Dr. Jann Michael Weinand is the head of the Integrated Scenarios department at the Institute of Climate and Energy Systems (ICE-2) within Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH. He leads a team of 30 scientists, PhD students, and master students focusing on energy system analysis, complexity management, and AI integration. His work addresses regional and international energy systems, emphasizing renewable energy resource assessment and techno-economic feasibility. Dr. Weinand holds a Dr.-Ing. from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (2020) and a Mechanical Engineering and Business Administration degree from RWTH Aachen University (2016). His research spans energy autonomy, renewable resource optimization, and the socio-technical challenges of energy transitions. Key research areas include energy system modeling, geothermal and wind energy potential, and data-driven methodologies. He coordinates interdisciplinary projects with academic and industrial partners, contributing to high-impact journals like Nature Energy and Joule. His team develops open-source tools (e.g., ETHOS workflows) for reproducible energy assessments and advocates for spatially disaggregated energy planning. Publications highlight trade-offs in energy system design, AI risks, and land-use conflicts for renewables. He emphasizes integrating social, technical, and environmental factors into energy policy frameworks.
Dr. Magdalena Schreter-Fleischhacker works at the Technical University of Munich within the Professorship of Simulation for Additive Manufacturing . Her research focuses on physics-based computational modeling of coupled liquid-powder-gas dynamics in metal additive manufacturing, including melt pool dynamics and powder-gas interactions . She specializes in multi-phase flow modeling using cut-element and diffuse interface methods with continuous/discontinuous Galerkin schemes . She also develops constitutive models for quasi-brittle materials like 3D printed concrete and rock, incorporating anisotropy , gradient-enhanced damage mechanics , and micropolar continua . Her computational work leverages matrix-free algorithms and parallel computing , with significant contributions to the deal.II finite element library . Research Interests Physics-based computational modeling of coupled liquid-powder-gas dynamics in additive manufacturing Multi-phase flow simulation using sharp/diffuse interface methods Advanced constitutive modeling for quasi-brittle materials (rock, soils, 3D printed concrete) High-performance computing and matrix-free algorithms Notable Contributions Development of consistent diffuse-interface models for melt-vapor dynamics Improvements to continuum surface flux models in additive manufacturing Formulation of gradient-enhanced damage-plasticity models for geological materials Principal contributor to the deal.II library (version 9.6) Supervised Student Projects Johannes Resch (2024): DG-based thermo-hydrodynamic melt pool simulations Julian Brotz (2024): DEM-FEM coupling for fluid-powder interaction Andreas Ritthaler (2024): Matrix-free cutDG formulation for complex flows Tinh Vo (2023): Laser modeling for melt pool simulations Scientific Awards ERC Starting Grant recipient
Prof. Dr. Stefan Eicker is a Professor and Chairholder of Business Information Systems and Software Engineering at the Faculty of Computer Science, University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany. He has held this position since April 2004, following previous academic appointments at the Technical University of Clausthal, the University of Essen, and other German institutions. His research spans multiple domains within information systems and software engineering, with a particular focus on digital transformation and emerging technologies. Prof. Eicker's research interests center around Smart Products , Service Systems , Internet of Things , and Platform Economics . His work explores how digital technologies transform traditional business models and create new value propositions. He has developed taxonomies for smart services and investigated quality factors in self-tracking solutions, demonstrating his interdisciplinary approach that bridges technical and business perspectives. His research particularly emphasizes the integration of physical and digital components in modern products and services. His recent publications (2019-2024) reveal a strong focus on digital platform economies, smart services, and IoT applications. The research shows a clear trajectory toward understanding value creation mechanisms in digital ecosystems, with increasing attention to practical applications in energy systems, self-tracking technologies, and business model innovation. His work often involves collaboration with colleagues like Gero Strobel and Tobias Brogt, indicating an active research group focused on digital transformation. Prof. Eicker has contributed significantly to the academic community through his extensive publication record spanning nearly two decades, with work appearing in journals, conference proceedings, and edited volumes. His research bridges theoretical frameworks with practical applications in business contexts. He maintains an active role in academic administration and education at the University of Duisburg-Essen, where he has contributed to curriculum development and the implementation of systems for managing academic information. His work on the bolognaT3 system demonstrates his commitment to improving academic processes through technology.
Katharina Eggensperger is an Early Career Research Group Leader at the University of Tübingen , leading the AutoML for Science group within the Cluster of Excellence Machine Learning for Science . She previously completed her Ph.D. at the University of Freiburg under Frank Hutter and Marius Lindauer (2022), and actively contributes to the AutoML community through open-source tool development and competition leadership. Co-developer of AutoML.org tools Faculty member of IMPRS-IS Chair for multiple AutoML workshops/conferences (2019-2025) Her research focuses on automated machine learning (AutoML) with specific attention to: AutoML Systems Hyperparameter Optimization Tabular Machine Learning Scientific Applications of ML She has organized multiple AutoML schools and conferences, including serving as Program Chair for AutoML 2024 and Non-archival Track Chair for AutoML 2025. Her work emphasizes making machine learning accessible through automation while maintaining scientific rigor and interpretability, particularly for tabular data applications. Katharina actively recruits PhD students through IMPRS-IS and collaborates with institutions like the University of Freiburg and Cyber Valley .
Dr. Stephan Rave is a Researcher in the Institute for Analysis and Numerics at the University of Münster. He is affiliated with the Applied Mathematics Münster cluster and serves as an Investigator in Mathematics Münster. His work focuses on numerical analysis, scientific computing, and machine learning, with a strong emphasis on model reduction techniques for complex systems. Education : PhD in Mathematics (2012), University of Münster, thesis on finitely summable K-homology. Master's and Bachelor's degrees in Mathematics from the University of Münster. Research Interests : Dr. Rave specializes in model order reduction (MOR) methods, including reduced basis techniques, localized orthogonal decomposition (LOD), and nonlinear approximation strategies. His work addresses challenges in multiscale modeling, domain decomposition, and parametrized partial differential equations. He also develops open-source software tools like pyMOR for MOR and contributes to initiatives like the MaRDI (Mathematical Research Data Initiative) to enhance interoperability in scientific computing. Projects : Key initiatives include the MaRDI project (2021–2026), EXC 2044 Cluster of Excellence (Geometry-based modeling), and MULTIBAT (lithium-ion battery simulation). His research bridges theoretical developments with practical applications in battery modeling, electrochemistry, and computational fluid dynamics. Grants & Awards : Funded by DFG, the German Federal Ministry of Research, and internal university grants, his work addresses strategic areas like sustainable research software and energy storage systems. He leads projects on distributed model reduction and communication-avoiding algorithms. Teaching : Dr. Rave teaches advanced numerical methods courses, including Model Order Reduction, Numerical Methods for PDEs, and Python-based computational labs. He co-organizes seminars and workshops on MOR and scientific software engineering.
Jürgen Cito is an Associate Professor with tenure at Vienna University of Technology (TU Wien), specializing in software engineering, explainable AI, and performance engineering. He leads research at the IPA Lab (as indicated by his personal website) and maintains a visiting researcher position at Google. His academic journey began with joining TU Wien as an Assistant Professor in Spring 2020, with promotion to Associate Professor announced in April 2024. His research interests span multiple critical areas of modern software development, with particular focus on developer experience, program comprehension, and the intersection of AI with software engineering practices. His work bridges theoretical foundations with practical industrial applications, as evidenced by collaborations with major technology companies. Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong emphasis on practical tools and methodologies that enhance software quality, performance, and security. His research trajectory shows increasing focus on explainable AI techniques applied to software engineering problems, performance prediction from source code, and automated security testing approaches that leverage large language models. best teaching award for distance learning for Web Engineering (2020) Cito actively contributes to the software engineering community through numerous conference committee roles, including program committee positions at ASE, ICSE, ESEC/FSE, and other major venues. His lab appears to focus on developer tools, program analysis, and AI-assisted software engineering, with connections to both academic and industrial research environments.
Gabriele Bavota is an Associate Professor at the Software Institute of Università della Svizzera Italiana (USI) in Lugano, Switzerland. He leads the SEART (Software Engineering Advanced Research Team) group and serves as Principal Investigator for the DEVINTA ERC starting grant focused on developer intelligence through mining software artifacts. Dr. Bavota's research spans Software Quality, Empirical Software Engineering, and Mining Software Repositories. His work has evolved from foundational studies on code smells and technical debt to cutting-edge research at the intersection of artificial intelligence and software development. He has made significant contributions to understanding API usage patterns, software quality metrics, and developer behavior through empirical studies of large software repositories. His recent publications reveal a strong focus on AI-assisted software development, with extensive research examining code generation, code summarization, and code review automation using large language models. He has also expanded his research to include quality assurance in game development (detecting game stuttering and low engagement events) and voice user interface testing. His work consistently bridges theoretical insights with practical applications for software developers. ACM SIGSOFT Distinguished Paper Award for API compatibility research (MSR 2019) ACM SIGSOFT Distinguished Paper Award for Hugging Face model documentation study (ICPC 2024) ACM SIGSOFT Distinguished Artifact Award for deep learning fault taxonomy (ICSE 2020) As an active member of the software engineering research community, Dr. Bavota serves on program committees for major conferences including ICSE, ASE, FSE, and MSR. He has held leadership roles such as Program Co-Chair for ICSME 2023 and Vision/Reflection Track Co-Chair for ICSE. His SEART research group develops practical tools like the SEART Data Hub that streamline large-scale source code mining and preprocessing for empirical software engineering research.
Tse-Hsun (Peter) Chen is an Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering at Concordia University in Montreal, Canada. He serves as Director of the SPEAR lab (Software Performance, Analysis, and Reliability lab), which focuses on improving the quality of large-scale software systems through research in log analysis and AIOps, software performance analysis, software testing, and mining software repositories. His research group maintains extensive collaborations with industry partners including ERA Environmental, Ericsson, Microsoft, and BlackBerry. Dr. Chen received his PhD and MSc in Computer Science from Queen's University and his BSc in Computer Science from the University of British Columbia. Dr. Chen's research addresses critical challenges in modern software engineering, including leveraging Large Language Models to assist developers with development, debugging, and maintenance; helping developers debug production systems by utilizing rich software data; providing optimization suggestions by analyzing user usage data; improving software quality assurances in DevOps environments; and mining software development history for useful developer suggestions. His work spans Software Engineering, Performance Engineering, DevOps & AIOps, Software Testing, and Mining Software Repositories, with a strong emphasis on practical applications that bridge academic research and industrial practice. His recent publications (2024-2025) demonstrate a pronounced shift toward integrating Large Language Models into various aspects of the software engineering lifecycle, particularly in log analysis, fault localization, code generation, and performance testing. This trend reflects the growing importance of AI in software engineering research and practice. Gina Cody Research award (2022) Ranked as one of the most active software engineering researchers worldwide by an independent study published in JSS Dr. Chen has successfully advised numerous PhD and Master's students, many of whom have secured prestigious academic positions. Several of his graduated PhD students now hold tenure-track assistant professor positions at institutions including York University, University of Alberta, DePaul University, and IIT Gandhinagar. His SPEAR lab has developed research tools that have been integrated into industrial practice for ensuring the quality of large-scale enterprise systems. The SPEAR lab, under Dr. Chen's leadership, has established itself as a leading research group in software engineering, with particular expertise in software performance analysis, log analysis, and AI applications for software engineering. The lab maintains strong industry connections and has produced numerous high-impact publications in top-tier software engineering venues including ICSE, FSE, ASE, and TSE.
Arpan Gujarati is a Sessional Lecturer in the Department of Computer Science at the University of British Columbia (UBC), affiliated with the Systopia Lab. He teaches graduate and undergraduate courses such as CPSC 538G (Distributed Systems), CPSC 416 (Operating Systems), and CPEN 432 (Real-Time System Design). He holds a PhD from the Max Planck Institute for Software Systems and TU Kaiserslautern, where he was supervised by Björn B. Brandenburg. PhD: Max Planck Institute for Software Systems & TU Kaiserslautern (2020) Undergraduate: Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS Pilani) Postdoctoral Researcher: MPI-SWS Research Associate: UBC Software Development Engineer: Citrix R&D, India His research focuses on real-time and distributed systems, with applications in cyber-physical systems, fault tolerance, and machine learning reliability. He investigates scheduling algorithms, reliability analysis, and the integration of learning-enabled components into safety-critical systems. His work combines theoretical analysis with practical system implementations, often involving real-world testbeds and open-source tools. His recent publications span top-tier venues including RTSS, OSDI, ECRTS, DSN, and Middleware, with a strong emphasis on performance predictability, resilience of ML systems, and real-time communication. His work frequently addresses challenges in timing guarantees, fault tolerance, and system reliability in both cloud and embedded environments. SIGBED Paul Caspi Memorial Dissertation Award Best Paper Award at RTSS 2022 Distinguished Artifact Award at OSDI 2020 Best Student Paper Award at Middleware 2017 Outstanding Paper Award at RTCSA 2025 He advises several PhD students and undergraduate researchers at UBC, including Heng Zhao, Aida Aminian, Zainab Saeed Wattoo, and Philip Schowitz. He has led multiple research projects involving robotic arms, NVIDIA Holoscan, FreeRTOS, and distributed key-value stores. His lab work emphasizes reproducibility, open datasets, and practical system building. He has served on program committees for RTSS, RTAS, ECRTS, and Middleware, and contributes to journals such as Real-Time Systems and JSys.
Andrea Volkamer is a computational chemist and active principal investigator in the field of computer-aided drug design (CADD), with a focus on kinase targets, druggability prediction, and machine learning applications. She has published extensively in journals such as the Journal of Chemical Information and Modeling and Journal of Medicinal Chemistry , with recent work up to 2025 indicating an ongoing academic research program. Her research group, referred to as 'volkamerlab,' develops open-source tools including DoGSite, KiSSim, KinFragLib, and TeachOpenCADD, which are widely used in both academic and industrial drug discovery settings. Her research interests span computational drug discovery , structural bioinformatics , kinase inhibitor design , off-target and polypharmacology prediction , and educational platforms for CADD . She emphasizes open science and reproducibility, particularly through the TeachOpenCADD initiative, which provides interactive Jupyter Notebooks and KNIME workflows for teaching cheminformatics concepts. The 15 most recent publications reflect a strong trend toward integrating machine learning and deep learning (e.g., transformers, graph neural networks) with structure-based methods such as molecular docking, free energy calculations, and binding site comparison. Her work increasingly addresses real-world challenges in drug discovery, including kinase mutation resistance, selectivity optimization, and in vivo toxicity prediction using conformal and hybrid models. Scientific Contributions and Awards: Development of key computational tools: DoGSite, KiSSim, KinFragLib, TeachOpenCADD. Leadership in open-source and open-education initiatives in cheminformatics. Active publication record in top-tier journals with interdisciplinary impact. Advising and Grants: While specific student names and grant details are not mentioned in the provided text, her role as a corresponding author on numerous publications and the existence of a dedicated research lab ('volkamerlab') imply that she mentors students and postdoctoral researchers. She likely secures competitive funding to support her research in computational drug discovery and method development. Labs and Teams: She leads the Volkamer Lab ('volkamerlab'), which focuses on developing and applying computational methods for drug discovery. The lab collaborates with both academic and pharmaceutical partners and emphasizes open-source software development and educational outreach.
Prof. Mike Barth is a Professor for Networked Secure Automation Technology at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), affiliated with the Department of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology (ETIT) and the Institute for Control Systems (IRS). His academic background includes a doctorate from Helmut Schmidt University (2011) and a master's degree from Pforzheim University (2008). He previously held roles as a researcher at ABB and as a professor at Pforzheim University, focusing on blended learning and Industry 4.0 integration. Education: PhD in Automation Technology, Helmut Schmidt University (2011) M.Sc. in Product Development, Pforzheim University (2008) Diploma in Mechanical Engineering, Pforzheim University (2006) Research Interests: Automation technology, control systems, Industry 4.0, cyber-physical systems, digital twin engineering, cybersecurity, and IoT protocols. Teaching: Courses include System Modeling, Cyber Physical Production Systems, and Digital Twin Engineering. His research emphasizes secure automation architectures, decentralized systems, and model-based engineering. He chairs multiple committees including IFAC TC3.1 and the VDI/VDE Society for Measurement and Automation. Over 50+ publications span topics like simulation models, industrial security, and robotic integration. Labs/Teams: Leads the IRS Automation Technology team, focusing on innovation in control systems and digital twin applications.
Barbara Namer is an Adjunct Professor at Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg and leads the IZKF-funded "Neuroscience: translational pain research" group at RWTH Aachen University Hospital. Her career spans 20+ years in neurophysiological pain research with clinical translations. Doctor of Medicine (2000-2004), Erlangen-Nuremberg Venia Legendi (Habilitation) in Physiology (2010) Adjunct Professor title (2018) Her research focuses on nociceptor mechanisms in diabetic neuropathy, migraine pathophysiology, and TRPA1 channel dynamics . Computational modeling and human microneurography techniques are central to her work. Key publication trends show expertise in peripheral nerve sensitization , diabetic pain mechanisms , translational pain modeling , and ion channel pharmacology . She has received multiple DGSS and German Neurology Society awards for her pain research. 2019 - DGSS Poster Award 2015 - DGSS Poster Award 2010 - EFIC Grünenthal Grant 2003 & 2018 - German Neurology Society Awards National and international collaborations include research stays in Norway and Sweden, with extensive grant funding from DFG and IZKF projects.
Leif Kobbelt serves as a University Professor at RWTH Aachen University, leading the Computer Graphics Group within the Department of Computer Science (Informatik 8). His research focuses on advancing geometry processing, interactive visualization, and computer graphics through innovative algorithmic solutions and interdisciplinary collaborations. Professor Kobbelt's research program centers on geometry acquisition and processing, with significant contributions to mesh generation, surface reconstruction, and neural rendering techniques. His work bridges theoretical geometry with practical applications in computer vision, photo-realistic image synthesis, and multimedia data transmission, often involving collaborations with industry partners and international research teams funded by DFG and EU sources. Recent publications (2023-2025) reveal a strategic integration of deep learning with traditional geometry processing, particularly in Gaussian splatting for real-time rendering, NeRF-based 4D content generation, and robust mesh Boolean operations. His group maintains leadership in quad mesh optimization and surface mapping while expanding into immersive visualization techniques for complex data analysis. The group has earned recognition through prestigious awards: Günter Enderle Best Paper Award at Eurographics 2023 Best Paper Award (1st place) at Symposium on Geometry Processing 2022 Honorable Mention for Best Paper at ACM Symposium on Virtual Reality Software and Technology Funding from Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft and European Union programs supports the group's research infrastructure and international collaborations. The team actively supervises graduate theses while developing open-source software tools that translate theoretical advances into practical industry applications, particularly in digital fabrication and immersive visualization systems. The Computer Graphics Group operates as a central hub for visual computing research at RWTH Aachen, maintaining strong ties with both academic institutions and technology companies. Their recent work on virtual reality educational tools and high-fidelity 3D reconstruction systems demonstrates commitment to knowledge transfer and real-world impact beyond traditional publication venues.
Professor Gerhard Wolber leads the Molecular Drug Design research group at the Institute of Pharmacy , Freie Universitaet Berlin. His work focuses on computational approaches to drug discovery, with expertise in G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) , cytochrome P450 enzymes , Toll-like receptors , and viral protease inhibitors . He supervises a team of 13 PhD candidates 3 researchers 2 Master's students engaged in projects ranging from calcium channel blockers to CYP enzyme modulators for cancer therapy. Recent publications highlight his lab's contributions to pan-coronavirus drug discovery, TLR8 antagonism, and calcium channel inhibition. The team employs advanced methodologies including Molecular dynamics simulations Fragment-based de novo design Bayesian neural networks DFT calculations 3D pharmacophore modeling to bridge computational predictions with experimental validation. Notable projects include Virtual screening for TREM2-targeted glioblastoma therapeutics Allosteric communication path analysis via MDPath Immune checkpoint inhibitors for cancer immunotherapy Biased GPCR ligand development demonstrating a multidisciplinary approach to contemporary drug design challenges.
Raffi Khatchadourian is an Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Science at Hunter College and the Graduate Center of the City University of New York (CUNY). His research focuses on techniques for automated software evolution, particularly automated refactoring and source code recommendation systems, with the goal of easing the burden associated with evolving large and complex software through automated tools. He also conducts research on the automated analysis of Object-Oriented programs. Ph.D., Computer Science & Engineering, Ohio State University (2011) MS, Computer Science & Engineering, Ohio State University (2010) BS, Computer Science, Monmouth University (2004) Khatchadourian's research spans multiple areas of software engineering and programming languages, with particular emphasis on automated software evolution techniques. His work addresses critical challenges in refactoring legacy systems to modern language constructs, optimizing parallel processing in Java 8 streams, and addressing technical debt in machine learning systems. His recent research has expanded into deep learning program transformation, where he develops techniques to convert imperative deep learning code to more efficient graph execution models while ensuring safety. His approach combines static analysis, program transformation, and empirical validation to create practical tools that developers can integrate into their workflows. Analysis of Khatchadourian's recent publications reveals a strong focus on bridging the gap between theoretical program analysis and practical software engineering challenges. His work increasingly intersects with machine learning systems, examining both how to improve ML code through refactoring and how to ensure safety in deep learning frameworks. The research demonstrates consistent evolution from foundational work on Java language features toward more complex systems involving concurrency, deep learning, and automated program transformation. Distinguished Paper Award at SCAM '18 for work on Java 8 stream optimization EAPLS Best Paper Award at FASE '20 for study on Java 8 stream usage EAPLS Distinguished Paper Award at FASE '25 for Deep Learning refactoring work Best Paper Award nominee at IJCAI '24 for AI safety framework Khatchadourian actively mentors graduate and undergraduate students, with several advisees going on to successful academic and industry positions. His former Ph.D. student Tatiana Castro Vélez accepted a tenure-track Assistant Professor position at the University of Puerto Rico. He has supervised numerous master's theses and undergraduate research projects, often resulting in co-authored publications at top software engineering venues. His research has been supported by various grants, though specific funding details are not prominently featured in the available information. Through his work on tools like Fraglight for aspect-oriented programming and Hybridize Functions for deep learning refactoring, Khatchadourian has established a research group focused on practical program analysis and transformation. His lab develops Eclipse plugins and other IDE-integrated tools that help developers with automated refactoring, bug detection, and code optimization. The group maintains active collaborations with researchers at other institutions and contributes to open-source projects on GitHub.
