At-Risk Learners Professors and Supervisors in Germany

Zikai Alex WenView profile

Assistant Professor

Schloss Dagstuhl - Leibniz Center for InformaticsGermany

Zikai Alex Wen is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. Previously, he earned his PhD from Cornell University in 2021 with a dissertation on educational video games and intelligent tutoring systems. His research bridges multiple domains including privacy-preserving technologies, educational technology, cybersecurity, and accessibility. Wen's primary research interests focus on differential privacy, educational technology for students with learning disabilities, phishing detection and prevention, and game design for accessibility. His work uniquely combines theoretical privacy foundations with practical applications in education and security. He has made significant contributions to understanding how privacy mechanisms can be effectively explained to users and how to design systems that protect sensitive data while maintaining utility. His publication record demonstrates consistent output in top venues including IEEE S&P, CHI, ASSETS, and VLDB. Recent work shows increasing focus on generative AI applications for household safety, enhanced differential privacy mechanisms, and continued innovation in educational technology for diverse learners. His research often involves interdisciplinary collaboration across computer security, human-computer interaction, and educational psychology. Wen has received recognition through publications in prestigious venues but specific awards aren't documented in the available records. His work has been supported by research grants focused on privacy technologies and educational accessibility, though specific grant details aren't provided in the source material. He maintains active collaborations with researchers worldwide, particularly with Changyu Dong, Wei Cai, and Shiri Azenkot. His research group focuses on developing practical privacy-preserving systems and accessible educational technologies, with ongoing projects exploring the intersection of AI, security, and inclusive design.

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Heiko SeifView profile

Professor

Munich Business SchoolGermany

Prof. Dr. Heiko Seif is a Professor of International Management and Academic Director of the Master Sports Business and Communication program at Munich Business School. He also serves as Vice Dean for Research. His academic career includes teaching at German universities and extensive consulting in automotive and aircraft sectors. He founded CNX Consulting Partners and currently works as a Senior Manager in IT Management at UNITY AG. He holds a doctorate from the Universities of Stuttgart and Bratislava, focusing on Eastern European companies' internationalization during economic transition. His research emphasizes innovation, Industry 4.0, entrepreneurship, and sustainable management. Key areas include market entry strategies, technology management, and the digital transformation of industries. He has led initiatives like the TOP business administration program at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich and co-organized events such as the Workshop on e-Business (WeB 2019) and Hackathon Predictive Maintenance. Publications span topics like autonomous driving challenges, Industry 4.0 business models, and market entry strategies for Japan. His work bridges academic research with practical business applications, particularly in high-tech and industrial sectors.

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Andreas RohdeView profile

Professor

University of CologneGermany

Prof. Dr. Andreas Rohde is Professor of Linguistics and Language Didactics at the University of Cologne's English Department II. He earned his doctorate (1995) and habilitation (2001) from Christian-Albrechts University of Kiel, receiving the Faculty Prize in 1996. His career includes positions at Kiel University (1991-2003) and as Acting Professor at University of Vechta (2003-2004) before joining Cologne in 2004. Research Focus: Rohde leads projects examining language acquisition mechanisms in diverse populations. His work spans bilingual daycare programs, inclusive English pedagogy, lexical development disorders, and linguistic risk-taking. Primary research domains include: First/second language acquisition (lexical/tense-aspect systems) Language evolution and bilingual education frameworks Inclusive strategies for learners with special needs (hearing impairment, autism, DLD) Teacher competency development for multilingual classrooms Publication Trends: Recent works (2018-2025) focus on inclusive language education frameworks, specializing in pedagogical adaptations for neurodiverse learners and bilingual curriculum design. Dominant themes include lexical acquisition disorders, technology-mediated learning, and teacher training for special needs contexts. Awards & Recognition: Faculty Prize, Christian-Albrechts University of Kiel (1996) Academic Leadership: Supervised 11 doctoral candidates and 1 habilitation in language acquisition studies. Leads the Linguistic Risk-Taking (LRT) project and EU Speak 3 consortium. Current team includes Dr. Kim Schick, Dr. Alexandra Inglis, and Şeyma Polat.

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Bettina Rösken-WinterView profile

Professor

Humboldt UniversityGermany

Prof. Dr. Bettina Rösken-Winter is a Professor at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, leading the Primary Mathematics Education research group within the Faculty of Cultural, Social and Educational Sciences. Her work focuses on mathematics education, teacher professional development, and problem-solving strategies in STEM contexts. She collaborates extensively with researchers like Dr. Malte Lehmann and Dr. Victoria Shure on projects such as MaTe (math-related knowledge of preservice teachers) and OLE (teacher orientations for at-risk students). Her research explores mathematical problem-solving, preservice teacher competencies, and the refinement of assessment tools for STEM learners. Notable contributions include studies on engineering students' mathematical competencies and the adaptation of professional development activities for educators. She has published widely in journals like International Journal of STEM Education and Journal of Mathematics Teacher Education , and actively participates in international conferences such as CERME and ICME. Research Interests: Mathematical problem solving, teacher pedagogical content knowledge, academic literacy in mathematics. Key Projects: MaTe, OLE, PuLFo (online vs in-person teacher training).

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Caitlin MillsView profile

Assistant Professor

University of TrierGermany

Caitlin Mills is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Educational Psychology at the University of Minnesota's College of Education and Human Development. She also maintains affiliations with the University of Southern California's Keck School of Medicine (Division of Bioinformatics) and Harvard Medical School. Her research bridges educational psychology, cognitive science, and learning analytics. Her primary research interests focus on mind wandering detection during learning , educational data mining , learning analytics , and eye tracking technologies for educational purposes. She investigates how cognitive processes like attention, task-unrelated thoughts, and comprehension can be measured and enhanced through technological interventions. Her work increasingly addresses neurodivergent learners and inclusive educational technologies. Analysis of her recent publications shows a strong trend toward developing non-invasive methods for monitoring cognitive states during learning, particularly through webcam-based eye tracking and keystroke analysis. Her research spans multiple domains including virtual reality learning environments, automotive safety interfaces, and language-based cognitive assessment. She has made significant contributions to understanding how mind wandering impacts learning outcomes across diverse populations. Mills has served as co-editor for the Proceedings of the International Conference on Educational Data Mining (EDM 2025) and regularly publishes in top venues including the Journal of Learning Analytics (LAK), Educational Data Mining (EDM), and Cognitive Science. Her collaborative work includes major projects with researchers from USC, Harvard, and other institutions, focusing on developing technologies that can detect and respond to learners' cognitive states in real-time to improve educational outcomes. She has developed innovative approaches to measuring attentional states during learning tasks using various physiological and behavioral metrics.

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Katharina UrbannView profile

Research Fellow

Humboldt UniversityGermany

Dr. Katharina Urbann is a Research Fellow in the Department of Sign Language and Audio Pedagogy at Humboldt University of Berlin's Institute of Rehabilitation Sciences within the Faculty of Cultural, Social and Educational Sciences. She has established herself as a leading researcher in deaf education, sexual violence prevention, and multilingual education for deaf and hard-of-hearing students. Her research interests focus on prevention of sexualized violence against children and adolescents with hearing impairments, sex education for people with hearing impairments, foreign language teaching with students with hearing impairments, and language education for newly immigrated deaf and hard-of-hearing students. She leads the 'Sign Language in the Foreign Language Classroom' (SiLC) research group and works on the 'Digital protection against sexualized violence against children and adolescents with hearing impairments' (DigGaH) project. Dr. Urbann's recent publications (2023-2025) demonstrate her expertise across multiple domains, with a strong focus on digital sexual violence against deaf/hard-of-hearing youth, culturally responsive teaching for deaf multilingual learners, and bimodal-bilingual education approaches. Her work spans empirical research, educational resource development, and practical classroom strategies. Her scientific contributions include: Investigations into digital sexual violence against deaf and hard-of-hearing adolescents Development of culturally responsive teaching strategies for deaf multilingual learners Research on English language learning among deaf students Creation of sex education materials specifically designed for children and adolescents with hearing impairments Analysis of communicative competence as a factor in preventing digital sexual violence As an educator, Dr. Urbann supervises academic theses and teaches courses on bimodal-bilingual education, sex education for hearing-impaired students, and language education for newly immigrated deaf and hard-of-hearing students. She offers specialized sign language consultation hours for students and maintains an active research agenda with numerous international collaborations.

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Simon NestlerView profile

Professor

Technical University of MunichGermany

Prof. Dr. Simon Nestler is a Professor for Human-Computer Interaction at Technische Hochschule Ingolstadt (THI) since 2019, previously at Hochschule Hamm-Lippstadt (HSHL) (2011-2019). He holds a Diploma in Computer Science and a Ph.D. in Human-Computer Interaction from Technische Universität München (TUM) and International Graduate School of Science and Engineering (IGSSE) , supervised by Prof. Gudrun Klinker . Educated: TUM (Diploma), IGSSE (Ph.D.) Affiliations: THI (2019-present), HSHL (2011-2019), Intraworlds (User Experience Engineer) Research Interests focus on applying HCI principles to safety-critical systems , particularly in emergency scenarios . He designs interfaces for car drivers , disaster response teams , and crisis management , addressing challenges like mental workload , collaborative problem-solving , and RFID patient tracking . His work includes developing virtual reality crisis simulations and mobile disaster apps . Teaching includes courses like Masterpraktikum GAMES and FAR Oberseminar . He also offers digital accessibility training , UX workshops , and keynotes on digitalization through his Prof. Nestler Akademie , which has trained 5000+ learners and delivered 100+ corporate trainings .

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Bettina Rösken-WinterView profile

Professor

University of MünsterGermany

Prof. Dr. Bettina Rösken-Winter is affiliated with the University of Münster as a Professor in Mathematics Education. Her work focuses on teacher professional development, academic literacy integration in mathematics, and addressing student difficulties with fundamental concepts like fractions. Research Themes : Systematic reviews on teacher training practices, validation of scriptwriting tasks for fraction instruction, and studies on facilitator strategies in professional development courses. Projects : Leading the QuaMath project (2023–2028) to improve mathematics teaching and continuing education collaboration with Germany’s Standing Conference of Ministers of Education. Doctoral Supervision : Supervised Victoria Shure’s 2022 dissertation on pre-service teachers’ support for academic literacy and Malte Lehmann’s 2018 study on mathematical competencies in engineering students. Publications span empirical validations of educational tools, comparative analyses of training methods, and explorations of emotional factors like shame in pre-service teachers. Her recent work emphasizes systematic reviews and cross-European educational frameworks through contributions to CERME proceedings.

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Nadja WulffView profile

Professor

Freiburg University of EducationGermany

Professor Nadja Wulff is a prominent scholar in German language education at the University of Education Freiburg, where she serves as Head of the University Certificate in German as a Second Language and the University Certificate in Holistic Education. Her extensive research portfolio spans vocabulary acquisition, multilingualism, language-sensitive subject teaching, and the emerging intersection of artificial intelligence and language education. Her research interests focus on critical areas in contemporary language education, including language in subject and professional training , vocabulary acquisition and teaching in German as a Second/Foreign Language , multilingualism and language comparison in classrooms , and scientific writing with AI integration . Professor Wulff approaches these topics through both theoretical frameworks and practical applications, developing innovative teaching methods and assessment tools. Professor Wulff's recent publications demonstrate a clear trend toward examining the digital transformation of language education, with particular attention to AI's role in academic writing. Her 2024-2025 work investigates how students from different countries use AI tools, the challenges they encounter, and regional differences in adoption patterns. This research has significant implications for maintaining academic integrity while leveraging technological advances. Professor Wulff leads multiple externally funded research initiatives, including: DAAD-funded University Certificate in German as a Second Language (2024-2028) Joachim Herz Foundation projects on digital scenario didactics (2025-2026) and school garden language promotion (2023-2025) The Promotionskolleg DaF/DaZ doctoral program (2017-2024) The 'Integra' project preparing refugees for academic and professional life (2020-2024) Her supervisory approach emphasizes practical application of research, with students engaged in developing educational materials, conducting empirical studies, and creating digital learning resources. Professor Wulff's collaborative work with colleagues across disciplines—particularly in physics education—demonstrates her commitment to interdisciplinary approaches to language-sensitive teaching.

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Klaus RummlerView profile

Professor

Leibniz Institute for Educational Media | Georg Eckert InstituteGermany

Klaus Rummler is a Professor of Media Education at the University of Kassel, specializing in the intersection of mobile technology, media pedagogy, and social inequality. His work focuses particularly on how at-risk learners engage with digital media and the educational opportunities this presents. Professor Rummler's research centers on understanding media usage patterns among different social milieus, particularly comparing hedonistic lifestyles with postmodern milieus among youth aged 14-24. His culturally theoretical approach examines how social segmentation influences technology adoption and educational outcomes, challenging conventional views of the digital divide by highlighting differences in usage patterns beyond mere access. His publications reveal a consistent focus on mobile learning opportunities for disadvantaged youth, analyzing how specific social groups appropriate mobile technologies for both entertainment and educational purposes. Recent work emphasizes the importance of recognizing different 'pleasures' in media usage - from evasive and provocative enjoyment to meaning-creating engagement - as foundations for tailored media education approaches. Key research areas: Media education for at-risk learners, mobile learning, social segmentation in digital contexts Major projects: London Mobile Learning Group, Media Education Kassel, SoMobNet Notable publications: 'Potentials for media education of at-risk learners' (2012), 'Mobile communication and social segmentation' (2009) Professor Rummler actively contributes to academic discourse through conference participation and working groups, such as his co-leadership of the 'Media Education and Social Inequality' group at the 'Keine Bildung ohne Medien' congress. His work bridges theoretical media studies with practical educational applications, particularly for marginalized youth populations.

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