Prof. Dr. Fatma Deniz, a 42-year-old academic of Turkish origin, has been elected the new rector of the Technical University of Berlin, one of Germany’s top technical universities. She won the Extended Academic Senate vote with 42 ballots, defeating incumbent rector Geraldine Rauch.
Deniz, born in Munich to a Turkish family and a graduate of Bursa Girls’ High School, will assume office on April 1, 2026. She studied computer science in Munich, worked at UC Berkeley, and currently serves as TU Berlin’s vice rector for digitalization and sustainability.
Current Rector Geraldine Rauch, who received 18 votes, had faced controversy over a liking social media post criticized as antisemitic.