Faculty Profile: Stefan Bechtluft-Sachs

Professor Stefan Bechtluft-Sachs

Though his academic expertise is in surfaces, Professor of Mathematics Stefan Bechtluft-Sachs has much more than a superficial interest in the world around him. When he completed the last of his many degrees in 1993 at the University of Mainz in Germany, he moved to Regensburg to start teaching. He then decided to apply for a teaching position that would allow him to travel and learn about new parts of the world. He weighed the atmosphere, the working conditions, and his personal interest in the various offers he received, and chose Lebanon as his new home.

The transition has not been difficult. "I can find anything I want here," Bechtluft-Sachs says of Beirut, which, to him, has a very European feel. He was also very favorably impressed with the people of Lebanon, who welcomed him warmly and are always friendly and communicative. Being closer to his wife, a mathematics professor in Cyprus, was another plus for his choice of Lebanon.

AUB's beautiful campus has also made a good impression on Bechtluft-Sachs, as have the AUB students. He finds his pupils interested and focused, and only wishes he could know them better. Since most of his courses are very large classes, it is difficult to give students the personal attention they deserve. He is nonetheless pleased by the large number of students enrolled in the fields of math and engineering. In addition to teaching, Bechtluft-Sachs is engaged in research on the subject of curvature. Though it is difficult to make time for this, he feels that research is important to both faculty and students, and is determined to persevere.

Bechtluft-Sachs is eager to explore more of Lebanon and is looking into buying a small car to tour the surrounding countryside. He would also like to continue one of his favorite pastimes, bicycling, but thinks the streets of Beirut may be a little too adventurous for that.

Bechtluft-Sachs has extensive travel plans for the summer. He will make a trip back to Regensburg to do some work there and make another trip to Berkley, California. He also plans to give a few lectures in Beijing, China.