Find Academic Supervisors

Stefan LeuteneggerView profile

Assistant Professor

• Mobile Robotics
• SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping)
• Computer Vision
• +7 more

Prof. Stefan Leutenegger is a tenure-track Assistant Professor at Technische Universität München (TUM), leading the Machine Learning for Robotics group within the TUM School of Computation, Information, and Technology. Previously, he held roles as Senior Lecturer (2018–2021) and Lecturer (2014–2018) at Imperial College London's Dyson Robotics Lab, where he founded the Smart Robotics Lab. He earned his PhD (2014) from ETH Zurich, focusing on autonomous solar-powered aircraft navigation, and holds BSc (2006) and MSc (2009) in Mechanical Engineering from ETH Zurich. His research centers on mobile robotics, particularly enabling robots (e.g., drones) to perceive and navigate complex environments using machine learning and sensor data fusion. Key focus areas include SLAM, event-based vision, 3D reconstruction, and autonomous exploration. He has pioneered algorithms like BRISK (2011), OKVIS (2014), and ElasticFusion (2016), advancing real-time robotics perception. Notable Awards: Imperial College President's Award (2018), Best ECCV Paper (2016), ETH Medal for Dissertations (2015). Labs: TUM's Machine Learning for Robotics Group, Imperial's Smart Robotics Lab. Publications: Over 100 papers, including seminal works in CVPR, ECCV, and Robotics: Science and Systems. Current projects include DigiForests (forest inventory via robotics), aerial additive manufacturing, and object-centric semantic mapping. His work bridges theory and practice, with applications in autonomous drones, construction robotics, and human-robot interaction.

• Computer Vision
• Machine Learning
• Autonomous Driving
• +4 more

Prof. Laura Leal-Taixé is a Professor at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) in the Department of Informatics, leading the Dynamic Vision and Learning group. She holds the Rudolf Mößbauer Tenure Track Assistant Professorship, promoted to W3 Associate Professorship in 2022. Her research focuses on computer vision and machine learning, particularly video analysis, multi-object tracking, and autonomous driving applications. Education: B.Sc./M.Sc. in Telecommunications Engineering (Technical University of Catalonia, UPC) Ph.D. in Information Processing (Leibniz University of Hannover, Germany) Postdoctoral Research at ETH Zürich (Switzerland) and TUM Research Interests: Laura’s work addresses challenges in video analysis, including motion analysis, semantic segmentation, and integrating social dynamics into urban traffic modeling. Her project socialMaps , funded by the Sofja Kovalevskaja Award, explores decoupling vehicle and pedestrian traffic using dynamic maps. Her research combines optimization techniques, deep learning, and sensor data for real-world applications like autonomous systems. Recent Trends: Her publications highlight advancements in multi-object tracking, 3D LiDAR segmentation, and trajectory forecasting, emphasizing neural networks and geometric approaches. Collaborations with industry and academia underscore her work’s practical impact. Awards: 2017 Sofja Kovalevskaja Award (€1.65M, Humboldt Foundation) 2017 DAAD Australia-German Joint Research Grant Travel grants from Women in CV, CVPR Doctoral Consortium, and Vodafone Foundation Labs & Projects: Leads the Dynamic Vision and Learning group at TUM, focusing on vision-based AI for autonomous systems and environmental monitoring. Active in developing datasets like DynamicEarthNet for semantic change analysis.

• Robotics
• Photogrammetry
• Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM)
• +12 more

Cyrill Stachniss is a Full Professor at the University of Bonn , where he heads the Lab for Photogrammetry and Robotics and is affiliated with the Lamarr Institute for Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence . He was previously a Visiting Professor in Engineering at the University of Oxford until 2025. His academic journey includes positions at the University of Freiburg, University of Zaragoza, and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology. University: University of Bonn School: Faculty of Engineering Department: Department of Photogrammetry Academic Rank: Professor His research spans robotics, photogrammetry, SLAM, autonomous navigation, perception systems, agricultural robotics, and unmanned aerial vehicles . He emphasizes probabilistic techniques for mobile robots and has made significant contributions to visual and LiDAR-based localization, scene understanding, and 3D reconstruction. The recent publications highlight a strong trend toward neural implicit representations, agricultural phenotyping, radar-based perception, and active learning . His team develops robust systems for real-world deployment in dynamic and unstructured environments, particularly in precision farming and autonomous vehicles. Scientific Awards: IEEE RAS Early Career Award (2013) Microsoft Research Faculty Fellow (2010) 7th EURON Georges Giralt Award (2008) Multiple Best Paper Awards at ICRA, IROS, RSS, and RAL Faculty Teaching Award, University of Freiburg He has advised numerous students and leads the DFG Cluster of Excellence PhenoRob and Research Unit FOR 1505 Mapping on Demand . His lab has co-founded three startups, reflecting strong industry and societal impact. He also runs the educational video series 5 Minutes with Cyrill , explaining key robotics concepts.

Alexander PretschnerView profile

Professor

• Software Engineering
• Testing
• Information Security
• +5 more

Prof. Alexander Pretschner is a Professor of Software & Systems Engineering at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and Founding Director of the Bavarian Research Institute for Digital Transformation (bidt). He also serves as Scientific Director of fortiss, a Bavarian research institute for software-intensive systems. His research focuses on software engineering, testing, information security, and ethical software development. Pretschner holds a PhD from TUM and has held academic positions at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and TU Kaiserslautern. He is a co-editor of several prestigious journals, including IEEE Transactions on Reliability and the Journal of Software Testing, Verification and Reliability. Education: PhD in Computer Science, Technical University of Munich MSc in Computer Science, University of Kansas (on Fulbright Scholarship) Diplom in Computer Science, RWTH Aachen University Research Interests: His work spans testing methodologies, secure software design, and ethical considerations in agile development. Notable contributions include frameworks for metamorphic testing, distributed data usage control, and accountability mechanisms for cyber-physical systems. Awards: IBM Faculty Award (2012, 2013) Google Focused Research Award (2011, 2012) EARTO Innovation Prize (2014) 2nd Platz Supervisory Award (2020) Advising & Grants: Pretschner has supervised numerous PhD and Master’s students, contributing to over 200 publications. He leads projects like EDAP (Ethical Deliberation in Agile Processes) and collaborates with industry partners on cybersecurity and AI ethics initiatives. Labs & Teams: His work is anchored in bidt, fortiss, and TUM’s Chair of Software & Systems Engineering, focusing on societal impacts of digitalization and trustworthy AI systems.

• LiDAR-based Perception
• Autonomous Vehicles
• Agricultural Robotics
• +4 more

Jens Behley is a Lecturer (Privatdozent) and postdoctoral researcher at the Department of Photogrammetry, University of Bonn. He completed his habilitation in 2023 with a thesis on LiDAR-based spatio-temporal scene understanding for autonomous vehicles and earned his PhD in 2014 under Prof. Armin Cremers. His research focuses on LiDAR perception, agricultural robotics, and 3D scene understanding. Behley is an Associate Editor at IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters (RA-L) and has authored influential datasets like SemanticKITTI and BonnBeetClouds3D. Education: PhD in Computer Science, University of Bonn, 2014 Habilitation in Photogrammetry, University of Bonn, 2023 Research Interests: LiDAR-based perception in urban and agricultural environments, machine learning for robotics, semantic mapping, SLAM algorithms, and 3D reconstruction. His work bridges computer vision and robotics, with applications in autonomous vehicles and precision agriculture. Awards: Best Agri-Robotics Paper Award (IROS 2024) Outstanding Reviewer Awards (ECCV, CVPR, ICRA) Faculty Award for Geodesy (2021) Advisees & Grants: Behley collaborates extensively with the PRBonn lab and researchers like Cyrill Stachniss, focusing on projects funded by EU Horizon and industry partners. His team develops open-source tools for LiDAR processing (e.g., KISS-ICP, VDBFusion). Labs/Teams: Part of the Photogrammetry and Robotics Institute (IGG) at the University of Bonn, contributing to the PRBonn research group.

• Autonomous Driving
• Sensor Fusion
• Intelligent Transportation Systems
• +5 more

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Christoph Stiller is a full professor at the Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT) and serves as the director of the Institute of Measurement and Control Technology (Institut für Mess- und Regelungstechnik, MRT). His work focuses on autonomous driving, sensor fusion, probabilistic estimation, HD mapping, motion planning, and intelligent transportation systems. Education: Details on his academic degrees are not provided in the text, but he holds the title of Dr.-Ing. indicating a doctoral degree in engineering. Research Interests: Prof. Stiller's research spans a wide array of topics critical to the development of autonomous vehicles. His work includes: Sensor Fusion: Integrating data from LiDAR, cameras, and radar to create robust perception systems. HD Mapping & Localization: Developing high-definition maps and precise localization techniques for urban and highway environments. Motion Planning & Decision Making: Creating algorithms for safe and efficient trajectory planning under uncertainty. Machine Learning & AI: Applying deep learning and reinforcement learning to perception, prediction, and control tasks. Publication Trends: His recent publications (2023–2025) emphasize robust traffic light detection, image stitching for panoramic views, motion prediction using redundancy reduction, and safety-enhanced model predictive control. The work increasingly integrates learning-based methods with classical control and estimation theory. Scientific Awards: No specific awards are listed in the provided text. Teaching & Supervision: Prof. Stiller teaches foundational and advanced courses in measurement and control systems, probabilistic estimation, and autonomous driving. He holds regular office hours during both summer and winter semesters and is actively involved in advising students and researchers. Labs & Teams: He leads the Institute of Measurement and Control Technology (MRT) at KIT, which is engaged in cutting-edge research in autonomous systems. The institute collaborates with industry and academia on large-scale projects such as UNICARagil and various European initiatives.

Xieyuanli ChenView profile

Associate Professor

• Robotics
• Autonomous Systems
• Computer Vision
• +3 more

Xieyuanli Chen is an Associate Professor at the National University of Defense Technology (NUDT), China. He holds a Dr.-Ing. (summa cum laude) from the University of Bonn (2022), a Master's in Robotics from NUDT (2017), and a Bachelor's in Electrical Engineering from Hunan University (2015). His research focuses on robot learning, perception, and navigation, with an emphasis on LiDAR-based SLAM, autonomous systems, and semantic perception. Education: PhD: University of Bonn, 2018-2022 (supervised by Prof. Cyrill Stachniss) Master's: NUDT, 2015-2017 Bachelor's: Hunan University, 2011-2015 Research interests include robotics, autonomous systems, computer vision, and LiDAR perception. He has authored over 90 papers in top venues like TRO, RSS, ICRA, and CVPR. He serves as an Associate Editor for IEEE RA-L, ICRA, and IROS, and is a member of the RoboCup Rescue Robot League Technical Committee. Awards include the RSS Pioneer Award (2021), Best-in-Class RoboCup awards, and recognition as a World’s Top 2% Scientist (2024). His work spans LiDAR localization, moving object segmentation, and efficient semantic mapping. He advises students in robotics and autonomous systems. Labs/Teams: Active in the PRBonn group (University of Bonn) and leads research at NUDT on LiDAR-based perception systems.

• Hydrography
• Geodesy
• Navigation Systems
• +7 more

Prof. Harald Sternberg is a distinguished academic at HafenCity University Hamburg, holding the position of University Professor for Hydrography and Geodesy. His affiliations include the Department of Geodesy and Geoinformatics, where he leads research in hydrographic education and advanced geomatics technologies. He previously served as Vice President for Teaching and Studies (2009-2022) and Acting President (2010) of HCU. Education: Ph.D. in Geodesy from University of the Bundeswehr Munich (1999), specializing in trajectory determination of land vehicles using hybrid systems. Early career included roles as scientist at Bundeswehr University (1991-2001) and academic leadership at HAW Hamburg (2005-2009). Research focuses on underwater mapping, navigation systems, and sensor integration. Key projects include: Level 5 Indoor Navigation (5G-based positioning), hydrothermal vent exploration using deep-towed multibeam systems, and low-cost mobile mapping solutions. He also investigates smartphone-based inertial navigation and autonomous underwater vehicles for infrastructure monitoring. Publications span underwater vision systems, satellite-derived bathymetry, and 3D point cloud analysis. Over 200 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters reflect expertise in geomatics applications. Current research emphasizes 5G-enabled indoor navigation and environmental sensor networks. Grants include BMWK-funded autonomous deep-sea monitoring and BGR exploration projects in the Indian Ocean. His lab develops innovative tools like the HOMESIDE sled for seafloor surveys. Supervises Ph.D. research on hydrothermal vent analysis and data-driven inertial localization.

• Computer Science
• Artificial Intelligence
• Machine Learning
• +12 more

Hao Liu is a researcher affiliated with institutions like Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beihang University , and Stanford University . His work spans Computer Science , Artificial Intelligence , and Robotics . Key affiliations: National Space Science Center (Beijing), School of Astronautics (Beihang), Key Laboratory of Pervasive Computing (Tsinghua) Research interests include Machine Learning , Image Processing , Graph Neural Networks , and Wireless Communication Optimization His recent publications focus on: Advanced control systems for fuzzy models Medical imaging via hyperspectral analysis Transformer-based approaches in NLP and vision Quantum-safe and edge computing protocols

Gaël KermarrecView profile

Researcher

• Boundary Layer Meteorology
• Atmospheric Turbulence
• GNSS Applications
• +3 more

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

Jan SalmenView profile

Researcher

• Machine Learning
• Computer Vision
• Neural Networks
• +3 more

Dr. Jan Salmen is a researcher at Ruhr University Bochum's Faculty of Computer Science, affiliated with the Institute of Neuroinformatics (INI). His work focuses on real-time systems, computer vision, and machine learning. Doctoral thesis: Efficient video-based driver assistance systems Salmen's research spans autonomous driving, traffic sign recognition, stereo vision, and sports analytics. He has contributed to benchmarks in traffic sign detection and soccer analysis. Publications highlight his expertise in image processing, pattern recognition, and sensor fusion for autonomous systems. Key trends include optimization of machine learning algorithms for real-time applications. He collaborates with interdisciplinary teams at INI, which integrates experimental psychology, neurophysiology, and robotics into artificial cognitive systems research.

Federico BoniardiView profile

Researcher

• Robotics
• Mobile Robot Navigation
• Localization and Mapping
• +6 more

Federico Boniardi is a researcher at the Autonomous Intelligent Systems group in the Department of Computer Science at Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Faculty of Engineering. He holds advanced degrees in Mathematics and Artificial Intelligence and has been actively contributing to robotics research since 2014. Bachelor’s in Mathematics, University of Milano (2006–2010) Master’s in Mathematics, University of Milano (2010–2012) MSc in Artificial Intelligence, University of Edinburgh (2013–2014) PhD Research Assistant, University of Freiburg (2014–2019) His research centers on mobile robot navigation, focusing on robust localization and mapping in indoor environments using LiDAR and architectural or hand-drawn floor plans. He explores long-term autonomy and human-robot interfaces, particularly in sketch-based map interpretation and shared control systems. His work integrates sensor calibration, topometric mapping, and deep learning for room layout extraction. The most recent publications reflect a strong trend in leveraging CAD and sketched maps for robot localization, combining probabilistic filtering, graph-based optimization, and semantic understanding. His contributions span key robotics venues such as IEEE/RSJ IROS, IEEE ICRA, and Robotics and Autonomous Systems. Scientific Contributions: Developed pose graph-based localization for long-term navigation Advanced LiDAR-based localization in architectural plans Explored Bayes filters for shared autonomy Enabled robot navigation using hand-drawn sketch interfaces Federico has served as a Teaching Assistant for Theoretical Computer Science and supervised student seminars on robot navigation. He has contributed to EU-funded research projects including RobDREAM and SQUIRREL, focusing on robot performance optimization and clutter management. He is based in Freiburg, Germany, and continues active research in autonomous intelligent systems.

• Automotive Engineering
• Automated Driving Systems
• Vehicle Dynamics
• +5 more

Prof. Dr. Hermann Winner is a full Professor and Head of the Institute of Automotive Engineering (FZD) at Technische Universität Darmstadt since 2002. He previously held leadership roles in predevelopment and series development at Robert Bosch GmbH (1987–2001) and served on international standards committees like ISO/TC204/WG14. Education : Diplomphysicist (1981), Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster Doctorate (1987), Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster (Topic: Dynamics of domain walls in metal ferromagnetic materials) Research Interests : His work focuses on automated driving systems , automotive sensor modeling , and safety validation methodologies . Key contributions include modular safety frameworks (S2I2), behavior-semantic scenery descriptions for autonomous vehicle development, and advanced driver assistance systems (PRORETA 5). He has pioneered research on lidar sensor simulation, brake wear particle emissions, and motorcycle dynamics safety. Article Trends : Recent publications (2022–2024) emphasize automated urban driving safety , semantic scenario modeling , and sensor-based localization . Earlier works (2012–2021) established foundational concepts in fail-operational architectures , collision criticality metrics , and automotive system decomposition . Scientific Awards : IEEE-ITS Institutional Award (2012) for leadership in automated driving research Labs & Projects : He leads the Institute of Automotive Engineering (FZD) at TU Darmstadt and has been integral to projects like UNICARagil (disruptive vehicle architectures), PRORETA series (collision avoidance systems), and collaborations with institutions such as the Daimler und Benz Stiftung and the Bundesanstalt für Straßenwesen.

• Computer Vision
• Robotics
• 3D Reconstruction
• +5 more

Thomas Läbe is a Researcher in the Department of Photogrammetry at the University of Bonn's Institute of Geodesy and Geoinformation. His roles include technical associate and software developer, with a focus on advancing robotics, computer vision, and agricultural automation. He holds a diploma in computer science (Dipl.-Inform. (FH)) from Cologne University of Applied Sciences (1994). His research spans image processing, bundle adjustment, visual odometry, and camera calibration, with notable contributions to SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) for autonomous systems. Education: 1994: Dipl.-Inform. (FH) in Computer Science, Cologne University of Applied Sciences Research Interests: Focuses on integrating vision-based technologies into robotics for precision agriculture, 3D reconstruction, and robust localization in dynamic environments. His work addresses challenges in sensor calibration, panoptic segmentation, and semantic mapping for autonomous systems operating in agricultural and urban settings. Publications Trends: Recent work emphasizes agricultural robotics, including fruit completion, plant phenotyping, and robust localization under changing conditions. Key themes include LiDAR-based localization, semantic occupancy prediction, and end-to-end learning for 3D representations. Awards: 2001 Hansa Luftbild Price (Best PFG paper award, shared) Technical Contributions: Developed software frameworks for bundle adjustment, multi-camera systems, and obstacle detection. Collaborated on projects like the Phenoliner field phenotyping platform and UAV-based environmental monitoring systems. Labs/Teams: Active in the Photogrammetry professorship group, contributing to the PRBonn (Perception, Robotics & Bonn) robotics initiatives, with open-source tools like OverlapNet and PAg-NeRF for 3D perception.

• Computer Vision
• Machine Learning
• Video Analysis
• +5 more

Prof. Laura Leal-Taixé is an Associate Professor at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) leading the Dynamic Vision and Learning group. She holds the Rudolf Mößbauer Tenure Track Chair, promoted from a 2017 Tenure Track Assistant Professorship. Her work focuses on advancing computer vision and machine learning, particularly in video analysis, multi-object tracking, and autonomous systems. She received a Sofja Kovalevskaja Award (2017) for her project socialMaps, which integrates dynamic social data into traffic modeling. Education: B.Sc./M.Sc. in Telecommunications Engineering, Technical University of Catalonia (UPC), Barcelona Ph.D. in Information Processing, Leibniz University Hannover (2014) Postdoc at ETH Zurich (2014–2016), and Senior Researcher at TUM’s Computer Vision Group (2016–2019) Research Interests: Multi-object tracking and segmentation in videos Motion analysis and semantic segmentation for autonomous driving Deep learning for video understanding Social dynamics modeling in urban environments Awards & Grants: €1.65M Sofja Kovalevskaja Award (Humboldt Foundation, 2017) DAAD Australia-German Joint Research Scheme (2017) Multiple travel grants from CVPR and Women in Computer Vision Labs & Collaborations: Dynamic Vision and Learning Group at TUM Collaborations with ETH Zurich, Northeastern University, and NVIDIA