Copyright: © Martin Braun

For the scientific orientation according to the research programme described above, an external industrial advisory board is assigned to the Collaborative Research Centre as a strategic advisory body. The Industrial Advisory Board is appointed by the Executive Board for a funding period (4 years). It mainly consists of distinguished personalities from industrial research and development, but may also include internationally renowned representatives from other research institutions. It will institutionalize the existing numerous long-standing contacts of RWTH Aachen University within the framework of this research project.

The Industry Advisory Board monitors and accompanies the implementation of the central research questions as well as the general development of the SFB with regard to scientific and especially application-oriented research and advises the Executive Board in all questions concerning the conceptual development. It provides assistance in the definition of objectives in the individual subprojects as well as a scientific and technical evaluation of the research results. In addition to reflecting on the contents of the SFB, the Industry Advisory Board supports in particular the early transfer of knowledge to industry. The content of the transfer is strongly determined by the reports submitted to the Industry Advisory Board, whereby the current findings are discussed together with the Executive Board in regular meetings.