Rafaela Hillerbrand

Professor Rafaela Hillerbrand is a leading scholar in philosophy of technology and ethics at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). She holds a professorship for Technology Ethics and Philosophy of Science with a focus on Assessment of Complex Forms of Knowledge at the Institute for Technology Assessment and Systems Analysis (ITAS). Additionally, she manages the KIT Academy for Responsible Research, Teaching, and Innovation (ARRTI) and heads the research group "Philosophy of Technology, Technology Assessment and Science" (PhilETAS).

Her educational background includes dual doctorates: a Dr. phil. summa cum laude in Philosophy from Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen (2003) and a Dr. rer. nat. summa cum laude in Theoretical Physics from Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster (2007). She also completed studies in Physics (Diplom) and Philosophy (Magister) at Universität Erlangen & University of Liverpool.

Professor Hillerbrand's research spans the intersection of philosophy, technology assessment, and ethics. Her work focuses on the philosophical foundations of technology, environmental ethics (particularly regarding energy systems), epistemic aspects of risks and uncertainties, and ethical dimensions of computer simulations and AI. She approaches these topics through frameworks like the capabilities approach, virtue ethics, and value-sensitive design, examining how technological development intersects with human well-being and social justice. Her research often takes a transdisciplinary perspective, bridging philosophical analysis with practical applications in energy transition, mobility systems, and emerging technologies.

Analysis of her recent publications reveals a clear trajectory toward addressing ethical challenges in emerging technologies, particularly AI and digital systems. Her work increasingly focuses on implementing ethical frameworks in practical contexts, from rescue robotics to energy systems. A significant thread throughout her scholarship examines how uncertainty and risk should be managed in technological decision-making, with growing attention to the epistemic dimensions of computer simulations. Her recent work also demonstrates an expanding focus on justice dimensions, particularly energy justice and capabilities approaches to technology assessment.

• Full member of the German Academy of Science and Engineering (acatech) since 2020
• Delft Technology Fellowship, 2012-2015
• Member of the Young Academy at the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities and the Academy of Natural Scientists Leopoldina (2009-2014)
• 2008 Science Prize of the Ingrid zu Solms Foundation
• PhD Scholarship from the University of Münster (2006)
• German Academic Scholarship Foundation (2002-2005)
• Dr. Heinz-Dürr Scholarship, Zeiss Foundation & German Academic Scholarship Foundation (2005)
• Lilli Bechmann-Rahn Prize (2005)

Professor Hillerbrand actively mentors doctoral students, with recent PhD completions including Schweer, J. (2025) on "Computer Simulations and Explanations in the Nanosciences" and Grünke, P. D. (2023) on "Computer-based methods of knowledge generation in science." She has served as Ombudsperson for doctoral candidates at KIT (2015-2021) and participates in numerous grant review panels for major funding organizations including the German Research Foundation (DFG), National Science Foundation (NSF), and Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique Brüssel. Her research has been supported through various institutional roles including her leadership in the KIT Academy for Responsible Research, Teaching, and Innovation.

As head of the PhilETAS research group at ITAS, Professor Hillerbrand leads a team examining the philosophical foundations of technology assessment. Her work connects closely with the KIT Academy for Responsible Research, Teaching, and Innovation (ARRTI), which she manages, creating a bridge between theoretical philosophical work and practical implementation of responsible innovation frameworks. Her research group collaborates extensively across disciplines, particularly with engineering departments at KIT and through the Heidelberg Karlsruhe Strategic Partnership (HEiKA).