Prof. Dr. Ulrich L. Rohde, honorary member of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities and partner in the Munich high-tech corporation Rohde & Schwarz, has been awarded the Bavarian Order of Merit. It was presented to him on July 23 by Minister-President Dr. Markus Söder in a private ceremony at the State Chancellery. The order is regarded as “a sign of grateful recognition for outstanding scientific achievements and services to the Free State of Bavaria and the Bavarian people.” With his life’s work, Ulrich L. Rohde ranks among Bavaria’s outstanding scientific ambassadors to the world. He has rendered great service to the Free State of Bavaria and its reputation as a center of science.
Rohde’s scientific focus lies in high-frequency and microwave technology. His work primarily deals with the theory, mathematical modeling, and practical implementation of low-noise, highly linear microwave circuits in electronics. In 1982, Rohde and his team at RCA proposed a method now known as “Software Defined Radio (SDR – signal processing technology).” This method is now successfully used in all modern radio and communication devices, as well as in all smartphones. Many of his patents can be found in the products and innovations of Rohde & Schwarz, as well as in the companies he has founded and manages in the USA. Just a few weeks ago, Rohde was appointed “Visiting Scientist” at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Ulrich L. Rohde also takes a clear stance when it comes to the ethical component of innovation. “I have learned that humanitarian challenges and the ability to apply technical skills to find cost-effective solutions for improving the quality of life in the under-served regions of the world are rewarding,” he is quoted as saying in the book Waves & Tides – A Biographical Kaleidoscope, published on the occasion of his 85th birthday. The book was presented to the public for the first time during a lecture by Rohde at the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities – in the library of the institution, a place where Einstein, Heisenberg, and other outstanding scientists once shared their innovative ideas and concepts with the world.
Minister-President Söder paid tribute to Rohde on the platform X: “The honorary member of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities has, with the highest intelligence, achieved outstanding accomplishments on so many levels – in science and teaching, in business, and in the promotion of young scientists. His name is known worldwide in high-frequency and microwave technology. He has made a decisive contribution to making state-of-the-art communication possible at all – from space travel to 5G, from defense technology to medical and photographic technology. As the holder of more than 50 patents of his own and a professor at five international universities, Professor Rohde has made an enormous contribution to technological progress, prosperity, and the security of our country!”
“I accept this award with gratitude and respect. I am deeply honored by the recognition of my life’s work, now crowned by the star of the Order of Merit,” said Rohde during a lecture at the Academy on the same day. The event was part of a series of speeches and lectures during Rohde’s most recent visit to Germany. “My close ties to my Bavarian homeland, but above all to the local research community, have always been an important part of my values and my scientific work. I contribute to the progress and prosperity of Bavaria out of conviction and without seeking any special merit.”
The lecture accompanying the book presentation, attended by more than 140 guests from the academic world, took place in the library of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities – a place where Einstein, Heisenberg, and other leading scientists once familiarized the world with their innovative approaches and concepts. The 204-page, large-format volume has been published in an exclusive edition of 1,000 copies in German and English. It is available only upon request.
You can download the lecture here: