René Haak

Prof. Dr.-Ing. René Haak has been Head of the Science and Technology Department at the German Embassy in Washington, DC since 2021. Prior to this role, he led the unit for Climate Research, Biodiversity Research and Global Change at the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), where he played a key role in developing major international research initiatives, including the climate research centers WASCAL and SASSCAL. He has held several senior positions in science diplomacy and research policy, including assignments in Beijing and Tokyo, and has been a Professor at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz since 2015.

Prof. Haak holds a Ph.D. in Engineering from the Technical University of Berlin and a degree in Business Administration from the Free University of Berlin. His research focuses on strategic and international management, with a particular emphasis on Japanese and Chinese management practices, the automotive industry, and human resource management. He has published extensively on innovation, production technology, and international business, and has taught at universities in Germany, Japan, China, and the United States.