Model-Based Testing Professors and Supervisors in Austria

Thomas PlümperView profile

Professor

Vienna University of Economics and BusinessAustria

Thomas Plümper is a Professor at Vienna University of Economics and Business (WU Wien) specializing in Political Economy, Social Science Methodology, and Natural Disasters. His research integrates spatial analysis with political science to examine crisis response dynamics, particularly in pandemic and disaster contexts. Plümper's research interests center on methodological rigor in political science, with emphasis on spatial contagion patterns, robustness testing, and causal inference. His work bridges quantitative methodology with substantive applications in disaster politics and pandemic policy, notably through extensive collaboration with Eric Neumayer on COVID-19 spatial dynamics. Recent publications demonstrate his pivot toward analyzing political protests against containment policies and data integrity issues in authoritarian regimes. His publication trends reveal a methodological trajectory: early work focused on dyadic data analysis and robustness tests (2010-2015), transitioning to spatial disaster economics (2016-2020), and culminating in pandemic-related spatial epidemiology since 2020. Key thematic clusters include political methodology (35% of output), disaster politics (30%), and pandemic policy analysis (25%), characterized by innovative spatial econometric applications. Scientific awards highlight his interdisciplinary impact: ESRC Transformative Grant (2012) for methodological innovation SAGE Best Paper Award in EU Politics (2005) University of Essex Teaching Award (2004) Suedwestmetall Price for economic research (2002) Plümper maintains active scholarly engagement through 47 journal peer reviews (including BMJ and Social Science Quarterly), 12 research proposal evaluations (e.g., Riksbank Jubilee Fund), and editorial board membership. His consulting activities with institutions like University of Colorado demonstrate policy-relevant expertise. Collaborative networks are anchored in his long-term partnership with Eric Neumayer, producing 12 co-authored publications since 2020. Current research focuses on spatial contagion mechanisms in crises, examining how disasters and pandemics propagate across political boundaries while interacting with institutional responses. His lab work centers on developing spatial-effect variables for dyadic data analysis, with recent Stata modules (SPAGG, SPUNDIR) becoming field standards.

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Aleksandar BorkovićView profile

Researcher

Graz University of TechnologyAustria

Aleksandar Borković is a Researcher at the Institute of Structural Mechanics , Graz University of Technology. His work focuses on advanced computational methods in structural engineering, particularly isogeometric analysis, finite strip modeling, and van der Waals interactions in slender structures. Department: Institute of Structural Mechanics Email: aborkovic@tugraz.at His research bridges theoretical mechanics and practical engineering applications, addressing nonlinear dynamics, contact mechanics, and geometrically exact formulations. Recent publications highlight innovative approaches to modeling molecular interactions in fiber systems and optimizing computational efficiency for structural simulations. The 15 most recent articles demonstrate expertise in: Van der Waals attraction in curved beams Geometrically exact isogeometric formulations Finite strip method for stiffened plates Contact dynamics in beam-to-beam interactions Nonlinear stability analysis of thin-walled structures Moving load simulations in spatial beams He has also contributed to educational software development for structural analysis, emphasizing real-time visualization and numerical accuracy.

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Florian FeistView profile

Researcher

Graz University of TechnologyAustria

Florian Feist is a researcher at the Institute for Vehicle Safety (VSI) at Graz University of Technology. His work focuses on automotive materials, battery crash safety, and sustainable lightweight composites. Research Interests: Automotive engineering, crash simulation, battery lifecycle analysis, and biomechanical modeling. Recent projects include wood-steel hybrid components , Li-ion battery crash behavior , and bio-based foam for helmets . Scientific Contributions: Key themes in his publications (2024-2025) include multiscale battery modeling , stitched wood composites , and dynamic material testing . His work bridges mechanical engineering , material science , and sustainable design .

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Cornelia LexView profile

Associate Professor

Graz University of TechnologyAustria

Cornelia Lex is an Associate Professor at Graz University of Technology's Institute for Vehicle Engineering. Her work focuses on vehicle dynamics, tire-road interaction, and human-machine interaction in automated driving systems. She employs advanced modeling and control strategies for tire mechanics, friction estimation, and safety-enhancing driver assistance technologies. Academic Affiliation: Graz University of Technology Research Areas: Vehicle dynamics, tire modeling, friction estimation, automated driving Contact: cornelia.lex@tugraz.at Her research spans tire wear emissions, sensor fusion for vehicle state estimation, and environmental impact analysis of transportation systems. Recent publications address tire wear particle distribution, online tire modeling, and water detection systems for automated driving. She leads projects funded by the Austrian Society of Automotive Engineers (ÖVK) and contributes to multidisciplinary development of driving simulators and driver assistance systems.

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Lothar BreckerView profile

Professor

University of ViennaAustria

Lothar Brecker is a Professor at the Institute of Organic Chemistry within the Faculty of Chemistry . His research focuses on natural product chemistry, structural elucidation, and bioactive compound synthesis, particularly targeting enzyme inhibition and sustainable development applications. Specializations: NMR spectroscopy, glycosylation, tryptamine derivatives, iridoids. Recent Publications (2024–2025) highlight his work on: Total synthesis of alkaloids (e.g., Alstrostines). Structural modification of saponins for pest control. Computational and experimental analysis of enzyme inhibitors for diabetes and neurodegenerative diseases. Collaborations span organic synthesis, pharmacological testing, and mass spectrometry-based metabolite profiling. Key trends include leveraging chemical synthesis for sustainable solutions and interdisciplinary approaches to drug discovery.

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Christian StaryView profile

Professor

Johannes Kepler University LinzAustria

Professor Christian Stary serves as Head of the Institute for Business Informatics - Communications Engineering at Johannes Kepler University Linz. With over 481 research outputs spanning conference proceedings, journal articles, book chapters, and literature reviews, he is a prominent figure in business informatics research. His research spans several key areas including Business Informatics, Communications Engineering, Knowledge Management, and Design Thinking. Professor Stary has published extensively on human-centric systems, AI applications in business processes, value network analysis, and digital process twins. His recent work focuses on integrating cognitive ergonomics with technological solutions to enhance human-computer interaction in business contexts. With 49 research projects to his name (11 currently active), Professor Stary has secured funding from various sources including EU programs and national research agencies. His current projects include 'KheepU Kommunikationsplattform' (2023-2026), continuing his long-standing research trajectory that began with projects like 'Scholion' in 2000. Professional Activities: Editor of the Journal of Interaction Science (Volumes 1-7 published 2013-2019) Head of Competence Center for Knowledge Management 384 recorded academic activities including invited talks and conference organization Professor Stary teaches doctoral seminars, dissertation colloquia, and master's thesis seminars, emphasizing practical applications of business informatics principles. His teaching approach integrates Design Thinking methodologies with AI applications, preparing students for contemporary challenges in business information systems.

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Bernhard AichernigView profile

Professor

Johannes Kepler University LinzAustria

Bernhard Aichernig serves as a University Professor at the Institute of Formal Models and Verification at Johannes Kepler University Linz. His academic career focuses on bridging theoretical computer science with practical software verification techniques. He actively contributes to the international research community through publications, program committees, and doctoral examinations. Professor Aichernig's research primarily centers on formal methods and model verification, with significant contributions to automata learning and software testing methodologies. His work explores the intersection of theoretical computer science and practical verification techniques, particularly in state-merging approaches for passive learning systems. His research has direct applications in improving software reliability through formal testing frameworks. His recent publication trends indicate a strong focus on advancing automata learning techniques, particularly extending the AALpy framework with passive learning capabilities. This work represents the cutting edge of model inference and formal verification, addressing challenges in state-merging algorithms for complex software systems. His research bridges theoretical foundations with practical testing applications. Professor Aichernig serves as an active member of the academic community through various roles including doctoral examination committees and program committees for major conferences like the NASA Formal Methods Symposium. He has examined PhD theses on advanced reasoning techniques for quantified Boolean formulas, learning Mealy machines with local timers, and deep integration of SAT solving with model checking. He currently participates in the Cluster of Excellence 'Bilateral Artificial Intelligence' project as a Principal Investigator, working alongside prominent researchers in the AI field. This active research project, funded by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF), runs from October 2024 through September 2029 and represents a significant collaborative effort in artificial intelligence research at JKU Linz.

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Alexander BucheltView profile

Researcher

St. Pölten University of Applied SciencesAustria

Alexander Buchelt serves as a Researcher in the Department of Computer Science and Security at University of Applied Sciences St. Pölten, contributing to the Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (BA) program. His industry background includes data analytics roles at Hutchison Drei Austria (2014-2018) and MindTake Research GmbH (2019-2020), followed by academic experience as a Student Assistant at FH St. Pölten (2020-2022). His research spans artificial intelligence with emphasis on natural language processing for German content moderation, fractal-based neural network architectures, and AI policy frameworks. Current work demonstrates strong focus on real-world implementation including drone applications in forest ecology, multilingual social media analysis, and regulatory compliance for emerging AI systems. Technical approaches integrate machine learning with domain-specific challenges across environmental science, media analysis, and telecommunications. Publication trends since 2022 reveal increasing emphasis on ethical AI deployment and practical system robustness, with 2024-2025 works addressing content moderation safeguards, neural network innovation, and environmental monitoring solutions. His research consistently bridges theoretical AI development with tangible societal applications, particularly in European regulatory contexts and German-language environments. As part of the Department of Computer Science and Security, Buchelt contributes to Austria's applied research ecosystem focused on practical technology solutions. His work aligns with the university's mission in developing industry-relevant AI applications while addressing emerging challenges in security, ethics, and cross-domain implementation.

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Babette GrabnerView profile

Senior Lecturer

Salzburg University of Applied SciencesAustria

Babette Grabner serves as Senior Lecturer in Nursing and holds multiple administrative leadership positions including Head of Degree Programme for Nursing (Winter Semester and Summer Semester) and Head of Academic Course for basic module nostrification in health care and nursing at an Austrian institution. Her academic work focuses on strengthening primary health care systems through evidence-based education and research. Her research centers on interprofessional collaboration within Austrian primary care, examining requirements and challenges faced by health care and social professionals. She investigates diabetes management interventions, particularly the integration of mobile health technologies in patient education and chronic disease support programs. This work addresses critical gaps in team-based care coordination and technology-enhanced clinical training. Analysis of her recent publications (2022-2025) reveals consistent focus on qualitative assessment of primary care collaboration frameworks and controlled trials of diabetes interventions with mHealth components. These studies highlight systemic barriers to effective teamwork and demonstrate measurable benefits of digital support tools in chronic disease management contexts. Scientific recognition includes: Best Abstract award (2022) for research on interprofessional collaboration in Austrian primary care Grabner secured research funding as Co-Principal Investigator for the DM2CUA project (2017-2019), which developed and tested a mobile application supporting type 2 diabetes self-management. This initiative involved cross-institutional collaboration with clinicians, researchers, and technology specialists to create patient-centered digital health solutions.

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Michael Christian LeitnerView profile

Lecturer

Salzburg University of Applied SciencesAustria

Michael Christian Leitner serves as Head of Research & Transfer Services and External Lecturer in Information Technologies and Digitalisation at Salzburg University of Applied Sciences. With dual PhDs in Psychology and Communication Science from the University of Salzburg, he bridges academic research with practical applications in neuropsychology and sports psychology. PhD in Psychology (University of Salzburg, 2021) Master in Psychology (University of Salzburg, 2016) Bachelor in Psychology (University of Salzburg, 2014) PhD in Communication Science (University of Salzburg, 2012) Master in Communication Science (University of Salzburg, 2009) Bachelor in Communication Science (University of Salzburg, 2007) Master in Telecommunication & Media (St. Pölten University of Applied Sciences, 2005) Leitner's research spans three primary domains: neuropsychological rehabilitation for visual field defects after stroke, sport psychological effects of crowd absence during the COVID-19 pandemic (ghost games), and social engineering/cybersecurity. His innovative work combines eye-tracking technology, virtual reality interventions, and psychological assessment to address complex rehabilitation challenges and understand human behavior in high-pressure sports environments. The Salzburg Visual Field Trainer (SVFT), his VR-based rehabilitation system, represents a significant advancement over traditional stationary and unreliable visual restitution therapies. His publication record reveals a clear thematic progression from neuropsychological rehabilitation methods toward analyzing the psychological impacts of pandemic conditions on sports. The COVID-19 pandemic created a unique natural experiment for studying home advantage phenomena, resulting in multiple publications examining referee decisions, player behavior, and emotional responses in empty stadiums. His most recent work integrates eye-tracking with social science methodology to assess memory-related response variability. Science award (2022) Young Investigators Award (2022) Leitner has secured funding for significant research projects including 'The Psychological Impact of Ghost Games in Football during the COVID-19 Pandemic' (2020-2030) and 'Advanced Perimetry for the Evaluation of Neuroplasticity in the Visual Cortex' (2018-2023). His collaborative network spans multiple institutions with strong connections to the University of Salzburg's Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience. He actively engages with the public through media appearances discussing topics from emotional behavior in sports to the psychological aspects of neurovisual rehabilitation. As Head of Research & Transfer Services, Leitner leads the strategic reorientation of research at Salzburg University of Applied Sciences through a comprehensive organizational development process. His work contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals through applications in health, wellbeing, and quality education.

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