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Mining University awards honorary professorship to GVSt Executive Director

Dr Franz-Josef Wodopia has been honoured for his outstanding contribution to the Georg Agricola Mining University. The ceremonial address was given by Evonik Chairman Dr Werner Müller.

University President Prof. Dr. Kretschmann, (right) presents the award to Prof. Dr. Wodopia

In a ceremony held at the German Mining Museum on 9.11.2007 the Georg Agricola Mining University conferred an Honorary Professorship on GVSt Executive Director and General Manager Dr Franz-Josef Wodopia. In his ceremonial address Dr Werner Müller, Chairman of Evonik Industries AG and RAG Aktiengesellschaft, referred to Dr Wodopia’s significance as an economist and energy-policy expert. Professor Kretschmann, the University President, also gave a welcoming speech in which he praised Dr Wodopia’s services to teaching and research at Georg Agricola.

Dr Franz-Josef Wodopia has done much to promote the University’s development in recent years. In September 2000 he was appointed Professor of the University’s Department of Engineering Sciences and was instrumental in setting-up a new Masters Course in Industrial Economics. However, due to his new role as Chief Executive of the GVSt (German Hard Coal Association) Dr Wodopia is now no longer able to continue as a full-time Professor at Georg Agricola. The conferment of an Honorary Professorship will affiliate him into the teaching staff there and at the same time recognise the significant contribution he has made to the University.

Dr Wodopia typifies the close contact that exists between Georg Agricola Mining University and the industry. Before joining Georg Agricola he headed the Mining and Energy Section of the IGBCE in Hanover, sat on numerous Supervisory Boards of major mining and energy companies and  acted as advisor to energy-policy committees in the German Bundestag and European Union.

In his ceremonial speech Evonik Chairman Dr Müller highlighted Dr Wodopia’s outstanding services as a key player in the German coal industry and referred to his huge contribution to the German energy supply sector not only in his role as Chief Executive of the German Hard Coal Association but also through his teaching of the next generation at Georg Agricola University.

The ceremony was attended by a number of high-profile representatives from government, industry and science. The audience at the German Mining Museum included the Mayor of Bochum Erika Stahl, DSK Chairman Bernd Tönjes and Dr Wilhelm Beermann, Honorary President of the GVSt and Honorary Member of the University Senate.