Governance
To achieve its objectives, the NFDI4ING consortium has established a governance structure that follows a model commonly used in large-scale research projects. Alongside its functional organisation, the consortium operates on three governance levels: a strategic level (Co-Spokespersons’ Assembly/CoSA), an executive level (Executive Committee), and an operational level (the task areas as outlined in our work programme). In addition, a scientific Advisory Board composed of national and international experts from academia and industry provides independent strategic advice and external perspective. The composition, responsibilities, and decision-making procedures of these bodies are defined in detail in the NFDI4ING by-laws (“Ordnung”). The following paragraphs provide a brief overview of the main organisational entities.
The Co-Spokespersons’ Assembly (CoSA) is the coordinating and supervisory body of the consortium at the content level. It consists of the Co-Spokespersons of all task areas and is chaired by the speakers. The CoSA accompanies and reviews the substantive work of the task areas by requesting and assessing status reports, consolidating their work plans into an overall work plan. It is responsible for preparing interim and final reports. In cases of disagreement regarding the consortium’s scientific orientation that cannot be resolved within the Steering Committee, the Assembly serves as the final decision-making instance on these content-related matters.
| Name | Institution | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Auer, Sören | TIB | |
| Beetz, Jakob | RWTH | |
| Bierenbaum, Isabella | KIT | Deputy |
| Bronger, Torsten | FZJ | |
| Dreizler, Andreas | TU Darmstadt | |
| Flemisch, Bernd | U Stuttgart | |
| Iglezakis, Dorothea | U Stuttgart | |
| Jagusch, Gerald | TU Darmstadt | |
| Kraft, Angelina | TIB | Deputy |
| Kuckertz, Patrick | FZJ | |
| Lachmayer, Roland | LU Hannover | |
| Langenbach, Christian | DLR | |
| Linxweiler, Jan | TU Braunschweig | |
| Moser, Mario | RWTH | Deputy |
| Müller, Matthias | RWTH | |
| Nestler, Britta | KIT | |
| Noback, Andreas | TU Darmstadt | Deputy |
| Pelz, Peter | TU Darmstadt | |
| Politze, Marius | RWTH Aachen | |
| Robens-Rademacher, Annika | BAM | Deputy |
| Schmitt, Robert | RWTH Aachen | |
| Schwarz, Annett | RWTH Aachen | |
| Schwetje, Thorsten | TU Darmstadt | Deputy |
| Seeland, Anett | U Stuttgart | Deputy |
| Seibert, Vasiliy | TU Clausthal | Deputy |
| Selzer, Michael | KIT | |
| Sens, Irina | TIB | |
| Stäcker, Thomas | TU Darmstadt | |
| Stemmer, Christian | TU München | |
| Streit, Achim | KIT | |
| Unger, Jörg F. | BAM | |
| Wawer, Max | LU Hannover | Deputy |
| Wittek, Stefan | TU Clausthal |
Consists of a sub-group of twelve persons of the members’ meeting that convenes frequently and includes both speakers. The executive committee supervises contractual affairs and the disbursement of funds. It responds to short-term decision-making needs of the consortium and reports to the Co-Spokespersons’ Assembly (CoSA). The CoSA elects the executive committee at the suggestion of the speakers. There are no deputies allowed in the executive committee. The current members are:
| Name | Institution |
|---|---|
| Bronger, Torsten | FZJ |
| Flemisch, Bernd | U Stuttgart |
| Jagusch, Gerald | TU Darmstadt |
| Langenbach, Christian | DLR |
| Müller, Matthias | RWTH Aachen |
| Nestler, Britta | KIT |
| Pelz, Peter | TU Darmstadt |
| Schmitt, Robert | RWTH Aachen |
| Schwarz, Annett | RWTH Aachen |
| Sens, Irina | TIB |
| Stäcker, Thomas | TU Darmstadt |
| Streit, Achim | KIT |
Both the speaker and the deputy speaker convene frequently with the administrative office in order to set administrative goals and review agendas.
Represents national and international research, politics, and industry, offering an external perspective and advice. The current members of NFDI4ING’s advisory board are:
| Name | Institution |
|---|---|
| Bernard, Lars | TU Dresden |
| Ehm, Hans | Infineon Technologies AG |
| Greene, Gretchen R. | NIST (USA) |
| Härtner, Sebastian | Merck Electronics KGaA |
| Kinder-Kurlanda, Katharina | U Klagenfurt |
| Kraft, Markus | U of Cambridge, UK & Singapore |
| Lavanchy, Paula Martínez | TU Delft, Netherlands |
| Palis, Stefan | TU Clausthal |
| Thoben, Klaus-Dieter | Bremer Institut für Produktion und Logistik |
Unlike the initially proposed structure, the implemented governance framework excludes a general meeting to align more closely with the organisational structure of the NFDI e.V.. However, there have been regular all-hands meetings organised by the TA Management to gather input from all persons active in the consortium. This format will continue in the second funding period. Apart from these adjustments, the governance framework has remained consistent since the project’s inception in 2020.