Joachim Werther graduated 1967 at the University Karlsruhe with a diploma in Chemical Engineering. In 1972 he obtained his doctoral degree and 1976 the Habilitation at the University Erlangen-Nuremberg. He worked for BASF AG in Ludwigshafen from 1977 to 1980. In 1980 he joined the then newly founded Hamburg University of Technology, where he was the first director of the Institute of Solids Process Engineering and Particle Technology until his retirement in 2008. 1999 to 2001 he served as the Vice President Research of Hamburg University of Technology.
His research interests include measuring techniques for multiphase flow systems, fluid mechanics of fluidized beds, fluidized bed combustion and gasification of coal, biomass and sewage sludges, flowsheet simulation of solids proceses and , more recently, chemical looping processes.