Nikolas Popper

Nikolas Popper is a Senior Scientist and Research Fellow at the Technische Universität Wien (TU Wien), affiliated with the Department of Data Science (E194-04). He leads the DEXHELPP initiative (Decision Support for Health Policy and Planning) as its director and chairs the COMET Initiative. His primary research focuses on modeling and simulation of dynamic systems, particularly in healthcare, logistics, and biomedical engineering. Key areas include hybrid simulation, comparative modeling, and the integration of data-driven methods into policy decision-making.

Popper's academic roles include teaching courses on modeling and simulation, health technology assessment, and advanced simulation techniques. He has pioneered the use of agent-based models to address public health challenges, notably during the COVID-19 pandemic, where his work supported Austrian policy decisions. His interdisciplinary projects span railway optimization, vaccine strategy modeling, and patient-centric health technologies.

He holds leadership positions in multiple academic societies, including ISPOR (Austrian Chapter President), EUROSIM, and ASIM. Notable awards include the 'Österreicher des Jahres' (Research Category, 2021) and the Gerhart-Bruckmann-Preis (2021). His research has been funded by grants from the Austrian government, FFG, and FWF, addressing topics like vaccination prioritization and pandemic response systems.

Popper’s contributions extend to founding initiatives like the 'drahtwarenhandlung' science production studio and the dwh GmbH spin-off from TU Wien. He actively engages in public discourse on data-driven decision-making and pandemic modeling through media and conferences.