Clemens Lautemann: 1951-2005 An Obituary

Abstract

The treasurer and board member of the European Association for Computer Science Logic (EACSL), Prof. Dr. Clemens Lautemann passed away on 29 April 2005 at the age of only 53 years after a short, serious illness. He is survived by his wife Rose and his two children Anne (21) and Christopher (16).

Clemens Lautemann joined the board of the EACSL as treasurer in 1997. We, the EACSL community, and all who knew him, will miss him and remember him warmly.

After studying Mathematics, Political Sciences, Philosophy and Computer Sciences at the Universities of Marburg, Bielefeld and Berlin, Clemens Lautemann earned a doctorate in Natural Sciences in June 1983. He dedicated himself to scientific research in Berlin, Osnabrück, Bremen, Edinburgh and Mainz. Theoretical Computer Science was his field of interest, especially Logic and Computational Complexity, and he obtained important results in the fields of Graph Theory, Structural Complexity and Finite Model Theory. His scientific work gained worldwide recognition.

Clemens Lautemann joined the Institute for Computer Science at the Johannes Gutenberg University as Professor for Theoretical Computer Science in 1989. He was an inspiring teacher who motivated his students in his special field of expertise and he was actively engaged in encouraging young people. He supported the Bundeswettbewerb Informatik by accompanying pupils interested in the Natural Sciences. Several of his students and PhD candidates were awarded scientific prizes.

Clemens Lautemann was deeply concerned with the further development of the Institute for Computer Science. He cared very much for the Institute’s future and played a major part in establishing the new Bachelor of Computer Science program. He was also interested in interdisciplinary cooperation and was one of the founders of the research group Bioinformatik at his university.

Clemens Lautemann distinguished himself in many ways, as a warm and forthcoming person, as an original scientist, and as a committed teacher and supervisor with a vision beyond the shortlived fashions of the day. We all liked him very much and will miss his friendly, open-hearted personality. We are very sad that he will not be with us any longer. Clemens Lautemann’s family, friends, students, and colleagues will keep pleasant memories of him with them for a long time.