Obituary Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Otmar Loffeld

The entire MenelaosNT consortium is deeply saddened with the passing away of Prof. Otmar Loffeld last Thursday, 7th of April of 2022. Prof. Loffeld was the initiator of MenelaosNT and brought this project to life through his unconditional dedication from the conception of the idea to its implementation. His restless efforts to ensure a smooth implementation of the project are the direct responsible for the successful deployment we have observed so far. His ambitious project provides today a solid interdisciplinary platform for doctoral training and research to fifteen early-stage researchers in six different institutions in Germany, Romania, and Spain. He has not only served as an exemplary leader of the ITN, but also as an engaged scientific supervisor of its researchers. His support to MenelaosNT has not only been restricted to the academic and managing level, but he has also taken care of the wellbeing and the individual situation of each of the researchers.

Prof. Loffeld passionately dedicated his life to Academia. His priority has always been the development of the next generations of researchers, both from an academic and a human perspective. He was deeply convinced about the need of ensuring that good academic practice lives on with an institution, with its youngest members and the ones to come, and shall not be bounded to a single person. The success of MenelaosNT , the success of ZESS, as any success that is worth attaining, are based on this philosophy of teamwork and service for the common good. The many lessons learnt from Prof. Loffeld at both academic and personal level will not fall into oblivion, but they will accompany us in our next steps. We humbly but determinedly commit ourselves to further develop MenelaosNT according to his high values. Our hearts feel the heavy weight of a huge loss and our thoughts are with his family and his dearest ones. Thank you for defining the course, we shall sail on.