Head of Central Division on board the cyber agency
On April 1, 2024, the Agentur für Innovation in der Cybersicherheit GmbH (Cyberagentur) strengthened itself with Dr. Barbara Diederich as the new Head of Department of the Central Division. With her extensive experience in science management, she brings a fresh perspective to the rapidly developing organization.
We spoke to Dr. Barbara Diederich about her path to becoming a Cyberagentur and her goals:
What made you decide to apply for the position at the Cyberagentur?
The challenge and the fun of getting things moving. The organization is still under construction. Added to this is the relevance of the topics. The rapid development of technologies and an increasingly digitalized world also require the protection and security of citizens.
I hope that the Cyberagentur will help to raise awareness of these dangers in society.
Did you already have a professional connection to the topic of cyber security before the Cyberagentur?
So far, I have not worked explicitly in the field of cyber security. The Association for National High Performance Computing, of which I was managing director, is an association of university computing centers. They work together in many areas – including security, of course.
What has your life been like so far?
My career has taken me through many different stages in the field of science, which have always been associated with different perspectives.
After studying biology at the Free University of Berlin, I worked as a doctoral student and research assistant at the University of Ulm.
I then moved into science management at the Helmholtz Association (Hahn-Meitner Institute and Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin). There I got to know the world of non-university research.
As a consultant to several chairmen of the Charité Supervisory Board, I have been able to gain deep insights into the many challenges facing university medicine.
On the staff of several science senators in Berlin, I got to know the perspective of ministries and politics: the scope for action, but also the limits that are often set for action.
Finally, my last station before the Cyberagentur was at the Association for National High Performance Computing (NHR-Verbund e.V.): Here, as head of the office and later as managing director, I had the opportunity to build up a new organization from the ground up.
What interests you in the position of Head of Department in the Cyberagentur and what would you like to achieve here?
The position as head of department in the Cyberagentur is a further shift in perspective. Still science-oriented, but with an even stronger focus on the administrative area. Like the NHR Association, the Cyberagentur is also an organization in the process of being established. However, as a federal company and a limited liability company, this is associated with new challenges for me.
My aim is to support and relieve the scientists in the administrative area. The Central Division should work together with the Research and Innovation Division in a team-oriented manner and on an equal footing. I would like to establish short and effective internal communication channels.
What were your first days at the Cyberagentur like?
I met many interesting and friendly people from all areas of CA.
The central division’s retreat was the first intensive exchange with all employees in the department, from which I took away many suggestions.
I have a good initial overview and am working my way into the topics step by step.
I also had the opportunity to get to know the beautiful and charming city of Halle an der Saale better.