Kurt Gödel Research Center

History

A very brief history of the KGRC and the logic curricula at the University of Vienna

Logistik Institut (photo tour of the rooms in 1996 and 2012)

1967

The Institut für Logistik of the University of Vienna is founded (chair: Prof. C. Christian). At this time, most sciences and humanities (in particular mathematics, physics and now also logic) are studied as Doktoratsstudium at the Fakultät für Philosophie. At the Institut für Logistik, the first student graduates in 1968. In the following years, the general Doktoratsstudium is replaced by various diploma curricula (Diplomstudium, comparable to a master curriculum) and a postgraduate PhD (Doktorat) curriculum. In particular, a logic diploma curriculum, also called Logistik, is established (the first student graduates in 1980). This curriculum is abolished in 1997.

1990

Prof. Christian retires (i.e., becomes professor emeritus). It will take a while before the vacant position (chair) can be filled. Until then, Prof. Kubelka (a pharmacognosist) acts as interim head of the institute. He initiates the relocation of the institute to the Josephinum in 1996.

Institut für formale Logik

1999

Prof. Friedman (until then professor at MIT) is appointed the new professor and head of the institute.

2000

The institute is renamed Institut für formale Logik (institute for formal logic). Logic can now be studied as one of two branches (Studienzweig) of the Diplomstudium Mathematik.

2002

The Austrian universities undergo total re-organisation (and are granted some kind of autonomy). In the following, the institute system at the University of Vienna is abolished, and institutes are put together into newly created faculties.

Kurt Gödel Research Center (photo tour of the rooms in 1996 and 2012)

2004

The Institut für formale Logik is renamed Kurt Gödel Research Center for Mathematical Logic and made one of the University's first Forschungsplattformen (an inter-faculty research institution). Regarding teaching and some organisational aspects however, the KGRC is part of the faculty of mathematics.

2007

Bachelor- and Master-curricula replace the Diplomstudium. Logic can now be studied as one of several branches (Studienschwerpunkt) of the mathematics Master curriculum.

The Library

Dr. Peter Teleč (who was working at the first three of the institutes mentioned above, from 1973 to 2012) built up an impressive library on logic, consisting of more than 5400 books and many journals. When he retired at the end of 2012, the library was moved to its new home at the Fachbereichsbibliothek für Wirtschaftswissenschaften und Mathematik.

Josephinum

The KGRC is situated in the Josephinum.

For more information, see the English or German entry of at austria-lexikon.at, or the German wikipedia entry.