With approximately 160 scientific publications and more than 4,000 citations of her work, Prof. Dr. Ursula Gather is a world-renowned representative of mathematical statistics. Furthermore, with roles in science management, on supervisory boards, and as Chair of the Board of Trustees, she has been one of the leading figures in the German science sector for decades.
Rector, Prof. Dr. Katharina Riedel, and the Dean of the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Prof. Dr. Matthias Eschrig, bestowed the honorary title upon Prof. Gather at a ceremony attended by numerous guests from the worlds of academia, politics, and society. In his welcoming address, the Dean emphasised: “The 75th anniversary of our Faculty provides a particularly fitting framework for the award of this honorary doctorate. With Professor Gather, we are honouring an internationally renowned scholar who has played a pivotal role in shaping the development of modern statistics over several decades. Her work on statistical modelling, quality assurance, robust statistical methods, and online monitoring procedures has had an impact that goes far beyond the boundaries of her own subject discipline.”
The honorary doctorate also honours Prof. Dr. Ursula Gather’s immense contributions to fostering Greifswald as an academic location. During the award ceremony, Rector Prof. Dr. Katharina Riedel commented: “As Chair of the Board of Trustees, Ursula Gather guides the development of the Alfried Krupp Wissenschaftskolleg – and thus also the development of Greifswald as a research location – with great foresight, clarity, and reliability.” This is very valuable to our university. The Krupp Kolleg – as an Institute of Advanced Studies – strengthens our key fields of research, creates space for new ideas, and brings scholars from all over the world to Greifswald. It has an impact on the university, the town, and the region, and fosters international networks."
The laudatory address was delivered by Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dr. h.c. Dr.-Ing. E. h. Matthias Kleiner. The former President of the German Research Foundation (DFG) and the Leibniz Association was a professor at the Technical University of Dortmund for many years, where he collaborated closely with Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Ursula Gather, who was then a research colleague in the field of statistics and later became the university’s Rector. He praised her as an outstanding figure in the world of academia and congratulated “the University of Greifswald and, in particular, the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences – which, on the occasion of its 75th anniversary, has proven that it is able to attract big names."
Prof. Dr. Ursula Gather was delighted to receive the award: “Being awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Greifswald means a great deal to me. This town on the Baltic Sea, with its excellent university and the many renowned research institutes, has a very special appeal for me. I always particularly enjoy the collaboration with the Wissenschaftskolleg.”
About Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Ursula Gather
Ursula Gather studied mathematics and business administration at RWTH Aachen, where she also completed her doctorate and habilitation. This was followed by activities in the field of academia both in Germany and abroad, including visiting professorships at Yale and in Melbourne, and serving as Chair of the DFG Review Board for Mathematics. From 2008 to 2020, Ursula Gather served as Rector of the Technical University of Dortmund, where she had held a chair in the Faculty of Statistics since 1986.
Ursula Gather has been a member of the Krupp Foundation's Board of Trustees since 2011 and has served as its Chair since 2013. She sat on the supervisory board of Munich RE until 2024, and is currently a member of the supervisory board of thyssenkrupp AG.
Ursula Gather served as a member of the Senate of the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina until 2024 and currently holds positions including Vice President of the German National Academy of Science and Engineering (acatech), a member of the Board of Trustees of the Foundation for the International Charlemagne Prize of Aachen, and a member of the Supervisory Board of the Forschungszentrum Jülich.
Her accomplishments include numerous scientific awards and honours; for example, the honorary doctorate she received from the Łódź University of Technology, Poland, in 2015. In 2018, she was awarded the Federal Cross of the Order of Merit for her contributions to bridging the gap between academia and the industry. She was awarded the honorary title of “Citizen of the Ruhr Area” in 2014.
Further information
Website of the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences
Recipients of honorary doctorates at the University of Greifswald
Contact at the University of Greifswald
Prof. Dr. Matthias Eschrig
Dean of the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences
15a Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Straße, 17489 Greifswald
Tel.: +49 3834 420 4000
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