Prof. Dr. Hans (Johann) Pongratz

Honorary Professor at TUM since 2010

Field

Aviation and Space Medicine

Career

After completing a course of studies in mechanical engineering at TUM in 1965, Professor Pongratz studied medicine at LMU Munich. In 1975 he passed the final state examination. He obtained his license to practice medicine in September 1976 and obtained his PhD in the same year with a thesis entitled “Skin and kidney transplantations in the fox – dog, dingo – dog and wulf – dog species systems” (summa cum laude). In 1976 he became a medical officer in the Luftwaffe. He retired from the air force in 2006. His major areas of interest are occupational medicine, aviation medicine, sports medicine, diving and undersea medicine, medical radiation protection and environmental medicine.
Professor Pongratz had a teaching assignment lecturing on physiology at LMU from 1985 to 2012 and in the TUM Department of Mechanical Engineering (in the Department of Aerospace Engineering) from 2001 to 2010. From 2010 to 2015 he was an honorary professor at TUM. Since 2011 Professor Pongratz has been head of the scientific advisory board of the Surgeon General of the Luftwaffe and of the Luftwaffe Institute of Aviation Medicine.

Functions

  • Head of an aviation medicine laboratory class 1 JAA (since 2004)
  • Deputy surgeon general of the Luftwaffe and head of Department I Aviation Medicine in Siegburg (2001-2006)
  • Fellow of the Aerospace Medical Association (1990), council member (2009-2012) und fellow of the AsMA Human Factors Association
  • Founding member of the European Society of Aviation and Space Medicine and member of the executive committee (2006-2008)
  • Member of the German Society of Aviation and Space Medicine (2003); president (2003-2005)

Awards

  • Won Chuel Kay Award (2013)
  • Recipient of the Kent Gillingham Award, presented at the annual conference of the Aerospace Medical Association in Montreal (2002)
  • Gold Cross of Honor of the German Armed Forces (2001)
  • Holder of the American Chief Flight Surgeon badge (2000)
  • Holder of the German Flight Surgeon badge in gold (1987)