Kurt Mehlhorn leaving the podium after his birthday speech. Photo: Bertram Somieski/ MPI for Informatics
Kurt Mehlhorn, founding director of the Max Planck Institute for Informatics in Saarbrücken, celebrated his 75th birthday on August 29. Recognized as one of Germany's well renowned computer scientists, Mehlhorn has received numerous awards for his groundbreaking contributions. To honor his milestone birthday, colleagues and peers organized a special celebration during the 2024 Max Planck Advanced Course on the Foundations of Computer Science (ADFOCS).
The ADFOCS 2024 event, held from August 26 to 30 in Saarbrücken, marked its 24th edition, bringing together established computer science researchers and international young scientists to teach cutting-edge topics in the field. Mehlhorn, a passionate advocate for science and a dedicated mentor to emerging researchers, expressed his appreciation for the event’s rigorous academic atmosphere. "Participants need broad mathematical knowledge, a strong research drive, and exceptional abilities," he noted.
A chinese edition of the book "Algorithms and Data Structures"
This year’s ADFOCS featured a unique highlight: the celebration of Mehlhorn’s 75th birthday. A leading figure in the realm of numerical algorithms, Mehlhorn has left a lasting impact on the global research community. Appointed as a professor at Saarland University at the age of 26, his contributions include hundreds of projects, memberships, and publications, with over 700 articles listed on Google Scholar. His influential books have been translated into multiple languages, including Chinese. Among his numerous accolades are the prestigious Leibniz Prize from the German Research Foundation, the Medal of the German Informatics Society, and six honorary doctorates.
The birthday celebration drew a host of distinguished well-wishers, including Jakob von Weizsäcker, Saarland’s Minister of Finance and Science, the current President of Saarland University, Prof. Dr. Ludger Santen, and som of his predecessors. Colleagues from the Max Planck Institutes, Saarland University, and other research institutions at the Saarland Informatics Campus also joined in. While Mehlhorn had requested donations to a charitable project in lieu of gifts, he received a few memorable tokens of appreciation nonetheless.
One standout gift was a specially designed cycling jersey presented by his Max Planck colleagues. Adorned with logos representing the organizations, memberships, and publications associated with Mehlhorn’s illustrious career, the jersey highlighted both his passion for cycling and his remarkable scientific achievements. Designed by former group members and colleagues from the MPI for Informatics, the gift symbolized the seamless connection between Mehlhorn’s love for sports and his enduring contributions to science.
Editor:
Bertram Somieski
Max Planck Institute for Informatics
Max Planck Institute for Software Systems
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