Joel Micha Goebelbecker, Germany (2017)

Title of the dissertation

Risk Management of Nanotechnologies within German Legislation

Supervisors

Prof. Dr. Eike Albrecht

Prof. Dr. Bachar Ibrahim

Description

Besides the remarkable opportunities nanotechnologies promise, there are also substantial uncertainties regarding their possible risks. The dissertation evaluates the regulation of nanotechnologies in German and (where applicable) in European law and assesses the balance of chances and risks within their relevant law. In order to propose a framework for the legal management of potential risks from nanomaterials, a comparative reflexion incorporating similar regulation contexts was integrated. In this respect, the thesis gives an orientation how the uncertain risks in the field of nanotechnologies can be managed within their users and producers.

Short Bio

Joel Goebelbecker began his career as chemical laboratory assistant with the development of innovative surface treatments (tribology) at Kluthe GmbH, Germany (2003). Subsequently, he advanced his qualification with a diploma of engineering (Dipl.-Ing. (FH)) at Albstadt-Sigmaringen University, Germany (2008) with emphasis on integrated management systems which also opened the path to the food and pharmaceutical industry of the life sciences sector. He was assistant of the university library (information and media centre), and during his studies also freelancing editor of the journals ‚Chemical Technology‘ and ‚Pharma and Food‘ published by Hüthig GmbH, Germany. He furthermore was responsible for new product reports and contributed to various trade fairs and press conferences. Similarly, he worked at VMI GmbH, Germany (publisher)as assistance (freelance) in the marketing and editorial team on the presentation and interpretation of customer survey results. Besides he interned several times for one of the biggest natural ingredient providers of the food and beverage industry (ADM WILD Flavors & Specialty Ingredients).

In 2009 he made the decision to further advance in the management of companies and chose for this purpose the studies of Business Law for Technological Enterprises (M.B.L.) at BTU including contract law, press law, IT law, reorganization and merger of companies or their separation, copyright law, patent and design law, as well as financial and tax law through to risk management or the public budget and public procurement law. He consequently interned at Meinzer, Germany (tax consultancy and auditing) to understand holistic accounting, sales taxation, financial statements, and balance sheets (P&L). He earned his degree with the master thesis titled ‘Nanotechnology – Liability Law and Due Diligence’. During his studies he was a regularly award-winning innovator and contributed to various projects of the virtual brainstorming platform Atizo AG, Switzerland.

He finally stayed with BTU (2011) for his PhD thesisat the Chair of Civil and Public Law with References to the Law of Europe and the Environment with his thesis of ‘Risk Management of Nanotechnologies within German Legislation’. During his stay in Cottbus he was working part-time with Lausitzer VerlagsService GmbH, Germany (publisher) and the SAP team on standardizing the internal data structure to reduce complexity and improve customer experience and service (CRM).

Currently (2014–) he works with the quality department of ADM WILD Flavors & Specialty Ingredients in his role as audit executive on the sustained adoption of company accreditations and product certifications under special consideration of certain industry and private standards, as well as all applicable laws and regulations within the corporate structure throughout Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and India (EMEAI). Within this integrated management system (TQM) the different goals by the company board – as well as the relevant internal and external stakeholder demands – can be achieved through aligned strategies, leadership and engagement of the people.

As a consequence his proficiency extends to the fields of integrated management systems (IMS), corporate risk and compliance management (CMS), environmental and energy resource management (EMS), sustainable management of supply chain security (SCM), as well as organisational social accountability (SA).

In the future he plans to broaden his expertise further through the studies of business economics.

Selected publications

Albrecht, E., Goebelbecker, J., (2017). Nano gegen REACH - Klassisches Stoffverhältnis zu größeninduzierten Eigenschaften - Geltungs- und Haftungsfragen, Lexxion, Zeitschrift für Strafrecht (StoffR) 01/2017

Goebelbecker, J., Albrecht, E., (2016). Soft Regulation Follows Hard Risk Management - European Food Sector on Nanotechnologies, Lexxion, European Food and Feed Law Review (EFFL) 02/2016

Goebelbecker, J., Albrecht, E., (2014). VSS Where Formal Regulations Are Missing: Potential Study on Example of Nanotechnologies. In: Voluntary Standard Systems - A Contribution to Sustainable Development, Schmitz-Hoffmann, C., Schmidt, M., Hansmann, B., Palekhov, D. (Eds.), Springer Verlag, Heidelberg, Germany.