Born in 1932 in Vienna, in 1966 Bruckmann earned his post-doctoral qualification in statistics in Vienna. He subsequently taught at the JKU as a university professor between 1967 and 1968 and, alongside Adolf Adam, is regarded as one of the 'founding fathers of statistics studies' in Linz.

Gerhart Bruckmann was called to Linz during the Winter semester of 1967. Adam and Bruckmann's departments constituted what was then the Institute of Statistics and Data Processing. Bruckmann conducted invaluable pioneering research in this area, and the JKU will always be indebted to him for his contributions.

After only two semesters, Bruckmann was appointed back to Vienna and subsequently taught at the University of Vienna and as head of the Institute for Advanced Studies. In 1972, Bruckmann became a full member of the philosophical and historical section at the Austrian Academy of Sciences. He was well known to the people of Austria for many years as the compiler for election forecasting.

The Johannes Kepler University Linz is deeply indebted to Professor Gerhart Bruckmann and his contributions to the university's growth, and will continue to remember and honor his memory.