Prof. Dr. Klaus Schmid is a Professor in the Department of Software Systems Engineering at the University of Hildesheim, part of the Faculty of Mathematics, Natural Sciences, Economics, and Computer Science. His research focuses on Machine Learning Operations (MLOps), software product lines, adaptive systems, and variability modeling. He leads projects such as EXPLAIN and ReGaP, emphasizing explainable AI and industrial MLOps integration. His work addresses challenges in Cyber-Physical Production Systems (CPPS), including data management, model calibration, and domain knowledge integration. Key research interests include MLOps architecture design, variability modeling transformations (e.g., UVL to IVML), and incremental verification techniques for software product lines. He has published extensively in venues like IEEE ETFA, IEEE Software, and SPLC conferences. Notable achievements include a Best Paper Award for work on control patterns in self-adaptive systems. Collaborations with industry partners highlight his focus on bridging academic research and practical industrial applications. Prof. Schmid’s contributions extend to tool development, such as EASy-Producer for variability-aware software ecosystems, and frameworks for environment modeling in adaptive systems. His research addresses both foundational challenges (e.g., syntax-preserving slicing) and applied topics like MLOps platform comparisons and industrial case studies in Industry 4.0.
Prof. Matthias Schlesewsky is a Professor of Psychology at the University of South Australia. Previously, he held positions as Professor of General Linguistics at the University of Mainz and as a Junior Professor at the University of Marburg. With a unique background in chemistry and a PhD in linguistics, he specializes in interdisciplinary research at the intersection of science and humanities. His research focuses on the neurobiological foundations of language and how language processing evolves across the lifespan. Key interests include sentence comprehension mechanisms, cross-linguistic neurocognitive models, and the interplay between auditory processing and language evolution. Prof. Schlesewsky’s work integrates experimental methods like EEG and eye-tracking to explore real-time language processing. His contributions have advanced understanding of linguistic universals and neural mechanisms underlying language.
Bernhard Brehmer is a Professor of Slavic Linguistics at the University of Konstanz since 2020, holding a W3-professorship in Slavic Linguistics. He previously held academic positions at the Universities of Greifswald, Hamburg, and Tübingen, including a Juniorprofessur and W2-professorship. His research focuses on multilingualism, language attrition, heritage languages, and sociolinguistic aspects of Slavic languages. He earned his doctorate in Ostslavische Philologie from Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen in 2004 with a dissertation on politeness expressions in Russian. Brehmer has led numerous interdisciplinary research projects, including the DFG-funded 'Russian in Germany across Generations' (2021–2024) and the EU-funded 'Nachbarspracherwerb' initiative. His awards include the 2012 Junior Fellowship at FRIAS and the 2018 Sparkassen-Förderpreis for German-Polish collaboration. His scholarly contributions span monographs, edited volumes, and over 50 peer-reviewed articles. Key works include Politeness between Convention and Creativity (2009) and co-edited collections like Lost in Transmission (2020). He actively participates in academic governance, serving as director of Slavistik institutes and developing interdisciplinary programs like the Baltic Sea Region MA program. His research integrates corpus linguistics, sociolinguistics, and applied language policy, addressing contemporary issues such as minority language maintenance and digital language behavior.
PD Dr. phil. Evangelia Kordoni is a research assistant at Humboldt University of Berlin's Faculty of Linguistics and Literary Studies, specifically within the Institute for English and American Studies. Her office is located at Dorotheenstraße 28, Room 3.04, and she can be contacted via email for appointments. She is an active researcher in computational linguistics with a focus on grammar engineering and natural language processing. Kordoni's research primarily explores: Computational linguistics frameworks including HPSG grammar implementation Multiword expression processing and machine translation systems Treebank development for languages including English, German and Bulgarian Lexical acquisition methods for large-scale grammars Semantic parsing and disambiguation techniques Her work bridges theoretical linguistics with practical NLP applications. Kordoni's publication record shows consistent focus on deep linguistic processing, with recent emphasis on: Multiword expression analysis in machine translation systems Parallel treebank development for multilingual applications Verb subcategorization and compound noun disambiguation Dynamic annotation methodologies for Wall Street Journal texts Cross-linguistic studies of Germanic syntax
Renáta Pavlová, PhD is a Lecturer for Slovak language at the Institute of Slavic Linguistics and Cultural Studies, Faculty of Humanities, University of Regensburg since September 2020. Previously, she served as a Scientific Assistant at Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra (2017-2020) and as a Slovak Language Lecturer at the Slavic Institute, University of Cologne (2016-2013). Her academic journey includes completing her PhD at Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra in 2011 with a dissertation on 'Slovak as a Foreign Language.' Dr. Pavlová's educational background includes: Studies in Slovak Language and Literature – German Language and Literature at Constantine the Philosopher University, Nitra (1998-2003) PhD in Slovak as a Foreign Language from Constantine the Philosopher University, Nitra (2011) Dr. Pavlová's research focuses on three interconnected areas: Slovak as a foreign language with emphasis on linguodidactic aspects, machine translation between German and Slovak, and the development of reading comprehension in foreign language learning. Her work in linguodidactics examines effective teaching methodologies for Slovak language acquisition, while her machine translation research analyzes error patterns and quality assessment. The reading comprehension strand investigates intervention programs for developing literacy skills in both native and foreign language contexts, with applications across primary and secondary education levels. Her recent publications demonstrate a consistent focus on the intersection of language learning, technology, and literacy development. The trend shows increasing attention to machine translation quality assessment, particularly examining morphosyntactic and lexical errors in German-Slovak translation. Her work also reveals a strong commitment to practical applications, with numerous publications on language testing, certification (particularly ECL exams), and intervention programs for reading comprehension. The collaborative nature of her research is evident through multiple co-authored works with colleagues across various institutions. Dr. Pavlová has been involved in several significant research projects including VEGA projects on reading comprehension development (2019, 2017), APVV projects on machine translation error classification (2018), and KEGA projects on language preparation (2019). She also contributed to international initiatives like EUROPODIANS (2009) for developing online Slovak courses and EURONOUNCE (2009) analyzing Slovak pronunciation by German speakers. As an educator, Dr. Pavlová teaches various Slovak language courses at University of Regensburg, including Slovak I, Slovak III (general and translation-specific), Slovak Conversation, and specialized seminars on Machine Translation. She actively participates in cultural outreach, having recently attended events with the Slovak Ambassador and the President of the Slovak Republic, demonstrating her role in promoting Slovak language and culture internationally.
Professor Tania Avgustinova is a Professor of Slavic and Computational Linguistics in the Department of Language Science and Technology at Saarland University. She serves as Principle Investigator for SFB 1102 - Project C4 (INCOMSLAV) and is Head of the Slavic Lab. Her academic career spans several decades with significant contributions to Slavic linguistics, computational approaches to language, and cross-linguistic studies. Her academic qualifications include: Habilitation venia legendi in General Linguistics (2003) PhD in Slavic and Computational Linguistics (1997) Diploma in Slavistics (1987) Professor Avgustinova's research focuses on the intersection of Slavic linguistics and computational methods. She specializes in microsyntax, intercomprehension among Slavic languages, language contact phenomena, and the processing of non-compositional expressions. Her work examines how speakers of one Slavic language can understand related languages without formal instruction, with particular attention to cognitive and linguistic factors. She has developed computational models to analyze linguistic distances and asymmetries between Slavic languages, contributing significantly to understanding receptive multilingualism. Her recent publications reveal a strong focus on experimental approaches to studying cross-linguistic comprehension using web-based platforms, eye-tracking, and speech processing techniques. There's a clear trend toward investigating microsyntactic units and non-compositional expressions across Slavic languages, with applications in language technology and education. Her work bridges theoretical linguistics with practical applications in natural language processing and language learning. Principle Investigator of SFB 1102 Project C4 (INCOMSLAV) Head of Slavic Lab at Saarland University Contributor to Russian National Corpus project Developer of INCOMSLAV platform for measuring linguistic distances As Principle Investigator of SFB 1102 Project C4 (INCOMSLAV), Professor Avgustinova leads research on mutual intelligibility and surprisal in Slavic intercomprehension. She has been instrumental in developing the INCOMSLAV platform for measuring linguistic distances and asymmetries in receptive multilingualism. Her leadership extends to international collaborations, including contributions to the Russian National Corpus project where she provides expertise on grammatical phenomena at the borderline between lexicon and syntax. Professor Avgustinova heads the Slavic Lab at Saarland University, which focuses on applied, experimental, and computational linguistics. The lab conducts research on Russian corpus grammar, word embedding models, sense frequencies, and microsyntax. Her work has established important connections between theoretical linguistics and practical language technology applications, particularly in the Slavic language context.
Claire Le Goues is a Professor of Computer Science at Carnegie Mellon University, primarily affiliated with the Software and Societal Systems Department (S3D) within the School of Computer Science (SCS). She serves as the Associate Department Head for Faculty within S3D and leads the squaresLab research group. Le Goues also co-directs the REUSE@CMU summer program and teaches software engineering and program analysis at undergraduate, master's, and PhD levels. Her research spans software engineering and programming languages, with a particular focus on how to construct, maintain, evolve, improve/debug, and assure high-quality software systems. Le Goues has made significant contributions to automated program repair, program analysis, and defect detection. Her work often bridges theoretical foundations with practical applications, addressing real-world challenges in software development and maintenance. Le Goues' recent publications demonstrate a clear trend toward integrating large language models and generative AI with traditional software engineering techniques. Her research examines how these technologies can enhance program repair (BatFix, AdverIntent-Agent), vulnerability detection (Interpretable Vulnerability Detection Reports), and testing (LWDIFF for WebAssembly). This represents an evolution from her earlier foundational work in program repair (GenProg) toward leveraging contemporary AI advancements. She has mentored numerous students through her squaresLab research group and has been instrumental in developing educational programs that prepare the next generation of software engineers. Le Goues is also known for her advocacy for double-blind review processes in academic conferences, having implemented this approach when co-chairing the Symposium for Search-Based Software Engineering in 2014.
Jens Michaelis is a Professor at the Faculty of Linguistics and Literary Studies, Bielefeld University, specializing in Computational Linguistics, Text Technology, and Linguistic Creativity. He serves as Deputy Head of the Department of Linguistics, Clinical Linguistics, Text Technology and Computational Linguistics, and provides academic advising for Computational Linguistics programs. His office is located at UHG U5-231, with contact details including telephone +49 521 106-6915 and email jens.michaelis@uni-bielefeld.de . Maintaining active research roles, he leads project B01 'Coercion as a creative mechanism in compositional interpretation' within the SFB 1646: Linguistic Creativity in Communication. His teaching responsibilities span modules like 23-CL-BaCL2.1 Selected methodological aspects 23-CL-BaCL5 Advanced Module 23-CL-BaCL6 Project Module 23-LIN-Ma3.1 Basics of Computational Linguistics 23-MeWi-HM3a_a Mathematical-linguistic language modeling across both undergraduate and graduate programs. His scholarly work focuses on formal grammar properties, syntactic mechanisms, and computational modeling of language. As an ordinary member of the Faculty Conference and Habilitation Committee, he contributes to academic governance while maintaining an extensive publication record in mathematical linguistics, minimalist grammars, and formal language theory.
Brigitte Pientka is a Professor at McGill University's School of Computer Science , where she leads the Computation and Logic group . She earned her PhD from Carnegie Mellon University in 2003 and previously studied at the University of Edinburgh and Technical University of Darmstadt. Education PhD in Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University (2003) University of Edinburgh Technical University of Darmstadt Research Interests Her work focuses on the theoretical and practical foundations for building reliable software systems, combining logic, type theory, and verification with system-building. Key areas include: Type Theory and Dependent Types Logical Frameworks and Mechanized Metatheory Session-Typed Concurrency and Linear Logic Metaprogramming and Contextual Type Systems Theorem Proving and Formal Verification Functional Programming and Language-Based Security Professional Roles She has served as: PC Chair for ICFP'24 and CPP'24 General Chair for POPL'20 Executive Editor of Logical Methods in Computer Science Steering Committee Member for LICS, POPL, and ESOP Scientific Awards Dr. Pientka has received: Test of Time Award at PPDP'18 Humboldt Fellowship for research at MPI-SWS, Germany Labs & Teams She actively develops the Beluga programming language , a tool for mechanizing meta-theory proofs and type-driven program manipulation.
Thomas Herbst serves as a Professor in the Department of English and American Studies within the Faculty of Humanities, Social Sciences, and Theology at Friedrich Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU). With a distinguished career spanning over four decades, his research has significantly contributed to linguistic theory and practice. His current work focuses on advancing construction grammar frameworks and their practical applications in language learning and lexicography. Professor Herbst's research interests center on Construction Grammar, Valency Theory, and Lexicography, with particular emphasis on the intersection between lexical and syntactic patterns. His scholarly work explores how constructions—recurring patterns of language—shape meaning, communication, and language acquisition. He has pioneered approaches to constructing constructicons (comprehensive inventories of constructions) and has made significant contributions to understanding how valency patterns function in English and other languages. His research bridges theoretical linguistics with practical applications in language teaching, dictionary compilation, and translation studies, particularly examining how multimodal elements like gesture and accent contribute to meaning in audiovisual contexts. Analysis of his recent publications reveals a consistent trajectory exploring constructional networks, argument structure, and the practical implementation of construction grammar in language learning. His work increasingly focuses on digital applications of linguistic theory, including constructicon development and computational implementations. Herbst's research demonstrates a strong commitment to making linguistic theory accessible and applicable to language learners, teachers, and lexicographers, with particular attention to how constructions manifest in second language acquisition and dictionary usage. Throughout his extensive career, Professor Herbst has maintained an active role in academic service, editing journals and special issues that have shaped discourse in construction grammar and lexicography. His editorial work for publications like Zeitschrift für Anglistik und Amerikanistik and contributions to major reference works have provided essential platforms for scholarly exchange in his fields of expertise.
Dr. Claudia Wegener is a Researcher at the Department of Linguistics, University of Cologne, specializing in General Linguistics. Her work focuses on language documentation, speech-gesture interaction, and Papuan/Austronesian languages like Savosavo and Gela. She holds a PhD from Radboud University Nijmegen (2008) and has conducted extensive fieldwork in the Solomon Islands and Malaysia. Previous Positions: Research Assistant, University of Cologne (2017–present) Postdoctoral Researcher at MPI for Psycholinguistics, Radboud University (2002–2011) DoBeS Project Leader for Savosavo documentation Research Interests Her research spans: Socio-linguistic aspects of gesture systems Morphosyntactic typology of Papuan languages Lexical semantics and kinship terminology Documentation methodologies for endangered languages Publications Her work includes a landmark grammar of Savosavo (2012), co-edited volumes on language documentation (2011), and influential articles on gesture studies (2022) and motion event encoding (2022). Projects Leading the Savosavo-Gela Documentation Project (DoBeS-funded) Contributions to MPI's Endangered Languages Documentation Archive Collaborations with Australian National University and University of Manchester Her research bridges linguistic theory with applied documentation, emphasizing community-driven preservation strategies.
Dr. Ilia Kuznetsov is a Senior Postdoctoral Researcher at the Ubiquitous Knowledge Processing Lab (UKP Lab) of the Technical University of Darmstadt. He coordinates the InterText group, focusing on cross-document NLP and AI-assisted peer review systems. His research emphasizes responsible AI, human-AI collaboration, and empirical approaches to AI evaluation. He co-leads the "Ethics for Natural Language Processing" course at TU Darmstadt and has advised numerous students in PhD and master’s programs. Education includes a Candidate of Sciences (Mathematical and Applied Linguistics) from Lomonosov Moscow State University and work at the Higher School of Economics, Russia. His PhD at TU Darmstadt explored "The Role of Linguistics in Probing Task Design" . Research interests span peer review automation, cross-document modeling, and interpretable NLP. Key projects include NLPeer (a peer review resource) and CARE (a collaborative AI-assisted reading environment). Recent work focuses on large-language model applications in citation generation and task design. Publications emphasize peer review analysis, document structure modeling, and probing tasks. He actively collaborates on interdisciplinary projects addressing AI ethics and scholarly communication challenges.
Prof. Roland Kaehlbrandt is an Honorary Professor of Language and Society at Alanus University, holding joint appointments in the Department of Philosophical and Aesthetic Education and the Department of Educational Science. His work focuses on sociolinguistic dynamics, language policy, and cultural aspects of German language evolution. He has held significant voluntary roles in German cultural institutions including the German Academy for Language and Literature and the Hessian State Foundation. Key educational initiatives include founding the national 'Jugend debattiert' competition and the 'DeutschSommer' educational program. His research explores language change in multicultural contexts, language norms, and EU cultural policy impacts. Notable publications include Deutsch – eine Liebeserklärung (2022), a SPIEGEL bestseller. Recipient of Germany’s Bundesverdienstkreuz (2016) and France’s National Order of Merit (2018) Advocacy includes projects promoting intercultural education and scholarships for immigrant students Board memberships span foundations like Hessische Landesstiftung and the Frankfurt Foundations Initiative
Jan Pfister is a researcher at the Chair of Data Science (Informatik X) , affiliated with the Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science at the University of Würzburg . Holding an M.Sc. in Computer Science from 2021, he contributes to the DMIR group while maintaining the BibSonomy platform. His work bridges Natural Language Processing and Deep Learning , with a focus on structured sentiment analysis and German language modeling. His research explores the integration of Large Language Models with Pointer Networks to extract fine-grained sentiment information. He has developed ModernGBERT , a German-only encoder model, and LLäMmlein , advancing NLP capabilities for the language. Pfister's recent publications highlight trends in encoder-decoder architectures, model-agnostic hallucination detection, and multi-label classification frameworks that refine LLM outputs. He has taught courses including Information Retrieval (SS '22), Text Mining (WS '23), and Selected Topics in Machine Learning (SS'21, WS '21, WS'24). His collaborative projects span medical informatics, human-AI interaction, and social media analysis, often involving interdisciplinary teams and real-world data.
Dr. Luke Adamson is a tenure-track Researcher in Research Area 3 'Syntax and Lexicon' at the Leibniz-Zentrum Allgemeine Sprachwissenschaft (ZAS), Berlin. Previously, he held a Postdoctoral Fellowship at Harvard University (2020–2022) and served as Lecturer at Rutgers University (2022–2023). He earned his PhD in Linguistics from the University of Pennsylvania (2019) and holds dual degrees from Oberlin College: a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Bachelor of Music in Cello Performance (2010–2014). His research focuses on nominal features, grammatical gender, and syntactic modularity, with notable projects exploring gender locality hypotheses, coordination resolution in three-gendered languages, and suppletion phenomena. Collaborators include prominent linguists such as Elena Anagnostopoulou (University of Crete), Ruth Kramer (Georgetown University), and Stanislao Zompì (Universität Potsdam). Key contributions include work on gender assignment constraints in languages like Greek, Swedish, and Lithuanian, as well as syntactic interfaces in Jarawara and Italian. Recent presentations include invited talks at the University of Geneva (June 2025), Yale University (October 2024), and the Brussels Conference on Generative Linguistics (December 2024). He co-edits Linguistic Inquiry Squibs & Discussion and organizes the ZAS Brown Bag Lunches. His work has been supported by grants from the National Science Foundation and the European Research Council. Adamson’s academic networks span formal linguistics and typological studies, with ongoing projects addressing politeness pronouns in Romance languages, emotive predicates in clausal complements, and allosemy in Greek gender systems.
