2012 Keynote Speaker

Redefinition of the SI

Dr. Michael Kühne

Director Bureau International des Poids et Mesures

22 March 2012 8:30 AM

Dr. Michael Kühne joined the Physikalisch- Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB), the German National Metrology Institute, after receiving a doctoral degree in physics in 1977. He participated in the development of the PTB laboratory for vacuum-ultraviolet radiometry at the Berlin electron storage ring (BESSY) and was appointed head of the laboratory in 1986. In 1991, he was promoted to head of the Department of Temperature and Heat at the PTB.

In 1992, he was awarded the “Habilitation” (postdoctoral lecturing qualification) and was appointed as a lecturer in the Department of Physics at the University of Hanover. In 1996, he became an adjunct professor.

In 2001, Dr. Kühne transferred to the PTB Headquarters in Braunschweig, and in 2003, he joined
the Presidential Board after becoming the second Vice-President.

From June 2006 to March 2009, he was chairperson first of EUROMET, and then of EURAMET, the European Association of National Metrology Institutes. EURAMET is a Regional Metrology Organisation (RMO) of Europe. It coordinates the cooperation of National Metrology Institutes (NMI) of Europe in fields like research in metrology, traceability of measurements to the SI units, international recognition of national measurement standards and related Calibration and Measurement Capabilities (CMC) of its members.

The CIPM elected Dr. Kühne as Director Designate of the BIPM in November 2007. He joined the BIPM as Deputy Director in April 2009. In January 2011, he became the Director of the BIPM.