For the first time, DSA presents the Manfred Nagl Award within the Department of Computer Science at RWTH Aachen University

Press Release

Presentation of the Manfred Nagl Award to Dr. Matthias Volk
© Department of Computer Science RWTH Aachen University
Photographer: Martin Braun

Aachen, Germany 09th September 2022 - Dr. Thomas Huth, Managing Director of DSA- Daten und Systemtechnik GmbH, awarded the first Manfred Nagl Award at the 50th anniversary celebration of the Department of Computer Science at RWTH Aachen University. The first recipient of the award is Dr Matthias Volk for his outstanding dissertation on "Dynamic Fault Trees: Semantics, Analysis and Applications". The award is named after Professor Emeritus Manfred Nagl, long-time Chair of the Department of Computer Science 3 (Software Engineering) at RWTH Aachen University.

By presenting the Manfred Nagl Award, DSA recognises the excellent research results of young scientists in the field of computer science. In addition, the award is intended to motivate them to transform the researched solution into a business start-up. Therefore, the award is divided between the phase of the dissertation and the transfer of the researched solution into business practice.

"With the Manfred Nagl Award, we recognise the outstanding scientific achievements in the field of computer science at RWTH Aachen University. Furthermore, we want to make it easier for the researchers to decide to found a start-up," explains DSA Managing Director Dr. Thomas Huth. "Thus, the potential for founding a company based on the research results is an important criterion for selecting the winners. And we see this as being given in the award-winning work of the award recipient Mr Volk." In his dissertation, Dr. Matthias Volk dealt with dynamic fault trees for reliability analysis of safety-critical systems and extends the scalability, implements a semantic characterisation as well as an improvement of the analysis possibilities. The experimental results have been validated in an industrial environment and in railway station infrastructure, thus proving the potential of the developed analysis technique.

As spokesperson for the selection committee and co-initiator for the Manfred Nagl Award, Prof. Dr. Stefan Kowalewski from the Department of Computer Science 11 (Embedded Software) points out: "The Manfred Nagl Award differs from other dissertation awards in computer science by distinguishing the combination of success in cutting-edge research with the development of innovative technologies. As such, it aligns perfectly with RWTH Aachen University's vision of establishing entrepreneurship as a central part of the RWTH culture."

"The award presented by DSA also reflects the company's long-standing ties with RWTH Aachen University and, in particular, with the Department of Computer Science," specifies Dr. Huth. "This bond begins with our company founders Dr. Eckhard Schulz and Dr. Jürgen Mansfeld, whose scientific research results formed the basis for the founding of DSA. Over the years, we have recruited numerous senior employees who completed their doctorates at RWTH Aachen University and the majority at the department of Professor Dr. Manfred Nagl."

Members of the selection committee, from research and industry

The spokesperson for the award selection committee is Prof. Dr. Stefan Kowalewski, Department of Computer Science 11 (Embedded Software); Prof. Dr. Bernhard Rumpe, Department of Computer Science 3 (Software Engineering); Dr. Thomas Huth, Managing Director DSA Daten- und Systemtechnik GmbH; Prof. Dr. Malte Brettel, Vice-Rector for Business and Industry, Department of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (WIN) as well as Dr. Maximilian Odendahl, Senior Director AMD (Xilinx).

About DSA

For 40+ years DSA has been developing innovative diagnostic solutions for vehicle electronics. As a long-standing automotive expert and market leader, the company supplies modular software and hardware solutions for the entire life cycle of vehicles. DSA’s core competence lies in the development of innovative solutions that enable vehicle manufacturers and service providers to meet the demanding quality standards of the industry, optimize process times and make production processes leaner and more flexible.

DSA is present at most automotive locations worldwide with offices in Germany, USA, China, Italy, Brazil, India, and Mexico. DSA currently employs more than 500 people. The headquarters of the company is in Aachen, Germany.

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