Prof. Dr. Joachim Hermsdörfer, head of the Chair of Human Movement Science, has been elected as the new Head of the Department Health and Sport Sciences of the TUM School of Medicine and Health, in the university election and appointed by the TUM Board of Management as of October 1, 2023.
The movement scientist looks back on a long and impressive career. Between 1978 and 1985, he studied at TUM in the field of engineering sciences, where Hermsdörfer received his diploma from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering in September 1985. This was followed by a more extended period at the Max Planck Institute for Psychiatry, in the Clinical Neuropsychology Development Group, based at the Klinikum München, as well as at the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität (LMU). He received his PhD (Dr. rer. biol. hum.) from the Institute of Medical Psychology in 1993 with the distinction "magna cum laude". In May 2004, he obtained his Habilitation (PD Dr. biol. hum.) at the Medical Faculty of the LMU.
In November 2010, Prof. Hermsdörfer returned to TUM as head of the Chair of Human Movement Science at the Department of Sport and Health Sciences. In 2015, he became a second member of the Faculty of Medicine at the Technical University of Munich. Since October 1, 2023, he is now Head of the Department Health and Sport Sciences of the new TUM School of Medicine and Health.
In the interview with the Institute of Media and Communications, Prof. Hermsdörfer talks about his strategic goals as Head of the Department and opportunities in the context of the merger with the Faculty of Medicine to form the new TUM School of Medicine and Health.
Prof. Hermsdörfer, you have been officially appointed as the new Department Head Health and Sport Sciences, already being elected in the university election this summer. Congratulations! What does the election mean to you?
Prof. Hermsdörfer: "First of all, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all my colleagues for their trust and support in this election. The appointment as Head of the Department Health and Sport Sciences means a lot to me. I thought long and hard about whether or not I wanted to take on this responsible position. I have been working at our Department for many years now, so I know the context, the people working here, and the complex issues. It is important to me to be able to help guide and shape the big step of school formation (TUM School of Medicine and Health)."
What are the central challenges for you as Department Head and the Department Health and Sport Sciences?
Prof. Hermsdörfer: "It is clear that the merger of our Department of Sport and Health Sciences with the two medical Departments is both a big and an unusual step. Even though this has already happened at a few other universities, it is a different and unique situation for us. We have to manage the merger in a way beneficial to both sides - pooling resources and drawing strengths from the collaboration of the Departments. It's about both sides getting a good feeling for each other."
What opportunities does the new structure of the Department offer in terms of merging with medicine?
Prof. Hermsdörfer: "The merger opens up a wide range of opportunities for collaboration. Let's take prevention and, in this context, primary prevention, i.e., the phase before a disease occurs, as an example: It is now understood that these aspects are an essential part of health science and medicine as a classical subject. It is now up to us to ensure that the two disciplines develop synergies, grow, and work together. If we can achieve this across the board, it will lead us to a successful future with exciting research projects."
How do you see the interaction between sport and health sciences in the new TUM School of Medicine and Health? And what role should the Department play in the School?
Prof. Hermsdörfer: "The Department Health and Sport Sciences is very important in the newly founded School. We are responsible for making a significant contribution there. We aspire and expect to develop our potential, generate collaborations, create joint projects, and support each other for the common good of the TUM School of Medicine and Health. And it is essential to me that the topic of sport continues to be maintained, there is also a great deal of agreement with the School. Sport is enormously necessary for society and our physical activity. It will be an essential aspect of my work to make sport sciences visible and the people in our Department who represent it there. We want to promote sports sciences to continue to benefit from the different subfields in the future.
What role does the new TUM Campus at the Olympic Park play in this?
Prof. Hermsdörfer: "The campus is a great asset for our Department. I consider it a privilege to have such a great workplace in the heart of Munich, where one enjoys working and can meet colleagues and students daily. The architecture of the building has created a great substance to ensure that. The second point is that with the existing Prevention Center and the Living Lab, colleagues from the most diverse subareas are already conducting research together, so the synergies and possible projects mentioned are already being created there."
What are your strategic goals as Department Head Health and Sport Sciences?
Prof. Hermsdörfer: "Well, I don't think it would make sense to develop a separate strategy for our Department Health and Sport Sciences that is not in line with the ideas of the School. Strategic planning can only come from collaboration led by the School Council. Nevertheless, it is, of course, essential that the philosophy and identity of our Department are maintained, that we are visible, and that processes are also communicated transparently. For example, we will be represented by significantly fewer professors in the School Council than we have been in our former Department Council due to the structures. This means that it is a crucial aspect to communicate with all colleagues by creating a platform to explain what is happening at all levels of the School Council. Of course, we also want to celebrate successes, such as completed research projects, and promote cohesion within the Department."
Your term is limited to three years. What are your visions for the upcoming period?
Prof. Hermsdörfer: "Currently, we are in an exciting period with the start of the School. Three years will probably not be enough to get into stable waters. But now the starting signal has been given. Currently, there are ideas for development. Now it's a matter of creating an excellent essential atmosphere and giving people a feeling that the cooperation is beneficial. We want to tackle this with great commitment."
Thank you for the interview and have a good start as the new Head of the Department Health and Sport Sciences!
To the homepage of the Chair of Human Movement Science
Contact:
Prof. Dr. Joachim Hermsdörfer
Department Head Health and Sport Sciences
Chair of Human Movement Science
Georg-Brauchle Ring 60/62
80992 München
phone: 089 289 24550
e-Mail: joachim.hermsdoerfer(at)tum.de
Text: Bastian Daneyko
Photo: private