Team

We are happy to answer any questions you may have.

University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria School of Engineering
Stelzhamerstraße 23, 4600 Wels/Austria
+43 5 0804 43075 I sekretariat.ee@fh-wels.at

Core-Team Electrical Engineering

DI Dr. Harald Kirchsteiger

Position: Head of Studies Electrical Engineering

Harald Kirchsteiger completed his studies in Mechatronics at Johannes Kepler University (JKU) Linz in 2007. Subsequently, he pursued a doctoral program, also at JKU Linz, specializing in control engineering. After completing his dissertation, he worked as a university assistant and deputy head of the Institute for Design and Control of Mechatronic Systems at JKU. In 2016, he moved to ASIC, a non-university research institution for renewable energies, in Wels. In 2017, ASIC was fully integrated into FH OÖ Research and Development GmbH. His work as a scientific staff member and senior researcher focused on the application of optimization methods, model-based control techniques, and numerical modeling in electrical energy technology. Since September 2024, Harald Kirchsteiger has been a professor at FH OÖ and head of studies for Electrical Engineering.

Harald Kirchsteiger has many years of experience in the planning and management of international research projects and is the author of 11 journals and 32 conference papers.

Harald Kirchsteiger has been working in university teaching since 2007 and teaches control and systems engineering topics in both lectures and laboratory exercises and supervises students' theses. In 2023, he received the FH OÖ's "Excellence in Teaching" award for his many years of outstanding teaching.

Further Information:
Harald.Kirchsteiger@fh-wels.at
https://pure.fh-ooe.at/en/pers...

Dipl.-Ing Rastko Zivanovic, MSc, PhD

Position: Lecturer in Electrical Engineering, Control Engineering, Electrical Power Grids and Systems and Components of Electrical Systems
Rastko Zivanovic received a Dipl.-Ing. and an M.Sc. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Belgrade in 1987 and 1991, respectively, and a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Cape Town in 1997. He worked internationally as an application engineer at GEC Measurements and Meters (UK) and as a faculty member at Tshwane University of Technology in South Africa (1992 - 2006) and at the University of Adelaide in Australia (2006 - 2017). He has been a faculty member at the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria since 2017. He was awarded the Ernest Oppenheimer Memorial Trust Research Fellowship in 1995, DAAD Professorships in 1999 and 2002, and a number of research grants from the Australian Power Institute, ESKOM, GENCOR, BILLITON, and the National Research Foundation of South Africa. He has also served as a consultant to ESKOM and NamPower. His teaching and research interests are in Electrical Power Grids and Systems, Control Engineering and Electromagnetics. He has published over 190 scientific papers, authored 9 research reports for industry, and participated as a key note speaker in over 30 congresses, conferences, and short courses.

Further information
Rastko.Zivanovic@fh-wels.at
https://pure.fh-ooe.at/en/persons/rastko-zivanovic

Christoph Diendorfer, MSc

Position: Assistant Professor in the field of Electrical & High Voltage Engineering
Christoph Diendorfer is a graduate of the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria from the Automation Technology program and completed his diploma thesis at the Center for Advanced Power Systems in the US. After returning, he became a research assistant in the high-voltage laboratory and is currently completing his dissertation at the TU Berlin. His research focuses on insulation materials for DC applications.
Since 2019 he is also an assistant professor in the field of high voltage, electrical engineering as well as programming and IT basics.

Further information
Christoph.Diendorfer@fh-wels.at
https://pure.fh-ooe.at/en/persons/christoph-diendorfer

Ass.Prof. DI Dr. Harald Hinterleitner

Position: Assistant Professor of Mathematics and Statistics
He became an assistant professor for mathematics and statistics at the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria in Wels in 2021, after having previously worked as a part-time professor since 2016. He served as the interim Head of Studies for the Bachelor's and Master's programs in Electrical Engineering from April 2023 to August 2024. He has taught mathematics and statistics at several domestic universities and universities of applied sciences and is author of several textbooks for mathematics at AHS level.
His interest for Electrical Engineering sparked when he completed the five-year Higher Technical Educational Institute (HTL) in Steyr for Electronics and Technical Informatics and during that time, he had the opportunity to apply his knowledge as an industrial electrician.
He completed his master's degree in industrial mathematics and his doctorate in technical sciences, dissertation topic stochastics, at Johannes Kepler University in Linz. His research interests are in mathematical modeling and the application of stochastic (statistical) methods to real-world application problems.

Further information
Harald.Hinterleitner@fh-wels.at
https://pure.fh-ooe.at/en/persons/harald-hinterleitner

Dipl.-Kulturw.Univ Vanessa Prüller

Position: Assistant Professor for Social Skills

Vanessa Prüller is teaching different non-technical, so-called “social skills” courses in different study programmes at Wels Campus, with a focus on Intercultural Aspects and Presentation Techniques. She has been working with international students at the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria since 2009, initially as Head of International Office at Wels Campus and as a part-time lecturer. In 2017, she then shifted into this position as Assistant Professor teaching German as a Foreign Language (DAF) and Social Skills courses.
Having studied, worked and stayed abroad in several different countries (USA, Brazil, Indonesia, Timor Leste, France and Spain), Vanessa graduated from the University of Passau in International Business and Culture Studies in 2008 and is commuting from her German home to Austria.
Her research interests lie at the cross-roads of higher education research, migration studies and cross-cultural management, where she is currently starting a Ph.D.

Further information
Vanessa.Prueller@fh-wels.at
https://pure.fh-ooe.at/en/persons/vanessa-prüller

Galic Bozana

Position: Program Administration Bachelor

Further information
bozana.galic@fh-wels.at

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Former staff

FH-Prof. DI Dr. Peter Zeller

Position: Founder of the Electrical Engineering degree programs and former lecturer for High Voltage Engineering

Dr. Peter Zeller is an accomplished professional with expertise in Electrical Engineering and specialization in Energy Technology. He obtained his degree from the Technical University of Vienna, where he later pursued his Ph.D. at the institute of High Voltage Engineering and Switching Technology. His doctoral research focused on the "Experimental Investigation of the Interaction of Arc Chute Gas with Magnet Blast Switching arcs." Throughout his academic journey, Dr. Zeller not only imparted knowledge through teaching courses in High Voltage Engineering but also mentored numerous diploma theses.
Following the completion of his Ph.D., Dr. Zeller assumed the role of Head of the International Active Development Department for Surge Arrester and Overvoltage Protection Technology at ABB High Voltage Technology in Wettingen, Switzerland. During his tenure, he led significant advancements in the field and oversaw the international team responsible for the development of surge arrester technologies.
In 2002, Dr. Zeller made a transition to the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria, where he made significant contributions by developing various new degree programmes. Notably, he spearheaded the creation of international Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Electrical Engineering, offering students a comprehensive and globally-relevant education.
Dr. Peter Zeller's contributions extend beyond academia, as he actively engages with professional organizations such as IEEE, scientific boards, and standardization committees. Through these connections, he fosters international collaboration and creates valuable opportunities for his students and team members to benefit from a vast network of expertise and knowledge.

Dipl. Ing. Dr. Christina Toigo

Former lecturer in Hydrogen Technologies

Christina Toigo worked as a professor of Hydrogen Technology and Energy Storage. She holds a diploma in Polymer Chemistry from JKU Linz and a PhD in Electrochemistry from the University of Bologna. She has been focusing on energy storage methods for almost 10 years and has profound expertise in lithium and sodium-ion battery technology - both from the economic and scientific angles. Her research interests also encompass sustainable and promising approaches to energy storage as well as the smart integration of hydrogen production and storage.

In addition to her academic activities, Christina Toigo is actively engaged as a lecturer at JKU Linz and operates her own consulting company.