»Keep at It and Don’t Be Intimidated!«

Are you still actively researching, despite all the management commitments?

Yes, for example, I am concerned with the sustainable transport transition. Among other things, I am currently involved in the EU-wide »EASIER« project, which aims to improve the first mile, for example walking to buses and trains. At RPTU Kaiserslautern, we are also researching sustainable mobility in cities, looking at when a subway train is worthwhile, when a bus should be offered »on demand« and where you might really still need a car.

Do you notice an increased interest in AI?

Yes, we are approached by many small and medium-sized companies that don't yet really know what AI means for them and what they can do with it. However, that used to be the case for us as a mathematical institute, people often didn't even know that mathematics could be used in certain areas. However, doing AI just for the sake of AI should not be the solution. Machine learning can help in many areas to save costs, increase efficiency or satisfaction. Sometimes, however, other algorithms simply fit the problem better.

How do you manage multiple workloads, do you have any free time?

I enjoy every task I do, so it's okay to take work with me into the evening. My husband reminds me from time to time that it's time to leave my desk. We spend a lot of time outside in the fresh air, which helps me to clear my head.

Did you have the impression that you found it more difficult to achieve your goals as a woman?

There were aspects where it was perhaps more difficult, but there were also aspects where it was perhaps even easier. I was encouraged at home and at school, with one exception, I always had the feeling that I was treated equally by teachers.

Nevertheless, women are still underrepresented in science.

Yes, unfortunately that is true. We are still not sufficiently successful in getting girls interested in scientific subjects. Equal treatment has not yet been achieved in terms of pay either. We have great women at the Fraunhofer ITWM, and I am thrilled with how active they are and the ideas they contribute at all levels. When I took up my position as head of the institute, I made it my mission to promote women intensively and to motivate other women to join us. However, I also believe that we should not push girls and young women. Everyone should do what they enjoy.

What advice would you give to women – and men – who want to pursue a career in science?

You need stamina and a certain tolerance for frustration. Sometimes you make good progress, but there are also dry spells and phases when things are difficult. You just have to keep at it and not be intimidated. And I would always advise exchanging ideas and maintaining networks.

Delays and expensive tickets: hardly a day goes by without public transport causing annoyance. Anita has been dealing with public transport for many years. She has set out to use her research to solve these challenges on the road to the transport revolution.

Line networks, timetables, vehicle fleets and dealing with delays were research components in the »LinTim« (»Lineplanning and Timetabling«) project, which Anita launched in 2007. Together with her colleagues, she developed algorithms that enable better coordination of the individual points in an integrated environment. Today, for example, the »Lin-Tim« software can be used to check the resilience of a timetable to delays when it is being created. To this end, random delays are generated on the basis of the calculated timetables and the timetable is automatically adjusted.

Costs, Climate, Comfort

A research group of the German Research Foundation (DFG) has also been working on the planning process in public transport since 2015 in order to increase comfort for travelers and reduce costs at the same time. To this end, algorithms are used to incorporate both the demand for journeys and disruptions into route network, journey, vehicle circulation and service planning.

In addition to the price, another project is also concerned with the environment. Combining walking and cycling routes, public transport and sharing systems into seamless transport systems increases the attractiveness of sustainable transport options. The development of suitable tariff systems and pricing strategies is in the hands of Anita. Another project looks at mobility services including travel time, environmental impact, energy requirements and costs as an overall system and models travel behavior. The aim is to soon be able to offer the most sustainable solutions possible for getting around in the city and in the countryside.
 

Mathematics for a Bright Future

Mobility is by no means the only area of application for Anita's research into optimization and optimization methods. The winner of the 2023 Science Prize of the Society for Operations Research (GOR)  [only available in German] wants to use the work of all teams across departments for a good future and show how versatile applied mathematics can be. Whether in the development of new useful materials, vehicle safety, health or energy: Anita is certain that mathematical models and methods can further improve entrepreneurial and social processes in the future.