Mario Trapp

Prof. Dr. Mario Trapp is a Full Professor and Chairholder of Engineering Resilient Cognitive Systems at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), within the TUM School of Computation, Information and Technology. He is also the Executive Director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Cognitive Systems IKS in Munich, leading a major research institute focused on the safe integration of artificial intelligence into critical systems.

Education:

• PhD in Computer Science, TU Kaiserslautern, 2005 (with distinction)
• Habilitation in Computer Science, TU Kaiserslautern, 2016
• Studied Technoinformatics / Computer Science, TU Kaiserslautern

His research centers on resilient cognitive systems, where he combines expertise in model-based safety engineering with self-adaptive software systems. He advocates for safe intelligence, emphasizing that AI must be engineered to be both intelligent and safe, particularly in domains like autonomous driving and medical technology. His work addresses the challenge of ensuring dependability in open, adaptive systems where traditional safety methods fall short.

The available publications reflect a consistent focus on dynamic safety assurance, adaptive certification, and runtime risk management for complex, open systems. His research trajectory shows a deep commitment to foundational methods that enable systems to maintain safety despite uncertainty and change.

Scientific Affiliations and Recognition:

• Member, Bavarian State Government’s Council on AI (Bayerischer KI-Rat)
• Member, Bavarian State Ministry’s AI – Data Science Expert Panel
• Former Adjunct Professor, Department of Computer Science, TU Kaiserslautern

Prof. Trapp is actively involved in technology transfer, advising numerous industrial partners on safety-critical software and AI assurance. He is a frequent speaker and author on the topics of AI safety, software engineering, and resilience. He leads a research team at Fraunhofer IKS focused on developing architectures and methods for dependable cognitive systems.