Technology since
2001 where he has been head of the Institute for Software Technology and vice dean of computer
science. His scientific fields of activity are in model-based diagnosis and configuration, logical
reasoning and theorem proving, verification and validation, as well as software testing and autonomous, mobile systems. In his academic career up to now, Franz Wotawa has published more
than 150 scientific works, supervised 36 theses, and has been actively involved in programme committees for international conferences and workshops. Together with Gerald Steinbauer he
is the general co-chair of the RoboCup 2009.
“The RoboCup is a magnificent symbiosis of teaching and research. The connection
between competition and science makes the RoboCup unique and allows a direct comparison
of research results with practice. Furthermore, the event is ideal for granting pupils and young
people a playful insight into the disciplines of engineering and research. The exciting questions‘what is intelligence?’ and ‘can intelligence be reproduced algorithmically or mechanically?’ are central themes of robotics research and have at the same time the potential to fascinate experts and laypersons alike.”
Gerald Steinbauer – the “father” of the Graz RoboCup
Gerald Steinbauer studied telematics at Graz University of Technology and gained his
doctorate in robotics in 2006. He currently works as an assistant professor at the Institute
for Software Technology. His research interests comprise autonomous, mobile robots,
world modelling, robust robot control, cognitive robotics, model-based diagnosis, and
the RoboCup. Apart from the first Austrian RoboCup middle-size league team at TU
Graz, he has formed other RoboCup teams and co-ordinates all RoboCup activities
in Austria. Gerald Steinbauer is the founder and president of the Austrian national
RoboCup committee and the Austrian representative to the RoboCup Federation. Together with Franz Wotawa he is the general co-chair of the RoboCup 2009.
“The RoboCup shows in a thrilling way what robots can do today and is a really cool event.
It is a testing field for developments in industry which can also be practically realised in order
To provide help for persons in various areas. What makes the RoboCup so special is the close
international network of leading scientists and students which has built up over the years and
which is the biggest and most important source of innovation, creativity and commitment in the
field of robotics research.”
Contact:
Mag. Alice Senarclens de Grancy
Press Officer
Email alice.grancy@tugraz.at
Tel 0316 873 6006
Mobil 0664 60 873 6006
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