Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Mathematics ITWM

Welcome to Fraunhofer ITWM!

We are one of the world's largest mathematical research institutes and our goal is to further develop mathematics as a key technology, give innovative impetus and implement it in practice together with industry partners. Methodologically, our research areas are based on modeling, simulation and optimization. Integral parts of our projects are consulting and implementation, support in the application of high-performance computer technology and providing tailor-made software solutions. We not only use simulation software, but also develop it ourselves, often in cooperation with leading software companies.
Nowadays, companies of all sizes use simulations on regular bases which gives them benefit in terms of product innovation and quality assurance. Our customers are mainly in the automotive, mechanical engineering, textile, computer industry and finance sectors.

News

 

Press Release / 09.07.2026

Quantum Computing Application Phase

»INQUBATOR« helps companies get started with quantum computing in an accessible and cost-effective way. Starting now, companies of all sizes can apply with their applications to develop customized solutions in collaboration with a Fraunhofer partner and test the potential of quantum algorithms.

Application deadline: August 31, 2026.

 

Interview / 03.07.2026

Gender Diversity at Fraunhofer ITWM

Diversity is an integral part of our institute’s corporate philosophy.

In this interview, our colleague Dr. Franziska Hekele explains why different perspectives enrich research, how she experienced coming out at Fraunhofer, and what has encouraged her along the way.

 

Research News / 01.07.2026

More Precise Fire Extinguishing From the Air Using Simulation and Sensor Data

To provide more targeted support to emergency responders in aerial firefighting, our researchers are collaborating with CAURUS Technologies GmbH to develop a machine-learning system that analyzes the fire situation in real time and calculates the optimal time for water drops.

 

Short News / 23.06.2026

Schoonschip Wins the Smarter E Award

Our project »Schoonschip« wins the »Smarter E Award 2026« in the »Outstanding Projects« category. In the floating neighborhood in Amsterdam, 46 households jointly generate, store, and share renewable energy. The award recognizes outstanding innovations for the energy transition.

 

Impressions Math Talent School / 15.06.2026

MINT-EC-Girls-Camp

At the Math Talent School 2026, 18 female students explored fascinating topics in probability, data analysis, and optimization. At the same time, they gained valuable insights into studying mathematics, mathematical research, and career opportunities in the field.

In teams, they developed their own approaches to solving real-world problems and experienced how versatile and application-oriented mathematics can be beyond the classroom.

 

Research News / 02.06.2026

Accelerating the Production of Higher-Performance Batteries

The battery factory of the future operates digitally: simulations guide the development of new cells, and sensors monitor production in real time. Researchers at Fraunhofer ITWM are developing methods to virtually model manufacturing processes and measure parameters during production. The team presents its solutions for processes and batteries at Battery Show Europe 2026.

 

Article / 28.05.2026

Mathematicians Reveal the Best Strategy for a Small Stake

Does a clever strategy in the lottery really provide an advantage – or is it ultimately just chance that decides? Our podcasters Dr. Sascha Feth and Dr. Jochen Fiedler explain in the Hamburger Abendblatt what influence playing style, motivation, and mathematics actually have. Only available in German.

 

Press Release / 20.05.2026

WISER and Fraunhofer ITWM Advance Quantum AI for Industrial Applications

WISER and the Fraunhofer ITWM have successfully completed a joint research project as part of WISER’s Quantum and AI program, advancing the understanding of Quantum Machine Learning for real-world industrial use cases.

Upcoming Events

 

Linz, Austria / Conference / 08.07. – 10.07.2026

EUROPT 2026

The European Working Group on Continuous Optimization (EUROPT) brings together researchers from mathematics, computer science, and related disciplines to discuss the latest advances in continuous optimization.

Our colleague Yannick Becker from the »Financial Mathematics« department present and give a talk on »Minimax Regret Optimization with Benchmarks«.

 

Vienna, Austria / Conference / 12.07.2026 – 17.7.2026

IFORS 2026

IFORS 2026 brings together researchers from around the world to promote exchange and further development in operations research.

Our experts, Dr. Pascal Halffmann and Yannick Becker attend the event and provide insights into portfolio optimization and multi-criteria optimization using variational quantum algorithms.

 

Duisburg , Germany / Summer School / 12.07.2026 – 17.07.2026

ITSS-TSaT 2026

The International Traveling Summer School on Terahertz Sciences and Technology is an international summer school on terahertz science and technology that brings together early-career researchers, students, as well as experts from academia and industry.

Our expert Dr. Maris Bauer from the department »Material Characterization and Testing« will give an on-site talk on the topic »Industrial Applications of THz«.

 

Kaiserslautern / Symposium / 15.10.2026

Young Researchers Symposium 2026

The 7th Young Researchers Symposium 2026 puts research by doctoral students from Kaiserslautern and Landau into the spotlight – short, sharp, and engaging instead of long and dry. Awards will be given for the best presentations, posters, and abstracts. For the first time, a Transfer Award will also be presented.

Call for Abstracts: July 20

 

Skukuza, South Africa / Conference / 19.07.2026 – 22.07.2026

ICM2TS

The »International Conference on Mobile and Miniaturized Terahertz Systems« (ICM2TS) is an international scientific conference focused on the development and application of compact, mobile terahertz systems. Our expert Dr. Maris Bauer from the »Material Characterization and Testing« department gives a presentation entitled »Mobile Terahertz FMCW Systems for the Inspection of Glass Fiber-reinforced Composites and Paint Layers«.

 

München, Germany / Congress / 19.07.2026 – 24.07.2026

ECCOMAS 2026

At the European Community on Computational Methods in Applied Sciences Congress, our experts from the »Processes and Materials« and »Mathematics for Vehicles, Systems and Production« divisions will present their latest research findings. The focus is on innovative approaches to material and fluid flow simulation, virtual methods for vehicle development and validation, as well as new models for the simulation of complex technical systems.

 

Waterloo, Ontario, Canada / Conference / 20.07. – 23.07.2026

ICMS 2026

The International Congress on Mathematical Software 2026 (ICMS 2026) is a scientific conference focused on the development and application of mathematical software as well as related algorithmic methods.

Our experts from the »Analytics and Computing« division will give on-site talks on parallel computations, formal modeling, and AI-assisted methods for complex applications.

 

Lausanne, Switzerland / Summer School / 10.08. – 14.08.2026

Summer School on Insurance Innovations

The summer school on insurance innovations focuses on current issues relating to products, sustainability, and regulation in insurance and financial mathematics. Our colleagues Ralf Korn and Mark-Oliver Wolf are responsible for the academic management of the event.

 

Washington, D.C., USA / Conference / 09.08. – 14.08.2026

IGRASS 2026

The »International Symposium on Geosciences and Remote Sensing« (IGRASS) brings together researchers and experts to promote the exchange of knowledge on Earth observation technologies.

Our experts from the department »Image Processing« give a presentation on-site about flood mapping using RGB images and a Vision Foundation model.

 

Trento, Italy / Conference / 29.08.2026 – 02.09.2026

PPSN 2026

As part of the PPSN Conference, the workshop »Quantum versus Classical Optimization: Synergies and Boundaries« takes place, which promotes the exchange of ideas on quantum-based and classical optimization approaches.

Dr. Pascal Halffmann is a co-organizer of the workshop and contributes his expertise to the discussions.

 

Passau / Conference / 01.09.2026 – 04.09.2026

Operations Research (OR) 2026

The OR 2026 is an international conference on current developments in decision optimization that fosters exchange between research and industry.

Our expert Yannick Becker from the department »Financial Mathematics« attends the event and provides insights into the exact reduction of uncertainty sets in min-max regret optimization.

 

Regular Seminars

Seminars of the Division »Mathematics for Vehicle Engineering«

In 2026, further training seminars of the division »Mathematics for Vehicle Engineering« will take place again!

We will keep you up to date here:

Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Mathematics ITWM

Fraunhofer-Platz 1

67663 Kaiserslautern

Deutschland

Phone +49 631 31600-0

Fax +49 631 31600-1099

 

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