Research

Als Professor für Umformtechnik hatte Matthias Kleiner von 1994 bis 1998 den Lehrstuhl für Konstruktion und Fertigung der neugegründeten Brandenburgischen Technischen Universität Cottbus inne. 1998 wechselte Matthias Kleiner an die Universität Dortmund auf den Lehrstuhl Umformtechnik. 2004 bis 2006 war Matthias Kleiner Geschäftsführender Institutsleiter des neu gegründeten Instituts für Umformtechnik und Leichtbau (IUL) der Universität Dortmund.

Als Produktionswissenschaftler verbindet Matthias Kleiner neuartige Fertigungstechnologien mit dem integrativen Querschnittsthema Leichtbau. Hierzu war er bislang an einer Vielzahl vor allem interdisziplinären, auch internationalen Forschungsprojekten und Forschungsverbünden, wie Sonderforschungsbereichen, maßgeblich beteiligt.

Career

• 2014-2022 President of the Leibniz Gemeinschaft
• 2007-2012 President of the German Research Foundation (DFG)
• 2007-2010 Vice President of the European Science Foundation (ESF)
• 2005-2006 Vice President of the German Research Foundation (DFG)
• 2004-2006 Member of the Scientific Commission of Lower Saxony
• 2004-2006 Managing Director of the newly founded Institute of Forming Technology and Ligthweight Construction (IUL), Technical University of Dortmund, Germany
• 2000-2002 Dean of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Technical University of Dortmund (followed by a term as vice dean until 2005), Germany
• since 1998 Full Professor, Chair of Forming Technology, Technical University of Dortmund, Germany
• 1995-1996 Vice Rector for Planning and Finance at BTU Cottbus’ founding president’s office, Germany
• 1994-1998 Full Professor, Chair of Design and Manufacturing at the newly founded Brandenburg Technical University of Cottbus (BTU Cottbus), Germany
• 1991 Habilitation in the field „Forming Technology“
• 1987-1994 Senior Researcher, Technical University of Dortmund, Germany
• 1987 Doktor-Ingenieur degree, Technical University of Dortmund, Germany
• 1976-1982 Mechanical Engineering Studies, Technical University of Dortmund, Germany

Projects

• 1999-2006 DFG Research Unit 366 "Simulation-Aided Offline Process Design and Optimization in Manufacturing Sculptured Surfaces“ (participating fields: statistics, computer science, mathematics, production engineering)
• 1999-2006 DFG Collaborative Research Centre 475 "Reduction of Complexity for Multivariate Data Structures (participating fields: statistics, computer science, mathematics, biometrics, medicine, economics, production engineering)
• 1999-2006 DFG Coordinator of DFG Priority Programme 1098 "Workmedia Based Sheet Metal Forming"
• 1999-2006 DFG Research Unit 443 "Investigation of the Working Mechanisms of Electromagnetic Sheet Metal Forming" (participating fields: mathematics, mechanics, material science, electrical engineering, production engineering)
• 1999–2006 DFG Collaborative Research Centre 531 "Design and Management of Complex Technical Processes and Systems by Means of Computational Intelligence Methods" (participating fields: computer science, mathematics, statistics, chemical engineering, production engineering)
• 1999-2006 DFG Transregional Collaborative Research Centre/TR10 "Flexible Production of Lightweight Structures" (participating fields: lightweight construction, material science, production engineering)
• 1999-2006 DFG Research Unit 552 "Principles of Sheet Metal Hot Forming of Quenchable Steels" (participating fields: material science, production engineering)
• 1999-2006 DFG Transregional Collaborative Research Centre/TR 30 "Process-Integrated Manufacturing of Functionally Graded Structures on the Basis of Thermo Mechanically Coupled Phenomena" (participating fields: mathematics, mechanics, material science, production engineering)
• 1999-2006 Initiative of Collaborative Research Centre 708 "3D-Surface Engineering…“ (participating fields: statistics, computer science, mathematics, material science, production engineering)

Functions

• since 2014 Member of the Kuratorium of the Technical University Berlin
• since 2014 President of the Leibniz Gemeinschaft
• 2007-2012 President of the German Research Foundation (DFG)
• 2007-2010 Vice President of the European Science Foundation (ESF)
• 2005-2006 Vice President of the German Research Foundation (DFG)
• 2004-2006 Member of the Scientific Commission of Lower Saxony
• 2000-2002 Dean of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Technical University of Dortmund (followed by a term as vice dean until 2005), Germany
• 1995-1996 Vice Rector for Planning and Finance at BTU Cottbus’ founding president’s office, Germany
• Board of Trustees, Deutsche Telekom Foundation
• Board of Trustees, FOSTA Research Association for Steel Application
• Chairman Ethics Commission on a Safe Energy Supply (2011)

Honours and Memberships

• 2010 Order of Merit 1st Class of the Federal Republic of Germany
• 2009 Dr. h.c. of Technical University of Cluj-Napoca/Romania
• 1997 Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize
• 1990 Research Prize of the Federal State of North Rhine –Westphalia
• Membership: Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities; acatech – German Academy of Science and Engineering; German Nationale Academy of Sciences Leopoldina; Swiss Academy of Engineering Sciences; Academia Europaea; European Academy of Sciences and Arts; CIRP – The International Academy for Production Engineering; WGP – German Academic Society for Production Engineering; AGU – Scientific Working Group on Forming Technology