I'm looking forward to building something new

It is a "homecoming" for him in more ways than one, as he worked at the subsidiary Forschung Burgenland and completed a Master's degree in Building Technology and Management at the university.

Born in Eisenstadt, he was already interested in technology in his childhood and youth. He graduated from the HTL in Eisenstadt, specialising in mechatronics. Back then, he was particularly fascinated by programming microcontrollers, i.e. very small computers that are usually hidden away in electronic devices. After the HTL, he went on to study electrical engineering at the Vienna University of Technology, specialising in computer technology. He worked as a software developer for embedded systems, for example the control software for harbour gantry cranes.

He then slipped into research by chance, he explains. "At Forschung Burgenland, my projects at the time had a lot to do with building and energy technology. So I decided to complete a Master's degree in Building Technology and Management at the Pinkafeld campus while working."

The desire to study for a PhD led Gernot Steindl back to TU Wien. As part of a doctoral programme on Smart Industrial Concepts, he researched digital twins with a focus on industrial energy systems. He was awarded the Burgenland University Prize for his dissertation. After completing his doctorate, he gained further experience at the TU at the Institute of Computer Engineering in the Automation Systems research area, where he was responsible for various courses at the Faculty of Computer Science as well as the acquisition and realisation of national and international research projects.

"I have remained in contact with Burgenland University of Applied Sciences over the years, both as an external lecturer and as part of research and development projects."