Stefan Kolling's path to academic qualification led through many stages. After secondary school, he initially completed teaching as a concrete and reinforced concrete worker. Subsequently, through evening classes at a secondary school and a vocational college, he obtained the qualifications for university studies, which he began in 1992 at the Saarland University of Applied Sciences (HTW Saarland), specializing in civil engineering. After receiving his diploma, he transferred to the Technical University of Darmstadt, where he completed his studies in mechanics with distinction in 1998. He remained at the Institute of Mechanics IV at TU Darmstadt as a research assistant and earned his doctorate ( Dr.-Ing. in materials science in 2001. In 2007, he completed his advanced academic qualification there with his habilitation and the venia legendi (authorization to teach) in mechanics.
From 2002 until his move to the Giessen -Friedberg University of Applied Sciences, he worked as a calculation engineer for Daimler AG in Sindelfingen. His responsibilities included, among other things, the development of new crash simulation methods for series production passenger cars. As a lecturer and private lecturer at various universities, he gained experience in the academic training of engineers.
Prof. Dr. Kolling's teaching and research focus on structural dynamics, materials mechanics, and computer-aided methods in materials science. He is the author of more than one hundred publications, including books on materials modeling. His development work has resulted in numerous national and international patents.