Belkis Ezgi Arikan is a researcher at Justus Liebig University Giessen , affiliated with the Department of Psychology and Sports Science . Her work focuses on sensorimotor integration, tactile suppression, and neural mechanisms underlying action-outcome monitoring. She collaborates with Prof. Dr. Fiehler and Dr. Voudouris on project A4 (Predictive somatosensory processing during voluntary movements). Department: Psychology and Sports Science Collaborators: Dr. Dimitris Voudouris, Prof. Dr. Katja Fiehler Her research investigates: How the brain processes self-generated vs. externally generated sensory feedback Neural correlates of tactile suppression networks Role of cerebellum and angular gyrus in temporal recalibration Modulation of BOLD responses during action monitoring Recent publications reveal trends in predictive coding , sensorimotor recalibration , and neural suppression mechanisms across tactile, visual, and multisensory domains. Her work employs neuroimaging techniques like fMRI and behavioral paradigms to study self-motion perception and feedback processing. She contributes to understanding how the brain distinguishes self-initiated from external sensory events, with implications for motor learning and perceptual timing mechanisms.
Prof. Dr. Barbara Mittler is Professor of Sinology at Heidelberg University and founding co-director of the Heidelberg Centre for Transcultural Studies (CATS) and the Cluster of Excellence 'Asia and Europe in a Global Context.' Her research explores Chinese cultural policy, print media, musicology, visual culture, and transcultural studies. Mittler's scholarly contributions include groundbreaking work on Cultural Revolution culture, early Chinese print media (particularly women's magazines), and the transcultural flows of cultural production. Her current projects examine Mao as a global icon and comparative studies of Asian 'fathers of the nation.' Her publication record demonstrates consistent focus on cultural transmission mechanisms, with recent research developing transcultural frameworks for understanding cultural exchange and historical analysis. Publications reflect an interdisciplinary approach combining visual analysis, media studies, and historical methodology. Mittler has received numerous honors including the Fairbank Prize, Heinz-Maier-Leibnitz Prize, and memberships in the Leopoldina and Heidelberg Academy of Sciences. She leads major initiatives like the China-Schul-Akademie developing educational materials about China for German schools.
Prof. Bernt Schiele is a Max Planck Director at the Max Planck Institute for Informatics and holds a Professorship at Saarland University. His research focuses on understanding multimodal sensor data, with key areas in computer vision, 3D object recognition, and machine learning. He leads the Computer Vision and Machine Learning group, addressing challenges in sensor fusion, scene understanding, and human activity recognition. Schiele has held academic roles at TU Darmstadt, ETH Zurich, and MIT, and contributes to top journals like IEEE Transactions on PAMI and conferences like ECCV. His work emphasizes robust models, interpretability, and domain adaptation for real-world applications. Education: PhD (1997, Grenoble), MSc (1994 Karlsruhe/1993 Grenoble) Key Positions: MIT (1997-2000), ETH Zurich (1999-2004), TU Darmstadt (2004-2010) Research interests span 3D scene understanding, multimodal sensor processing, and machine learning techniques for large-scale data. His recent work advances robust object detection, explainable AI, and domain-invariant training methods. He also chairs major conferences like ECCV 2018 and co-chairs ICCV 2011. Publications highlight innovations in interpretable vision transformers, certified explanations, and test-time adaptation. Despite no listed awards, his contributions shape foundational areas of computer vision and multimodal AI.
Michael J. Black is a Professor and Director at the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems in Tübingen, Germany, where he leads the Perceiving Systems department and serves as Managing Director . He is also an Honorarprofessor at the University of Tübingen 's Faculty of Science . His career spans roles at Brown University (2000-2010), Xerox PARC, and academic-industry collaborations with Amazon and Meshcapade.
Prof. Dr. Christian Breitsamter is a Professor at the Technische Universität München (TUM), leading the Chair of Aerodynamics and Fluid Mechanics within the TUM School of Engineering and Design. He has held this position since 2007 and has been a member of key committees such as the ICAS Programme Committee and STAB-Programmleitung. His research focuses on aerodynamics of aircraft and rotorcraft configurations, including vortex dynamics, aeroelasticity, and fluid-structure interaction. Education: PhD in Aerodynamics (1997) Master’s in Aerospace Engineering (1989) Research Interests: Prof. Breitsamter’s work spans experimental and numerical studies of high-agility aircraft, helicopter aerodynamics, and advanced wing designs. Key areas include leading-edge vortices, gust load mitigation using flexible wings, and flow control techniques. His group investigates cutting-edge topics like deep learning for buffet prediction and hybrid neural networks for aerodynamic modeling. Awards: Willy Messerschmitt Preis (1999) AIAA Associate Fellow (2007) Advising & Grants: While specific student names are not listed, his research involves collaborative projects with industry partners (e.g., RACER Compound Helicopter) and EU initiatives like the FURADO program. His team contributes to the NFDI4ING infrastructure for engineering data. Labs/Teams: Active in the Aerodynamics Wind Tunnel facilities (Windkanäle A/B/C) and leads the SAGITTA flying wing demonstrator project. His group also explores membrane wings and elasto-flexible morphing technologies.
Niels Henze is a Professor at the Chair of Media Informatics within the Faculty of Languages, Literature and Cultural Studies at the University of Regensburg, where he has been serving since May 2018. His research centers on human-computer interaction, with a strong focus on predictive models in interactive systems, mobile interaction, augmented and virtual reality, and attention-aware computing. His research interests include: Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) Predictive modeling for runtime adaptation Mobile and wearable interaction Augmented and Virtual Reality (AR/VR) Attention-aware and context-sensitive systems Sociocognitive aspects of interactive technologies The analysis of his recent publications reveals a consistent focus on leveraging user behavior and contextual cues to build intelligent, adaptive interfaces. His work integrates machine learning with interaction design, emphasizing real-time model updates, implicit feedback, and cognitive load awareness to improve usability and user experience across mobile and immersive platforms. Scientific awards: No awards mentioned in the provided text. Niels Henze leads research in adaptive interactive systems and advises students in the field of media informatics. He has previously held a junior professorship at the University of Stuttgart and completed his doctorate at the University of Oldenburg under Susanne Boll. He is actively involved in advancing the theoretical and practical foundations of predictive and attention-aware computing. Grants and funding sources are not specified in the text. He is associated with the Institute for Information and Media, Language and Culture (I:IMSK) at the University of Regensburg, contributing to a multidisciplinary environment that bridges informatics with cultural and linguistic studies.
Karoline Noack is a full Professor of Ancient American Studies and Ethnology at the Institute of Archaeology and Cultural Anthropology , University of Bonn, where she also directs the BASA Museum (Bonn Collection of the Americas). She has held this position since 2009 and is a leading scholar in Andean studies, museum ethnology, and colonial Latin American history. Her research interests are deeply interdisciplinary, focusing on: The Inca state and early colonial Andes, particularly in Peru, Bolivia, and Mexico Transculturation and gender in colonial contexts The history of ethnological knowledge, especially in the GDR Museum studies, collection ethics, and the decolonization of ethnographic museums Material culture and provenance research Her recent scholarly output centers on dependency and mobilization in the Inca Empire, the global history of resources (like cotton and coca), and the role of museums in knowledge production. She has led major projects such as 'Balancing the Center and the Local' in Cochabamba and the KOSMOS collaborative project on object-based knowledge. Her publications span museum ethics, colonial legal history, and transcultural exchange. Karoline Noack has received significant recognition, including: Membership in the German Archaeological Institute Fellowships from the Volkswagen and Gerda Henkel Foundations Membership in the DFG Review Board Leadership roles as Spokesperson for the Transdisciplinary Research Area 'Present Pasts' and Chair of BASS e.V. She advises and mentors students in ethnology and archaeology, and her work involves extensive collaboration with international scholars and institutions. Her research is supported by major German funding bodies and is published in leading academic venues. She is also deeply involved in public engagement through museum curation and exhibitions.
Prof. Dr. Ingo Scholtes is Chair of Machine Learning for Complex Networks at Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg's Center for Artificial Intelligence and Data Science (CAIDAS). His research spans network science, graph machine learning, and computational social science, with applications in software engineering, ecology, biology, and physics. He received a Juniorfellowship from the German Informatics Society (2014) and an SNSF Professorship (CHF 1.5Mio, 2018). Current affiliations: JMU Würzburg (since 2021), University of Zurich (2018-2024), Bergische Universität Wuppertal (2019-2021) Research focus: Higher-order network modeling, temporal graph analysis, AI for collaborative systems, causality-aware machine learning His recent publications demonstrate strong trends in temporal network analysis , graph neural networks for time-series, and higher-order models across software engineering and social science domains. He co-chairs multiple international workshops on complex networks and serves as associate editor for EPJ Data Science and Advances in Complex Systems. Key scientific contributions: Foundational work on higher-order network models published in Nature Physics Methodological innovations in temporal network visualization (HOTVis) and path-based analysis (pathpy) As both educator and organizer, he leads the Computational Social Science Section at GI e.V., mentors across disciplines, and develops tools like git2net for collaboration analysis. His work bridges theoretical foundations with practical applications in network science.
Prof. Dr. Stefan Luther is a Max Planck Research Group leader (W2, tenured since 2013) at the Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization, Göttingen, and an Honorarprofessor at the Faculty of Physics, University of Göttingen. He holds adjunct roles as Adjunct Associate Professor at Cornell University (2009–2012) and Northeastern University (2016–2018), and serves as DZHK-Professor at the Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University Medical Center Göttingen. His research focuses on nonlinear spatiotemporal dynamics in excitable biological media, particularly cardiac arrhythmias. He pioneered 4D imaging of heart function and developed algorithms for optogenetic and electrical control of arrhythmias. Translational efforts span basic research to preclinical and clinical studies. Education includes a Diplom in Physics (1997) and PhD (2000) from Georg-August-University, Göttingen. Postdoctoral training followed at the University of Twente (2001–2004) and Cornell University’s LASSP (2004–2006). His lab, the Biomedical Physics group, explores electromechanical coupling in cardiac systems and develops novel therapeutic approaches. Collaborations include work on computational modeling, uncertainty quantification in dynamical systems, and fluid dynamics of multiphase flows.
Dongwoo Kim is a researcher affiliated with Hanyang University, ERICA Campus (Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering) and has previously collaborated with institutions like POSTECH , Chungnam National University , and Microsoft . His work spans interdisciplinary domains in Computer Science and Engineering . Hanyang University, ERICA Campus - Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering POSTECH - Power Analog Electronics & Semiconductor Devices Lab Microsoft Chungnam National University Kim's research focuses on formal verification of automotive control software, deep learning applications in environmental monitoring, 3D modeling for indoor positioning, and machine learning for signal processing. His recent publications highlight advancements in graph neural networks (GNNs), including analyzing oversmoothing and gradient dynamics, as well as developing geometric vision-language models with domain-agnostic encoders. His 15 most recent articles (2023-2025) address topics like: Optimizing hybrid electric vehicle engine performance 3D modeling for indoor localization GNN training stability UAV-based environmental monitoring Algorithm difficulty prediction for programming problems Millimeter-wave antenna design Kim collaborates with researchers in software engineering , signal processing , and environmental science domains. His work intersects formal methods , applied machine learning , and embedded systems research.
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Lars Linsen is a full Professor of Computer Science at the Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität (WWU) Münster, leading the VISualization & graphIX (VISIX) group. His primary affiliation is the Institute of Computer Science within the Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science. He holds adjunct professorships at Jacobs University, Bremen, and has held previous academic roles including Full Professor at Jacobs University (2012–2017) and Associate/Assistant Professor roles in Germany and the U.S. His research focuses on interactive visual analysis, medical visualization, and scientific visualization, with applications in life sciences and engineering. Education: PhD (Dr.-Ing.) in Computer Science from Universität Karlsruhe (2001), M.Sc. (Diplom) in Computer Science (1997), B.Sc. (Vordiplom) in Computer Science (1994). Awards: IEEE Visualization Design Contest Winner (2008, 2022, 2018), Preis des Fördervereins des Forschungszentrum Informatik (2002). Research Highlights: Develops visualization tools for medical imaging (e.g., mass spectrometry imaging, MRI data analysis) and physical simulations (e.g., wildfire spread analysis, asteroid impact modeling). Active in EU-funded projects like Pig-Pro-QuO (surface coatings) and cells-in-motion initiatives. Supervised over 20 PhD/MS advisees, including notable graduates in medical visualization and simulation ensemble analysis. Publications: Over 100 peer-reviewed articles in top venues like IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics, Computers & Graphics, and EuroVis. Key works include SciVis contest-winning wildfire analysis frameworks and medical visualization tools for stenosis detection. Teaching: Offers courses on visualization, computer graphics, and computational science. Actively involved in thesis supervision and curriculum development at both WWU Münster and Jacobs University. Grants & Collaborations: Principal investigator on DFG-funded projects (e.g., hemodynamics simulations, ensemble visualization) and industry collaborations (e.g., Tascon GmbH for coating quality analysis). Member of the Cells-in-Motion Interfaculty Centre and CDH board at WWU.
Prof. Dr. Ute Fendler holds the Chair of Romance Literature and Comparative Studies with Special Emphasis on Africa at the University of Bayreuth. Her academic journey includes a 2006 Habilitation and 1992 PhD from Saarland University, with research spanning Francophone African literatures , intermedial phenomena , and postcolonial cinematic analysis . She coordinates the Bayreuth Academy of Advanced African Studies as Vice-Director and serves on multiple editorial boards. 2006-Present: Professor at University of Bayreuth 2011-2015: Director of Institute for African Studies 2015-Present: Vice-Director of Bayreuth Academy of Advanced African Studies Her research interrogates urban ecotonal spaces through African music videos, transnational cinematic flows in African and Afro-Asian contexts, and mediated memory practices . Recent publications explore post-apocalyptic storytelling and decolonial aesthetics in music videos and films. Scientific contributions include: 2025: Staging Atmosphere: Urban Ecotonal Spaces in African Music Videos (Brill) 2024: Co-edited Asia-Africa: Multifaceted Engagement (Palgrave Macmillan) 2022: Animating the Future: Superheroes in Africa (Brill) 2020: Ghosts as Mediators: Memory and Hauntology (iwalewabooks) 2019: K-Pop Fandom in Germany (Korea University Press) She received the Faculty Enrichment Award from the Canadian Embassy in 2005 and serves on multiple academic committees including the University Library Commission (2007-2016).
Prof. Margret Keuper is a Professor of Machine Learning at the University of Mannheim's School of Business Informatics and Mathematics, leading the Data and Web Science Group. She is also affiliated with the Max-Planck-Institute for Informatics and ELLIS (fellow since 2024). Her research focuses on robust deep learning, neural architecture search, and computer vision tasks like motion segmentation and adversarial defense. She holds a PhD from the University of Freiburg and previously held positions at the University of Siegen and the University of Mannheim. Her work spans projects funded by DFG and BMBF, including Climate Visions for social media analysis and TrackOpt for motion tracking. She teaches courses on computer vision, generative models, and reinforcement learning. She actively serves on program committees for top conferences like CVPR, ECCV, and NeurIPS, and is an associate editor for IEEE TPAMI and JAIR. Education: PhD in Computer Science from University of Freiburg (advisor: Thomas Brox) Research Projects: Learning to Sense (DFG), Climate Visions (BMBF), TrackOpt (BMBF) Key Roles: Head of Mannheim Master in Data Science Examination Board, Member of MSc Business Informatics Board Her research emphasizes robustness in AI systems, with contributions to adversarial attacks, domain generalization, and efficient solvers for large-scale problems. She advises over 15 PhD students across academic and industry partnerships.
Joachim Weickert is a Professor of Mathematics and Computer Science at Saarland University where he heads the Mathematical Image Analysis Group since 2001. He received his diploma and Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of Kaiserslautern (1991, 1996), and a habilitation degree in computer science from the University of Mannheim (2001). Prior to his current position, he worked as a research assistant at the University of Kaiserslautern, as a post-doctoral researcher at the universities of Utrecht and Copenhagen, and as an assistant professor at the University of Mannheim. His research focuses on image processing, computer vision, and scientific computing, with special emphasis on techniques based on partial differential equations, variational principles, wavelets, morphological and nonlocal methods, as well as neuroexplicit approaches. He has developed mathematical models and efficient numerical algorithms for image restoration, enhancement, segmentation, compression, optic flow computation, stereo reconstruction, shape from shading, and signal processing methods for tensor fields. These ideas have been successfully applied in industry, biomedical image analysis, and other fields. Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong trend toward combining traditional PDE-based methods with modern deep learning approaches, particularly in the areas of image inpainting and compression. His work increasingly explores the connections between numerical algorithms for partial differential equations and neural network architectures, demonstrating how mathematical foundations can inform cutting-edge AI techniques while maintaining strong theoretical guarantees. Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize (2010), considered the most important research award in Germany ERC Advanced Grant (2017) for "Inpainting-based Compression of Visual Data" Elected member of Academia Europaea - The Academy of Europe Jan Koenderink Prize for Fundamental Contributions in Computer Vision (2014) Multiple DAGM Prizes and Best Paper Awards throughout his career AAIA Fellow (2021) and Highly Ranked Scholar (2024) distinctions Professor Weickert has supervised over 250 bachelor's and master's theses and initiated the Master Programme in Visual Computing at Saarland University, the first of its kind in Germany taught in English. He has established numerous interdisciplinary collaborations with colleagues from medicine, bioinformatics, pharmacy, physics, mechatronics, and mechanical engineering. As Principal Investigator for Visual Computing within the Multimodal Computing and Interaction Cluster of Excellence, and former dean of the Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science (2008-2010), he has played a significant leadership role in advancing visual computing research and education. He heads the Mathematical Image Analysis Group, which has been at the forefront of developing mathematical methods for image analysis. The group maintains strong connections with both theoretical mathematics and practical applications, bridging the gap between fundamental research and real-world implementation across various domains including medical imaging, industrial inspection, and multimedia processing.
Katrin Bromber is a German Researcher at the Centre for Modern Oriental Studies in Berlin, where she has led the research group "Progress and its Discontents: Ideas, Practices, Materiality" since 2014. Her career spans senior research roles at ZMO and academic teaching positions at the University of Vienna. Nationality: German. Language skills: Native German, fluent English/Swahili, moderate Amharic, good reading knowledge in French/Russian, basic Tigrinya. Habilitation (2009–): African Studies, University of Vienna PhD (1993): African Linguistics, University of Leipzig MA (1988): Swahili Studies, University of Leipzig Katrin Bromber's research interrogates intersections of body politics , sports history , Swahili linguistics , and Ethiopian modernity . Her work traces how physical culture, media representation, and colonial/imperial narratives shape national identities across Africa and Asia. Current focus: "Progress" as contested concept in Ethiopian and Gulf urbanism. Key article trends reflect her translocal methodology: 2017 studies on Ethiopian stadiums and fitness culture ; 2014-2013 publications analyzing East African military press , sports branding in the Gulf , and Swahili poetry ; 2007-2000 works on colonial linguistic politics , Indian Ocean slavery , and German colonial Swahili promotion . Recurring sub-fields: body as political text, translocal modernity, media historiography. Scientific Awards: Research Grant of the Berlin City Council (1999-2000): Gendered Slavery study Service to the Scientific Community: Chairwoman, Academic Association for Horn of Africa Studies (2012–) Editorial Advisory Board - Stichproben. Vienna Journal of African Studies (2015–) Editorial Advisory Board - Studies of Department of African Languages and Cultures (2015–) Teaching Experience: Textlinguistics, Mediacommunication, African Linguistics, Swahili (elementary/advanced), Swahili Literature, Swahili in Arabic Script at Leipzig, Humboldt-Berlin, Free Berlin, and Vienna universities Anthropology of the Body at Mekelle University Summer School Field Research: Tanzania (1993-2003): Swahili Poetry, Intellectual History Kenya (2005): Indian Ocean WW2 UAE/Bahrain (2009): Sports and Body Cultures Ethiopia (2009-2015): Sports, Body Politics
