Rahul Mukherji is a Professor at the Department of Political Science, South Asia Institute, Heidelberg University. He has held visiting positions at institutions including the University of Goa, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, and Fudan University. His research spans Indian politics, political economy, international relations, and climate policy. Education: PhD in Political Science, Columbia University (1999) M.Phil and MA in South Asian Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University (1992, 1990) Bachelor in Economics (Honours), Delhi University (1988) Mukherji examines democratic backsliding , climate governance , and political economy of reforms in India. His recent work explores the intersection of COVID-19 and authoritarian trends , alongside state capacity in welfare delivery. Scientific Awards NUS Award for Research Excellence (2014, 2012) President’s Fellow, Columbia University (1997-1999) Ambedkar Overseas Fellow in International Relations (1993-1996) Mukherji serves on the editorial boards of journals like India Review , Pacific Affairs , and Governance . He is series editor for Oxford Institutions and Development in South Asia and editor of Indian Politics and Policy .
Benjamin Lange is a Research Professor and Junior Research Group Leader in the Ethics of AI and Machine Learning at Ludwig Maximilians University of Munich (LMU) and the Munich Center for Machine Learning (MCML). He is also an Associate Research Fellow at the Oxford Uehiro Institute for Practical Ethics and a member of LMU's Zentrum für Ethik und Philosophie in der Praxis (ZEPP). His research bridges foundational ethical theory with practical challenges in technology, business, and organizational ethics. Lange holds a BSc from the London School of Economics, and a B.Phil and D.Phil from the University of Oxford. He previously held visiting positions at Google’s Responsible Innovation team and the University of Hamburg. His research focuses on ethical frameworks for AI, digital ethics, and corporate responsibility. Key themes include the ethics of human-AI collaboration, moral partiality in relationships, and organizational ethics. He has advised the European Commission on AI governance and developed assurance audit methodologies for algorithmic systems, including work for NYC’s AI Bias Law. His consulting practice focuses on helping organizations build ethical cultures through capabilities like moral imagination and compliance frameworks. Lange’s work has been featured in media such as CBS News, Business Insider, and ZDF heute journal. He is completing a book on the ethics of interpersonal relationships and partiality, aiming to connect philosophical insights with practical applications. His recent publications explore moral imagination in engineering teams, bias mitigation in AI systems, and the ethical implications of digital duplication technologies. He advises Fortune 500 companies, startups, and public institutions across sectors including finance, technology, and education. His approach emphasizes aligning ethical practices with organizational growth and social impact through tailored ethical frameworks and stakeholder engagement strategies.
Vladimir Spokoiny is a Professor at the Departments of Mathematics and Economics of the Humboldt University of Berlin and Head of the Research Group "Stochastic Algorithms and Nonparametric Statistics" at the Weierstrass Institute for Applied Analysis and Stochastics (WIAS) in Berlin, Germany. His research spans multiple areas of statistics, machine learning, and financial mathematics, with significant contributions to nonparametric statistics, high-dimensional data analysis, and statistical methods in finance. Spokoiny received his M.Sc. in applied mathematics from the Moscow Institute of Railway Engineering in 1981 and his Ph.D. in mathematics from Lomonosov Moscow State University in 1988. He completed his Habilitation at Humboldt University in 1996. His academic career includes positions at the All-Union Institute of Railway Transport in Moscow, the Institute for Information Transmission Problems in Moscow, and the Institute for Applied Analysis and Statistics in Berlin before joining the Weierstrass Institute and Humboldt University where he has been a professor since 2002. Spokoiny's research focuses on adaptive nonparametric smoothing and hypothesis testing, high dimensional data analysis, statistical methods in finance, image analysis with applications to medicine, classification, and nonlinear time series. His work often addresses the challenges of nonstationarity in time series data and develops innovative methods for volatility estimation and risk management. He has made significant contributions to the development of adaptive weights smoothing procedures, which have applications in image processing, community detection, and manifold learning. His recent work has expanded into high-dimensional statistics, Bayesian inference, and optimization methods for machine learning, with publications demonstrating novel approaches to Gaussian approximation, Laplace methods, and statistical inference in non-Euclidean spaces. Spokoiny has supervised numerous PhD students including Oliver Reiss, Danilo Mercurio, Ying Chen, Elmar Diederichs, and Mstislav Elagin, whose research has focused on mathematical finance, time series analysis, and statistical methods. He serves as an Associate Editor for The Annals of Statistics (since 2004) and Statistics and Decisions (since 2002), and has previously served on the editorial board of the Journal of Statistical Planning and Inference. His professional activities include reviewing for major statistical journals including Annals of Statistics, Bernoulli, Econometrica, and Journal of American Statistical Association, as well as reviewing grant proposals for the National Science Foundation (USA), German Research Foundation, and Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research. Spokoiny is a member of several professional societies including the International Statistical Institute, American Statistical Association, Institute of Mathematical Statistics, and Bernoulli Society. He is fluent in Russian (mother tongue), English, and German, and has good knowledge of French. His research group at WIAS focuses on developing novel statistical methodologies with applications across various scientific domains, particularly emphasizing adaptivity and robustness in complex data environments. The group's work has significant implications for financial risk management, medical imaging, and machine learning applications, with recent publications addressing fundamental questions in high-dimensional statistics and nonparametric inference.
Thomas S. Lontzek is Professor of Economics at RWTH Aachen University, holding the Chair of Computational Economics within the School of Business and Economics since October 2016. His research develops numerical methods for economic decision-making with focus on climate change and environmental risks. His educational background includes economics studies at Maastricht University and UC San Diego (1999-2003), followed by PhD from University of Kiel (2009). Prior positions include Assistant/Senior Assistant at University of Zurich (2010-2016) and visiting scholar at Stanford's Hoover Institution (2012). Lontzek's research spans Economic Growth, Quantitative Macroeconomics, Resource and Energy Economics, Computational Economics, Climate Risk Management, and Decision Making under Uncertainty. His work emphasizes unconventional methods for analyzing economic processes through multidimensional, nonlinear stochastic optimization while incorporating ethical principles into economic analysis for sustainability challenges. His publication record reveals a consistent focus on climate economics, particularly the social cost of carbon, climate tipping points, and integrated assessment modeling. These works demonstrate how accounting for economic and climate risks, especially potential tipping points, necessitates more aggressive climate policies than traditional models suggest, often requiring sophisticated computational techniques to handle high-dimensional uncertainty. 2021 Erik Kempe Award for work on calculating an optimal CO2 tax Lontzek actively mentors students through research seminars and teaching, emphasizing methodological diversity and interdisciplinary approaches. He leads the Global Challenges Research Seminar through the Global Challenges Lab, providing students with opportunities to conduct innovative research using quantitative decision-making techniques for sustainable development challenges. His teaching portfolio for Summer Semester 2025 includes Quantitative Macroeconomics, Sustainable Finance, and specialized research seminars. He heads the Chair of Computational Economics, which includes scientific staff members Dr. Marco Thalhammer, Dr. Yifan Zhao, and Philipp Olivier, M.Sc., working collaboratively on climate economics and computational methods. The chair's research bridges theoretical economic modeling with practical policy applications, developing dynamic stochastic integrated assessment models capable of handling complex climate-economy interactions under uncertainty.
Prof. Dr. Peter Gomber is Chair of e-Finance at the Faculty of Economics and Business, Goethe University of Frankfurt, Germany. He serves as Co-Chairman and member of the Board of the 'efl – the Data Science Institute', an industry-academic partnership between Frankfurt and Darmstadt Universities and leading industry partners. Additionally, he is a member of the Exchange Council of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, Supervisory Board of Clearstream Banking AG, and Research Fellow at the Leibniz Institute for Financial Research SAFE in Frankfurt. Prof. Gomber received his Ph.D. at the Institute of Information Systems at the University of Giessen in 1999 after graduating in Business Administration. Before joining Goethe University in 2004, he worked for five years as Director, Head of Market Development Cash Markets and Xetra Research at Deutsche Börse AG, where he developed new market models and products for cash market trading on Xetra. His research focuses on market microstructure theory, digital finance and fintech, regulatory impact on financial markets, and electronic trading systems. With over 150 publications in leading international journals, his work has significantly influenced the field, particularly his highly cited papers on the Fintech Revolution. His recent research examines market fragmentation, circuit breakers, research unbundling under MiFID II, and the application of AI in financial markets. Prof. Gomber's extensive publication record shows a clear evolution from traditional market microstructure and electronic trading systems toward digital finance, fintech innovations, and regulatory impact analysis. His work bridges technical aspects of financial markets with regulatory considerations, demonstrating how technological innovations interact with market structure and regulation. His scientific recognition includes: IBM Shared University Research Grant (2007) Reuters Innovation Award (2000) Best Paper Award of the Journal of the Association for Information Systems (2020) Best Information Systems Publications Award (2020) Top 1 and Top 3 most cited articles in Fintech research (2025 bibliometric analysis) Prof. Gomber has successfully supervised numerous PhD students, including Tino Cestonaro who won the Best PhD Paper Award 2025. He has acquired significant research funds from both public institutions and the private sector. Notably, a market model invention by Prof. Gomber was granted a patent by the United States Patent and Trademark Office, with two additional market model inventions filed for patent in Europe and the US. He leads an active research team at the Chair of e-Finance, including researchers like Benjamin Clapham, Micha Bender, and Tino Cestonaro. The team collaborates closely with the efl – the Data Science Institute and the Leibniz Institute for Financial Research SAFE, bridging academic research with practical applications in financial markets.
Professor Dr. Michael Woywode is a full professor and holds the Chair of SME Research and Entrepreneurship at the University of Mannheim , within the Business School . His research and teaching are embedded in the Institute for SME Research and Entrepreneurship (ifm Mannheim) , a central research institute of the university, and the Mannheim Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (MCEI) , which offers entrepreneurship courses university-wide. Research Interests: Family Firms: Succession planning, leadership transitions, and post-succession innovation. Entrepreneurship: Founder behavior, startup ecosystems, and entrepreneurial decision-making. Digitalization in SMEs: Competitiveness, digital transformation, and innovation in small and medium-sized enterprises. Self-Employment & Labor Markets: New forms of self-employment and their societal implications. Teaching: Prof. Woywode teaches across Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral levels, offering courses such as Strategic and International Management , Introduction to Entrepreneurship , and Managing the Family Business . Research Output: His recent publications span high-impact journals including Organization Science , Family Business Review , and Journal of Small Business Management , with a clear focus on entrepreneurship, family business, and institutional theory. Team & Collaboration: He leads a multidisciplinary team including postdocs, PhD candidates, and research associates, working closely with the MCEI and ifm Mannheim to foster entrepreneurship research and education.
Ben McWilliams is a Research Fellow at Bruegel, focusing on Energy and Climate Policy . His work combines data-driven analysis to critique and inform European public policy, with particular emphasis on energy sector decarbonisation , industrial policy , and hydrogen-based economic geography . Recently, he has analyzed European energy crises and proposed policy responses , while tracking clean tech trends and natural gas dynamics across Europe. Education : MSc in Economic Policy (Utrecht University, thesis on carbon taxation in British Columbia); BSc in Economics (University of Warwick) with exchange year at Monash University Research Focus : Energy Security , Climate Policy , Hydrogen Economics , and Industrial Decarbonisation Key Contributions : Co-authored 15 major analyses (2021-2025) on topics including EU-Russia energy divorce , transatlantic clean investment , and hydrogen strategy Awards : No scientific awards mentioned in available records Affiliations : Bruegel (Affiliate Fellow), dual citizenship (British/Dutch)
Axel Dreher is Professor of International and Development Politics at Heidelberg University’s Alfred-Weber-Institute for Economics. He is a leading scholar in political economy and development economics, with extensive affiliations including the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, CEPR, CESifo, KOF, AidData, and EUDN. He serves as Editor of the Review of International Organizations and Co-Director of the Center for European Studies (CefES) at the University of Milan-Bicocca. Ruprecht-Karls-University Heidelberg (2011–Present) Georg-August University Göttingen (2008–2011) ETH Zurich (2005–2008) University of Konstanz (2004–2005) University of Exeter (2003–2004) University of Mannheim (2000–2003) His research centers on political economy , economic development , foreign aid , and globalization . He investigates how political institutions, leadership incentives, and geopolitical interests shape development outcomes and international financial flows. His work often employs empirical and geospatial methods to analyze aid allocation, corruption, migration, and the rise of emerging donors like China. The 15 most recent publications reflect a strong focus on China’s overseas development finance , regional favoritism , and the political determinants of aid . Keywords span political economy, development economics, and international relations, with subfields including Chinese foreign aid, geospatial analysis, governance, institutional quality, and South-South cooperation. His recent book Banking on Beijing and award-winning paper Wedded to Prosperity exemplify his cutting-edge contributions to understanding the political economy of development. Scientific awards include: 2023 Best Paper Award, Political Economy of Aid Society (PEAS) 2023 Best New Dataset Award, International Political Economy Society International Geneva (IG) Award 2020 Excellence in Refereeing Award, World Bank Economic Review (2019) 2010 KfW Excellence Award for policy-relevant research Multiple DFG and Swiss research grants Dreher has advised over 30 PhD students on topics ranging from aid effectiveness to political violence and migration. He has received major research grants from the German Research Foundation (DFG), Swiss Network for International Studies (SNIS), European Commission, and VolkswagenStiftung. His leadership roles include organizing the annual Political Economy of International Organizations conference series and serving on editorial boards of top journals such as World Development and Defence and Peace Economics . He is actively involved in academic labs and research networks including the Courant Research Center on Poverty and Equity at Göttingen, AidData at William & Mary, and the Center for European Studies (CefES). His current work continues to explore the intersection of politics, development, and globalization, particularly through georeferenced data and natural experiments.
Prof. Dr. Rudi Zagst is a Professor of Mathematical Finance at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), where he serves as Head of the Department of Mathematical Finance within the TUM School of Computation, Information and Technology. He has held this position since 2001 and is actively involved in teaching, research, and academic leadership. In 2003, he was appointed as a second member of the Faculty of Economics, and since 2004, he has served as Deputy Chairman of the joint elite degree program 'Finance & Information Management' of the University of Augsburg and TUM. Prof. Zagst earned his doctorate in business mathematics from the University of Ulm, where he later completed his habilitation in 2000. His academic journey began with a professional career at HypoVereinsbank AG, where he served as Head of Product Development in Institutional Investment Management before becoming Managing Director of RiskLab GmbH in 1997. His research focuses primarily on financial engineering, risk management, and asset management, with particular emphasis on portfolio optimization, mathematical finance, and quantitative risk management. His work bridges theoretical finance with practical applications, often incorporating advanced mathematical techniques to solve complex financial problems. Recent publications demonstrate his continued interest in GARCH models, portfolio optimization under various constraints, and the application of machine learning techniques to financial problems. Analysis of his recent publications (2024-2025) reveals a strong focus on portfolio optimization under complex market conditions, particularly using GARCH models to capture volatility dynamics. His work increasingly incorporates machine learning techniques (as seen in the credit spread analysis paper) while maintaining rigorous mathematical foundations. Many papers explore the intersection of theoretical finance with practical investment strategies, reflecting his commitment to bridging academic research with real-world financial applications. Professor of the Year 2007 (awarded by Unicum Profession magazine) Prof. Zagst has supervised numerous bachelor's, master's, and doctoral theses through TUM's Finance and Actuarial Science research group. His collaborative work with industry partners through the TUM CAIR Labs and RiskFactory demonstrates strong connections between academic research and practical financial applications. He has received research funding through various industry partnerships with major financial institutions including Allianz, Munich Re, and ERGO Group AG. Prof. Zagst leads the Research Group Finance and Actuarial Science at TUM, which includes Professors Matthias Scherer, Aleksey Min, and Christoph Knochenhauer. The group maintains strong industry connections through the TUM CAIR Labs initiative, collaborating with over 25 financial institutions including Allianz, Munich Re, Deloitte, PwC, and KPMG. Their RiskFactory laboratory serves as a bridge between academic research and practical financial risk management applications in the industry.
Prof. Dr. Mareike Kühne is a full-time Professor of Business Administration at the Department of Business and Management, Brandenburg University of Technology. With a unique interdisciplinary background spanning economics, business administration, philosophy, and neuroscience, she bridges affective dimensions with economic rationality to develop holistic decision-making frameworks. Doctorate in Economics, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg (1992-1997) Fulbright Scholar, San Diego State University (1997-1998) Studies in Philosophy, Humboldt University (2007-2011) Doctoral and Master’s in Neuroscience, Berlin School of Mind and Brain (2011-2013) Her research integrates insights from psychology and neuroscience into capital market-oriented corporate reporting, corporate governance, and normative rationality frameworks. She critiques current economic models for neglecting the embodied nature of cognition, advocating for a more nuanced understanding of rationality that incorporates lived experience. Her 15 most recent works span sustainability reporting (2025), neuroeconomics (2021), M&A disputes (2017), and IFRS standard evolution (2005-2012). These publications highlight her focus on reconciling traditional accounting principles with interdisciplinary approaches to decision-making. Fulbright Scholar (1997-1998) Prof. Kühne has taught at Humboldt University, HHL Leipzig, and the Berlin School of Mind and Brain. She actively participates in professional organizations including the German Society for Philosophy, European Accounting Association, and European Financial Reporting Advisory Group. Her work emphasizes the practical impact of neuroscientific findings on economic policy and standard-setting.
Dongwoo Kim is a researcher affiliated with Hanyang University, ERICA Campus (Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering) and has previously collaborated with institutions like POSTECH , Chungnam National University , and Microsoft . His work spans interdisciplinary domains in Computer Science and Engineering . Hanyang University, ERICA Campus - Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering POSTECH - Power Analog Electronics & Semiconductor Devices Lab Microsoft Chungnam National University Kim's research focuses on formal verification of automotive control software, deep learning applications in environmental monitoring, 3D modeling for indoor positioning, and machine learning for signal processing. His recent publications highlight advancements in graph neural networks (GNNs), including analyzing oversmoothing and gradient dynamics, as well as developing geometric vision-language models with domain-agnostic encoders. His 15 most recent articles (2023-2025) address topics like: Optimizing hybrid electric vehicle engine performance 3D modeling for indoor localization GNN training stability UAV-based environmental monitoring Algorithm difficulty prediction for programming problems Millimeter-wave antenna design Kim collaborates with researchers in software engineering , signal processing , and environmental science domains. His work intersects formal methods , applied machine learning , and embedded systems research.
Detlef F. Sprinz is a Senior Scientist at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and a Professor at the Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences of the University of Potsdam, Germany. During 2024-2025, he leads the project "AMaReNa - A Market for the Restoration of Nature" , focusing on carbon removals. His academic background includes a Ph.D. and M.A. in Political Science from the University of Michigan and an M.A. in Economics from the University of the Saarland. Research Interests: Climate policy at multiple levels, long-term policy design, evaluation of international/national institutions, European/international environmental policy, and modeling political decisions for sustainability. Notable Projects: Tandem Fellowship (2020-2022) for interdisciplinary course development, Visiting Researcher at University of Lund (2022-2023), and coordination of research at the Käte Hamburger Kolleg (2017). Publications emphasize climate cooperation under the Paris Agreement, effectiveness of environmental regimes, and predictive modeling for climate negotiations. His work spans empirical analyses of acid rain regulation, Kyoto Protocol implementation challenges, and bioenergy accounting errors. Scientific Awards & Memberships: Tandem Fellowship (German Stifterverband) Member, European Academy Co-founder, Ecologic Institute Teaching includes courses on global climate governance, political decision modeling, and environmental policy at the University of Michigan, Yale, University of Oslo, and University of Potsdam. He has contributed to IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report as a Lead Author. Advisory Roles: Chairmanship of the European Environment Agency’s Scientific Committee (2009-2012), Senior Research Fellow at CICERO (2011-2013), and consultancy for governments, corporations, and think tanks.
Steffi Haag is a Professor of Digital Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the Institute of Computer Science , Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf (HHU) . She bridges the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences and Faculty of Business Administration and Economics , collaborating with the Center for Entrepreneurship Düsseldorf (CEDUS) to inspire tech startups. Her research focuses on sustainable information systems, digital experiences, and business models. Steffi Haag’s research integrates Shadow IT , Usable Cybersecurity , and Digital Idea Management . Her work emphasizes theoretical , quantitative , qualitative , and mixed-methods research , including experimental and survey methodologies. Steffi Haag’s publications (2018–2024) span Information Systems , Cybersecurity , Digital Twins , and Sustainable Design . Common themes include Shadow IT dynamics , user behavior in security , and innovation management . Hermann Gutmann Award for special scientific achievements (2023) Schöller Fellow (2020) HMD Best Paper Award (2018) Research Award in Data Protection and Data Security (2017) Dissertation Prize (2017) Steffi Haag has secured grants such as the TU Darmstadt Postdoctoral Fellowship for Female Researchers (2016–2018) and Deloitte Foundation Fellowship (2009–2011). She actively moderates conferences and serves as Associate Editor of Business & Information Systems Engineering .
Prof. Dr. Bernd Skiera holds the first chair for electronic commerce in Germany at Goethe University Frankfurt am Main since 1999. He serves on the board of efl - The Data Science Institute and the Schmalenbach Society, while representing Germany at the European Marketing Community (EMAC). Chair of Marketing, Goethe University Frankfurt am Main Board member, efl - The Data Science Institute National representative, European Marketing Community (EMAC) His research focuses on MarTech/SalesTech integration, customer value management, online advertising analytics, data-driven pricing models, and the economic implications of internet privacy regulations. He leads the ERC Advanced Grant project on cookie usage restrictions' economic consequences. Recent publications examine dynamic pricing in digital markets, competition visualization using big data, and AI applications in marketing analytics. The ERC Advanced Grant research has produced empirical analyses of GDPR impacts on advertising ecosystems. 2015 Journal of Marketing Best Paper Award 2013 International Journal of Research in Marketing Best Paper Award Multiple MSI/H. Paul Root Award recognitions He has mentored 17 doctoral students who became professors globally, including at London Business School and LMU Munich. His work bridges marketing analytics with financial valuation through customer equity modeling.
Paul Klemperer is the Edgeworth Professor of Economics at the University of Oxford, renowned for bridging theoretical economics with practical policy applications. His work has directly influenced major economic initiatives including the Bank of England's Product-Mix Auction and the UK's £22.5 billion 3G spectrum auction, demonstrating exceptional real-world impact in market design and regulation. His educational credentials feature a BA in Engineering (1st Class Honours with Distinction) from Cambridge University and an MBA (Top Student Award) with PhD from Stanford University, reflecting his interdisciplinary foundation. Klemperer's research centers on industrial organization, environmental economics, and auction theory. He co-invented 'strategic complements,' developed consumer switching cost theory, and pioneered supply function analysis for electricity markets. His scholarship consistently translates complex theoretical frameworks into actionable insights for finance, political economy, and climate policy, emphasizing practical applicability without sacrificing academic rigor. Recent publications reveal sustained innovation in auction algorithms, financial stability mechanisms, and equilibrium theory, with growing emphasis on climate economics and banking regulation. His work shows increasing collaboration with policymakers and economists like Jeremy Bulow to address contemporary crises through market design solutions. His scientific recognition includes: Foreign Honorary Member, American Academy of Arts and Sciences Foreign Honorary Member, Argentinian Economic Association Fellow, British Academy Fellow, Econometric Society Fellow, European Economic Association Klemperer has provided critical advisory services to multiple governments, notably designing the UK's mobile spectrum auction and assisting the US Treasury during the 2008 financial crisis. His policy engagement extends to serving on the UK Competition Commission, with research frequently funded through government contracts and central bank partnerships focused on market design challenges. He maintains active academic leadership as past or present Editor/Associate Editor for 12 economics journals, fostering scholarly discourse across industrial organization, finance, and environmental economics.
