Raúl Rojas
Encyclopedia
Raúl Rojas González is a professor of Computer Science and Mathematics at the Free University of Berlin
and a renowned specialist in artificial neural networks. The FU-Fighters, football-playing robots
he helped build, were world champions in 2004 and 2005. He is now leading an autonomous car
project called Spirit of Berlin.
He and his team were awarded the Wolfgang von Kempelen
Prize for his work on Konrad Zuse
and the history of computers. Although most of his current research and teaching revolves around artificial intelligence
and its applications, he holds academic degrees in mathematics and economics.
In 2009 the Mexican government created the Raúl Rojas González Prize for scientific achievement by Mexican citizens. The first recipient of the prize was Luis Rafael Herrera Estrella, for contributions to plant biotechnology.
He ran for president at the Free University of Berlin
in 2010.
in Mexico City, where he majored in Mathematics and Physics. He moved to Germany in 1982 as a doctoral student in economics under the guidance of the political economist Elmar Altvater
. The resulting dissertation was published under the title "Die Armut der Nationen - Handbuch zur Schuldenkrise von Argentinien bis Zaire" (The poverty of nations - Handbook of debt crisis from Argentina to Zaire). He became a full professor at University of Halle-Wittenberg
in 1994, and later moved to the Free University of Berlin
, where he remains today in the Informatics department. His wife, Margarita Esponda Argüero, is a professor in the same department.
Free University of Berlin
Freie Universität Berlin is one of the leading and most prestigious research universities in Germany and continental Europe. It distinguishes itself through its modern and international character. It is the largest of the four universities in Berlin. Research at the university is focused on the...
and a renowned specialist in artificial neural networks. The FU-Fighters, football-playing robots
RoboCup
RoboCup is an international robotics competition founded in 1997. The aim is to develop autonomous soccer robots with the intention of promoting research and education in the field of artificial intelligence...
he helped build, were world champions in 2004 and 2005. He is now leading an autonomous car
Driverless car
An autonomous car, also known as robotic or informally as driverless, is an autonomous vehicle capable of fulfilling the human transportation capabilities of a traditional car. As an autonomous vehicle, it is capable of sensing its environment and navigating on its own...
project called Spirit of Berlin.
He and his team were awarded the Wolfgang von Kempelen
Wolfgang von Kempelen
Johann Wolfgang Ritter von Kempelen de Pázmánd was a Hungarian author and inventor with Irish ancestors.-Life:...
Prize for his work on Konrad Zuse
Konrad Zuse
Konrad Zuse was a German civil engineer and computer pioneer. His greatest achievement was the world's first functional program-controlled Turing-complete computer, the Z3, which became operational in May 1941....
and the history of computers. Although most of his current research and teaching revolves around artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence is the intelligence of machines and the branch of computer science that aims to create it. AI textbooks define the field as "the study and design of intelligent agents" where an intelligent agent is a system that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its...
and its applications, he holds academic degrees in mathematics and economics.
In 2009 the Mexican government created the Raúl Rojas González Prize for scientific achievement by Mexican citizens. The first recipient of the prize was Luis Rafael Herrera Estrella, for contributions to plant biotechnology.
He ran for president at the Free University of Berlin
Free University of Berlin
Freie Universität Berlin is one of the leading and most prestigious research universities in Germany and continental Europe. It distinguishes itself through its modern and international character. It is the largest of the four universities in Berlin. Research at the university is focused on the...
in 2010.
History
Raúl Rojas was born on June 25th, 1955 in Mexico City to an engineer and a teacher. He attended university at the National Polytechnic InstituteNational Polytechnic Institute
The National Polytechnic Institute colloquially known as the Polytechnic is one of the largest public universities in Mexico with 153.027 students at the high school, undergraduate and postgraduate levels...
in Mexico City, where he majored in Mathematics and Physics. He moved to Germany in 1982 as a doctoral student in economics under the guidance of the political economist Elmar Altvater
Elmar Altvater
Elmar Altvater was Professor of Political Science at the Otto-Suhr-Institute of the Free University of Berlin, before retiring on 30 September 2004...
. The resulting dissertation was published under the title "Die Armut der Nationen - Handbuch zur Schuldenkrise von Argentinien bis Zaire" (The poverty of nations - Handbook of debt crisis from Argentina to Zaire). He became a full professor at University of Halle-Wittenberg
University of Halle-Wittenberg
The Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg , also referred to as MLU, is a public, research-oriented university in the cities of Halle and Wittenberg within Saxony-Anhalt, Germany...
in 1994, and later moved to the Free University of Berlin
Free University of Berlin
Freie Universität Berlin is one of the leading and most prestigious research universities in Germany and continental Europe. It distinguishes itself through its modern and international character. It is the largest of the four universities in Berlin. Research at the university is focused on the...
, where he remains today in the Informatics department. His wife, Margarita Esponda Argüero, is a professor in the same department.
Prizes
- 2001: Gründerpreis Multimedia of the German Ministry of Finance and Technology
- 2002: European Academic Software Award
- 2004 and 2005: World champions in football robots with the FU-Fighters
- 2005: Wolfgang von Kempelen Prize for the History of Informatics
- 2009: Received the Heberto Castillo gold medal for contributions to science from the Mexico City government
Works
- Neural Networks - A Systematic Introduction Springer, Berlin, 1996. Available as a free e-book
- Die Rechenmaschinen von Konrad ZuseKonrad ZuseKonrad Zuse was a German civil engineer and computer pioneer. His greatest achievement was the world's first functional program-controlled Turing-complete computer, the Z3, which became operational in May 1941....
, Springer, 1998. - The First Computers, MIT Press, Cambridge, 2000.
- Encyclopedia of Computers and Computer History, Fitzroy-Dearborn, Chicago, 2001.
- RoboCup 2002: Robot Soccer World Cup VI (Lecture Notes in Computer Science), 2002.