At the same time, he also took over the official leadership of the Institute for the Protection of Maritime Infrastructure at the German Aerospace Center (DLR), a role he had been filling on an interim basis since 2023. The DLR Institute's academic and technical work focuses on the resilience of maritime infrastructure.
The new professorship focuses on the security and resilience of critical maritime infrastructure (KRITIS). The central question is how systems such as offshore wind farms or ports can remain functional in the event of disruptions or return to a functional state within a reasonable timeframe. The research primarily focuses on model-based methods for the quantitative assessment of resilience. While qualitative approaches provide only rough estimates, this research aims to mathematically calculate the resilience of cyber-physical systems.
Traditional risk analyses reach their limits when dealing with modern, highly complex systems. Research is shifting the focus from pure error prevention to the strategic management of disruptions as they occur, which is a highly topical issue both politically and socially. Using precise metrics, the goal is to predict how quickly and effectively a system – such as the power supply of a wind farm – can return to normal operations after an incident.
“My goal is to create strong synergies between the university and the DLR and to firmly anchor resilience research in the academic curriculum. This will enable students to apply the knowledge they have learned in a practical research setting. In this way, the DLR and the university are making a direct contribution to the sustainable strengthening of the resilience of maritime systems,” explains Frank Sill Torres.
Sill Torres combines years of international experience with technical expertise. After completing his degree and doctorate in electrical engineering, as well as a postdoctoral habilitation in computer science, he conducted research for many years at the Federal University of Minas Gerais in Brazil. For more than 15 years, his focus has been on the reliability of cyber-physical systems.
