Robert de Payrebrune - Coordinator for Youth Development

Since March 1, Robert de Payrebrune has been joining the team at the Office for Research and Early Career Development as a parental leave replacement for Dr. Karolin Gieseler.

After earning his degree in mechanical engineering in Hanover, de Payrebrune first became involved in the management of continuing education programs at Volkswagen Coaching GmbH, where he worked as a freelancer in the Management Development department, assisting with the organization and delivery of training sessions and workshops.

Together with his wife, he then moved to Saxony in 2008, where she began a doctoral position at the TU Bergakademie Freiberg. At the Institute for Machine Elements, Design, and Manufacturing, he took on responsibilities as a research assistant in research and teaching, as well as in the administration of IT equipment and the organization of workshops and public relations events.

In 2017, he moved to Kaiserslautern, once again following his wife, who had been appointed at the Technical University of Kaiserslautern (TUK), initially as an assistant professor and now as a tenure-track professor. There, he found a position at the University of Applied Sciences Kaiserslautern, where, as part of the “E hoch B” project—“Development through Education”—he worked on the needs-based introduction of part-time degree programs.

Since 2011, Mr. de Payrebrune has been active with the Engineers Without Borders association. He began with the Freiberg regional group, which he helped establish and later led. Upon moving to Kaiserslautern, he transitioned to the organization’s national structure and has been a member of the board since October 2018, where he is responsible for organizing volunteer work and, since 2021, for expanding the organization’s research activities.

The de Payrebrunes have found a house in the university residential area and enjoy their own garden with their dog, Emmi. Both are active members of the Friedenskirche congregation and, since the first COVID-19 lockdown, have been part of the technical team responsible for livestreaming church services.