Tibor Szabó is a Professor in the Combinatorics and Graph Theory group at the Department of Mathematics, Freie Universität Berlin. He holds a PhD from The Ohio State University, advised by Ákos Seress. Prior to his current position, he held roles at McGill University, ETH Zürich, the Institute for Advanced Study (Princeton), and the University of Illinois (UIUC) as a J.L. Doob Research Assistant Professor. Research Interests: His work focuses on combinatorics and combinatorial optimization, including extremal problems, random structures and algorithms, pseudorandom graphs, positional games, and the combinatorics of linear programming. He explores tools from algebra, probability theory, and topology applied to combinatorics. Teaching: He teaches courses such as Algorithmic Combinatorics, Extremal Combinatorics, and runs the Combinatorics Seminar. His lecture notes include works on positional games and explicit constructions in extremal combinatorics. Students & Postdocs: Notable PhD advisees include Yamaan Attwa, Silas Rathke, Simona Boyadzhiyska, and Patrick Morris. Postdoctoral fellows include Olaf Parczyk and Anurag Bishnoi. His research has involved collaborations with over 50 co-authors. Funding & Grants: Supported by grants from the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF) and German Research Foundation (DFG), focusing on topics like positional games and extremal graph theory.
Prof. Karsten Urban is a Full Professor of Numerical Mathematics at the University of Ulm, leading the Institute for Numerical Mathematics. He holds roles such as Dean of Studies in Computational Science and Engineering (CSE) and Deputy Spokesman for the Research Association for Scientific Computing in Baden-Württemberg. He is an active member of prestigious societies including the Deutsche Mathematikervereinigung (DMV) and SIAM. His academic journey includes a PhD from RWTH Aachen (1995), Habilitation (2001), and a full professorship at Ulm since 2005. Research focuses on numerical methods for PDEs, reduced basis techniques, multiscale simulations in fluid mechanics, biomechanics, quantum sciences, and financial mathematics. He has pioneered wavelet-based methods and collaborated with industries on ship propulsion and energy trading models. His work integrates mathematical rigor with real-world applications, emphasizing model reduction and computational efficiency. Editorial Roles: Managing Editor of Advances in Computational Mathematics , Editor of SN Partial Differential Equations and Applications . Awards: Teaching award of Baden-Württemberg (2005), Science-Economy Cooperation Awards (2004, 2008). Administrative Roles: Member of the University Council and ASIIN expert committee. Supervises doctoral students in numerical analysis, quantum simulations, and biomechanics. Active in interdisciplinary projects, including quantum systems (IQST) and fracture healing modeling in collaboration with biomechanics experts. His contributions bridge academia and industry, driving innovation in computational methods.
Daniela M Witten is a Professor of Statistics and Biostatistics at the University of Washington, holding the Dorothy Gilford Endowed Chair in Mathematical Statistics. Her research focuses on developing statistical machine learning methods for high-dimensional data, with a particular emphasis on unsupervised learning and theoretical foundations. Witten earned her BS in Math and Biology with Honors and Distinction from Stanford University in 2005 and her PhD in Statistics from Stanford University in 2010 under Robert Tibshirani. Her academic journey established her expertise in bridging mathematical theory with biological applications. Her research program centers on high-dimensional statistical learning , where she develops methods for unsupervised learning and graphical modeling when features outnumber observations. She pioneers statistical models for neural activity through collaborations with the Allen Institute for Brain Science and Princeton University, addressing functional connectivity and neuron sub-population identification. Her groundbreaking work on selective inference solves the "double-dipping" problem in hypothesis generation and testing, enabling valid inference after hierarchical clustering and regression trees. Additionally, she advances multi-view data analysis to integrate complementary data sources like clinical and genomic measurements. Applications span genomics, neuroscience, microbial ecology, and pathology, demonstrating her commitment to solving real-world biomedical challenges. Her 2025 publications reveal a cohesive trend toward developing theoretically rigorous inference frameworks for high-dimensional settings, with emphasis on linear regression validity, semi-supervised efficiency, Gaussian decomposition, and PCA variance quantification—showcasing her signature blend of methodological innovation and practical applicability. Witten's exceptional contributions are recognized through extensive honors: Presidents’ Award, Committee of Presidents of Statistical Societies (COPSS) (2022) Mortimer Spiegelman Award, American Public Health Association (2019) Simons Investigator Award (2018-2023) Sloan Research Fellowship (2013-2015) NSF CAREER Award (2013-2018) NIH Director’s Early Independence Award (2011-2016) 23 major awards including named lectureships, fellowships, and editorial leadership As a dedicated mentor, she has guided students like Olivia McGough (NSF GRFP winner), Dwight (Zichun) Xu (ASA Nonparametrics Student Paper Award winner), Yiqun Chen (Hopkins Biostat faculty), and Anna Neufeld (Williams College faculty). Her research is sustained by major grants from NIH, NSF, and Simons Foundation. Witten co-authored the seminal textbook "Introduction to Statistical Learning" and currently serves as Joint Editor of the Journal of the Royal Statistical Society, Series B (2023-2025), shaping the field through both scholarship and community leadership.
Claire Vernade is a Group Leader at the University of Tübingen within the Cluster of Excellence Machine Learning for Science. She holds an Emmy Noether award (2022) and an ERC Starting Grant (2024) for her projects FoLiReL and ConSequentIAL , focusing on theoretical reinforcement learning and non-stationary environments. Education: PhD from Telecom ParisTech (2017) Post-doctoral researcher at University of Magdeburg (2018) Her research bridges sequential decision making, bandit problems, and reinforcement learning theory. Recent work explores lifelong learning, distributional RL, and game-theoretic approaches to PCA, emphasizing mathematical rigor and algorithmic innovation. Recent publications highlight trends in non-stationary RL , continual learning , and bandit algorithms with complex feedback structures. Key subfields include meta-learning, adaptive control, and theoretical guarantees in dynamic programming. Scientific Awards: Emmy Noether Award (2022) ERC Starting Grant (2024) Outstanding Paper Award & Oral Presentation, ICLR (2021) She mentors PhD and master's students in theoretical machine learning, with current advisees including Nicolas Nguyen, Onno Eberhard, and Ziyad Sheebaelhamd. Her lab actively recruits candidates in bandit algorithms and RL theory through the IMPRS-IS and ELLIS doctoral programs. Claire co-leads diversity initiatives like Tübingen Women in Machine Learning and Women in Learning Theory, advocating for inclusivity in AI research. She has organized workshops at ICML and EWRL, and contributed to union activism in the tech industry.
Prof. Dr. Andreas S. Schulz is a faculty member at Technische Universität München (TUM), holding a chair in the Department of Mathematics and the Department of Business and Economics. He previously served as the Patrick J. McGovern Chair of Management and Professor of Mathematics at MIT. His research focuses on mathematical optimization, algorithm design, and their applications in logistics, production, healthcare systems, and online advertising. He has held visiting professorships at institutions such as the Sauder School of Business (UBC) and ETH Zurich. Prof. Schulz’s research bridges operations research, theoretical computer science, and economics. He develops analytical methods to solve complex decision-making problems in business, including scheduling, resource allocation, and network optimization. A key interest is applying mathematical approaches to enhance healthcare delivery and system efficiency. Education: PhD in Operations Research (MIT), prior academic roles at MIT and visiting institutions. Key Achievements: Alexander von Humboldt Professorship (2014), Humboldt Research Award (2010), Glover-Klingman Prize (2006). Research Themes: Robust optimization, approximation algorithms, scheduling theory, and algorithmic game theory. His publications span topics like integer programming, optimal transport, and congestion games. He collaborates across disciplines, emphasizing practical applications of theoretical insights.
Prof. Dr. Christian Plessl is a W3 Professor of High-Performance Computing at the Institute of Computer Science, University of Paderborn. He leads the Paderborn Center for Parallel Computing (PC²), a national HPC center within the NHR alliance. His roles include Director of PC², Board Member of the NHR association, and member of the Sonderforschungsbereich 901. Education: PhD (Dr. sc. ETH) in Computer Engineering, ETH Zürich (2006) MSc in Electrical Engineering, ETH Zürich (2001) Postdoc at ETH Zürich (2007–2011) Research Interests: Architecture and tools for high-performance parallel and reconfigurable computing, FPGA acceleration, quantum chemistry, scientific computing, adaptive systems, and energy-efficient HPC solutions. Key projects include EKI-App (FPGA-based neural networks), FPGA4XPCS (X-ray spectroscopy), and HighPerMeshes (unstructured grid frameworks). Publications: Over 100 peer-reviewed works, focusing on FPGA acceleration, HPC frameworks, and quantum computing. Recent trends emphasize energy-efficient neural networks, FPGA-based quantum computing, and scalable HPC algorithms. Awards: Best Paper Awards at HEART 2023, ReConFig 2012/2014 Paderborn University Research Awards (2018, 2009) SEW-EURODRIVE Student Award (2001) Grants & Projects: Principal investigator in DFG, BMBF, and EU-funded projects. Collaborates with AMD/Xilinx, Intel/Altera, and Fujitsu. Leads initiatives like PerficienCC (custom computing) and HighPerMeshes. Labs/Teams: Directs the High-Performance Computing group at PC², focusing on FPGA supercomputing and HPC infrastructure. Active in the NHR alliance for national HPC coordination.
Stefan Hougardy is a Professor at the Research Institute for Discrete Mathematics, part of the Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Fakultät at the University of Bonn. He is actively engaged in research and teaching, with a focus on discrete mathematics and combinatorial optimization. He contributes to academic governance through roles in examination boards, teaching mentoring, and faculty committees. Stefan Hougardy's research lies at the intersection of theoretical computer science and practical optimization. His primary interests include approximation algorithms, the Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP), Steiner trees, graph theory, and VLSI design automation. He develops efficient algorithms for NP-hard problems and analyzes their theoretical performance guarantees. His work often bridges theory and application, particularly in electronic design automation and mathematical programming. His recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on the complexity and approximation of combinatorial optimization problems. Key themes include the analysis of local search heuristics like k-opt for TSP, edge elimination techniques, fast matching algorithms, and optimal legalization in chip design. His work combines rigorous theoretical analysis with practical implementation and computational experiments. MPC 'Outstanding Paper of the Year' Award 2024 Stefan Hougardy supervises graduate students and leads seminars on discrete mathematics and optimization. He is involved in the Bonn International Graduate School of Mathematics and the Hausdorff Center for Mathematics, contributing to doctoral education and mentoring. While specific grant details are not listed, his sustained research output and leadership roles suggest active funding support. He also contributes to curriculum development and academic quality assurance through various institutional committees. He is affiliated with the Research Institute for Discrete Mathematics at the University of Bonn, a leading center for combinatorial optimization and algorithmic research. The institute is closely linked with the Hausdorff Center for Mathematics, fostering collaboration in discrete and applied mathematics.
Steve Zdancewic is the Schlein Family President's Distinguished Professor and Associate Chair in the Department of Computer and Information Science at the University of Pennsylvania's School of Engineering and Applied Science. He is a leading researcher in programming languages, formal methods, and computer security with over two decades of impactful contributions to the field. His research interests span programming languages, type theory, logic, computer security, quantum programming, and formal verification. Zdancewic has made significant contributions to information-flow security, memory safety, program synthesis, and the verification of low-level systems. His work often bridges theoretical foundations with practical applications, particularly through the development of verified systems using Coq and other proof assistants. Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong focus on formal verification techniques, particularly using Interaction Trees and the Coq proof assistant. His research trajectory shows consistent evolution from foundational work on information-flow security toward increasingly sophisticated verification of complex systems including LLVM, quantum computing, and distributed systems. His work demonstrates a commitment to building practically useful verification tools while maintaining rigorous theoretical foundations. Distinguished Paper Award for Semantics for Noninterference with Interaction Trees (ECOOP 2023) Schlein Family President's Distinguished Professor (2021) Distinguished Paper Award for Interaction Trees (POPL 2020) Christian R. and Mary F. Lindback Foundation Award for Distinguished Teaching (2018) IEEE MICRO top picks (2013) Alfred P. Sloan Fellow (2009-2010) NSF CAREER award (2004) Zdancewic has advised numerous PhD students who have gone on to successful careers in academia and industry. His research has been supported by significant grants from NSF, including the NSF Expedition on the Science of Deep Specification. He is actively involved in multiple major research projects including Vellvm (verified LLVM), DeepSpec, and quantum programming verification. Zdancewic also co-organizes Penn's PL Club programming languages research group with Benjamin Pierce and Stephanie Weirich.
Matthew K. Tam is an Associate Professor at the School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne, specializing in Operations Research. He is also an investigator at the Melbourne Centre for Data Science and an associate investigator in the ARC Training Centre OPTIMA. PhD in Mathematics (2016) from University of Newcastle under Jonathan Borwein Postdoctoral research at University of Göttingen with RTG-2088 and Alexander von Humboldt Foundation Junior Professor at University of Göttingen (2017-2020) His research focuses on continuous optimization, monotone operator theory, and variational analysis, with applications in wavelet construction and inverse problems. Key trends include distributed algorithms, resolvent splitting, and convergence analysis for feasibility problems. Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (DECRA) Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship He collaborates with institutions like ANZIAM, Springer, and IEEE, with publications spanning mathematical optimization, harmonic analysis, and computational mathematics. His work emphasizes algorithmic design for complex data systems and real-world applications in imaging and industrial modeling.
Christian Engwer is a full Professor at the University of Muenster in the Institute for Applied Mathematics, specializing in Analysis and Numerics. He leads the Engwer Group focused on Applications of Partial Differential Equations and is actively involved in the Cells in Motion initiative as a supervisor in the CiM-IMPRS Graduate Programme. His research centers on developing numerical methods for partial differential equations, particularly addressing challenges in complex geometries and multi-physics applications. He specializes in Unfitted Discontinuous Galerkin methods, which allow simulations on complex geometries without requiring domain-fitted meshes. His work spans porous media modeling, biological systems, and bioelectromagnetism applications, with significant contributions to EEG/MEG forward modeling in neuroscience. Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong focus on model order reduction techniques, stabilized numerical schemes for cut-cell meshes, and applications in bioelectromagnetism. His work demonstrates a consistent trajectory toward developing robust, efficient numerical methods applicable to real-world problems in medical imaging and biological modeling, with increasing emphasis on high-performance computing implementations. Professor Engwer actively supervises doctoral students, with recent completions including Lukas Renelt (2025), Michael Wenske (2021), and Maria Carla Piastra (2019), among others working on topics related to numerical methods and biomedical applications. He leads several major research projects including BrainStorm: Highly Extensible Software for Advanced Electrophysiology and MEG/EEG Imaging (NIH-funded since 2019), multiple EXC 2044 Cluster of Excellence projects through 2025, and the InterKI interdisciplinary teaching program on machine learning and artificial intelligence. His group develops several important software packages including DUNE (Distributed and Unified Numerics Environment), duneuro (for bioelectromagnetism applications), and TPMC (Topology Preserving Marching Cubes). These tools support research in numerical methods and their applications to complex scientific problems.
Prof. Dr. Erik Rodner is a faculty member at the University of Applied Sciences Berlin (HTW Berlin), where he serves as a Professor for Machine Learning and Data Science. He also contributes to the School of Engineering Sciences - Technology and Life. His research spans computer vision, machine learning, and biomedical applications, with a focus on learning with limited data, robust visual recognition models, and medical image analysis. He has developed innovative methods for medical diagnostics, industrial classification, and anomaly detection. Recent publications (2025-2016) highlight his expertise in visual in-context learning, semi-weakly segmentation, and active learning frameworks. He has collaborated with institutions such as ZEISS Group, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, and UC Berkeley. Scientific Awards: Award for Excellent Teaching (2023)
Juan Zhai is an Assistant Professor in the Manning College of Information & Computer Sciences (CICS) at University of Massachusetts Amherst, where she co-directs the Laboratory for Advanced Software Engineering Research (LASER) and participates in the UMass NLP group. Her academic career spans over 7 years of active service including program committee roles at top-tier conferences like ICSE, FSE, and ASE. Her research focuses on Software-AI Synergy with core areas including: Formal Specification Synthesis for precise software behavior definition Comment Generation and Maintenance using LLMs Trustworthy AI through bias detection and framework testing Deep Learning Infrastructure Reliability Recent work demonstrates strong emphasis on practical tools for AI safety and software dependability. Her publication trends show consistent output in top software engineering venues (ASE, ICSE, FSE) with increasing focus on AI/ML conferences (ACL, CVPR, ICLR). Key themes include metamorphic testing for deep learning frameworks, bias analysis in LLMs, and formal methods for specification synthesis. She actively serves the community through: Program committees for 13 major conferences Reviewing for 5 top journals including TOSEM and TSE 40+ total reviews across SE and AI venues Juan mentors PhD students including Gehao Zhang (research focus: Software Engineering, AI Safety) and teaches graduate courses like CS520 (Theory and Practice of Software Engineering) and CS692P (Hot Topics in SE Research). She leads the LASER lab which develops tools like C2S, CPC, and DevMuT for software reasoning and AI infrastructure testing.
Prof. Francesca Biagini is a Full Professor of Applied Mathematics at the University of Munich (LMU), leading the Department of Mathematics within the Faculty of Mathematics, Computer Science, and Statistics. She holds additional roles as Vice President for International Affairs and Diversity at LMU since 2019, and served as President of the Bachelier Finance Society (2022–2023). Her academic career includes professorships at LMU (since 2009) and prior roles at the University of Bologna and Leibniz University Hannover. She specializes in financial and insurance mathematics, focusing on asset pricing, systemic risk, and model uncertainty. Education: PhD in Mathematical Finance (Scuola Normale Superiore, 2001), Laurea in Mathematics (University of Pisa, 1997). She has advised over 14 PhD students and 180+ master/bachelor students, collaborating with institutions like Allianz, MunichRe, and SwissRe. Research: Biagini’s work bridges financial and actuarial mathematics, including stochastic processes, systemic risk modeling, and insurance frameworks. Notable contributions include modeling asset bubbles, xVA calculations, and liquidity-based frameworks. She has published extensively in journals like *Finance and Stochastics* and *Mathematical Finance*. Awards and Activities: Recipient of the Prinzessin Therese von Bayern Preis (2019) and Zonta Clubpreis (2015). She organizes international conferences, serves on editorial boards (e.g., *Mathematical Finance*), and chairs the Munich Risk and Insurance Center. Her research is funded by grants from BayernLB and LMU Excellence programs.
Philip Wadler is Professor of Theoretical Computer Science at the University of Edinburgh and Senior Research Fellow at IOHK. He is an ACM Fellow, Fellow of the Royal Society, and Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. His work spans programming language design, type systems, and formal verification, with significant contributions to Haskell, Java, and XQuery. He has held leadership roles in ACM SIGPLAN and served on editorial boards for major journals. Research Interests: Wadler's research focuses on the foundations of programming languages , including Gradual and session typing Language-integrated query Functional and logic programming XML data models Parametricity and free theorems Verification of smart contracts Publication Trends: Recent articles emphasize type safety, formal verification, and blockchain applications. Key themes include gradual typing (blame calculus), session types for concurrency, and logical foundations of programming. His 2015–2025 papers show sustained focus on type theory and language design . Awards & Recognition: POPL Most Influential Paper (2003 for 1993 work) SIGPLAN Distinguished Service Award Best Paper SBMF 2018 Royal Society-Wolfson Fellowship (2004–2009) ACM Fellow (2007) Fellow of Royal Society of Edinburgh (2005) Advising & Grants: He has supervised numerous PhD students in programs like the Centre for Doctoral Training in Pervasive Parallelism. His EPSRC Programme Grant "From Data Types to Session Types" (2013–2020) funded major advances in concurrency theory. Current work with IOHK explores blockchain verification using Haskell-based Plutus.
Tobias Neckel is an Associate Professor at the Institute for Informatics at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), where he leads research projects and coordinates academic programs. He has been the project team leader of the IGGSE Project ExaNIML since 2018, main coordinator of the Ferienakademie since 2014, and Program Coordinator of the Bavarian Graduate School of Computational Engineering (BGCE) since 2009. Diploma in Technomathematik from TU München (2005) Dr. rer. nat. in Informatics from TU München (2009) Neckel's research focuses on Uncertainty Quantification, Random Differential Equations, and High Performance Computing. His work develops efficient numerical algorithms using hierarchic and adaptive methods such as octrees/spacetrees and sparse grids, with applications in fluid-structure interactions and incompressible fluid flow simulation. His research bridges theoretical mathematics with practical computational science, emphasizing robust and efficient implementations. His recent publications demonstrate a strong trajectory in multi-fidelity modeling, uncertainty quantification, and high-performance computing. Neckel has made significant contributions to scalable hierarchical approximation methods, dynamic resource management in HPC, and the application of machine learning techniques to computational science problems. His work spans diverse application domains including plasma physics, hydrology, and computational engineering. Lehrfonds prize of the TUM (2014) Ernst Otto Fischer prize of the TUM (2011) Promotionspreis des Bunds der Freunde der TU München (2009) Neckel has supervised numerous graduate students and has been actively involved in curriculum development and teaching innovation. His book "Bits and Bugs: A Scientific and Historical Review of Software Failures in Computational Science" (2019) represents a significant contribution to understanding software reliability in scientific computing. He has organized minisymposia at major conferences including SIAM CSE and SIAM UQ, and serves on program committees for various computational science conferences. As coordinator of the Ferienakademie and the BGCE, Neckel plays a central role in advanced computational engineering education in Bavaria. His research group develops software for exascale computing and contributes to the Transregional Collaborative Research Centre 89 on Invasive Computing. Neckel also maintains international collaborations, with research stays at institutions including the Australian National University and Tokyo Institute of Technology.
