Maria Wirzberger

Maria Wirzberger is a tenure-track professor at the University of Stuttgart, where she leads the Department of Teaching and Learning with Intelligent Systems and serves as spokesperson for the Stuttgart Research Focus "Interchange Forum for Reflecting on Intelligent Systems" (SRF IRIS). She is also co-director of the Artificial Intelligence Software Academy (AISA) and part of the Cyber Valley ecosystem, Europe’s largest AI research consortium. Her interdisciplinary research bridges cognitive psychology, human-computer interaction, instructional design, and artificial intelligence.

Research Interests:

• Modeling and simulation of human cognition using cognitive and connectionist approaches
• Advanced statistical modeling (multilevel models, time series, structural equation models)
• Distraction, interruption, and attention control in applied settings
• Multimodal cognitive load assessment via performance, behavior, and physiology
• Design of adaptive, assistive, and responsible intelligent systems
• Individual differences in HCI (age, neurodiversity, technology affinity)
• Trust, bias, and critical reflection in human-AI interaction

Her recent publications focus on cognitive load in learning, system delays in virtual training, interruption modeling using ACT-R, and adaptive feedback mechanisms. The work spans experimental, computational, and applied domains, increasingly extending to digital health, industrial robotics, and single-pilot operations. She applies lab, field, and online studies combined with user-centered software development.

Scientific Awards and Grants:

• Erasmus+ teaching mobility grant (2018)
• InProTUC travel grant (2016)
• Research stay grant at University of Groningen
• "Deutschlandstipendium" scholarship (2013/14)

Maria Wirzberger has supervised several theses and has been involved in grant-funded research such as the DFG Research Training Group "CrossWorlds". She actively reviews for top journals and conferences and holds leadership roles in academic service. She has organized symposia and workshops and is a member of numerous professional societies including the Cognitive Science Society, ACM, and APA.

Labs and Teams: She leads a research team at the University of Stuttgart focused on teaching and learning with intelligent systems, embedded within the interdisciplinary Cyber Valley network. Her group develops and evaluates user-adaptive technologies using predictive analytics and cognitive science principles.