On October 11th, in order to deepen international exchanges and cooperation, and empower the development of cutting-edge disciplines, the School of Mechanical Engineering held a grand guest professor appointment ceremony and Haasis PhD academic lecture in the third lecture hall of the conference center. Dr. Haasis, former Chief Information Officer (CIO) of Mercedes Benz R&D, has been appointed as a visiting professor at Jiangsu University and will deliver a cutting-edge academic report on the topic of "Digital Engineering - Data, Simulation, and Artificial Intelligence Driven" to the faculty and students present. Li Hongbo, Secretary of the Party Committee of Jiangsu University, attended the event. Li Shutao, a Class 91 alumnus of the School of Mechanical Engineering and Chairman of the Sino German Advanced Manufacturing and Information Technology Association, as well as leaders from the International Cooperation and Exchange Office, Personnel Office, and relevant departments of the school, also participated. The event is hosted by Cui Yong, Director of the International Cooperation and Exchange Office.
At the appointment ceremony, Li Hongbo warmly welcomed Dr. Haasis and presented him with the Jiangsu University emblem and a letter of appointment as a visiting professor.
At the presentation, Dr. Haasis systematically elaborated on the cutting-edge trends in the automotive industry under sustainable development, software defined products, and market regulations. He combined his rich practical experience at Mercedes Benz to deeply analyze the value driven digital transformation framework, demonstrating how to achieve comprehensive optimization of cost, time, and quality through data link connectivity. He pointed out that the digitization of automotive products not only relies on the efforts of a single department, but also requires efficient collaboration among multiple departments such as research and development, manufacturing, supply chain, quality, and service to achieve a full lifecycle value loop from design to after-sales.
He emphasized that digital twin technology plays a crucial role in this process, as it can deeply integrate virtual models with physical entities, achieving real-time mapping and optimization of product performance, manufacturing processes, and user experience. Dr. Haasis stated that the prerequisite for achieving AI driven engineering is to establish a solid ''data foundation''.
During the interactive session, teachers and students actively asked questions, creating a lively atmosphere. Dr. Haasis provided insightful answers on the challenges of digital twin implementation, data governance, and future engineering competency requirements, pointing out the direction for students' future learning and career development. In addition, Dr. Haasis also visited the History Museum and the Laboratory of the School of Mechanical Engineering at Jiangsu University.
This event is not only an important measure for the School of Mechanical Engineering at Jiangsu University to attract talents and educate students, but also a high-level international academic dialogue. Dr. Haasis's profound expertise and international influence in the fields of digital engineering and intelligent manufacturing will greatly promote the international talent cultivation and scientific research level of our university's mechanical engineering discipline in the direction of digitization and intelligence.
