Rudolf Dimper, Head, Technical Infrastructure Division

German, Chemical Engineer

Rudolf Dimper earned his degree in chemical engineering in 1981 in Hamburg. His diploma work was done in the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) on the design of a real-time data acquisition system for X-ray muscle diffraction experiments. After his studies, he held a position at the Institute Laue-Langevin (ILL), Grenoble, to design assembler programs for real-time data display of neutron detector data, followed by a position at the Institute for Millimetre Radio Astronomy (IRAM). Here his work focused on software design for a radio wave correlator and he accompanied the construction of the Plateau de Bure Radio Interferometer (2550m altitude) as the Station Manager.

In 1987, Rudolf joined the ESRF where he held a succession of various positions in the Computing Services Division. In 2004 he was appointed Head of this Division and member of the ESRF management team. In 2010, following an internal reorganisation of the facility, he was nominated Head of the Technical Infrastructure Division, bringing together services encompassing the computing infrastructure, management information systems, building construction and maintenance, electrotechnics, the vacuum systems as well as geodesy and alignment.