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AACHEN, Germany, June 6th, 2008 - Dr. Charles Wu has been appointed Managing Director of the Ford Research Center in Aachen, Germany. He takes up his new position on July 1.
In addition to this role, Dr. Wu will remain Director, Manufacturing, Vehicle Design and Safety, Research & Advanced Engineering, based in Dearborn, Michigan, USA.
He succeeds Prof. Dr. Rudolf Menne, who is appointed to a new position within Ford of Europe where he will have responsibility for government and university alliances for environmental science and traffic policy. Professor Menne will continue as steering team member for Ford in organizations including EUCAR (European Council for Automotive R&D), and FVV (Research Association for Combustion Engines).
Charles Wu joined Ford Motor Company in 1974 at the Ford Research and Innovation Center in Dearborn, Michigan and since then held various management positions within this organisation, including Manager of Manufacturing Systems Department (1992-1994) and Manager of Engine Research Department (1994-1996). Wu was appointed Director of Materials Research Laboratory (1996-1998) and later Director of Manufacturing and Vehicle Design Research and Advanced Engineering in 1998 at the Ford Research and Innovation Center. Currently he has additional leadership responsibility for all vehicle safety research. In 1970, he received his Bachelor Science in Mechanical Engineering and in 1974 his Ph.D. in Dynamic Systems and Vibrations from the University of London, England.
Before joining the research and advanced engineering centre at Aachen, Professor Menne was Director of Powertrain Engineering for Ford of Europe. Menne has held various positions in Manufacturing and Product Development in Europe and the US since joining Ford in 1982.
In 1975 Menne received his degree in mechanical engineering and, in 1980, his Ph.D. from the Faculty of Applied Thermodynamics, both from the Technical University of Aachen.
The Ford Research Center Aachen, founded in 1994, is dedicated to basic as well as applied research, and collaborates with suppliers, institutions and universities worldwide. It is the only Ford Motor Company research location in the world outside of Detroit. It employs around 250 employees from over 25 nations. Environmental and sustainability research is being done in areas as diverse as next generation diesel and gasoline engine development, environmental science, alternative powertrains, telematics and new materials research. Safety and health aspects are being addressed in the areas of vehicle dynamics, active safety systems, and vehicle interior concepts.