Honoring Barbara Herz

Barbara Herz, former Head of the Dean’s Office of the Faculty of Architecture and Chair of the Office for Gender Equality and Equal Opportunity at TU Graz was awarded the Erzherzog Johann Medal on November 6, 2023. With this award, bestowed by Rector Horst Bischof, Senate Chair Annette Mütze, and Chair of the University Council Christa Neuper, TU Graz recognized Barbara Herz’s achievements within the Office for Gender Equality and Equal Opportunity (founded in 2004) in advancing gender equality and diversity through important initiatives such as the establishment of the open childcare facility “Nanoversity” or FEM in TECH, a program aimed at inspiring female high school students to pursue careers in technology.

Barbara Herz spent four decades doing pioneering work in a male-dominated technical environment. The trained chemical engineer, who studied university and science management at the University for Continuing Education in Krems, headed the Dean’s Office in the Faculty of Architecture “with care and foresight” from 2000 to 2022 and, according to Vice-Rector Andrea Hoffmann in her laudatory speech, she “filled it with structure and life.”

Text: Petra Eckhard