Itemized Resume, long version
Franz W. Leberl
Spring of 2009
Academics
- Technical University, Vienna, Austria, Faculty of Science, Diploma-Engineer of Geodesy and Photogrammetry (1967).
- Technical University, Vienna, Austria, Doctorate in Applied Sciences (1972).
- Habilitation (Venia Legendi) for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, Technical University Graz, Austria (1977).
Employment by Chronology
Current:
Professor of Computer Science, Graz University of Technology, since 1992
Previous:
a. Graz University of Technology, Dean of the School of Computer Science, Jan. - Dec. 2008
b. Microsoft Corporation (Redmond, Washington, USA), part-time Director in the Virtual Earth Business Unit, May 2006 - October 2007, as part of a 4-year-leave from Graz University of Technology.
c. Vexcel Imaging GmbH, Graz (Austria), CEO 2003-2006 as part of a 4-year leave from Graz University of Technology.
d. Vexcel Corporation, Boulder, Colorado. Full time Chairman, Business Development, March 1998 - September 1999, made possible by a leave from Graz University of Technology.
e. Austrian Research Centers Seibersdorf (today Austrian Institute of Technology AIT), Austria. CEO, September 1996 - March 1998, made possible by a leave from Graz University of Technology.
f. Vexcel Imaging GmbH, Graz, Founder and Shareholder, since 1993 until an exit via a sale to Microsoft in 2006.
g. Graz University of Technology, Institute for Computer Graphics & Vision, head of the Institute since October 1, 1992, except for a period of leave, 1996-1999, and continuing since 1999 to the present.
h. Vexcel Imaging Corp., Founder and Chairman, January 1992 - January 1997. Exit 1997.
i. Vexcel Corporation, Founder, President, and Chief Executive Officer, May 1985 - September 1992 since 1992 as an member of the Board of Directors and a Shareholder, until an exit via a sale to Microsoft in 2006.
j. Markhurd Corporation, as President/CEO (Feb. 1984 - Apr. 1985).
k. Free-lance consultant to various institutions and companies while employed at Graz University of Technology, 1976-1984.
l. Graz Research Center (Joanneum Research), founder and director of the Institute for Image Processing and Computer Graphics (1980 - 1984).
m. Graz University of Technology, Institute for Applied Geodesy and Photogrammetry, from 1976 - 1984. A.o. Professor of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing.
n. International Institute for Aerial Surveys and Earth Science (ITC), The Netherlands, 2 months (1976).
o. Research Associate of the US National Academy of Sciences at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California (1974 - 1976).
p. Department of Photogrammetry at the International Institute for Aerial Surveys and Earth Sciences in Delft/Enschede, The Netherlands (1969 - 1974).
q. Surveying Department of the Austrian Federal Army (3 months, 1968), as part of the 9-month military draft.
r. Photogrammetric operator at a WILD B-8 stereo plotter at the Institute of Photogrammetry, Technical University Vienna (4 months, 1967 - 1968).
Teaching Experiences
a. Assuming the Chairmanship of the relevant committee on "Telematics" at Graz University of Technology and conversion of a monolithic 5-year study program for "Telematics" into a 3-year Bachelor program with subsequent 2-year Master specialisation (1999 - 2005).
c. Buildup of an academic activity in the area of computer vision and computer graphics within the then-established programs for "Applied Mathematics" and of "Telematics" at Graz University of Technology and later including "Software Development and Management" and "Computer Science".
d. Life-long effort in developing various teaching aids for classes thought since the start of the professional career in 1969.
e. For 40 years always lecturing at many conferences and institutes, in the period 2006 - 2008 as "evangelist" of the Microsoft Virtual Earth initiative.
f. Organizing and lecturing at various international courses, beginning in 1972 with an intensive six-week course in the Spanish language on radar mapping, held in Bogota, Colombia. Cooperation in various international seminars on photogrammetry and remote sensing in Enschede, Bogota, Kuala Lumpur, Nairobi, Bandung.
g. At Graz University of Technology normal professorial teaching duties, first in photogrammetry (1976-1984) later in computer vision and graphics (since 1992), to include supervision of students for post-graduate degrees (Ph.D.).
h. At the ITC-Holland courses in English and French leading to the degrees of B.Sc. and M.Sc. concerning numerous subjects in the areas of photogrammetry, adjustment computation, project planning and remote sensing.
Research Interests
a. Research interests and results available from the separate list of publications and patents with ~300 entries.
b. Setup of an object reconstruction activity for the automated modeling of 3-dimensional objects, ranging from 3D-microscopy to the human habitat in cities. Growing the group into a spin-out at a separate research company VRVis GmbH, and supporting a Microsoft-facility in Graz, and supporting commercial spin-outs by team members.
c. Liver surgery planning concept and development of prototype at the intersection of computer vision, computer graphics, photogrammetry and of course medicine.
d. Introduction of the concept of high redundancy of photogrammetry to achieve full automation of major photogrammetric processes.
e. Invention of a high accuracy large format digital aerial camera UltraCam.
f. Invention of a low cost high precision photogrammetric film scanner UltraScan 5000.
g. Research management and research policy, including national research policy of Austria as part of the duties as CEO of the Austrian Research Center Seibersdorf.
h. Creation of a research group in Computer Vision and Graphics at Graz University of Technology, and bridging the gaps between vision and graphics, and also photogrammetry (since 1992).
i. Numerous R&D projects in the course of usual business at Vexcel Corporation.
j. Development of an operational system for automated map
generalization.
k. Preparation, development, organization and execution of research projects at Joanneum Research ( then the Graz Research Centre) on digital image processing, digital photogrammetry (analytical stereo plotter), pattern recognition, medical image analysis, etc.
l. Appointed as a Co/Investigator on the Venus Orbital Imaging Radar (VOIR) (later "Magellan" Venus Radar Mapper), SAR-Science Team of NASA for the radar mapping of the planet Venus (1979-1994).
m. At Graz University of Technology preparation, development and execution of projects on digital image processing, radargrammetry and digital cartography. Cooperation with JPL, US Geological Survey (Sea-ice-Mapping) and various other institutes (first previewed 1976-1984).
n. At NASA-JPL performance of projects on satellite radargrammetry, but also other non-radar activities (digital image processing, Viking-Mars-Stereo, etc.)
o. Active cooperation in international working groups on mapping with remote sensing images, on image processing and on pattern recognition, 1976 - 1984 Chairman of Working Groups in the International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, and 2000 - 2004 President of the Technical Commission on "Theory and Algorithms" of the same society.
p. At the ITC-Holland participation in the development of a structured research program for the entire 300-people Institute.
q. Development of operational computer programs for classical photogrammetric tasks and for remote sensing problems (reseau photography, relative and absolute orientation, block adjustment, radar mapping, rectification, stereo analyses of radar, etc.
Consulting Activities
a. Advisor of the K-Plus technology transfer program of the Austrian government, via participation in the supervision of the K-Plus-Center of Competence "Virtual Reality and Visualization VRVis", 2000 - 2006.
b. With the start (in 1985) of a business career there was involvement in new companies as their founder and manager; prior to 1985 involvment new research institute organized in Graz.
c. Advising the EMCO InnovationCenter (Austria) in its Venture financing activities (1992-1995).
d. At the International Institute for Aerial Surveys and Earth Sciences (ITC) in the Netherlands (post-employment) consultant for remote sensing continuously from 1974 - 1989.
e. At the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (post-employment) continuously from 1976 to 1995 consultant for radargrammetry and photogrammetry.
f. Work for private companies in the areas of photogrammetry, radargrammetry, computer assisted mapping in Europe and in the USA (Messerschmid-Bölkow-Blohm, Kongsberg, AeroService, Markhurd etc.).
g. At the Instituto Geografico Agustin Codazzi in Bogota, Columbia, cooperation in the planning (1972) and execution of the mapping activities in the Amazon basin (1974) in the modernization of the photogrammetric production (1974) and in remote sensing (1983). Working visits to Brazil (Project RADAM), Ecuador, the United Arab Emirates, Malaysia, Indonesia, Kenya and many European countries.
Business Activities and Transfer of Technology from Academia into Industry
a. Dirctor, Microsoft Virtual Earth, Microsoft Corporation (USA), 2006 - 2007.
b. CEO of Vexcel Imaging GmbH (2003 - 2006).
c. CEO of the Austrian Research Center Seibersdorf with its 1000 cooperators, including Arsenal Research (1996 - 98).
d. Founder and shareholder of Vexcel Imaging GmbH, Graz, Austria (1993-2006).
e. Founder of Vexcel Imaging Corporation, Boulder, Colorado, 1992 (exit 1997).
f. Founder and CEO (1985-1992) of Vexcel Corporation, Boulder, Colorado, then shareholder and consultant (1992-2006).
g. CEO of Markhurd Corporation in Minneapolis (1984/85).
Honors
- Grand Decoration of Honor in Silver for Services to the Republic of Austria.
-
President, International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, Commission III on Theory and Algorithms, 2000 - 2004.
-
Fellow of the IEEE (since 1996)
- NASA Achievement Award for Magellan Science, 1992.
-
"Certified Photogrammetrist" (Certificate # 867) by the American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, 1991.
- Photogrammetric Award (Fairchild) by the American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, March 1991.
-
Honorary Member, Austrian Association for Pattern Recognition ÖAGM, 1988.
-
Best Paper Award (1987) by the IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Society.
-
Best Paper Award (1982), American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing.
-
Appointment as Member of the SAR-Science Team of the U.S. National Aeronautic and Space Agency Magellan radar mission to map planet Venus (1979 - 1994).
- Honorary Member of the Brazilian Society for Cartography, 1977.
- Award of the "Otto-von-Gruber Gold Medal" by the International Society for Photogrammetry at the 13th Congress in Helsinki, Finland, in 1976.
Miscellaneous
Military Service:
1968, Austrian Federal Army, Discharge as First Lieutenant
Language Skills:
German, French, English, Dutch, Spanish
Family Status:
Married since 1969, 3 children born 1971 (Kerstin), 1982 (Maike), 1988 (Franz).
Mail Contact:
Graz
University
of Technology
Institute for Computer Graphics and Vision
Inffeldgasse 16, A-8010 Graz, Austria
Electronic Contact:
Email: leberl@icg.tugraz.at
Office
Phone: +43 316 873-5012
Cell
Phone: +43 664 390 6995
