Yvonne Beck appointed new Professor of Engineering Mathematics

Bridges are systems that are in motion. Their design can be described in terms of a basic concept. When considering the loads on the structure, factors such as the movement of vehicles or the effect of strong winds – which cause the system to vibrate – are taken into account. “Once you have understood how vibrations are described mathematically, you can apply this to various practical scenarios and develop increasingly realistic models of the system under consideration,” says Professor Yvonne Beck. At H-BRS, she will primarily be teaching engineering mathematics in a practical manner on the mechanical engineering degree programmes.

Practical relevance is important to the professor

Practical relevance was already important to Yvonne Beck during her own studies. For instance, whilst at the University of Freiburg, she enrolled in biology alongside mathematics. “This promised to be an exciting field of application for mathematics, for example in biomechanics or computer-aided systems biology,” she says. “This allowed me to put mathematics into practice.” Even whilst she was a student herself, she discovered a passion for teaching. She explored teaching and learning in greater depth and gave tutorials in mathematics and the didactics of mathematics.

PhD in the field of technology education

After obtaining her academic degree, Yvonne Beck taught mathematics at various universities, most recently for more than eight years at Pforzheim University. She also completed her PhD in technology education at the University of Education in Schwäbisch Gmünd and was a research associate at the Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research. From October, she will be teaching and conducting research as a professor at the H-BRS.

It is not just the practical focus that Yvonne Beck values at universities of applied sciences. “There are no anonymous lectures here; instead, students learn in small groups,” says the professor. She is very much looking forward to designing innovative maths courses for engineering students at H-BRS.

Assessment of sustainability technologies

In her research, Professor Beck has recently been focusing on the assessment of sustainability technologies and the question of how these can contribute to achieving climate neutrality in Germany. To this end, she has, for example, collated data from various models to understand the overall contribution of climate protection measures in the sectors of buildings, mobility, energy and industry.

“I’m already looking forward to seeing how I can build on this at the Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg,” she says. For instance, she can envisage offering electives in the field of ‘Design for Circularity’ in the future. In addition to resource-efficient design, this involves using durable, reusable or bio-based components to extend the service life of products. She is also open to interdisciplinary collaboration in research and teaching with her colleagues.

In her spare time, Professor Yvonne Beck enjoys spending time in the countryside. So, as well as taking on her new role, she is already looking forward to exploring the Bonn/Rhein-Sieg region.