Michael Hesse

PhD in Engineering | Strategic Vision & Hands-on Mentality | Shaping Sustainable & Reliable Innovations

Germany

About

Originally from Bünde, I moved to Paderborn for my mechanical engineering studies and found my professional home at the Heinz Nixdorf Institute (HNI). Why? Because I love it when theory actually works in practice. I'm not the "ivory tower" type; I prefer tangible solutions that make a real difference. When I’m not at my computer or tinkering in the lab, you’ll likely find me at the cinema. I’m a huge fan of intellectually challenging films – directors like Christopher Nolan or Denis Villeneuve are right up my alley. I enjoy seeing complex threads come together perfectly in the end. It’s just as satisfying in a movie as it is in control engineering. To stay balanced, I stay active: whether on the tennis court, windsurfing, or on skis in the winter – as long as I can clear my head. Professional Highlights I operate at the intersection of classical mechanical engineering and modern data analysis. During my time at HNI, I specialized in making systems "smarter" by integrating machine learning methods into control engineering. In short: I help machines understand themselves better and function optimally, even when not everything is known from the start. What defines me: Practice-oriented: I speak the language of engineers but also understand the code behind it. Curious: I’d rather learn a new method than rest on old knowledge. Team player: A project is only fun when the chemistry is right – whether in the office or during after-work tennis.

Experience

  • Research Associate | PhD Candidate at Heinz Nixdorf Institute
    Jan 2018 - Sep 2024 · 6 yrs 9 mos

    Member & co-shaper of the BMBF Junior Research Group DART (funding volume: €1.6M): Focus on data-driven control engineering

  • Research Associate at Fraunhofer IEM
    Jan 2019 - Dec 2021 · 3 yrs

    Development & implementation within the it’s OWL project ML4Pro² (budget approx. €5.3M): Transfer of ML methods into industrial practice

  • Student Project at CLAAS
    2016 - 2017 · 1 yr

    Model-based controller design for a power-split continuously variable transmission (CVT)

  • Student Assistant at Heinz Nixdorf Institute
    Sep 2014 - Mar 2016 · 1 yr 7 mos

  • Industrial Internship at Hettich Group
    Oct 2013 - Feb 2014 · 5 mos