Prof. Ellen Kandeler is a leading academic in soil biology and microbial ecology at the University of Hohenheim , heading the Department of Soil Biology within the Institute of Soil Science and Site Science. Her work focuses on microbial interactions, soil organic matter dynamics, and the impacts of land use and climate change on soil systems. She actively contributes to interdisciplinary projects funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG), including studies on mineral-organic matter associations, pesticide degradation, and agroecosystem resilience. Research interests include rhizosphere dynamics, biogeochemical cycles, and the ecological functions of soil microorganisms, with applications in sustainable agriculture and environmental protection. She is also involved in institutional roles as a Deputy Ombudsperson for Scientific Integrity and member of committees overseeing large-scale research infrastructure. Her recent publications emphasize climate-soil feedbacks, microbial community assembly, and the biodegradation of agrochemicals. Projects like the DFG-FOR 1695 on agricultural landscapes under climate change highlight her commitment to addressing global environmental challenges through soil science. Prof. Kandeler’s work bridges fundamental and applied research, with a focus on translating soil microbial processes into strategies for sustainable land management and mitigating anthropogenic impacts on soil health.
Dr. Sebastian Birk is an environmental scientist and researcher at the Aquatic Ecology department within the Faculty of Biology at the University of Duisburg-Essen. His work focuses on the science-policy interface for aquatic ecosystems in Europe, emphasizing large-scale bioassessment and management under multiple stressors. He served as coordinator for the EU project MARS (2014-2018) and currently manages freshwater science initiatives at the European Topic Centre for Inland, Coastal and Marine Waters (ETC-ICM) supporting the European Environment Agency (EEA). Research Interests : Multiple stressors, ecosystem services, restoration ecology, environmental policy assessment, bioassessment methods, and climate change impacts. Teaching : Scientific writing, surface water ecology, taxonomic identification, and fieldwork in river/lake systems. Recent publications highlight integrated frameworks for freshwater restoration, stressor interactions, and policy-driven water management. Key themes include agricultural land use effects on rivers, diversification of restoration funding, and challenges in harmonizing ecological assessment across Europe. His work bridges ecological theory with practical implementation for sustainable water resource management. Projects like MARS and MERLIN reflect his leadership in addressing complex environmental issues through collaborative science and stakeholder engagement. Dr. Birk's role in the Water Framework Directive intercalibration exercises underscores his technical expertise in standardizing ecological assessment across national borders.
Dr. Gaël Kermarrec is a researcher at the Boundary Layer Meteorology Group , part of the Institute of Meteorology and Climatology within the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics at Leibniz University Hannover . His work focuses on atmospheric turbulence, GNSS applications, and remote sensing for environmental monitoring. Boundary layer meteorology Turbulence theory GNSS signal processing Terrestrial laser scanning Climate change impacts Geodetic time series analysis His research integrates advanced mathematical models like LR B-splines and Matérn covariance with large eddy simulations to study: Atmospheric turbulence effects on optical/GNSS signals Hydrospheric mass loading Deformation analysis of terrain/port infrastructure Climatic sea-level changes Machine learning for remote sensing The 15 most recent articles (2025-2023) demonstrate his focus on: GNSS-based turbulence detection AI-enhanced climate mapping Advanced surface approximation techniques Multi-sensor data fusion Stochastic modeling of geodetic observations Environmental impacts on optical measurements He has developed tools like the Klimascanner QGIS plugin for urban climate resilience and contributes to: Understanding atmospheric scale lengths Improving TLS/GNSS deformation monitoring Analyzing hydrospheric changes Wavefront modeling Ionospheric corrections
Holger Dette is a Professor and Chair Holder of Stochastics (specializing in Statistics) at the Faculty of Mathematics, Ruhr University Bochum. He leads the prominent Group Dette within the Institute of Statistics, overseeing a team of researchers, doctoral students, and administrative staff including Birgit Tormöhlen as team assistant. His research group is deeply integrated within the university's mathematical ecosystem, collaborating with other research groups across algebra, analysis, numerics, and topology. Dette's research spans mathematical statistics with strong applications in real-world problems. His primary interests include optimal experimental design, time series analysis, functional data, change point problems, nonparametric regression, biostatistics, special functions, goodness-of-fit tests, and random matrices . His work bridges theoretical statistics with practical applications, particularly evident in his collaborations with pharmaceutical giants Novartis and Bayer AG in biostatistics, as well as Quasol, a spin-off company from his statistics institute. His recent publications (2024-2025) reveal a research program increasingly focused on high-dimensional and functional data analysis, privacy-preserving statistics, and novel methodological approaches to longstanding statistical problems. Dette's work shows strong interdisciplinary connections, particularly with biomechanics (analyzing joint angles during fatigue phases) and data science (addressing challenges in the era of big data). His research group is actively involved in multiple DFG-funded projects including the newly established 'Small Data' collaborative research center (Sonderforschungsbereich 1597) and the Spatio-temporal Statistics for the Transition of Energy and Transport (Transregio 391). Dette has received significant recognition including the prestigious Humboldt Research Award . His paper 'With Great Power Come Great Side Channels: Statistical Timing Side-Channel Analyses with Bounded Type-1 Errors' achieved second place at the CSAW'24 Applied Research Competition MENA. His research group has also secured multiple significant funding awards from the German Research Foundation (DFG). As an advisor, Dette supervises numerous doctoral and master's students including Pascal Quanz, Marius Kroll, and Carina Graw. His group offers statistical consulting services for scientists and students across bachelor's, master's, and doctoral phases. The group maintains strong industrial partnerships, particularly in biostatistics applications, demonstrating Dette's commitment to translating theoretical statistics into practical solutions for real-world challenges.
Amy C. Edmondson is the Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management at Harvard Business School, holding a chaired position dedicated to human interactions in successful enterprises. She has been consistently ranked among Thinkers50's top management thinkers since 2011, achieving #1 status in 2021 and 2023. Her research focuses on psychological safety, teaming, and organizational learning, with significant contributions to understanding how organizations learn from failure. Key publications include The Fearless Organization (2019) and Right Kind of Wrong (2023), the latter winning the Financial Times and Schroders Best Business Book of the Year award. Her work spans organizational behavior, healthcare management, and innovation science, with articles in top journals like Administrative Science Quarterly and Harvard Business Review . Recent research trends show increasing focus on psychological safety dynamics in constrained environments, cross-boundary teaming, and the science of intelligent failure. Her 15 most recent articles (2021-2025) demonstrate expanding applications from healthcare to general management contexts, with growing emphasis on temporal dimensions of team learning and data-driven decision pitfalls. Major awards include: Thinkers50 #1 Management Thinker (2021, 2023) Thinkers50 Breakthrough Idea Award (2019) Financial Times Best Business Book Award (2023) Accenture Award for California Management Review (2003) Edmondson advises on organizational transformation through numerous Harvard Business School cases, including culture change initiatives at Microsoft, LEGO, and Cleveland Clinic. Her research has secured funding for studies on teaming in pharmaceutical development, smart city projects, and healthcare innovation. Current work examines psychological safety erosion in new hires and cross-boundary team dynamics in complex innovation projects.
Jens Kattge is an Independent Research Group Leader at the Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry in Jena, Germany, specializing in Functional Biogeography. His career spans roles from Research Associate (2002–2005) to Senior Scientist (2010–2012) and current group leadership since 2013. He focuses on plant functional traits, their role in terrestrial ecosystems, and their integration into Earth system models. He coordinates the global TRY Initiative , a plant trait database for biodiversity research, and contributes to the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv). His research spans functional biogeography, trait-climate relationships, ecosystem modeling, and biodiversity-ecosystem functioning. Key projects include developing the rtry R package for trait data preprocessing and analyzing global datasets like CoRRE Trait Data and sPlotOpen. Recent publications investigate leaf cuticle thickness, drought responses in tree species, trait controls on biomass, global biodiversity patterns, and the integration of citizen science with Earth observation data. His work emphasizes trait data representativeness and future-proofing ecological science.
Professor Jana Zaumseil is a distinguished academic at Heidelberg University, holding the position of Professor for Applied Physical Chemistry at the Faculty of Chemistry and Earth Sciences since 2014. She also maintains a co-opted position with the Faculty of Physics and Astronomy since 2016. Currently serving as Executive Director of the Institute for Physical Chemistry and Spokesperson for the DFG Research Training Group GRK 2948, she leads the Zaumseil research group (also known as the Nanomaterials for Optoelectronics group) at Heidelberg University's Institute for Physical Chemistry. Her educational background includes a PhD in Physics from the University of Cambridge (2003-2007) with a Gates Cambridge Trust Scholarship, and a Diplom (equivalent to M.Sc.) in Chemistry from the University of Leipzig (1997-2022). Prior to her position at Heidelberg, she served as Professor for Nanoelectronics at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (2009-2014), and completed postdoctoral work at Argonne National Laboratory (2007-2009) following an internship at Bell Laboratories (2002-2003). Zaumseil's research program focuses on the optical and electronic properties of carbon-based nanomaterials, particularly single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and organic semiconductors. Her group specializes in processing, functionalization, characterization and application of these unconventional semiconductors for optoelectronic devices and sensors. They investigate charge transport and light-matter interaction using a wide range of experimental techniques including synthesis, optical spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, device fabrication, and electrical/optical device characterization. Their work bridges fundamental understanding with potential applications in sensing, imaging, circuits, and energy conversion. Analysis of her recent publications reveals a strong trend toward defect engineering in carbon nanotubes, particularly creating and optimizing luminescent sp 3 defects for near-infrared applications. Her research increasingly integrates fundamental studies of charge transport with practical device applications, especially in neuromorphic computing, biosensors, and thermoelectrics. The interdisciplinary nature of her work is evident in the combination of chemistry, physics, and materials science approaches across her publication record. Dan Maydan Prize for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (2024) Jahrespreis der Universität Heidelberg (2023) ERC Consolidator Grant (2019) ERC Starting Grant (2012) Alfried-Krupp-Award for Young University Professors (2010) Professor Zaumseil has secured substantial research funding including multiple ERC grants and leads several major collaborative projects such as the ERC Advanced Grant SCALE-NT, Collaborative Research Center SFB 1249, Cluster of Excellence 3D Matter Made to Order, and Research Training Group GRK 2948. She has mentored numerous doctoral and master's students, with her group recently receiving recognition including a Student Poster Presentation Award for Niklas Herrmann. As Dean of the Faculty of Chemistry and Earth Science (2019-2021) and current Vice Dean (2021-), she has played significant leadership roles within the university structure. The Zaumseil research group operates within Heidelberg University's Institute for Physical Chemistry, utilizing advanced facilities for nanomaterial synthesis, optical spectroscopy, and device characterization. The group participates in several major collaborative initiatives including the Cluster of Excellence 3D Matter Made to Order and the Collaborative Research Center SFB 1249, reflecting its integration within Heidelberg's broader research ecosystem focused on molecular systems and materials science.
Shengjie Li is a Researcher in the Department of Biogeochemistry at the Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology (MPI-Bremen), Germany. Their postdoctoral research focuses on microbial ecology and biogeochemical processes in marine oxygen minimum zones, particularly linking particle properties, microbial communities, and nitrogen-loss dynamics. Li holds a PhD from Peking University (2017-2022) and conducted a guest PhD at the University of Calgary (2020-2021). Research interests include microbial responses to environmental change, nitrogen cycling in aquatic systems, and the interplay between organic carbon, sulfur, and iron in driving nitrate reduction. Key projects explore isotopic signatures of N₂O production, methane dynamics in groundwater, and the role of biochar in stress resistance. Publications highlight contributions to understanding N₂O emissions, cold seep nitrogen-loss mechanisms, and microbial adaptations in fluctuating environments. Ongoing work bridges microbial community analysis with biogeochemical modeling to address global climate impacts.
Prof. Dr. Hans-Jörg Vogel is the Head of the Department of Soil System Science at the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) in Halle, Germany. His research focuses on understanding soils as complex systems, emphasizing their porous structure and its role in facilitating water, gas, and matter fluxes, as well as biological processes. He leads interdisciplinary projects integrating experimental and computational approaches to model soil functions under climate and land-use changes. He holds the Emil-Ramann-Medaille 2022 and the Don and Betty Kirkham Soil Physics Award 2022 for contributions to soil science. His work spans soil structure dynamics, denitrification processes, nanoparticle transport, and systemic modeling of soil functions via frameworks like BODIUM. Collaborations include TERENO observatories and the Soil Structure Library (open-access CT data repository). Key affiliations include the UFZ’s Ecosystems of the Future research community and the Soil System Science Team. His research addresses sustainable agriculture, environmental monitoring, and climate change impacts, with over 150 peer-reviewed publications since 2000.
Dr. Marion Schrumpf is a Group Leader in the Soil Biogeochemistry research group at the Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, affiliated with the Department of Biogeochemical Processes. Her work focuses on soil carbon dynamics, mineral-organic matter interactions, and climate change impacts on soil systems. Research areas: Soil biogeochemistry, carbon cycling, mineral-soil interactions, nutrient stoichiometry, microbial ecology, and climate modeling. Email: mschrumpf@... Phone: +49 3641 57-6182 Office: B2.015 Her recent publications address themes like mineral control over soil carbon stabilization, drought effects on soil processes, microbial stoichiometric adaptation, and the Jena Soil Model's role in simulating carbon-nutrient interactions. She leads efforts to disentangle the complex relationships between land use, mineralogy, and soil organic matter turnover across diverse ecosystems.
Ulisse Gomarasca is a doctoral researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry's Department Biogeochemical Integration, affiliated with the International Max Planck Research School for Global Biogeochemical Cycles (IMPRS-gBGC). He works within the Global Diagnostic Modelling group and Ecosystem Function from Earth Observation project team, focusing on understanding ecosystem functioning through eddy covariance fluxes and biodiversity links. Education: Master's in Ecology and Biodiversity from University of Innsbruck Research: Spatiotemporal dynamics of ecosystem functioning, Sun-Induced Chlorophyll Fluorescence, drought legacy effects on productivity Methodologies: Remote sensing integration with eddy covariance networks, biodiversity-ecosystem function analysis His publications address terrestrial ecosystem responses to climate extremes, scaling of plant traits to ecosystem level, and development of remote sensing tools like the Biodiversity Observing System Simulation Experiment (BOSSE). This work combines satellite observations with ground-based flux measurements to understand global biogeochemical patterns. Contact: ugomar@bgc-jena.mpg.de
Prof. Dr. Johannes Kinder is a Professor and Chair of Programming Languages and Artificial Intelligence at the Institute of Informatics , Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich. His research focuses on software security through program analysis and machine learning, particularly targeting malware detection , vulnerability analysis , and reverse engineering . He has held faculty positions at Royal Holloway, University of London, and Bundeswehr University Munich. Research Interests include: Securing software systems via program and machine learning techniques Detection of software vulnerabilities and malware Preventing exploitation through binary analysis Applications of formal methods in systems security Recent Publications highlight advancements in binary function embedding , malware detection in npm , and speculative execution attack modeling . His work appears in top venues like USENIX Security and IEEE S&P . Education : Diplom from TU Munich (2005), Doctorate from TU Darmstadt (2010). Professional Roles : General Chair, ACM CCS 2019 Doctoral Symposium Chair, ESSoS 2016 Program Committee member for NDSS 2026, IEEE S&P 2022-2025
Prof. Dr. Kirsten Jung is a faculty member at the Department of Microbiology , Faculty of Biology , Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich . Her research focuses on bacterial signal transduction, stress response mechanisms, and systems biology approaches to understand microbial regulatory networks. Key research areas include stress-dependent gene expression in bacterial populations Structural and functional analysis of membrane-integrated receptors Metabolism-based chemical communication in bacteria Integration of experimental and computational systems biology Recent publications highlight her lab's work on Escherichia coli epitranscriptomic modifications under heat stress, m 5 C rRNA dynamics, and the role of RNA methylation in host-pathogen interactions. Collaborative studies address bacterial acid stress responses and their implications for antibiotic tolerance. Her interdisciplinary work bridges microbiology with ecological studies, as evidenced by research on biodiversity conservation in forest and urban ecosystems. Publications also demonstrate expertise in advanced imaging techniques (e.g., arterial spin labeling for glioma analysis) and bioinformatics approaches. Current advisees include Gloria Gessinger and Tania P. Gonzalez-Terrazas . She can be contacted at jung@lmu.de .
Bihuan Chen is an Associate Professor at the College of Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence, Fudan University, specializing in software engineering with focus on software supply chain security and trustworthy AI systems. His research spans multiple programming languages including JavaScript, Python, Java, and C/C++ across application and AI domains. Dr. Chen earned his B.Sc. and Ph.D. in Computer Science from Fudan University in 2009 and 2014 respectively, followed by postdoctoral research at Nanyang Technological University (2014-2017). His research interests include software supply chain risk assessment, trustworthy AI systems, and program analysis. His recent publications demonstrate strong focus on malicious package detection in NPM/PyPI ecosystems, vulnerability patch porting using LLMs, and safety verification for autonomous driving systems. The work shows increasing integration of machine learning techniques with traditional program analysis approaches, particularly evident in the 2024-2025 publications that leverage LLMs for vulnerability detection and code refinement. ACM SIGSOFT Distinguished Paper Award (FSE 2016, ASE 2018, ASE 2022, FSE 2025) IEEE TCSE Distinguished Paper Award (ICSME 2020, SANER 2023) CCF Prototype Competition Awards (2nd and 3rd Prizes) Dr. Chen has advised over 50 students including current PhD candidates and notable alumni now at Huawei, ByteDance, and other leading tech firms. His fuxi platform assesses security, legal, and maintenance risks across the software engineering lifecycle. He serves on program committees for major conferences including ICSE, FSE, ASE, and ISSTA, and as Associate Editor for the Journal of Software: Evolution and Process.
Karline R. L. Janmaat is an Endowed Professor in Cognitive Behavioural Ecology at Leiden University's Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Cognitive Psychology. She holds affiliations with ARTIS zoo in Amsterdam and the University of Amsterdam's Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics. Her research focuses on understanding the evolutionary function and diversity of cognition in primates and other animals, particularly in wild versus captive environments. She employs methods such as longitudinal observations, VR technology, and ecological modeling to study foraging strategies, episodic-like memory, and route planning in primates. Research Interests: Janmaat investigates cognitive strategies in primates and humans, emphasizing how socio-ecological contexts influence decision-making. Her work bridges evolutionary biology, psychology, and conservation, aiming to improve captive animal welfare through insights into natural habitat challenges. She leads the Mbendjele Foraging Project, exploring foraging cognition in diverse populations. Labs/Teams: Director of the Mbendjele Foraging Project, collaborating with field and lab researchers internationally. Future work includes applying cognitive ecology findings to conservation and captive animal management.
