Prof. Kai S. Exner is a Professor of Theoretical Inorganic Chemistry at the University of Duisburg-Essen's Faculty of Chemistry and a member of the Zentrum für Medizinische Biotechnologie (ZMB). His research focuses on electrocatalysis , particularly optimizing electrode materials for energy applications such as batteries, electrolyzers, and fuel cells. He employs computational methods like ab initio calculations and microkinetic modeling to bridge theoretical insights with experimental and industrial applications, emphasizing sustainable catalyst design without relying on noble metals. His work integrates basic research with applied medical biotechnology through ZMB collaborations, though his primary affiliation lies in the Faculty of Chemistry. Exner has pioneered concepts like the electrochemical-step asymmetry index and free-energy span model, which are critical for screening electrocatalysts. His research group, 'Theoretical Inorganic Chemistry,' actively explores mechanisms behind oxygen and chlorine evolution reactions, emphasizing selectivity control and reaction pathway complexity. Exner received the Gottschalk-Diederich-Baedeker-Preis (2024) for advancing the energy transition through foundational electrocatalysis research. He leads Aktuelles Projekt funded by third-party grants and collaborates with facilities like the Analytics Core Facility Essen (ACE) and Imaging Center Campus Essen (ICCE). His advisory role focuses on guiding theoretical and computational approaches in electrochemistry, and he has established a reputation for interdisciplinary research connecting computational chemistry with practical energy solutions.
Michael Carbin is the Jamieson Career Development Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and leads the MIT Programming Systems Group. His research focuses on programming systems that address system uncertainty to enhance performance, energy efficiency, and resilience, particularly in environments involving neural networks , approximate computing , and unreliable hardware . His work spans probabilistic programming , quantum computing , and machine learning systems . Articles highlight contributions in pruning neural networks , quantum data structures , and compiler optimization , reflecting trends in deep learning , formal verification , and language-driven systems . Scientific Awards : MIT Frank E. Perkins Award (2020) Sloan Research Fellowship (2020) Facebook Research Award (2019) NSF CAREER Award (2018) Best Paper Awards at OOPSLA (2013, 2014) He has advised numerous graduate students and postdocs including Eric Atkinson, Cambridge Yang, and Charles Yuan, and served on program committees for conferences like POPL, OOPSLA, and ICLR. His group collaborates with institutions such as MIT CSAIL and explores applications in quantum algorithms and probabilistic inference .
Professor Thomas Bein is affiliated with the Department of Chemistry at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU) , where he leads the Functional Nanosystems research group. His work focuses on synthesizing and characterizing nanostructured materials with applications in energy, catalysis, and biomedical delivery. Mesoporous nanoparticles for drug delivery Semiconductor nano-morphologies for photovoltaics Photoelectrochemical water splitting Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) Electroactive networks His research emphasizes atomic-scale control of material architectures using self-assembly, hydrogen bonding, and covalent interactions, enabling precise tuning of electronic, optical, and catalytic properties. A review of his recent publications reveals cutting-edge investigations into covalent organic frameworks (COFs), perovskite-inspired solar materials, and functional nanoparticle systems. Key trends include optimizing energy conversion efficiency, enhancing stability in optoelectronic devices, and exploring bio-compatible nanocarriers for targeted therapies. Professor Bein’s group actively contributes to interdisciplinary projects at the intersection of chemistry, physics, and biomedical engineering, with ongoing collaborations in solar energy, sustainable materials, and nanomedicine.
Prof. Stefan Müller is a Professor at the Institute for German Language and Linguistics , part of the Faculty of Languages and Literature at Humboldt University. His research focuses on syntax, formal grammar theories (especially Head-Driven Phrase Structure Grammar), and computational linguistics. He leads the CoreGram Project , developing cross-linguistic grammars using HPSG formalisms. His work includes analyses of German syntax, constituent order, anaphoric binding, and register phenomena. He is also involved in open-access publishing initiatives through Language Science Press . Contact: St.Mueller@hu-berlin.de . Education and academic background details are not explicitly stated in the provided text, but his professional trajectory indicates deep expertise in theoretical linguistics. His research spans multiple languages including German, Mandarin, and Persian, with a focus on grammar implementation and syntax-semantics interfaces. Key contributions include the Head-Driven Phrase Structure Grammar Handbook (2024), analyses of headless nominal structures in German (2022), and exploration of large language models' theoretical implications (2024). He actively engages in interdisciplinary projects bridging formal grammar and computational methods.
Nate Foster is a Professor of Computer Science at Cornell University and currently serves as the Associate Dean for Research in the Ann S. Bowers College of Computing and Information Science. He is also a Visiting Researcher at Jane Street and served as a Visiting Professor at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne during the 2023-24 academic year. His research uses ideas from programming languages to solve problems in networking, databases, and security. BA in Computer Science, Williams College (2001) MPhil in History and Philosophy of Science, University of Cambridge (2008, all work completed in 2003) PhD in Computer and Information Science, University of Pennsylvania (2009) Foster's research focuses on developing languages and tools that make it easy for programmers to build secure and reliable systems. His current work centers on the design and implementation of languages and tools for programmable networks, particularly using the P4 language. His past work includes bidirectional languages (also known as 'lenses'), database query languages, data provenance, type systems, mechanized proof, and formal semantics. His research group at Cornell has made significant contributions to network verification, software-defined networking, and formal foundations for programmable data planes. Analysis of Foster's recent publications reveals a strong focus on network verification and programming language foundations for networking. His work consistently applies formal methods to practical networking problems, with a particular emphasis on the NetKAT and P4 languages. Over the past five years, his research has evolved toward more complex network verification techniques, including infinite state verification, active learning of network models, and dependently-typed approaches to network programming. His work bridges theoretical computer science with practical networking systems, making formal methods accessible to network engineers. ACM Fellow (2025) ACM SIGPLAN Robin Milner Award (2023) ACM SIGCOMM Rising Star Award (2018) NSF CAREER Award (2013) Alfred P. Sloan Fellowship (2012) Multiple distinguished paper awards across top conferences including POPL, PLDI, and SIGCOMM Foster has advised numerous PhD and Master's students who have gone on to prominent positions in both industry and academia, with many continuing work in programming languages and networking. He has led multiple significant research grants including an NSF CAREER Award and has been involved in the P4 Language Consortium, serving as Chair of the P4 Language Governing Board. His work has been supported by various organizations including NSF, DARPA, and industry partners like Intel and Jane Street. Foster is also active in the programming languages research community, serving on numerous program committees and as Vice Chair of DARPA's Information Science and Technology (ISAT) study group. Foster leads a vibrant research group at Cornell focused on programming languages for networks, with collaborators from academia and industry. His group has developed several influential tools and frameworks including NetKAT, Petr4, and KATch. They maintain strong connections with the P4 community and work closely with industry partners to ensure their research has practical impact on real-world networking systems.
Prof. Matthias Nießner is a Professor at the Technical University of Munich , where he leads the Visual Computing Lab . Prior to this, he held a Visiting Assistant Professor position at Stanford University . His work bridges computer vision , graphics , and machine learning , focusing on 3D reconstruction , semantic scene understanding , and AI-driven video synthesis . Prof. Nießner has published over 150 works in top venues like SIGGRAPH , CVPR , and ECCV , with several receiving best paper awards (SIGCHI’14, HPG’15, SPG’18, SIGGRAPH’16 Emerging Tech). His research has garnered international media attention, including features in the New York Times , Wall Street Journal , and MIT Technological Review , as well as TV demonstrations (e.g., Jimmy Kimmel Live for Face2Face technology). Awards : TUM-IAS Rudolph Moessbauer Fellowship (2017–ongoing) Google Faculty Award (2017) Nvidia Professor Partnership Award (2018) ERC Starting Grant (2018, €1.5M) Eurographics Young Researcher Award (2019) Research Trends : 3D Gaussian Splatting for real-time rendering Neural Radiance Fields (NeRF) with mesh supervision Audio-driven facial animation via diffusion models Latent space diffusion for 3D scenes Self-supervised and zero-shot methods for 3D and image analysis As a co-founder and director of Synthesia Inc. , he drives democratization of synthetic media. His YouTube channel has over 5 million views, reflecting his impact beyond academia.
Jonathan T. Barron is a Researcher at Google DeepMind in San Francisco, specializing in Computer Vision , Neural Rendering , and 3D Scene Reconstruction . He earned his PhD at UC Berkeley under Jitendra Malik and has pioneered advancements in NeRF (Neural Radiance Fields) and diffusion-based 3D generation. Research Interests : Computer Vision, Deep Learning, Generative AI, Image Processing, and 3D Reconstruction via Radiance Fields. His work includes Bolt3D for rapid 3D scene generation, CAT3D/CAT4D for text-to-3D/4D, and Zip-NeRF for anti-aliased radiance fields. He has also developed real-time rendering frameworks like SMERF and NeRF-Casting for reflections. Scientific awards: PAMI Young Researcher Award He has served as Area Chair for CVPR, ICCV, and NeurIPS, and his research is widely adopted in applications like Google's Lens Blur , Portrait Mode , and Jump VR .
Andrea Reiter is a Professor at the Universitätsklinikum Würzburg, holding the W1-Professur für Lernprozesse in der Entwicklungspsychiatrie, Psychotherapie und Prävention. Her research focuses on decision-making processes in clinical populations, lifespan changes, and the impact of stress/social influences. She employs computational modeling combined with fMRI and EEG. Education: Dr. rer. nat. (summa cum laude, 2016) from University of Leipzig, Master of Advanced Studies in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (University of Bern), and Diploma in Psychology from Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg (2012). She also studied Literature and Educational Sciences alongside Psychology. Professional Experience includes a research position at TU Dresden (since 2015), guest research at Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences (since 2015), and PhD work at IMPRS NeuroCom (2012-2015). She has clinical experience as a Psychologist at Kreiskrankenhaus Tauberbischofsheim. Research Awards: Austrian Academy Grant (2016), Poster Award (2014), DZ Banken Career Prize (2013), and IMPRS PhD stipend (2012-2015). Her publications (2013-2016) emphasize neuroimaging studies on decision-making deficits in disorders like binge eating and alcohol dependence, with methodological strengths in computational modeling and EEG/fMRI integration.
Stephan Conermann serves as Professor of Islamic Studies and Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities at the University of Bonn, where he has held continuous academic appointments since 2003. His institutional leadership includes directorship of the Annemarie Schimmel Kolleg (2010-2022), Bonn Center for Transcultural Narratology, and significant administrative roles culminating in his current deanship since 2023. Academic Background: Doctorate in Oriental Philology/Islamic Studies (Kiel University, 1996, magna cum laude) Magisterstudium in Asian History, Oriental and Slavic Philology (Kiel University, 1992) Conermann's research examines pre-modern Islamic societies through narrative strategies in historiography, with specialized focus on Mamluk Sultanate governance (1250-1517), Delhi Sultanate/Mughal transitions, and Transottomanica mobility dynamics. His work uniquely connects asymmetrical dependencies (particularly slavery systems), power structures, and global entanglements across South Asia, Middle East, and Eastern Europe. His extensive publication portfolio shows consistent thematic evolution toward comparative frameworks analyzing slavery beyond Eurocentric models, narrative construction of power across cultures, and mobility as historical catalyst. Recent scholarship increasingly integrates transcultural methodology with digital humanities approaches. Academic Leadership: Supervised 290+ theses (59 PhD, 96 Magister, 47 Master, 88 Bachelor) Acquired ~9 million euros in third-party funding (DFG, BMBF, DAAD) Editor of 15+ publication series including Mamluk Studies and Dependency and Slavery Studies Conermann directs the Bonn Center for Transcultural Narratology and co-leads the EXC 2036 'Beyond Slavery and Freedom' cluster, fostering interdisciplinary research on pre-modern dependency systems through international collaborations across Europe, Asia, and the Americas.
Francesca De Benetti is a Researcher at the Chair of Computer Aided Medical Procedures (Prof. Navab) at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), affiliated with the Interdisciplinary Research Laboratory (IFL) and NARVIS Lab at the Garching Campus. Her research focuses on Nuclear Medicine and Machine Learning for medical image processing, particularly in internal radiation therapy simulations and AI-driven segmentation. Education : M.Sc. in Biomedical Computing (TUM, 2018-2020), B.Sc. in Information Engineering (Università di Padova, 2015-2018) Francesca's recent publications highlight her work in Monte Carlo dosimetry , dynamic PET tracer modeling , and deep learning-based anomaly detection in medical imaging. Her projects emphasize personalized radiation therapy and cross-modality image translation , often involving collaborations with nuclear medicine experts and radiologists. She contributes to teaching at TUM, leading lectures and practical courses on topics including Medical Augmented Reality , Computer Aided Medical Procedures , and Deep Learning for Medical Applications . Francesca is actively involved in labs such as the IFL Lab and NARVIS Lab , focusing on interdisciplinary applications of computer vision and generative AI in medicine.
Toby Jia-Jun Li is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Notre Dame, where he leads the SaNDwich Lab. He also serves as the Director of the Human-Centered Responsible AI Lab in the Lucy Family Institute for Data & Society and is a Faculty Fellow at the Institute for Educational Initiatives (IEI). Previously, he was affiliated with Carnegie Mellon University's Human-Computer Interaction Institute (HCII) and GroupLens Research. Dr. Li's research spans the intersection of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), End-User Software Engineering, Machine Learning (ML), and Natural Language Processing (NLP), with recent work focusing on addressing societal challenges in the future of work through human-AI collaborative approaches. His work has resulted in over 40 publications at premier venues including CHI, UIST, CSCW, ACL, and ICSE, with 8 papers winning Best Paper or Honorable Mention awards. His recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on human-AI collaboration across various domains, including code understanding, privacy, accessibility, and creative tools. The work shows a trajectory toward increasingly sophisticated integration of human-centered design with AI capabilities, particularly using large language models to enhance human productivity and address societal challenges. Google Research Scholar Award recipient Recipient of Yahoo! Fellowship ($100,000/year) Best Paper Award at UIST 2020 Best Paper Honorable Mention Award at CHI 2021 Best Paper Award at CSCW 2024 Best Paper Award at CHI 2025 Dr. Li actively mentors Ph.D. students and has established collaborations with Google, Microsoft Research, IBM Research, Adobe, Verizon, and J.P. Morgan. His research has been supported by NSF, Google Research Scholar Program, AnalytiXIN Initiative, Yahoo! InMind project, and J.P. Morgan. He is currently recruiting Ph.D. students and undergraduate researchers for his SaNDwich Lab, which focuses on developing interactive systems to empower individuals to create, configure, and extend AI-powered computing systems.
Prof. Waldemar Kolanus leads the Molecular Immunology and Cell Biology department at the University of Bonn's Life & Medical Sciences Institute (LIMES) . His research bridges immunoregulation , stem cell dynamics , and metabolic stress responses in immune cells. Unit 2 member at LIMES Principal investigator in SFB 704 and ImmunoSensation Cluster Leads a multidisciplinary lab with postdocs, PhD students, and technical staff His work focuses on intracellular signaling pathways connecting immune activation to tissue homeostasis, particularly through: Cytohesin proteins in integrin-mediated adhesion and migration TRIM71 in stem cell regulation and congenital hydrocephalus High-salt environments affecting macrophage function Publication trends show expertise in immune cell migration , genetic models , and chemical inhibition , with frequent use of mice and zebrafish for in vivo studies. Key articles explore: TRIM71's dual role in auditory development and germ cell maintenance Cytohesin family's Golgi regulation and insulin signaling Ruxolitinib's off-target migration inhibition of dendritic cells Contact details: Address: LIMES Institute, Carl-Troll-Straße 31, Bonn Email: kolanus.sekretariat@uni-bonn.de Phone: +49 228 73-62788
Prof. Dr. Sebastian Steinhorst is an Associate Professor (W3-level with tenure) at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) within the Embedded Systems and Internet of Things group at the TUM School of Computation, Information and Technology . His research focuses on advancing the security, predictability, reliability, and interoperability of smart connected and autonomous systems, particularly for applications in Internet of Things (IoT) , Industry 4.0 , and automotive systems . PhD in Computer Science (2011) from Goethe University Frankfurt Postdoctoral roles at TUMCREATE Singapore (2011-2016) and Aarhus University (2016) Joined TUM in 2016 as Rudolf Moessbauer Tenure Track Professor His research areas include decentralized embedded systems, hardware/software co-design, modeling and verification of cyber-physical systems, security protocols for automotive networks, and time-sensitive networking (TSN) for industrial applications. Recent work explores blockchain-based data sovereignty, zero-knowledge proofs for vehicle authentication, and resilient architectures for autonomous systems. Key scientific contributions include the 2019 ACM TODAES Best Paper Award and pioneering work on CyberSecDome , LeapChain , and Simutack frameworks. He serves on editorial boards and conference committees, including co-organizing the Autonomous Systems Design initiative at DATE. His teaching portfolio spans lectures on System Design for IoT , Software Architecture for Distributed Systems , and IoT Security across multiple semesters. He also leads advanced seminars on embedded systems and IoT.
Prof. Dr. Markus Zimmermann leads the Chair of Product Development and Lightweight Design at the Technical University of Munich (TUM). With a background in mechanical engineering from TU Berlin and the University of Michigan, and a doctorate from MIT on solid-state singularities, he bridges academic rigor with industrial application. His career spans 12 years at BMW focusing on vehicle development before transitioning to academia. Specializes in solution space engineering for robust design Expert in additive manufacturing and systems engineering Develops methodologies for managing design complexity and uncertainty His research focuses on multidisciplinary design optimization and lightweight structures , particularly in robotics and automotive systems . His team applies digital twin frameworks and attribute dependency graphs to enhance design processes. Recent publications emphasize topology optimization in robotic systems and thermal management for medical X-ray sources. Key trends in his 2024-2025 publications include: Topological optimization for additive manufacturing and robotics Application of solution spaces to manage design uncertainty Development of compact X-ray systems for medical therapy Integration of digital twin technologies in industrial contexts
Dr. Sabine Krabbe is a Group Leader at the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) in Bonn, Germany, where she leads research on neural circuit mechanisms underlying adaptive learning and state-dependent decision-making. Her work integrates neuroscience, molecular biology, and behavioral approaches to understand how internal states influence behavior and how these processes are disrupted in neurological disorders. Dr. Krabbe's research focuses on the interactions between midbrain circuits of the substantia nigra and ventral tegmental area with their output structures such as the striatum and amygdala. She investigates how these networks integrate internal states with environmental cues to produce appropriate behavioral responses. Her laboratory employs state-of-the-art techniques including deep-brain calcium imaging at single-cell resolution in mice, opto- and pharmacogenetic manipulations, anatomical tracings, and molecular approaches to characterize neural circuit elements in detail. Her recent publications reveal significant insights into amygdala interneuron plasticity during fear learning, brain-wide representational drift in memory consolidation, and the molecular mechanisms underlying Parkinson's disease progression. Her work demonstrates how activity patterns within specific neural circuits change in early stages of neurodegenerative diseases and how this dysfunction contributes to cognitive deficits and emotional disturbances. Dr. Krabbe is actively involved in the neuroscience community, organizing the BonnBrain Conference 2026 and sharing research through social media platforms. She has established herself as an emerging leader in the field of systems neuroscience with a particular focus on the neural basis of emotional states and decision-making processes.
