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Pierre HaasView profile

Research Fellow

• Biophysics
• Mechanics of Morphogenesis
• Cellular Biophysics
• +3 more

Pierre Haas is a Group Leader at the Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems and the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, alongside the Center for Systems Biology Dresden (CSBD). He holds academic appointments since 2021, focusing on biophysical mechanisms underlying morphogenesis. Previously, he was a Hooke Research Fellow (2020–2021) at the University of Oxford and a Nevile Research Fellow in Applied Mathematics (2017–2020) at the University of Cambridge. His education includes a PhD in Applied Mathematics from Cambridge (2013–2017), supervised by Prof. Raymond E. Goldstein, and a BA/MMath in Mathematics from Gonville & Caius College, Cambridge (2009–2013). Haas’s research interests center on the mechanics of morphogenesis, particularly cell sheet folding, epithelial mechanics, and nonlinear elasticity. His work integrates theoretical models with experimental systems like Volvox embryos and hepatoblast development. Recent studies explore how mechanical forces shape tissues, including buckling phenomena, stress distribution in epithelia, and the role of extracellular matrices in cell polarization. His publications span topics such as epithelial T1 transitions, Volvox embryonic inversion, and the biophysics of tissue pressure. While no scientific awards are explicitly listed, his interdisciplinary approach bridges applied mathematics, developmental biology, and materials science. Haas leads a research group at MPI and CSBD, actively contributing to systems biology and biophysical modeling.

Iain CouzinView profile

Professor

• Collective Behavior
• Animal Behavior
• Neuroscience
• +3 more

Professor Iain Couzin is a leader in the study of collective behavior at the University of Konstanz and director of the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior. He holds roles in the Cluster of Excellence Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour (CASCB) and the Department of Biology. His research integrates biology, robotics, and computational science to understand how groups of animals (e.g., locusts, fish, birds) coordinate decisions and movements. Key tools include virtual reality for animals, automated tracking systems like TRex, and the Centre for Visual Computing of Collectives (VCC) facility. Research focuses on emergent collective phenomena, such as swarming in locusts, schooling in fish, and cooperative hunting. He emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches, collaborating with neuroscientists and engineers to bridge scales from neural circuits to global migration patterns. Notably, his work on locust swarms has societal implications for predicting agricultural threats. Awards: Highly Cited Researcher (Clarivate Analytics, 2018-2022). Facilities: Imaging Hangar, VCC research building, and novel VR setups for animal studies. Future Goals: Exploring collective memory, cross-species communication, and neuron-to-society-level decision-making. His grants and collaborations support cutting-edge experiments, including multi-scale locust studies and the development of algorithms for collective sensing in robotics. Leadership in bridging theory, experiment, and application positions him at the forefront of this interdisciplinary field.

• Nonlinear Dynamics
• Machine Learning
• Artificial Intelligence
• +3 more

Constantin Eichenberg is a researcher with a focus on interdisciplinary areas spanning nonlinear dynamics, machine learning, and computational science. His work bridges theoretical mathematics and applied artificial intelligence, with contributions to model optimization, generative systems, and neural network architectures. Notably, he has explored parameter update methods in neural networks (e.g., u-μP framework) and developed techniques for fusing pre-trained models (MultiFusion) to enhance multi-lingual and multi-modal capabilities. Eichenberg collaborates frequently with institutions and researchers in the field of deep learning, focusing on robust language models and efficient system design. His research often addresses challenges in model pruning, quantization, and hierarchical processing, with applications to transformers and adaptive systems. Recent work emphasizes improving the accessibility and efficiency of large language models through novel parameterization and token metric analysis.

• Citizen Science
• Science Education
• Biology Education
• +3 more

Julia Lorke serves as Professor of Biology Education at RWTH Aachen University, leading the Teaching and Research Area of Biology Didactics. Her work centers on integrating Citizen Science into formal and informal educational settings to enhance science literacy and teacher effectiveness. Based in the Biology Building (Worringerweg 1), she maintains active engagement with school communities through the Biology Out-of-School Lab (BioL 3). Her research focuses on Citizen Science implementation frameworks, science identity development, and inclusive STEM education—particularly through projects like CitSci@Schools (Joachim Herz Foundation-funded), CitSci ID, and the Erasmus+-supported EcoStories initiative. These investigate teacher training models, immigrant student inclusion, and environmental engagement strategies across diverse educational contexts. Analysis of her 2020-2025 publications reveals consistent emphasis on youth participation dynamics, classroom implementation barriers, and evidence-based resource development for Citizen Science education. Her work bridges theoretical research with practical applications through teacher workshops and school partnerships. Lorke directs significant externally funded projects including CitSci@Schools (developing teaching materials), CitSci ID (studying science identity), and EcoStories (promoting inclusive STEM for immigrant students). She actively supports educator development through regular teacher training sessions and school visits documented in departmental news updates. Through the Biology Out-of-School Lab (BioL 3), she facilitates hands-on biological research experiences for school groups, with recent activities including structured visits from multiple Aachen-area schools. Her approach emphasizes community engagement and real-world science application beyond traditional classroom settings.

Bernd EisensteinView profile

Professor

• Tourism Management
• Sustainable Tourism Development
• Destination Branding
• +5 more

Prof. Dr. Bernd Eisenstein serves as Director of the German Institute for Tourism Research and Professor at the School of Economics at West Coast University of Applied Sciences. His research focuses on destination branding, sustainable tourism development, and tourism policy. He leads the 'DestinationBrand' research series analyzing destination management strategies. Key areas of expertise include resilience in tourism sectors, community-tourism relationships, and climate change impacts. He holds leadership roles in tourism research institutions and collaborates with industry stakeholders. His work combines academic rigor with practical applications in destination marketing and economic impact analysis. Current research emphasizes post-pandemic tourism recovery strategies and measuring tourism acceptance through novel metrics like the Tourism Acceptance Score. Prof. Eisenstein's career spans over 30 years with significant contributions to tourism economics, destination governance frameworks, and market segmentation studies. He advises regional development projects and has published extensively on topics ranging from business travel effects to wine tourism synergies. His institute collaborates with Tourismus NRW and other organizations to implement balanced scorecard methodologies for destination management. Key Roles: Director of German Institute for Tourism Research Research Foci: Destination branding, sustainability, crisis management Methodologies: Mixed-method approaches combining quantitative metrics with qualitative stakeholder analysis Geographic Expertise: Northern Germany, DACH region, international case studies

• Genetics
• Molecular Genetics
• Human Genetics
• +7 more

Prof. Nilima Prakash is a Professor in the Department of Applied Genetics and Stem Cell Biology at Hamm-Lippstadt University of Applied Sciences. Her research focuses on regenerative medicine for Parkinson’s Disease, stem cell-based therapies, and developmental neurobiology. She leads the Human Stem Cell Research Group, developing protocols for midbrain dopaminergic neuron generation and studying ion channel roles in neurodegeneration. She holds certifications in genetic engineering safety and is an approved animal experimentation researcher. Her expertise spans molecular genetics, forensic genetics, and genetic engineering. She mentors in the TUM Mentoring Program and serves as a journal reviewer and co-editor for Frontiers in Neuroanatomy . Research interests include stem cell differentiation pathways, Wnt signaling, and neurodevelopmental mechanisms in neuropsychiatric disorders. Her work bridges basic science and translational medicine, with recent articles exploring calcium homeostasis in Parkinson’s models and CRISPR-based neuronal reprogramming. She collaborates on projects like the IDGenes database for mouse brain genetic interactions. Grants and funding support her studies on dopaminergic neuron survival and disease modeling. Prof. Prakash is affiliated with the ISSCR, German Genetics Society, and Stem Cell Network NRW. Her lab integrates cutting-edge techniques like live cell imaging and CRISPR-Cas9 engineering for stem cell analysis.

Elizaveta PriupolinaView profile

Research Fellow

• International Relations
• Chinese Politics
• Sino-Russian Relations
• +3 more

Elizaveta Priupolina is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Institute of East Asian Studies (IN-EAST) and the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Duisburg-Essen. Her research focuses on Chinese foreign policy, Sino-Russian relations, and the analysis of Chinese media narratives. She holds a PhD in Political Science from the same institution, completing a project titled Changing Patterns of Sino-Russian Strategic Partnership: Mutual Perceptions and Strategic Debates . Currently, she contributes to the DFG-funded project Role Change and Role Contestation in the People’s Republic of China: Globalization of “Chinese” Concepts of Order? , led by Prof. Nele Noesselt. Her work critically examines how China constructs its global role identity through state media (e.g., CCTV documentaries) and how Sino-Russian strategic interactions evolve in response to geopolitical shifts. She combines theoretical frameworks from international relations, political sociology, and media analysis to explore themes such as soft power, ideological discourse, and geopolitical rivalry. Her publications span topics from analyzing Chinese self-image narratives to dissecting Russian academic perspectives on Sino-Russian relations. She maintains an active research agenda on global governance, nationalism, and the evolution of authoritarian political systems in East Asia. Elizaveta’s professional affiliations include IN-EAST and membership in collaborative research teams focused on China’s role in global order. She is reachable at elizaveta.priupolina@uni-due.de and located in Room LE 615 at the University of Duisburg-Essen.

Oliver EhmerView profile

Professor

• Linguistics
• Digital Humanities
• Corpus Linguistics
• +5 more

Prof. Oliver Ehmer is a Full Professor of Romance Linguistics at the University of Osnabrück (since April 2022), supported by the DFG Heisenberg Professorship. He previously held interim professorships at the Universities of Regensburg (Winter 2021/22) and Freiburg (multiple terms since 2018). His academic journey includes a Ph.D. (2010, 'summa cum laude') and Habilitation (2018) from the University of Freiburg, focusing on interactional linguistics and spoken language structures. Ehmer's research interests span linguistic structure, social interaction, and cognition; language variation and change; digital humanities; corpus technology; and pragmatic particles. He has coordinated major DFG initiatives, such as the Research Training Group 'Frequency Effects in Language' (2009–2012) and the 'Hermann Paul School of Linguistics' (2008–2009). His work emphasizes multimodal analysis of spoken corpora and the development of corpus tools like the act package for R and the Transformer software. Key Awards: Irmgard Ulderup Prize 2018 (Best Habilitation Thesis) FRIAS Research Prize (2010) Hans and Susanne Schneider Prize (2009) Ehmer leads projects such as 'Requests for action in interaction and language change' (DFG Heisenberg) and collaborates on 'Body knowledge' (Baden-Württemberg grant) and 'Emergent Memory' (DFG/SNF). He has developed corpora like ICAS (instructional corporeal skills), cespla (River Plate Spanish), and tools for transcription and analysis.

Sebastian SpreizerView profile

Professor

• Computational Neuroscience
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Educational Software Development
• +3 more

Dr. Sebastian Spreizer is a Professor in the Department of Human-Computer Interaction at the University of Trier, part of Faculty IV (Computer Science). He holds a PhD in neurobiology from the University of Freiburg, where his doctoral research focused on neuronal network activity dynamics driven by structural conditions. His current work centers on developing the NEST Desktop platform, a web-based educational tool designed to advance computational neuroscience education. As part of the EU's Human Brain Project, he extends this tool for broader scientific accessibility. His research interests span computational neuroscience, educational software development, and neural network simulation. Notable contributions include advancing NEST Desktop's functionality for visualizing neural network simulations and supporting interdisciplinary neuroscience education. He has published extensively in venues such as PLOS Computational Biology and G-Knoten, focusing on topics like spatiotemporal neural dynamics and educational tool design. Dr. Spreizer collaborates with institutions like the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI) and is affiliated with the Human-Brain-Project consortium. His work bridges theoretical neuroscience with practical educational technologies, emphasizing open-source software and user-centered design principles in computational science tools.

Guido SchultefrankenfeldView profile

Research Professor

• Central Bank Forecasting
• Monetary Economics
• Inflation Targeting
• +3 more

Guido Schultefrankenfeld is a Research Professor at the Research Centre of the Deutsche Bundesbank. His work focuses on central bank forecasting methodologies, monetary policy communication, and the empirical analysis of inflation dynamics. He has been affiliated with the Bundesbank since 2012, contributing to research on macroeconomic risk assessment and the effectiveness of central bank communication strategies. Research Interests: Central Bank Forecasting, Monetary Economics, Inflation Targeting, and Policy Communication. His studies analyze how central banks' inflation outlooks and communication strategies influence market expectations and policy outcomes, with a focus on empirical validation of forecasting techniques and their real-world impacts. Key Contributions: Published in leading journals like the Journal of Monetary Economics and International Journal of Forecasting. Recent work examines the ECB’s new inflation targeting framework and its effects on household expectations, as well as the role of communication during high inflation periods. Professional Activities: Active in international academic networks, presenting at conferences such as the Central Bank Macroeconomic Modeling Workshop and the International Symposium on Forecasting. Collaborates with institutions like the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis and the Bank of England on forecasting methodologies.

Alexandra von KamekeView profile

Professor

• 2D-Turbulence
• Turbulent reactive flows
• Lagrangian Transport
• +7 more

Prof. Dr. Alexandra von Kameke is a Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Production Management at Hamburg University of Applied Sciences. She is the Deputy Dean for Research in the Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science. Her expertise spans 2D-turbulence, turbulent reactive flows, Lagrangian transport, Faraday flow, and mixing dynamics in bioreactors. She leads research projects like the DFG-funded CRC 1615 'SMART reactors' and collaborates with TUHH's Institute of Multiphase Flows (IMS). Education: She holds a Diploma in Physics from the University of Heidelberg and a PhD from the University of Santiago de Compostela. Her postdoctoral career includes roles at TUHH, DLR Göttingen, and Sensirion AG in Switzerland. Key projects include Lagrangian analysis in bioreactors, Faraday flow dynamics, and bubble wake chemistry. Her research focuses on fluid dynamics' impact on chemical reactions and reactor efficiency, with applications in sustainable chemical production. She supervises PhD and MSc students (e.g., Felix Kexel, Rika Uphoff) and collaborates on subprojects B04 and B05 in the CRC 1615. Her work bridges computational models (e.g., OpenFOAM) with experimental methods like 4D-PTV and imaging spectroscopy.

Eberhard GischlerView profile

Professor

• Biosedimentology
• Carbonate Sedimentology
• Paleoclimatology
• +3 more

Prof. Dr. Eberhard Gischler is a faculty member at the Institute of Geosciences, Goethe University Frankfurt. He leads the Biosedimentology Group, focusing on carbonate sediments and rocks as archives of environmental and climate variation. His research spans modern and fossil reefs across the Caribbean (Belize, Florida), Maldives, French Polynesia, and Great Barrier Reef. Research interests include: Biosedimentology and carbonate platform dynamics Paleoclimatology through coral reef studies Sea-level change and storm frequency analysis Microbialite formation and reef cave archives Sclerochronology and isotope geochemistry Recent publications emphasize tropical reef sedimentation patterns, Holocene climate variability, and ultra-high resolution paleoenvironmental reconstructions. His work involves field studies in reef caves, lagoons, and drowned platforms, utilizing coral density banding, foraminiferal assemblages, and isotope thermometry. Teaching activities include courses on carbonate sedimentology, paleontology, and reef geology. Contact details: Room 2,336, Geocenter, Riedberg Campus, Altenhöferallee 1, Frankfurt am Main. Phone: ++49 (0)69 798 40183.

Julia VerneView profile

Professor

• (Postcolonial) Science and Technology Studies
• Human-Technology-Environment Relations
• More-than-human Geographies
• +5 more

Julia Verne is a Professor of Geography at Johannes Gutenberg University (JGU) in Mainz, where she chairs the Cultural Geography Research Group. Previously, she held professorships at the University of Bonn (2015–2021) and conducted post-doctoral research at UCLA and Goethe University Frankfurt. Her academic journey includes a B.A. from the University of Bayreuth, an M.A. in Cultural Geography from Royal Holloway University of London, and a PhD from Bayreuth (2010). Her research focuses on (Postcolonial) Science and Technology Studies, Human-Technology-Environment Relations, and Indian Ocean Studies. Ongoing projects funded by DFG and SSHRC explore technological innovations in agriculture, disaster governance, and humanitarian design. She has also extensively studied translocal mobilities along the Swahili coast and the Indian Ocean. Teaching emphasizes conceptual approaches to human-nature relations in JGU’s Bachelor and Master programs. Recent publications engage with maritime contact zones, planetary futures, and digital geographies. She serves on editorial boards of Geographische Zeitschrift and chairs the Schule des Sehens creative space at JGU. Grants include leadership of an international master’s program on environmental risks and human security (collaborating with the United Nations University). No scientific awards are explicitly listed, though her extensive peer-reviewed output demonstrates scholarly impact. Her work bridges empirical fieldwork and theoretical engagement, particularly through ethnographic methods and interdisciplinary collaborations in transregional studies.

• Speleothem Research
• Paleoclimatology
• Climate Change
• +3 more

Dr. Dana Riechelmann is a Researcher in Speleothem Research at the Institute of Geosciences, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz. She holds a doctorate from Ruhr-Universität Bochum and is currently pursuing habilitation. Her work focuses on reconstructing past climates using speleothems (stalactites/stalagmites) and tree-ring archives. Key projects include a DFG-funded initiative to create a high-resolution temperature reconstruction for Central Europe over 13,300 years using speleothems from Zoolithenhöhle. She coordinates the 'Halocycles' project and has published extensively on paleoclimate dynamics, monsoon shifts, and climate proxies. Education: 2001: Abitur (High School Diploma) 2006: University Degree in Geosciences, Ruhr-Universität Bochum 2010: Doctorate in Geosciences Research Interests: Dana investigates climate variability through speleothem and dendrochronological records, focusing on: Reconstructing Holocene temperature and precipitation patterns Monsoon dynamics and paleohydrology Stable isotope and trace element analysis in cave formations Impact of volcanic eruptions and glacial transitions Grants & Projects: DFG-funded project on Central European temperature reconstruction (2023–present) Halocycles project coordination (science management) Contributions to SISAL Working Group (speleothem database) She actively engages in mentoring (Ada Lovelace Program) and science communication, aiming to support early-career researchers and bridge climate science with public understanding.

Denis ScholzView profile

Professor

• Paleoclimate Reconstruction
• Speleothem Research
• Isotope Geochemistry
• +3 more

Prof. Dr. Denis Scholz holds the University Professor (Heisenberg Professorship) position in Speleothem Research/Isotope Geochemical Paleoclimatology at the Department of Geosciences, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz. His research focuses on paleoclimate reconstruction using speleothems, Th/U dating, and stable isotope fractionation to understand climate archives. He has authored numerous papers on topics such as speleothem-based climate records, volcanic eruptions, and monsoon dynamics. Prof. Scholz’s academic journey includes a PhD in Physics (2005, University of Heidelberg) and postdoctoral roles at institutions like the Heidelberg Academy of Sciences and the University of Bristol. He leads the Speleothem Research group at Mainz, developing methodologies like the SISALv3 database for global speleothem data integration. His recent work emphasizes high-resolution climate records from caves in Europe, Asia, and the Caribbean, linking hydroclimate variability to solar, volcanic, and orbital forcings. He has contributed to projects such as the TERMITE script for LA-ICP-MS data analysis and the StalAge software for speleothem chronology. Awards and grants are not explicitly listed, but his involvement in initiatives like the DFG Research Group DAPHNE (2005–2008) highlights sustained research impact. His lab and fieldwork integrate cutting-edge techniques for isotopic and geochemical analysis, advancing understanding of Earth’s climate history.