Michael Decker New General Director of the Deutsche Museum

The former head of the Department of Computer Science, Economics, and Society took up his new position on June 1
Professor Michael Decker, zuletzt als Bereichsleiter am KIT tätig, übernimmt die Gesamtverantwortung für das Deutsche Museum in München. privat
Professor Michael Decker, formerly Head of Division at KIT, is taking over responsibility for the Deutsche Museum in Munich.

Professor Michael Decker, previously head of Department II – Informatics, Economics, and Society at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), is the new General Director of the Deutsche Museum in Munich. The expert in technology assessment will now be responsible for Germany's most visited museum and its approximately 550 employees. The official inauguration ceremony took place in Munich at Monday, June 2, 2025. The position is linked to a W3 professorship in Science Communication and Technology Assessment at the Technical University of Munich.

“When I decided to move to the Deutsche Museum, the institution itself and its reputation obviously played a decisive role,” said Decker. “Not just showcasing technologies, but also discussing their potential positive and negative consequences for society – that was exactly what I was doing at KIT. I am very grateful for the many years of valuable exchange in an inspiring environment and for the excellent cooperation.”

“With Michael Decker's departure, KIT is losing a very popular and highly valued manager and scientist. I would like to sincerely thank him for his extraordinary commitment in the past years. He now has an exciting new challenge ahead of him, and I wish him all the best,” said KIT President Professor Jan S. Hesthaven.

Since 2015, Decker has headed Division II, where he was responsible for the Helmholtz research programs “Engineering Digital Futures” and “Energy Systems Design” with 110 professors and a total of around 1,200 employees. Prior to that, he headed the Institute for Technology Assessment and Systems Analysis at KIT. His research focuses on the technology assessment of artificial intelligence, robotics, and nanotechnology.

mle, June 3, 2025