Björn Annighöfer is a Professor at the Institute of Aviation Systems (ILS) at the University of Stuttgart, where he serves as Managing Director. His work focuses on complex, digital, and safety-critical avionics systems, including self-adaptive platforms, cybersecurity, and AI-supported aerospace systems. Research interests include: Self-adaptive avionics platforms Model-based cybersecurity frameworks Integrated Modular Avionics (IMA) development Virtualization and middleware for safety-critical systems AI applications in aerospace Automated development and certification processes Recent publications highlight advancements in PLUG-AND-FLY avionics, security assessment using large language models, and domain-specific modeling tools. He leads a team of ~25 scientists at ILS, which operates modern labs, flight simulators, and research aircraft for testing.
Dr. Nurefşan Sertbaş Bülbül is a Research Associate/Postdoc at the University of Hamburg's Department of Informatics, part of the Faculty of Mathematics, Informatics and Natural Sciences. She completed her PhD at the University of Hamburg in 2023 under Prof. Mathias Fischer, following two Bachelor's degrees (Electronics and Communication Engineering, Computer Engineering) from Istanbul Technical University and a Master's from Boğaziçi University. Her research focuses on programmable networks, TSN (Time Sensitive Networks), and network security. Key areas include SDN (Software Defined Networking), attack detection, and reinforcement learning applications in networking. Her work addresses critical challenges like DoS attack mitigation in TSN, dynamic path reconfiguration, and P4-based solutions for network security. She has contributed to publications at IEEE GLOBECOM, IFIP Networking, and other conferences. Her research emphasizes practical implementations and resilient network designs, particularly for mission-critical systems. She is part of the Computer Networks research group, previously known as the IT-Security and Security Management group. Dr. Bülbül's recent projects include developing TSN Gatekeeper mechanisms and Transparent TSN solutions for agnostic end-hosts, leveraging SDN and reinforcement learning. Her work bridges theoretical advancements and real-world network challenges, ensuring robust and adaptable network infrastructures.
Bernhard Heinloth, M.Sc., is affiliated with the Department of Computer Science (INF) at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), specifically within Chair of Computer Science 4 (System Software). His research focuses on system software optimization, kernel tailoring for embedded systems, and dynamic software updates. He has contributed to projects like Luci (dynamic shared object updates), Cocoon (on-demand kernel compilation), and Honey (binary library reduction). Teaching activities include leading exercise sessions for courses such as Betriebsysteme (Operating Systems), Systemnahe Programmierung in C (Low-Level Programming), and Praktikum angewandte Systemsoftwaretechnik (Systems Software Lab). He has advised numerous master's theses on topics ranging from interrupt latency analysis to compiler-based OS optimization. His publications span academic venues like USENIX ATC, PLOS, and SBESC, with a strong emphasis on practical system software engineering. Current work continues exploring compiler-driven system optimizations and real-time kernel performance.
Christian Heck is an Assistant Professor for Aesthetics and New Technologies at the Academy of Media Arts Cologne (KHM), where he has worked since 2017. His academic background includes a Master of Arts from the Berlin University of the Arts (2015) and a Diploma in Media Arts from the Academy of Fine Arts Munich (2012). Research Interests: Peace research, AI ethics, adversarial hacking, code literature, natural language processing, generative systems, and the militarization of digital technologies. Key Themes: Focus on algorithmic critique (especially neural networks), aesthetic research in cultural/peace work, and the societal impacts of technologies like IT security, weaponized drones, and autonomous weapon systems. His recent publications and talks address: AI-driven warfare and pre-emptive security policies Civil clauses in academia to prevent dual-use exploitation Cyberpeace strategies and artistic resistance Ethical implications of language models in military contexts He collaborates with organizations like the Forum InformatikerInnen für Frieden (FIfF), Science4Peace , and Arbeitskreis gegen bewaffnete Drohnen . His work connects artistic methods with peace activism, emphasizing civil society's role in reclaiming technological sovereignty.
Univ.-Prof. Dr.-Ing. D. Söffker is a University Professor at the University of Duisburg-Essen, Faculty of Engineering, where he leads the Chair of Control, Regulation and System Dynamics since 2001. His work spans multiple institutions including visiting professorships at University of Maryland and Shanghai Maritime University. His educational background includes: 1988: Dipl.-Ing. Mechanical Engineering, Leibniz University Hannover, specialization in General Mechanical Engineering 1995: Dr.-Ing., Department of Safety Engineering, University of Wuppertal 2001: Habilitation in Security Technology/Automation Technology, University of Wuppertal Prof. Söffker's research focuses on modeling, diagnosis and control of elastic mechanical systems , with particular expertise in robust control theory, system diagnostics, and cognitive technical systems. His work bridges theoretical control systems with practical applications in industrial settings, emphasizing human-machine interaction and autonomous system design. He has developed innovative approaches for structural health monitoring and fault detection in complex mechanical systems. Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong focus on human-centered automation, with increasing attention to cognitive technical systems and human decision-making processes. His work spans from fundamental control theory (robust observers, nonlinear systems) to practical applications in structural health monitoring, wear detection, and process supervision. The interdisciplinary nature of his research connects mechanical engineering, computer science, and cognitive systems. His research group is involved in several key projects: Structural Health Monitoring Security and reliability systems Methods for application in energy production and use Cognitive Technical Systems
Dr. Christian K. Karl, Senior Lecturer in Civil Engineering Didactics at the University of Duisburg-Essen, combines engineering practice with educational innovation. As Head of the Civil Engineering Didactics group and Chair of the VDI 2552 Guidelines Committee, he pioneers simulation games, BIM training frameworks, and AI integration in pedagogy. Lead developer of simulation tools like 'Einsatz in Grimhausen' for disaster management Recipient of the Best Workshop Award at ISAGA 2025 Principal investigator for projects: KI4Edu , DigiTeamsBau , and BIM Kommunal Author of 20+ publications on BIM, AI, and educational games His research focuses on competency-oriented teaching methods, digital transformation in construction, and immersive learning technologies. Recent work explores AI's impact on teacher roles, Smart Home systems, and circular construction practices. Articles highlight trends in simulation games for crisis training, BIM education frameworks, and AI applications for personalized teaching. He emphasizes human-centered technology development and collaborative digital workflows . Scientific recognition includes: Best Workshop Award (ISAGA 2025) Hochschuldidaktische Innovationen (2010) As Chair of the VDI 2552 committee, he shapes national BIM training standards. His leadership in EU Academy platform development and initiatives like 'Personalisierte KI-generierte Podcasts' underscores his commitment to accessible, forward-thinking education.
Arash Mohammadi is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Concordia University, Montreal, Canada. He holds a PhD from the University of Toronto (2015) and was formerly affiliated with Amirkabir University of Technology, Iran. His research bridges signal processing, artificial intelligence, and biomedical applications. Research Interests: Signal and image processing for healthcare (e.g., lung cancer detection, ECG analysis) Machine learning for smart grids and cyber-physical systems AI in mobile edge computing and 6G networks Transformer and diffusion models for medical and motion data Federated and efficient deep learning for edge devices His recent publications (2021–2025) in top venues like IEEE TSP, ICASSP, and AAAI demonstrate a strong focus on applying cutting-edge AI—especially vision transformers, Mamba architectures, and diffusion models—to critical domains such as medical diagnostics, gesture recognition, and network security. Trends include multimodal fusion, uncertainty quantification, and efficient model design. Scientific Contributions: Developed novel frameworks like NYCTALE and MIXCAPS for lung nodule malignancy prediction Introduced CacheMamba and TEDGE-Caching for edge network optimization Advanced EMG-based gesture recognition using hybrid and transformer models Contributed to cybersecurity in smart grids via attack detection models He actively advises students and collaborates with researchers such as Konstantinos N. Plataniotis and Jamshid Abouei. He has contributed to special issues on neurorehabilitation and AI for COVID-19 diagnosis. His work often involves interdisciplinary teams and real-world applications in healthcare and smart infrastructure.
Christoph Lenzen is a Professor at CISPA Helmholtz Center for Information Security since July 2021. Previously, he served as a Group Leader at the Max Planck Institute for Informatics (2014-2021), and held postdoctoral positions at MIT CSAIL (2013-2014), Weizmann Institute (2012), and Hebrew University (2011). Research Interests Design and analysis of distributed algorithms Clock synchronization and adversarial fault tolerance Randomized and self-stabilizing systems Hardware algorithms for fault-tolerant systems Grants and Awards ERC Proof-of-Concept Grant (2021) ERC Starting Grant (2017-2022) ETH Zurich Medal for Outstanding Thesis (2011) Education Ph.D. in Computer Science (2011), ETH Zurich Diploma in Mathematics (2007), University of Bonn Teaching Clock Synchronization and Adversarial Fault Tolerance (2022 winter) How To Clock Your Computer (2022 summer) Theory of Distributed Systems (2019 winter, 2020 winter, 2018 winter, 2017 winter, 2016 winter, 2015 winter)
Ivan DeAndres-Tame is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Signal Theory and Communications at the School of Engineering, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid. His research focuses on advancing biometric systems with particular emphasis on face recognition and behavioral biometrics using cutting-edge computer vision and machine learning techniques. His research interests span face recognition systems, synthetic data generation for biometric applications, explainable AI in biometric contexts, and keystroke verification systems. DeAndres-Tame has made significant contributions to the field through his leadership in major international challenges including the FRCSyn Challenge at CVPR and WACV, and the Keystroke Verification Challenge at IEEE BigData. His work bridges theoretical advances with practical applications in biometric security systems. Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong focus on evaluating and improving face recognition systems using synthetic data, with a growing interest in the intersection of large language models and biometric systems. His research demonstrates consistent innovation in benchmarking methodologies and evaluation frameworks for biometric systems. Throughout his career, DeAndres-Tame has collaborated extensively with leading researchers in the biometrics community, including Ruben Tolosana, Rubén Vera-Rodríguez, Aythami Morales, Julian Fiérrez, and Javier Ortega-Garcia, contributing to the advancement of biometric technologies through both theoretical and applied research.
Ali Hassan is a researcher affiliated with the National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Department of Computer and Software Engineering. His work spans multiple domains in computer science, engineering, and applied mathematics, focusing on areas such as machine learning, IoT, energy systems, and medical informatics. His research explores: Reinforcement learning applications for battlefield information systems IoT antenna design and performance evaluation Optimization of second-life battery systems in electric vehicles Transformers for real-time vehicle collision avoidance Image hashing techniques using visual attention models Neural network-based phasor estimation for power grids Biomedical sensor systems for non-invasive health monitoring Mathematical modeling of viral dynamics Recent publications demonstrate his emphasis on interdisciplinary approaches combining AI, signal processing, and sustainability. He has collaborated with institutions across Pakistan, France, Saudi Arabia, and the USA, with a focus on practical implementations in cybersecurity, energy optimization, and healthcare technology.
Dr. Julia Pohle is Co-head of the Research Group "Politics of Digitalization" at the WZB Berlin Social Science Center since May 2024, where she has served as Senior Researcher since April 2015. She concurrently holds positions as Associate Researcher at the CNRS Centre Internet and Société in Paris (since January 2025) and Senior Associate Researcher at the Center for Digitalisation, Democracy and Innovation (CD2I), Brussels School of Governance (since October 2021), establishing her as a leading transnational scholar in digital governance. Her academic journey includes a PhD in Communication Studies from Vrije Universiteit Brussel (2016), a Magister Artium in Cultural Studies, Computer Science, and Philosophy from Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (2004-2007), and foundational studies at Universität Bremen and Università di Bologna. Her research critically examines the tension between nation states and global digital cooperation through the lens of digital sovereignty, geopolitics, and communication governance. Pohle's extensive publication record reveals a decisive shift from multistakeholder internet governance frameworks toward critical analyses of digital sovereignty discourses since 2019. Her interdisciplinary work bridges communication studies, political science, and law, with recurring themes including power dynamics in internet architecture, gendered dimensions of data privacy, and the geopolitical implications of EU regulatory initiatives. Recent articles demonstrate increasing engagement with Global South perspectives and sustainability concerns in digital policy. Her scientific recognition includes: Fellow of the Global Governance Futures Program (Robert Bosch Foundation Multilateral Dialogues) (2014-2015) PhD fellow of the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO) (2010-2015) As Academic Editor of Internet Policy Review since 2020 and Co-Chair of IAMCR's Communication Policy and Technology Section, she actively shapes scholarly discourse. Her leadership extends to steering committees of the Internet Governance Forum Germany (2016-2022) and Global Internet Governance Academic Network (2013-2016), demonstrating sustained engagement with policy communities. At WZB, she leads the "Politics of Digitalization" research group and drives multiple high-impact projects including "Re-claiming Digital Sovereignty in discourse, policy and practice (ClaimSov)", "Forging Successful AI Applications for European Economy and Society (FORSEE)", and "Balancing Acts: European digital policy amidst economic, normative and security competition", positioning her at the forefront of critical digital policy scholarship.
Prof. Dr. Mario Fritz is a leading academic at the CISPA Helmholtz Center for Information Security and Saarland University , with a focus on Trustworthy Information Processing . His work sits at the intersection of AI, Machine Learning, Security, and Privacy, addressing challenges in foundation models, health data, and adversarial robustness. Key Projects : ELLIOT (Multi-Modal Foundation Models), ELSA (Secure AI), PriSyn (Synthetic Health Data), AIgency (Generative AI in Cybersecurity), HMSP (Medical Security) Research Themes : AI/ML security, privacy-preserving techniques, causal modeling, healthcare applications, and ethical AI Recent Publications : Focus on LLM sampling, causal inference, model stealing, and privacy-aware document analysis Collaborations : European Laboratory for Learning and Intelligent Systems (ELLIS), BMBF-funded initiatives, GHGA (Human Genome Archive) Academic Leadership : As a Professor , he coordinates large-scale EU projects and mentors emerging researchers in AI ethics and security.
Qian Li is a researcher working at the intersection of database systems and operating systems, with primary affiliation at DBOS Inc. and academic connections to Stanford University's School of Engineering, Department of Computer Science, and Peking University in Beijing, China. The research focuses on developing the Database Operating System (DBOS) concept, which reimagines operating systems with database technology at their core. Research interests center on database systems, operating systems integration, transaction processing, and serverless computing. The work explores how database principles like ACID transactions can improve system reliability, debugging, and application development, particularly in cloud environments. Key projects include DBOS, Epoxy for cross-data store transactions, and Apiary for transactional serverless computing. The publication record shows a strong trend toward integrating database transaction semantics with modern computing paradigms, particularly serverless architectures. Recent work demonstrates how transactional guarantees can simplify application development, improve debugging, and enable new approaches to cloud-native application design. The research bridges theoretical database concepts with practical systems implementation. As a core contributor to the DBOS project, Qian Li has collaborated extensively with leading researchers including Michael Stonebraker, Matei Zaharia, Christos Kozyrakis, and Peter Kraft. The work has been published consistently in top-tier venues including VLDB, USENIX ATC, and CIDR, reflecting significant impact in the systems research community.
Dr. Kwek-Tze Tan is an Associate Professor in the Mechanical Engineering Department at the University of Akron's College of Engineering and Polymer Science. His research focuses on composite materials, acoustic metamaterials, mechanical metamaterials, and bioinspired structures, with applications in aerospace and advanced materials. He has published over 30 peer-reviewed papers and secured significant research grants. Post-Doc: Purdue University (2013) Ph.D.: Tokyo Metropolitan University, Japan (2011) M.Eng. and B.Eng.: National University of Singapore (2006, 2004) His research investigates composite material behavior under extreme conditions, acoustic wave propagation, and bioinspired design. He has received awards from JSPS, ONR, and international scientific bodies. UA Faculty Research Committee (FRC) Summer Fellowship (2019) Firestone Research Initiative Fellowship (2018) LaunchTown Entrepreneurship Award (2016) Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Invitational Fellowship (2016) International Commission for Acoustics (ICA-ASA) Young Scientist Grant (2013) Metamaterials Congress Travel Grant Award for Young Researchers (2012) Dr. Tan teaches courses in mechanical engineering, including aerospace structures and computational methods. He has led multi-year projects funded by the U.S. Office of Naval Research (ONR) to study composites in arctic environments.
Dimitrios Georgakopoulos is a researcher at Swinburne University of Technology and National Measurement Institute, focusing on Internet of Things (IoT), digital twins, fog computing, and smart manufacturing. His work bridges theoretical advancements with real-world applications in urban infrastructure, precision agriculture, and industrial IoT. Research Areas: IoT, Digital Twins, Fog Computing, Smart Cities, Precision Agriculture Key Contributions: Sensor sharing marketplaces, 5G-enabled smart city frameworks, metadata-assisted IoT data classification Recent Articles (2023-2025): Explore topics like digital manufacturing consistency, AI-powered roadside asset management, and deep learning for heterogeneous IoT data. Trends emphasize autonomic systems, sensor integration, and contextual data analysis. Collaborations: Frequently works with Prem Prakash Jayaraman, Ali Yavari, Abhik Banerjee, and Anas Dawod on IoT security, sensor networks, and time-sensitive applications.
