Armin B. Cremers, a German academic born in 1946, has built a career bridging the disciplines of discrete mathematics, computer science, and artificial intelligence. His work focuses on formal languages, automata theory, and the structural application of computational models within robotics, geoinformatics, and deductive database systems across several decades of institutional leadership.
Early Academic Formation
Born in Eisenach, Cremers pursued his higher education at the University of Karlsruhe and the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology. He completed his graduate diploma in 1971, followed by a doctorate in mathematics in 1972, both achieved summa cum laude. By 1974, he earned his academic lectureship qualification in computer science. His international experience began in 1973 when he joined the University of Southern California in Los Angeles as an assistant professor, a position he maintained until 1976. During this period, he collaborated with Seymour Ginsburg to establish Grammar Forms as a new formalism for grammatical families.
Twenty questions, eight minutes on the clock, and a percentile measured against everyone who has taken it. No sign-up.
Take the IQ test →Professional Tenure in Dortmund
Returning to Germany in 1976, Cremers assumed a full professorship of computer science at the Technical University of Dortmund. He held the chair for information systems there until 1990. During this tenure, he continued a visiting research professorship at the University of Southern California, collaborating with Thomas N. Hibbard to develop Data Spaces, a computational model for theoretical and practical application. At Dortmund, he served as department chairman and, from 1985, as vice president for Research and Junior Scientific Staff, facilitating the development of the Technology Center Dortmund and founding the Center for Expert Systems Dortmund and the NRW State Research Collaborative in Artificial Intelligence.
Research and Leadership at Bonn
In 1990, Cremers transitioned to the University of Bonn as a professor and director of computer science, heading the research group in artificial intelligence. His work expanded to include software engineering for civil engineering and information systems for geosciences. He supervised students such as Wolfram Burgard, Dieter Fox, and Sebastian Thrun. His research team received the 2016 AAAI Classic Paper award for their work on interactive museum tour-guide robots. In 2001, he co-founded the Bonn-Aachen International Center for Information Technology, serving as its founding scientific director. He served as Dean of the School of Mathematics and Natural Sciences from 2004 to 2008 and University Vice President for Planning and Finance from 2009 to 2014, retiring from teaching in 2014.
Fast facts
- Born: 1946, Eisenach
- Nationality: Germany
- Educated at: University of Karlsruhe, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
- Academic Doctorate: 1972
- Field: Computer science and mathematics
- Key Institutional Role: Founding Scientific Director, B-IT
- Professional Retirement: 2014
Questions readers ask
What is Armin B. Cremers most known for scientifically?
He is recognized for contributions to discrete mathematics, specifically formal languages and automata theory, as well as advancements in artificial intelligence, robotics, and data modeling.
Did Cremers hold significant administrative roles at his universities?
Yes. He served as department chair, vice president for research, and vice president for planning and finance across his tenures at the Technical University of Dortmund and the University of Bonn.
Achievements
- Held posts at University of Bonn and Technical University of Dortmund
