Torsten Zesch

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Torsten Zesch serves as Deputy Scientific Director, Member of the Executive Board, and Head of the Research Professorship for Computational Linguistics at FernUniversität in Hagen since March 2022. He previously held W2 and W1 Professorships for Sprachtechnologie (Language Technology) at Universität Duisburg-Essen from 2014-2022. Zesch is also Spokesperson of the Advisory Board of the German Society for Computational Linguistics and Language Technology (GSCL) since 2024, having previously served as GSCL President from 2018-2024.

Dr. Zesch completed his dissertation (Dr.-Ing.) in Computer Science at Technische Universität Darmstadt in 2009. His research spans robust language processing systems, analysis of non-standard language structures, and educational applications of language technology, with particular focus on automatic content scoring and spelling error correction for learner language.

Zesch's recent publications reveal a strong focus on integrating language technology with educational applications. His work demonstrates expertise in developing practical NLP solutions for educational assessment, including transformer-based spelling error feedback systems, hierarchical automatic scoring methods, and leveraging LLMs for educational applications despite cold-start problems. He also maintains significant research in hate speech detection, particularly in multimodal contexts and visio-linguistic models.

As leader of the Computational Linguistics research professorship within the CATALPA research center, Zesch directs a team investigating how language technology can support educational processes. His projects DAKODA and KISS-Pro focus on language acquisition and educational applications. He has contributed significantly to the field through numerous publications in top NLP and educational technology venues, with over 100 publications spanning from 2006 to present.