Thomas Berger is a Professor at the University of Hohenheim , affiliated with the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and leading the Department of Economics of Land Use . He also contributes to the Computational Science Hub and Hohenheim Tropics initiatives. Focus Areas: Climate change adaptation, land-use modeling, biodiversity-productivity trade-offs, agent-based simulation, and machine learning in agricultural systems. Key Projects: Simulation frameworks for smallholder resilience in Ethiopia, bioeconomic modeling in the Amazon, and hybrid intelligence applications in European agricultural policy. Recent Publications: 2025 study on climate change effects on insecticide reduction in Germany, 2024 work on reconciling biodiversity with productivity via hybrid models, and 2023 methodological contributions to surrogate modeling and seasonal forecast integration. Research Trends: Interdisciplinary integration of climate science, agricultural economics, and computational modeling, with increasing emphasis on AI-assisted decision support systems and sustainability policy validation. Teaching & Outreach: Offers Agricultural Economics seminars and Hohenheim Tropics discussions, requiring advance email registration for office hours.
Prof. Ingo Grass is a Full Professor at the University of Hohenheim, heading the Department of Ecology of Tropical Agricultural Systems (490f) and serving as Deputy Head of the Department of Crop Production in the Tropics and Subtropics (490e). He is Director of the Hans Ruthenberg Institute for Tropical Agricultural Sciences and an Equal Opportunities Officer within the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences. His research focuses on agroecology, tropical agricultural systems, and biodiversity conservation in human-modified landscapes. Education: PhD in Biology from Philipps-Universität Marburg (2014). PostDoc at University of Göttingen (2014-2019) before moving to Hohenheim. Research Interests: Agroecosystem biodiversity, pollination ecology, land-use impacts on ecosystems, and sustainable farming practices. His work emphasizes reconciling productivity with biodiversity preservation, with a focus on tropical regions and temperate grasslands. Articles Trends: Recent work explores pesticide impacts on non-target insects, agroecological strategies to enhance pollination and biocontrol, and biodiversity benefits of diversified crops. He frequently collaborates on global studies involving tropical landscapes and urban agriculture dynamics. Awards: Maria Sibylla Merian Award (2013), Teaching Excellence Awards (2016 & 2018). Labs/Teams: Leads interdisciplinary teams in tropical agroecology, collaborating with institutes in Indonesia, Madagascar, and South Africa.
Prof. Dr. Frederik Tilmann is a leading seismologist at the GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences (Section 2.4 Seismology) and a professor at the Freie Universität Berlin . His work focuses on seismic waveform analysis to understand geodynamic processes in subduction zones and continental collisions. Current affiliations: Head of Seismology Section, GFZ Potsdam University Professor, Freie Universität Berlin Research interests include: Earthquake source characterization Seismic tomography methods Mantle dynamics and lithospheric deformation Machine learning applications in seismic data analysis Volcano-seismic monitoring Ocean bottom seismology techniques Recent publications highlight advancements in: Full waveform inversion for mantle dynamics Machine learning for seismic phase picking Anisotropy studies in Alpine and Himalayan regions Subduction zone microseismicity analysis Volcano-induced landslide detection Scientific awards include: Feodor-Lynen Fellowship (Humboldt Foundation) Trinity Hall College Staff Fellowship Multiple citations in high-impact journals Collaborative work spans global seismic infrastructure projects like SMART cables, the Collaborative Seismic Earth Model, and the AlpArray network. His methodology innovations in shear wave splitting and depth phase picking have become standards in computational seismology.
Andrew Pavlo is a Professor in the Computer Science Department at Carnegie Mellon University's School of Computer Science. His research focuses on database management systems, particularly in the areas of transaction processing, in-memory databases, and self-driving database systems. He leads a productive research group that has published extensively in top database venues including VLDB, SIGMOD, and CIDR. Pavlo's research interests span database management systems, transaction processing, in-memory databases, non-volatile memory databases, and self-driving database systems. His work often bridges theoretical database concepts with practical system implementation, focusing on performance optimization, query processing, and system architecture. Recent work has explored machine learning applications for database tuning, novel storage techniques, and innovative approaches to transaction processing. An analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong focus on self-driving database systems, with significant work on the Database Gym framework for training machine learning models to optimize database performance. His research also examines columnar storage formats, transaction scheduling, and novel approaches to user-defined function optimization. The work demonstrates a consistent trajectory toward making database systems more autonomous and efficient through a combination of systems techniques and machine learning. Pavlo has been instrumental in mentoring numerous PhD students who have become active contributors to the database research community. His research has been supported by significant grants that have enabled the development of innovative database technologies and frameworks. His research group operates within CMU's vibrant database ecosystem, collaborating with other researchers on projects related to database systems, storage engines, and query processing frameworks. The group maintains close connections with industry partners to ensure practical relevance of their research contributions.
Dr. Michael Richter serves as a Researcher at HafenCity University Hamburg within the Department of Environmentally Sound Urban and Infrastructure Planning, Faculty of Urban Planning. Since 2014, he has been actively engaged in climate adaptation research, building upon his earlier work with the 'plan B:altic' research group (2009-2014) focused on Baltic coastal urban regions. His professional trajectory combines academic research with practical implementation of nature-based urban solutions. Dr. Richter holds a degree in Geoecology from the Technical University Bergakademie Freiberg (2003-2008). His educational background laid the foundation for his interdisciplinary approach to urban climate challenges, integrating ecological principles with urban planning practices. This cross-disciplinary perspective informs his current research on sustainable urban infrastructure. His research centers on developing climate-resilient urban environments through innovative nature-based solutions. Dr. Richter specializes in sponge city concepts and blue-green infrastructure , particularly examining how building greening systems and urban vegetation can mitigate heat islands, manage stormwater, and enhance biodiversity. His work bridges theoretical research with practical implementation through direct collaboration with Hamburg's urban planning authorities and international research networks. He has made significant contributions to understanding the hydrological performance of green infrastructure through long-term monitoring of real-world implementations. Dr. Richter's publication record demonstrates a consistent focus on empirical research of climate adaptation solutions. His recent work emphasizes performance evaluation of blue-green infrastructure in urban settings, particularly examining street trees and green roofs as integrated components of urban water management systems. This research provides critical data on long-term functionality, helping to refine implementation strategies and inform policy decisions. Editorial Board Member, Journal Water (MDPI) for Urban Water Management section Member, German Green Roof Association (Bundesverband GebäudeGrün e.V.) Member, German Water Association (DWA) Member, German Association for Geoeecology (Verband für Geoökologie in Deutschland) As an academic supervisor, Dr. Richter has mentored over 20 bachelor's and master's students, focusing on practical urban planning challenges related to climate adaptation. His research is supported through multiple projects including the BlueGreenStreets initiative and Hamburg's Green Roof Strategy development. He maintains strong connections between academic research and professional practice through active participation in professional organizations and direct collaboration with city planners. Dr. Richter's work with the City Science Lab and BIMLab at HCU demonstrates his commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration. His research on rainwater-sensitive urban design directly addresses Hamburg's climate adaptation challenges while contributing to international knowledge on sponge city implementation. Through his involvement in the RES:Z research program (Resource-Efficient City Quarters for the Future), he helps shape sustainable urban development practices that balance ecological, social, and technical considerations.
Professor Dörthe Tetzlaff is a leading figure in ecohydrology, serving as Head of Department (A1) Ecohydrology at the Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB) and as Full Professor of Ecohydrology at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Geography Department. She also holds an Honorary Professorship at the University of Aberdeen, Scotland. Her work bridges theoretical hydrology with practical applications for water security and environmental management. Professor Tetzlaff's research focuses on ecohydrological processes, particularly using stable water isotopes to understand water cycling, catchment functioning, and landscape connectivity. Her work spans from pristine natural systems to complex urban environments, with particular emphasis on drought resilience, water security, and nature-based solutions. She has pioneered tracer-aided modeling approaches to quantify water storage, fluxes, and ages across the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum. Her publication record shows a clear trend toward increasingly sophisticated integration of multi-tracer approaches with ecohydrological modeling, with recent work focusing on urban systems, drought impacts, and nature-based solutions. The publications demonstrate expertise across hydrology, biogeochemistry, and ecological applications, with strong methodological development in isotope hydrology and modeling techniques. Polubarinova-Kochina Hydrologic Sciences Mid-Career Award of the American Geophysical Union AGU (2024) Water Resource Prize of the Rüdiger Kurt Bode Foundation (2024) Member of the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities (2023) Fellow of The European Academy of Sciences (2022) Fellow of the Geological Society of America GSA (2020) Professor Tetzlaff actively supervises numerous PhD students and postdoctoral researchers, with her group focusing on cutting-edge ecohydrological research. She leads multiple significant research projects including WETSCAPES2.0, ECCO, ISO-SCALE, and BiNatUr, which address critical questions about water security, climate change impacts, and nature-based solutions in urban environments. Her work is supported by substantial funding from various national and international sources. She leads the Ecohydrology research group at both IGB and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, which employs an integrative approach combining field measurements, isotope techniques, and advanced modeling to understand water dynamics across diverse landscapes. The group collaborates extensively with international partners across Europe, North America, and Asia, contributing to global understanding of hydrological processes.
Dr. Gaël Kermarrec is a researcher at the Boundary Layer Meteorology Group , part of the Institute of Meteorology and Climatology within the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics at Leibniz University Hannover . His work focuses on atmospheric turbulence, GNSS applications, and remote sensing for environmental monitoring. Boundary layer meteorology Turbulence theory GNSS signal processing Terrestrial laser scanning Climate change impacts Geodetic time series analysis His research integrates advanced mathematical models like LR B-splines and Matérn covariance with large eddy simulations to study: Atmospheric turbulence effects on optical/GNSS signals Hydrospheric mass loading Deformation analysis of terrain/port infrastructure Climatic sea-level changes Machine learning for remote sensing The 15 most recent articles (2025-2023) demonstrate his focus on: GNSS-based turbulence detection AI-enhanced climate mapping Advanced surface approximation techniques Multi-sensor data fusion Stochastic modeling of geodetic observations Environmental impacts on optical measurements He has developed tools like the Klimascanner QGIS plugin for urban climate resilience and contributes to: Understanding atmospheric scale lengths Improving TLS/GNSS deformation monitoring Analyzing hydrospheric changes Wavefront modeling Ionospheric corrections
Prof. Dr. Katja Thoring is a Full Professor of Integrated Product Design at the Technical University of Munich (TUM School of Engineering and Design). She holds a doctorate in Design Research from Delft University of Technology and has previously served as Professor of Integrated Design at Anhalt University of Applied Sciences in Dessau from 2009–2022. Her research bridges product design, architectural space, and technology, focusing on how physical environments stimulate creativity and design processes across functional, emotional, and cognitive dimensions. Key areas include generative AI applications in design, innovative research methodologies, and creative workspace design. She developed methods like the 'Delphi Design Sprint' and contributed to frameworks such as the FOD (Future-Oriented Design) model. Thoring is a member of prominent design societies (DGTF, Design Society, DRS) and a founding member of the Academy of Design Innovation Management (ADIM). Notable awards include the 'Best Paper Award' at ADIM Conference (2017) and recognition as a top early-career researcher (2019). Her work integrates design education innovation, with studies on pedagogical spaces and cross-cultural design thinking. She has published extensively on design knowledge models, creative environments, and future-oriented design strategies.
Dr. Benjamin Pontiller is a researcher at GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Germany, within the Marine Biogeochemistry Research Division and Biological Oceanography Research Unit . His work focuses on microbial carbon cycling in marine environments, particularly the role of bacterioplankton in transforming dissolved organic carbon (DOC). Current projects: INDICOM, ICEBERG, HOMER, BIOCAT Recent expeditions: RV SONNE (Indian Ocean 2024), RV POLARSTERN (Arctic 2024), RV METEOR (Atlantic 2022) His research integrates omics technologies with chemical and rate measurements to understand microbial functional potential in: Coastal upwelling systems Deep Arctic Ocean (HAUSGARTEN) Baltic Sea phage dynamics Trace metal impacts on microbial communities Education: PhD in Ecology (Marine Microbial Ecology) - Linnaeus University 2021 MSc in Ecology (Marine Biology) - University of Vienna 2015 BSc in Biology - University of Vienna 2013
Professor Georg Guggenberger is a distinguished academic at Leibniz University Hannover, where he serves as Professor of Soil Chemistry within the Department of Soil Science at the Institute of Earth System Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences. In addition to his research and teaching responsibilities, he holds several significant administrative positions including Vice Dean for Research in the Dean's Office of the Faculty of Natural Sciences, Executive Management at both the Institute of Soil Science and Department of Soil Science levels, and Chair of the Selection Committee for the M.Sc. Landscape Sciences program. Prof. Guggenberger's research program focuses on fundamental processes governing soil organic matter dynamics across diverse ecosystems worldwide, from Arctic to tropical regions. His work investigates biotic and abiotic factors influencing the formation, transport, and stabilization of soil organic matter, with particular emphasis on soil fertility maintenance. He employs advanced methodologies including stable isotope approaches, biomarker analyses, microspectroscopic techniques (XPS, ESEM, NMR, NanoSIMS), and molecular biological methods to study biogeochemical interactions on mineral surfaces, dissolved organic matter dynamics, plant-mycorrhizal-soil interactions, permafrost soil organic matter, and impacts of land use and climate change on soil organisms. Analysis of Prof. Guggenberger's recent publications reveals a strong interdisciplinary research program spanning soil biogeochemistry, carbon cycling, soil microbiology, and climate change impacts. His work integrates field experiments along environmental gradients with laboratory manipulation studies to identify underlying mechanisms. The research shows particular strength in understanding organic matter stabilization mechanisms, microbial contributions to soil processes, and development of sustainable soil management practices that address climate change challenges. Prof. Guggenberger actively contributes to academic service through his leadership roles in examination boards and committees, including the Examination Board for Geosciences programs and the Selection Committee for Landscape Sciences. His administrative responsibilities as Vice Dean for Research demonstrate his commitment to advancing research within the Faculty of Natural Sciences at Leibniz University Hannover.
Barbara Drossel is a Full Professor at the Institute of Solid State Physics within the Faculty of Physics at the Technical University of Darmstadt, where she has been conducting research since February 2002. Her work bridges theoretical physics, complex systems theory, and theoretical ecology, focusing on interdisciplinary approaches to understanding emergent phenomena in natural systems. She leads the AG Drossel research group that investigates the theoretical foundations of complex networks, ecological communities, and quantum systems. Professor Drossel's research spans multiple domains with emphasis on complex systems theory, where she has made significant contributions to understanding random Boolean networks, food web modeling, and the physics of ecological communities. Her work demonstrates how simple rules can lead to complex emergent behavior across different scales, from quantum systems to ecological networks. She investigates how top-down causation operates in complex systems and explores the relationship between microscopic dynamics and macroscopic patterns in diverse contexts. Analysis of her recent publications reveals a consistent focus on theoretical frameworks that connect physics with ecology. Her work shows increasing integration of quantum mechanics with ecological modeling, particularly in understanding emergence and time evolution in complex systems. She frequently employs network theory to analyze ecological communities and has developed innovative approaches to studying species interactions, mutualistic networks, and spatial dynamics in meta-communities. Minerva Fellowship Heisenberg Fellowship DFG Fellowship for research at MIT Professor Drossel has supervised numerous doctoral students whose work spans theoretical ecology, complex systems, and statistical physics. Her research group has secured funding for projects examining the stability of ecological networks, quantum decoherence, and the mathematical foundations of complex systems. She maintains active collaborations with researchers across Europe and has contributed to major theoretical advances in understanding how complexity emerges from simple interactions in diverse systems. The AG Drossel research group operates at the intersection of physics and theoretical biology, maintaining strong connections with both the physics and biology departments at TU Darmstadt. The group combines mathematical rigor with biological relevance, developing models that capture essential features of complex natural systems while remaining analytically tractable. Their work has influenced both theoretical physics and ecological theory, demonstrating the power of interdisciplinary approaches to complex systems.
Chang Xu is a Professor and Ph.D. supervisor at Nanjing University, affiliated with the State Key Laboratory for Novel Software Technology, School of Computer Science, and Institute of Computer Software (ICS). He has been a full-time faculty member since 2010, when he joined as an associate professor and was later promoted to full professor in 2015. Education: Ph.D. from The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) in 2008 (advisor: Prof. S.C. Cheung) M.Eng. from Institute of Software, Chinese Academy of Sciences (ISCAS) in 2003 B.Eng. from University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) in 2000 Research Interests: Professor Xu's research focuses on big data software engineering, intelligent software testing and analysis, and adaptive and autonomous software systems. His recent work centers on constructing and providing runtime support for intelligent software in open environments, with emphasis on inconsistency detection and resolution for environments, and quality assurance for adaptive, concurrent, learning-based, smartphone-based, and spreadsheet-based applications. His work bridges theoretical foundations with practical applications in software engineering, particularly in program analysis, software testing, and self-adaptive systems. Scientific Awards: ACM SIGSOFT Distinguished Paper Award from ICSE 2025 Best Student Paper Award from EUROSYS 2025 ACM Distinguished Member in 2024 Best Paper Award from SOSP 2023 Best Paper Candidate from ISSRE 2022 Yangtze River Scholar by the Ministry of Education in 2021 Multiple ACM SIGSOFT Distinguished Paper Awards from conferences including ASE, ICSE National Science and Technology Progress Award (Second Class) in 2011 Academic Service and Advising: Professor Xu has served on numerous program committees for top software engineering conferences including ICSE, ASE, ESEC/FSE, and ISSTA. He is an editorial board member for several journals including Journal of Computer Science and Technology and Frontiers of Computer Science. He has supervised numerous Ph.D. and MSc students, with research topics spanning program analysis, software testing, self-adaptive systems, and more. His students have gone on to successful careers in both academia and industry. Research Groups: Professor Xu is associated with the SPAR research group at Nanjing University and the CASTLE research group at HKUST, focusing on software analysis, reliability, and testing.
Dr. Daniel Hein is a researcher affiliated with the University of Bamberg's Faculty of Social Sciences, Economics, and Business Administration, specifically within the Chair of Sales & Marketing. His work focuses on Business Digitization, Customer Relationship Management (CRM), and Augmented Reality (AR) technologies. He has contributed to studies exploring the digitization of services and CRM systems, societal implications of emerging technologies like AR smart glasses, and strategic frameworks for digital transformation in non-digital enterprises. His research emphasizes bridging theoretical concepts with practical business challenges, particularly in leveraging digital tools to enhance customer engagement and operational efficiency. Notable themes include analyzing adoption barriers for technologies like autonomous vehicles and smartwatches, and evaluating how analytics drive innovation performance. Dr. Hein has also explored ethical dimensions of wearable technologies and the psychological factors influencing consumer preferences, such as the role of disease avoidance in color choices. His publications span academic journals and conference proceedings, reflecting a keen interest in both technological innovation and its societal ramifications. While no specific grants or awards are listed, his work contributes to interdisciplinary discussions at the intersection of marketing, technology, and organizational strategy. As part of the Chair of Sales & Marketing, Dr. Hein collaborates with academic and industry partners to advance research in digital business practices, CRM effectiveness, and the strategic implications of emerging technologies.
Dr. Anja Schmidt is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ , specifically within the Department of Conservation Biology & Social-Ecological Systems. She has been affiliated with UFZ since 2020 and previously worked at the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) and UFZ's Community Ecology Department. Her research focuses on ecosystem processes, particularly decomposition dynamics driven by invertebrates in tropical and agricultural systems, climate change impacts, and biodiversity conservation. PhD in Ecology (UFZ, 2012–2015) Master's in Ecology, Environmental Science, Bioinformatics (University of Giessen, 2008–2011) BSc in Biotechnology, Animal Physiology, Organismic Biology (University of Erlangen/Nuremberg, 2005–2008) Her work explores the interplay between decomposition processes , invertebrate biodiversity , and human-driven environmental changes . She investigates how climate change, land use, and pollution affect soil and aquatic ecosystems, with a focus on multitrophic interactions. Her research integrates experimental platforms like the iDiv Ecotron and UFZ's environmental observatories (TERENO, MOSES) to simulate and monitor real-world conditions. Dr. Schmidt's recent publications highlight her contributions to understanding invertebrate decline and its cascading effects on microbiomes, soil biodiversity assessments, and policy frameworks for conservation. She collaborates extensively with networks such as iDiv, STACCATO, and LEGATO, bridging experimental ecology with societal decision-making through projects like Faktencheck Artenvielfalt . She is associated with experimental infrastructures including: iDiv Ecotron Project (2018–2020) Global Change Experimental Facility (GCEF) TERENO (Terrestrial Environmental Observatories) MOSES (Modular Observation Solutions for Earth Systems) MOBICOS (Mobile Stream Laboratories) River Experiment Leipzig
Dr. Dirk de Beer is the leader of the Microsensor Group at the Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology in Bremen, Germany. His research focuses on the structure and function of marine sediments, investigating how microbial conversions (e.g., photosynthesis, chemoautotrophy, anaerobic nitrogen/carbon/sulfur cycling) are controlled by transport processes and how microbial species distributions are regulated in hot spots like seeps, microbial mats, and biofilms. His group employs advanced techniques such as microsensors and planar optodes to study high-resolution geochemical dynamics in marine systems. Key research areas include: Biogeochemical cycling of oxygen, sulfur, and carbon Microbial community interactions in sediments and mats Environmental regulation of microbial processes Reactive oxygen species in marine environments Coral bleaching and ocean acidification Recent publications highlight collaborations on arsenic cycling, hydrogen peroxide dynamics, and microbial respiration in extreme environments. Dr. de Beer's work is central to understanding how microbial processes influence global elemental cycles and climate regulation.
