Klaus Tschira 1940-2015

31. März 2015

The Max Planck Institute for Astronomy is saddened by the loss of Klaus Tschira. The long-time member of MPIA's Board of Trustees passed away in Heidelberg today. Tschira, one of the co-founders of the software company SAP, had long been active in fostering research and outreach activities in the natural sciences, mathematics, and computer science.

His particular interest in astronomy had resulted in numerous fruitful collaborations between the Klaus Tschira Foundation and MPIA over the past decade. The most visible result of these is doubtlessly the Haus der Astronomie (literally "House of Astronomy"), the center for astronomy education and outreach on the MPIA campus. The center's characteristic galaxy-shaped building was gifted to the Max Planck Society by the Klaus Tschira Foundation.

With Tschira's death, MPIA and, more generally, all those who support science outreach, lose a champion not only of science, but of finding ways to communicate the fascination of science to a young audience.

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