Kevin Buchin

Kevin Buchin is a Professor at the Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Computer Science at Technical University of Dortmund, where he leads Chair 11: Algorithm Engineering. His work focuses on bridging theoretical and experimental algorithm development, particularly in computational geometry and spatial data analysis.

Professor Buchin's research spans several key areas in algorithm engineering, with particular expertise in computational geometry, spatial networks, algorithms for GIS (Geographic Information Systems), and motion planning algorithms. His work combines theoretical foundations with practical applications, developing algorithms that address real-world challenges in spatial data processing and analysis. He has made significant contributions to trajectory analysis, geometric spanners, Fréchet distance computations, and map construction algorithms. His research often involves interdisciplinary collaborations that connect computer science with geographic applications and movement data analysis.

An analysis of Professor Buchin's recent publications reveals a strong focus on trajectory analysis and spatial network algorithms. His work consistently addresses fundamental problems in computational geometry while developing practical solutions for real-world applications. Key trends include advancements in Fréchet distance computations, trajectory clustering techniques, geometric spanner constructions, and map-matching algorithms. His research demonstrates a balanced approach between theoretical algorithm development and practical implementation, often resulting in benchmark suites and publicly available code to support reproducibility and further research.

Professor Buchin actively supervises student research projects and theses. For Bachelor's theses, he requires successful completion of "Effiziente Algorithmen (EA)" and DAP2 courses, while Master's thesis students should have completed "Algorithmen und Datenstrukturen (AuD)" and ideally specialized courses and seminars in algorithms/algorithm engineering. His group offers final projects in algorithm engineering, geometric algorithms, geometric graphs, networks, GIS algorithms, and motion planning. He has supervised numerous Master's theses, with examples of completed projects available on his group's website.

The Algorithm Engineering research group led by Professor Buchin includes Mart Hagedoorn (MSc), Antonia Kalb (MSc), Dr. Guangping Li, Aleksandr Popov (external, MSc), Dr. Carolin Rehs, and student assistants Jan Erik Swiadek and Torben Scheele. The group develops tools like the "Ruler of the Plane" game that illustrates geometric problems and algorithms, which is also available online. They maintain repositories containing game sources, art, and documentation for extending the games, including the "dots & polygons" game and new levels for the art gallery game. The group also produces educational videos illustrating research results, particularly in trajectory analysis, and offers a Coursera course on geometric algorithms.