Danièle Waldmann, Professor in Civil Engineering at the University of Luxembourg, has decided to take up a new challenge. As of 15 January 2022, she will lead the Institute of Solid Structures (Institut für Massivbau) at the Technical University Darmstadt in Germany. We would like to thank Danièle for her tremendous work during all these years and we wish her all the best for the future.

Huge contribution to civil engineering

Danièle Waldmann joined the University of Luxembourg in 2003 when the university had just been established: “With an entrepreneurial mind-set to build up and create something new, I joined the University as associate professor, at a time where no research was conducted. Since, I dedicated my time and energy to build up both original teaching and innovative research in civil engineering”, explains Prof. Waldmann.

In 2005, she created the Solid Structures research group to investigate concrete structures via structural analysis, advanced computing, inventive formulations, material substitutions. Over the years, she has focused her research activities on making concrete more sustainable: “With my research I tried to cover the whole life cycle with subjects related to Sustainable and green materials with the development of novel materials based on renewable resources and with subjects related to Circular building design for functional structural elements based on design for deconstruction or structural optimization. I am doing research on the monitoring of structures and components to prolong their service life or to prepare their deconstruction and reuse. My research is also related to recycling and demolition aspects by analyzing the materials recovery and I am also interested to transform secondary raw material into useful products with attractive properties paving the way for circular economy." 

In 2016, Danièle became head of the Institute of Civil and Environmental Engineering (INCEEN) within the Department of Engineering at the University. She developed a new strategy leading to national and international visibility and recognition as well as new funding acquisitions with industrial partners and research institutes.

Key role at Greater Region and beyond

“Benefiting from my excellent industrial background, I rapidly consolidated the group’s national and cross-border contacts with world-leading industry, regional stakeholders and national administration to efficiently initiate competitive research guaranteeing a straightforward knowledge and technology transfer towards the industry”, says Prof. Waldmann.

Since 2013, she has been coordinating the Construction Materials research group of the University of the Greater Region. She reinforced the realisation of common proposals leading to the project Secondary Raw Materials for Concrete Precast Products (SeRaMCo). “We discussed and worked on different topics but construction and demolition waste (CDW) was a recurrent theme among the partners. Thus, we decided to better analyse and improve sorting of CDW, to develop and test new concrete mixes and to place these new recycled products on the market: SeRaMCo was born!”, comments Danièle.

In addition, Prof. Waldmann has participated in numerous outreach activities by leading press conferences on various research subjects, being represented in all relevant national technical committee and round tables, organising regular “think-tanks” and round tables with members from Luxembourg’s industry and administration, by participating in economic missions with the Ministry of Economy abroad, disseminating research activities to a broader public through popular publications, public lectures, interview for daily journals or local television, and organising visits of the structural laboratory for children or private associations. 

Outstanding academic and teaching career

During her academic career, she has acquired projects totaling €10,1 million, including 2 European funded projects and 2 FNR/AFR fellowships. She has successfully supervised and co-supervised 20 PhDs. With her group, she has published 111 international peer-reviewed papers and has registered 4 patents. Her research efforts were honoured by 5 outstanding awards.

In parallel, she has played a leading role in teaching civil engineering as study director of the three civil engineering tracks of the Bachelor in Engineering during 11 years, then of the whole Bachelor during 5 years and finally since 2016 of the Master of Science in Civil Engineering. In 2015, she was awarded senior fellow of the Higher Education Academy (HEA) recognising her strong commitment to the development of civil engineering courses.