Maria Wirzberger

Maria Wirzberger is a tenure-track Assistant Professor at the University of Stuttgart, Germany. She serves as spokesperson for the Stuttgart Research Focus “Interchange Forum for Reflecting on Intelligent Systems” (SRF IRIS), head of the Department of Teaching and Learning with Intelligent Systems, and co-director of the Artificial Intelligence Software Academy (AISA). Her research team operates within the Cyber Valley ecosystem, Europe’s largest AI research consortium.

Her work sits at the interdisciplinary intersection of cognitive psychology, human-computer interaction, instructional design, and artificial intelligence. She employs experimental lab, field, and online studies alongside user-centered software development and modeling approaches to design responsible, user-adaptive assistive technologies. Initially focused on learning contexts, her research now extends to single-pilot operations, digital health, sustainable product development, and industrial robotics.

Current projects investigate cognitive processes, user characteristics, and contextual factors through modeling human cognition (cognitive/connectionist approaches), advanced statistical analysis (multilevel models, time series, SEM), and multimodal cognitive load assessment (eye tracking, physiological measures, speech analysis). Key initiatives include designing adaptive assistive systems using predictive analytics, studying distraction/resumption patterns, supporting neurodiversity in HCI, and examining trust mechanisms and AI bias in human-AI interaction.

Professor Wirzberger leads interdisciplinary collaborations through Cyber Valley and actively seeks research partners and students. Her leadership in the SRF IRIS forum and AISA demonstrates commitment to advancing responsible AI development while addressing critical human factors in emerging technical domains.