Find Academic Supervisors

• Evolutionary Computation
• Machine Learning
• Natural Computing
• +5 more

Thomas Bäck is a Professor at the Leiden Institute of Advanced Computer Science (LIACS) , Leiden University , Netherlands, and a member of the interdisciplinary programme Society, Artificial Intelligence and Life Sciences (SAILS) . His academic career spans roles at Leiden University (1996–present) and leadership positions at the Center for Applied Systems Analysis in Dortmund (1994–2000). Education : Diplom-Informatiker (Computer Science), Technische Universität Dortmund (1990) Dr. rer. nat. (Computer Science), Technische Universität Dortmund (1994) Research Interests : Dr. Bäck specializes in evolutionary computation , machine learning , and their applications in sustainable smart industry and healthcare . Recent work focuses on integrating large language models (LLMs) and quantum computing into optimization frameworks, with projects like CIMPLO (predictive maintenance), ECOLE (experience-based optimization), and SAPPAO (airline operations optimization). Scientific Contributions : His 526+ publications cover evolutionary algorithms, quantum optimization, and LLM-driven design, with recent trends including: Quantum computing (e.g., quantum approximate optimization, quantum advantage challenges) LLM integration (e.g., hyperparameter tuning, mutation control, code evolution graphs) Healthcare and industry (e.g., predictive maintenance, anomaly detection, melt quality prediction) Algorithm benchmarking (e.g., IOHprofiler, MA-BBOB, explainable benchmarking) Scientific Awards : IEEE Fellow (2022) Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) member (2021) Academia Europaea member (2022) IEEE Computational Intelligence Society Evolutionary Computation Pioneer Award (2015) Fellow, International Society of Genetic and Evolutionary Computation (2003) Best Ph.D. thesis award, German Society of Computer Science (GI) (1995) Advising and Grants : He supervises Ph.D. candidates in evolutionary computation and machine learning and has secured 7 major grants from organizations like the Dutch Research Council , European Commission , and The Research Council of Norway . His editorial roles include Editor-in-Chief of the Evolutionary Computation Journal and associate editorships in leading AI journals.

• Robotics
• Control Systems
• Multi-Agent Systems
• +6 more

Herman Bruyninckx is a Part-Time Full Professor at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) in the Mechanical Engineering department, specifically within the Control Systems Technology group and EAISI High Tech Systems initiative. He also serves as a professor (Hoogleraar) at KU Leuven in Belgium. Academic focus on robotics, control systems, and multi-agent coordination Active research in model predictive control , semantic mapping , and dynamic constraint algorithms Recent publications address industrial automation , agro-food robotics , and haptic technology Research Highlights : Developed hybrid decision-making frameworks for multi-agent navigation Innovated swing-free control methods for robotic pick-and-place operations Formulated constrained dynamics algorithms with LQR-Gauss principle integration Created ExoTen-Glove for haptic feedback in virtual environments Collaborative Projects : Coordinated with researchers like René van de Molengraft , Elena Torta , and Koen de Vos Contributed to NWO/TTW FlexCRAFT project for cognitive robotics in agro-food technology

Sara MagliacaneView profile

Assistant Professor

• Causality
• Causal Representation Learning
• Causality-inspired Machine Learning
• +4 more

Sara Magliacane is an Assistant Professor at the University of Amsterdam , affiliated with the Amsterdam Machine Learning Lab (AMLab) and the Informatics Institute . She also holds a Research Scientist position at the MIT-IBM Watson AI Lab and has been an ELLIS Scholar since 2022. Education PhD in Artificial Intelligence (2017), VU Amsterdam MSc in Computer Engineering (2011), Politecnico di Milano BSc in Computer Engineering (2008), Università degli Studi di Trieste Research Focus : At the intersection of Causality and Machine Learning , her work addresses Causal Representation Learning from high-dimensional data (images, sequences) Causal Discovery in latent confounder scenarios Causality-inspired Reinforcement Learning for robustness and adaptability Neurosymbolic AI for theoretical guarantees Publication Trends : Her recent work explores Factored adaptation in non-stationary environments (NeurIPS 2022) Temporal causal identifiability (ICML 2022) Binary interaction-based causal discovery (UAI 2023) Safe exploration in visual RL (HSCC 2021) Structure learning lower bounds (NeurIPS 2020) Scientific Recognition : ELLIS Scholar (2022–present) Spotlight presentations at ICML 2022 and ICLR 2022 Advising & Collaborations : Currently supervising 6 PhD students at the University of Amsterdam and AUMC, with 12 alumni advisees. Collaborates with researchers at MIT-IBM Watson AI Lab, Simons Institute, and TUM.

Joris M. MooijView profile

Professor

• Causality
• Causal Modeling
• Causal Discovery
• +5 more

Joris M. Mooij is a Professor of Mathematical Statistics at the Korteweg-De Vries Institute of the University of Amsterdam, Netherlands. His research focuses on causality, spanning causal modeling, discovery, and inference with applications in biology, medicine, fairness, and business analytics. He combines mathematical modeling with statistical and algorithmic approaches in his work. Dr. Mooij received his PhD with honors from Radboud University Nijmegen in 2007, focusing on approximate inference in graphical models. After postdoctoral work at the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics in Tübingen, Germany, he obtained an NWO VENI grant in 2011 for further postdoctoral research at Radboud University. He became Assistant Professor at the University of Amsterdam's Informatics Institute in 2013, was promoted to Associate Professor in 2017, and became a full Professor of Mathematical Statistics in 2020. Dr. Mooij's research centers on causal inference, with particular expertise in structural causal models, cyclic causal systems, and causal discovery algorithms. His work addresses fundamental questions about when causal relationships can be identified from observational data and how to develop robust causal discovery methods that work in complex real-world settings with latent variables, cycles, and selection bias. He has made significant contributions to understanding the limitations of existing causal discovery approaches and developing new methods that overcome these limitations. His research group organizes the Amsterdam Causality Meeting series and develops theoretical frameworks for causal modeling that encompass both acyclic and cyclic systems. Dr. Mooij has collaborated extensively on applications of causal methods in biological systems, including protein signaling networks and gene expression data. The group's recent work explores performative predictions, causal domain adaptation, and robust causal discovery methods that account for selection bias and missing data. Dr. Mooij has received numerous awards for his research, including: Best paper award at UAI for "Establishing Markov equivalence in cyclic directed graphs" IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Society 2011 Letters Prize Paper Award ICML Test of Time Honorable Mention Best student paper award at UAI 2010 He has secured competitive research funding through an NWO VENI grant, NWO VIDI grant, and an ERC Starting Grant, which supported the establishment of his research group consisting of 3 PhD students and 3 postdocs focused entirely on causality. Dr. Mooij has supervised several PhD students, including Tineke Blom, whose work on "Causality and Independence in Perfectly Adapted Dynamical Systems" significantly influenced his thinking about causality in complex systems. He has co-taught the MasterMath course on Causality and published lecture notes titled "A Mathematical Introduction to Causality." His research continues to push the boundaries of causal inference methodology and its applications across diverse scientific domains.

• Statistical Physics
• Network Theory
• Complex Systems
• +9 more

Diego Garlaschelli is a Professor of Theoretical Physics at Leiden University, affiliated with the Leiden Institute of Physics (LION) and the Biological, Soft and Complex Systems department within the Faculty of Science. His research focuses on the structure, dynamics, and physics of complex networks in financial, economic, social, neural, and biological systems. Combining statistical physics, information theory, and data science, his group explores interdisciplinary topics such as systemic risk in financial networks, mesoscopic organization in neural systems, and mathematical modeling of networks using maximum-entropy ensembles. Garlaschelli’s work emphasizes collaboration across fields like mathematics, computer science, economics, and neuroscience. Recent grants include NWO Open Competition funding for projects on network theory and systemic risk. He advises several PhD candidates, including Alessio Catanzaro, Francesca Giuffrida, and Jingjing Wang. His publications span high-impact journals like Nature Physics , Nature Reviews Physics , and Science , addressing topics from ensemble equivalence in networks to cultural diversity models. Key research themes include: (1) statistical physics of constrained systems, (2) financial network reconstruction from limited data, (3) early-warning signals for economic instabilities, and (4) information-theoretic bounds for large data structures. Garlaschelli co-leads the Leiden Complex Network Network (LCN2), fostering Dutch network science collaboration.

Noela MüllerView profile

Assistant Professor

• Probability Theory
• Random Matrices
• Sparse Matrices
• +5 more

Noela Müller is an Assistant Professor in the Mathematics and Computer Science school at Eindhoven University of Technology . Her research focuses on Probability Theory , Random Matrices , and Random Graphs , with significant contributions to understanding the rank of sparse matrices and clique factors in probabilistic settings. Research Outputs : Published 22 works including journal articles and preprints. Collaborations : Active in international networks, particularly in sparse matrix analysis and probabilistic combinatorics. Her recent work explores sparse pooled data algorithms , random 2-SAT models , and sharp thresholds in random graphs , showcasing interdisciplinary applications in computer science, mathematics, and theoretical physics.

Hendrik Jan HoogeboomView profile

Associate Professor

• Theoretical Computer Science
• Formal Languages
• Algorithms
• +13 more

Hendrik Jan Hoogeboom is an Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Science at Leiden University, affiliated with the Leiden Institute of Advanced Computer Science (LIACS) and the Theory research cluster. Research Interests: His work lies at the intersection of theoretical computer science and computational biology. He specializes in formal languages , algorithms , logic & automata (including tree-walking automata), and infinitary languages . A major theme is modeling natural computation, such as gene assembly in ciliates using graph polynomials and delta-matroids, and molecular computing paradigms like reaction systems and spiking neural P systems. Publication Trends: His recent publications (2017–2024) show a sustained focus on reaction systems and graph polynomials. He has developed formal models to analyze DNA rearrangements, explored the algebraic structure of gene assembly, and investigated the computational power of various natural computing models, often using combinatorial and algebraic tools from graph theory. Scientific Recognition: While specific awards are not listed, his extensive publication record in premier journals like Theoretical Computer Science , European Journal of Combinatorics , and Fundamenta Informaticae signifies high recognition in his field. Teaching and Mentorship: He has supervised several PhD students, including Robert Brijder, Jun Wang, and Rudy van Vliet. He teaches core courses such as Data Structures , Algorithms , Automata Theory , and Complexity , and has led seminars on topics like combinatorial game theory and SAT solvers. Laboratories and Teams: He is a key member of the Theory research cluster at LIACS, focusing on fundamental aspects of computer science. His work is deeply collaborative, especially with colleagues like Robert Brijder and W.A. Kosters.

Franziska PannachView profile

Assistant Professor

• Computational Linguistics
• Digital Humanities
• Semantic Web Technology
• +4 more

Dr. Franziska Pannach is an Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Arts of the Rijksuniversiteit Groningen (Netherlands), affiliated with the Centre for Language and Cognition (CLCG) . She specializes in Computational Linguistics , Digital Humanities , and Semantic Web Technology , focusing on modeling narratives and mythological texts using NLP and ontologies. Her work emphasizes Open Science and cross-cultural comparisons of folktales and myths. Education : Dr. rer. nat. (PhD) in Applied Computer Science (Digital Humanities/Computational Linguistics), University of Göttingen, Germany (2024) MSc in Applied Computer Science (Digital Humanities), University of Göttingen (2019) BSc in Applied Computer Science (Computational Neuroscience), University of Göttingen (2013) Research Interests include computational approaches to mythological and folkloristic analysis, shallow ontologies for narrative comparison, and semantic web applications in cross-cultural studies. She leads the GOLEM (Graph Ontologies for Literary Evolution Models) project and contributed to the STRATA (Stratification Analyses for Mythic Narrative Materials) project. Teaching : Semantic Web Technology (MSc), Database-driven Web Technology (BSc), Digital Humanities: Tools and Methods (MSc), Analysing Data (MSc) Supervision : PhD students Pritha Majumdar (RUG) and Kristina Schneider (RUG/University of Mainz) Publications focus on narrative ontologies, mythological event annotation, and NLP for under-resourced languages. Her recent work includes the GOLEM Triple Store and shallow ontologies for myth comparison. Networks & Memberships : Member, Digital Humanities Association of Southern Africa (DHASA) since 2019 Co-founder and editor of the Journal of Digital Humanities Association of Southern Africa (JDHASA) Collaborations with institutions in Germany, South Africa, and Denmark

Carlo CavicchiaView profile

Assistant Professor

• Statistics
• Data Science
• Machine Learning
• +6 more

Dr. Carlo Cavicchia is an Assistant Professor of Statistics at the Econometric Institute, Erasmus School of Economics, Erasmus University Rotterdam. He holds a PhD in Methodological Statistics from La Sapienza University of Rome and has held roles such as Research Fellow at UnitelmaSapienza University and Consultant for NGOs in Zanzibar. His research focuses on latent variable models, composite indicators, and unsupervised classification, with applications in environmental policy, sports analytics, and teacher job satisfaction. Cavicchia teaches statistics and data science courses at undergraduate and graduate levels and actively contributes to academic communities through journal reviewing, conference organizing, and editorial roles. Education: PhD in Methodological Statistics (La Sapienza University of Rome, 2020) MSc in Statistics and Decision Sciences (La Sapienza University of Rome, 2016) BSc in Statistics (La Sapienza University of Rome, 2013) Dutch University Teaching Qualification (BKO, 2022) Research Interests: Cavicchia’s work emphasizes hierarchical models, non-parametric statistics, and data science applications. He develops methodologies for composite indicators, including ultrametric Gaussian mixture models and disjoint principal component analysis. His research bridges theoretical advancements with real-world problems, such as waste management in Italian municipalities and ranking European football teams using composite metrics. Grants & Awards: 2024: IFCS Chikio Hayashi Award 2023: ESE Starter Grant (€300,000) 2017: Research Grant for Junior Researchers (€1,270) 2016: PhD Scholarship, La Sapienza University Academic Engagement: Cavicchia serves as IASC Data Analysis Competition Officer (2023–2025), co-edits the ISI Magazine , and organizes conferences like DSSV 2020 and DSSV-ECDA 2021. He is an elected member of the International Statistical Institute and contributes to SVQS’s Sustainability initiatives. Labs & Teams: He co-organizes the Econometrics internal seminars at Erasmus University and collaborates with researchers at University of Naples Federico II on hierarchical models and convex clustering.

• Algorithms
• Data Structures
• Data Science
• +1 more

Dr. Johan van Rooij is an Assistant Professor in the Algorithms and Complexity group at Utrecht University , Faculty of Science. His work focuses on algorithm design, computational complexity, and data science applications. Specializes in exact algorithms for NP-hard graph problems Active in parameterized complexity and treewidth-based techniques Contributes to applied data science through transportation optimization and railway inspection projects Research trends show consistent contributions to: Exponential time algorithms for graph problems Treewidth and branch decomposition optimization Data science applications in public mobility Scientific Recognition: 2018: Hendrik Lorentz Prize (Dutch Data Science Prizes) 2022: Finalist for Prize for OR for the Common Good

Valentina BreschiView profile

Assistant Professor

• Data-driven control
• Control systems
• Machine learning
• +5 more

Valentina Breschi is an Assistant Professor in the Control Systems Group at the Department of Electrical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e). She holds a Ph.D. from IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca, with postdoctoral and junior faculty experience at Politecnico di Milano. Her research focuses on data-driven control, jump model learning, meta-learning for system identification, and human-centered policy design for mobility systems. She contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals related to sustainable infrastructure and innovation. Education: B.Sc. in Electronic and Telecommunication Engineering (University of Florence, 2011) M.Sc. in Electrical and Automation Engineering (University of Florence, 2014) Ph.D. in Control Systems (IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca, 2018) Research Interests: Her work spans data-driven control methodologies, including LPV control, predictive control, and ethical frameworks for policy design. She explores applications in sustainable mobility, energy systems, and healthcare, emphasizing fairness and social impact. Labs/Teams: She is part of the Control Systems Group, collaborating on projects like the CONSIDER study and the design of fair-MPC frameworks. Her work integrates theoretical control principles with real-world applications in smart systems and social networks.

Magnus BotnanView profile

Assistant Professor

• Topological Data Analysis
• Representation Theory of Quivers
• Computational Topology
• +3 more

Magnus Botnan is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Mathematics, Vrije Universiteit (VU) Amsterdam. He held a tenure-track position from 2018-2022, was a postdoc at TU Munich (2016-2018) under Ulrich Bauer, and earned his PhD at NTNU in 2015 under Nils A. Baas. His research spans topological data analysis, bridging pure mathematics (representation theory of quivers) with computational and applied aspects (persistent homology, data signatures). Education: PhD in Mathematics at Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) Research Grants: VIDI career grant (€850,000) Research Collaborations: with Mike Lesnick, Ulrich Bauer, S. Oppermann, and S. Oudot His recent work includes extremal Betti numbers, bottleneck stability, and signed barcodes for multiparameter persistence. He co-organized applied topology meetings in the Netherlands and supervises graduate students in computational topology. Key scientific contributions: Advances in Mathematics Journal of Applied and Computational Topology SoCG conference proceedings He teaches courses such as Calculus 2, Complex Analysis, and Topological Data Analysis at VU Amsterdam and Mastermath, with past courses in Differential Equations, Linear Algebra, and Modelling of Dynamical Systems.

Norman KerleView profile

Professor

• Disaster Risk Management
• Remote Sensing
• Geoinformatics
• +6 more

Norman Kerle is a Professor at the Faculty of Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation (ITC) of the University of Twente, holding the chair of Geoinformatics for Disaster Risk Management within the Earth Systems Analysis department. He earned Masters degrees in geography from the University of Hamburg and Ohio State University, and a PhD in volcano remote sensing from the University of Cambridge (2002). His research spans volcanology, landslide detection, and quantitative geomorphology, with a focus on object-oriented remote sensing methods for disaster risk management. He leads the ITC Object-Based Image Analysis research group and coordinates EU-funded projects like RECONASS and INACHUS , emphasizing UAV-based structural damage mapping. Recent work includes post-disaster recovery assessment using remote sensing and macro-economic modeling. His scientific contributions include over 221 research outputs (peer-reviewed articles, book chapters, conference papers) and datasets such as Evaluating Resilience-Centered Development Interventions with Remote Sensing (2020). He has received the 2011 Lloyd's Science of Risk Prize (Natural Hazards) and served as Associate Editor for journals like Remote Sensing and Natural Hazards and Earth Systems Sciences . Prof. Kerle’s professional affiliations include the European Geosciences Union (EGU), American Geophysical Union (AGU), International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ISPRS), and Remote Sensing and Photogrammetry Society (RSPS). He has examined PhD theses and reviewed proposals for Horizon 2020, STEREO, and UNESCO.

Jürgen PfefferView profile

Professor

• Computational Social Science
• Big Data Analysis
• Social Network Analysis
• +5 more

Jürgen Pfeffer is a Professor of Computational Social Science & Big Data at the Technical University of Munich's School of Social Sciences and Technology, with an additional appointment as Adjunct Professor at Carnegie Mellon University's Institute for Software Research. His interdisciplinary work bridges computer science and social science with a focus on analyzing large-scale socio-technical systems. His research expertise spans computational social science, network analysis, and big data methodologies. Pfeffer's work examines methodological, algorithmic, and theoretical challenges in analyzing dynamic social systems, with current projects focusing on modeling and detecting negative dynamics from social media, particularly online firestorms and hate speech against politically active women. His research combines network science approaches with computational methods to understand complex social phenomena. Pfeffer's publication record demonstrates significant contributions to the field since his 2010 doctorate, with high-impact papers in journals like Science and EPJ Data Science. His work on social media analysis, particularly the influential 2014 Science paper 'Social Media for Large Studies of Behavior' co-authored with Derek Ruths, has shaped methodological approaches in the field. His research shows consistent evolution from foundational network analysis to contemporary applications in political discourse, hate speech detection, and multi-layer network analysis. Hennig, M., Brandes, U., Pfeffer, J., & Mergel, I. (2012). Studying Social Networks. A Guide to Empirical Research Ruths, D., & Pfeffer, J. (2014). Social Media for Large Studies of Behavior Pfeffer, J., Morstatter, F., & Mayer, K. (2018). Tampering with Twitter's Sample API As an advisor and collaborator, Pfeffer has worked extensively with researchers including Raji Ghawi, Mirco Schönfeld, Momin Malik, and Kathleen Carley. His work demonstrates strong connections between theoretical network science and practical applications in social media analysis. His current research continues to address pressing issues in online discourse, with recent work focusing on hate speech classification, lexical change in negative word-of-mouth, and polarization dynamics in social media environments. Pfeffer leads the Pfeffer Lab, which focuses on developing methodological approaches for analyzing complex social systems through computational methods. His work has implications for understanding political legitimacy, social influence, and community dynamics in both online and offline contexts.

Alexandre BonvinView profile

Professor

• Computational Structural Biology
• Biomolecular Interactions
• NMR Spectroscopy
• +5 more

Prof. Alexandre Bonvin is a Professor of Computational Structural Biology and Scientific Director of the Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular Research at Utrecht University. He leads the Computational Structural Biology group, focusing on developing integrative computational methods to study biomolecular interactions. His work emphasizes predicting protein complex structures using experimental data and computational models, with applications in drug discovery and structural biology. Bonvin pioneered the HADDOCK software suite, a widely used platform for modeling biomolecular complexes. Education: Studied Chemistry at the University of Lausanne, obtained a PhD from Utrecht University (1993), followed by postdocs at Yale University and ETH Zurich. Joined Utrecht University in 1998, becoming a full professor in 2009. He has held leadership roles, including Director of Chemical Education and Vice Head of the Chemistry Department. Research Themes: Biomolecular interactions, computational modeling, NMR spectroscopy, and grid computing. He coordinates EU projects like WeNMR and BioExcel, advancing e-infrastructure for structural biology. His lab’s contributions include software tools like HADDOCK, DisVis, and PowerFit, serving thousands of researchers globally. Awards: 2006 VICI grant from NWO, HPC Innovation Award (2020). Over 275 peer-reviewed publications, including high-impact work on teixobactin mechanism and antibody modeling. Active in training through EMBO courses and mentoring postdocs/students.