Prof. Bryan Ford leads the Decentralized/Distributed Systems (DEDIS) lab at EPFL. He focuses on secure decentralized systems, including blockchain technology, privacy, and systems security. He earned his Ph.D. from MIT and held faculty positions at Yale University and EPFL. His work spans distributed consensus protocols, peer-to-peer networking, and privacy-preserving systems. Key projects include QuePaxa (timeout-free consensus), UIA (global connectivity for mobile devices), and MedCo (secure healthcare data sharing). He advises numerous PhD students and contributes to open-source projects like Bitcoin collective signing and privacy networks like Riffle. Education: Ph.D., MIT; Postdoctoral work at Yale Research interests include blockchain scalability, consensus algorithms, and cryptographic privacy. His lab develops systems like TRIP for coercion-resistant voting and F3B to mitigate blockchain front-running. His work on NAT traversal and peer-to-peer protocols (e.g., STUN/ICE) remains foundational in network architecture. He emphasizes practical, auditable security solutions such as CertiKOS and atomic cross-chain transactions (Atom). Notable contributions: CoSi (collective signing), OmniLedger (sharded blockchain), and privacy-preserving protocols like PURBs (Protected Unsealable Recursive Boxes). His lab collaborates with Swiss Post to audit e-voting systems and designs democratic cryptocurrencies like PoPCoin.
Vijay Laxmi is a Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at Malaviya National Institute of Technology (MNIT) Jaipur, India. With over a decade of active research publication from 2014-2024, Dr. Laxmi has established themselves as a prominent researcher in network security, Android security systems, and Network-on-Chip architectures. Their work demonstrates consistent collaboration with Manoj Singh Gaur and numerous doctoral students at MNIT Jaipur. Dr. Laxmi's research interests span Network Security, Android Security, Malware Analysis, Network-on-Chip Architectures, Routing Protocols, Side-Channel Attacks, Wireless Networks, and Mobile Security. Their work bridges theoretical security frameworks with practical implementations, particularly in mobile and embedded systems. Recent publications indicate a growing focus on AI-based security approaches including GAN applications for fuzzing and deep learning for image dehazing. The research trajectory shows increasing sophistication in security analysis techniques, evolving from basic malware detection to advanced side-channel attack analysis and sophisticated network security protocols. Recent publications demonstrate expertise in both theoretical frameworks and practical implementations with applications in real-world security challenges. Dr. Laxmi has mentored numerous graduate students including Vineeta Jain, Anugrah Jain, Sonal Yadav, Mohit Singh, and Gaurav Singal, who appear as co-authors across multiple publications. Their collaborative network extends to researchers at international institutions, indicating strong academic connections beyond their home institution.
Dr. Janis Nötzel is a senior researcher at the Chair of Theoretical Information Technology (Technische Universität München) and leads his independent Emmy Noether research group. Previously, he held a postdoctoral position at Universitat Autónoma de Barcelona and contributed to 5G practical implementations at TU Dresden's 5G Lab. His research spans quantum information theory, physical layer security, and machine learning applications. Key focuses include Quantum channel capacities under adversarial conditions Entanglement-assisted communication Quantum software frameworks (QuNetSim, QuReed) Interplay between classical and quantum communication Security analysis for 6G networks Resource optimization in quantum systems Recent publications (2023-2025) showcase innovations in Quantum satellite communication architectures Hybrid quantum-classical clustering algorithms Photonic processor instability modeling Covert capacity of compound channels Quantum key distribution resilience Free-space Bessel beam communication He actively collaborates with 6G-life research hub and contributes to quantum network simulation tools. Grants include funding from DFG (Leibniz Program), BMBF (6G-life, Q.Link.X), and StMWi (6G Zukunftslabor Bayern).
Prof. Dr. Matthias Weidlich is a faculty member at Humboldt University of Berlin within the Institute of Computer Science under the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences . His research focuses on Process Mining , Complex Event Processing , and Data Privacy with applications in Business Process Management and Scientific Workflows . Research Interests: Business Process Management and Process Mining Complex Event Processing and Stream Data Analysis Data Privacy and Security in Process Systems Scientific Workflow Systems and User Behavior Heterogeneous Network Embeddings Algorithm Design and Optimization Recent Publications (2023-2025) demonstrate expertise in: Efficient stream processing techniques Privacy-preserving process mining frameworks Scientific workflow analysis tools Graph neural network applications Multi-modal data integration Adaptive querying systems Contact: Office: Unter den Linden 6, 10099 Berlin Phone: 030 2093-41277 Email: matthias.weidlich@hu-berlin.de Web: hu.berlin/data
Prof. Ilia Polian serves as Head of the Institute of Computer Engineering and Chair of the Hardware-Oriented Computer Science (HOCOS) department at the University of Stuttgart. His leadership spans research, teaching, and institutional coordination across multiple high-impact projects. Prof. Polian's research focuses on developing circuit and system architectures based on both traditional and novel principles, including neuromorphic, stochastic, and approximate architectures. His second major research focus is systematic design methodology and design automation, with particular emphasis on safety and reliability properties of developed systems. Current research directions include quantum computing engineering, secure mixed-signal neural networks, and resource-efficient stochastic circuits for near-sensor computing applications. His recent publications demonstrate strong trends in quantum computing (particularly circuit partitioning and compilation for multi-QPU architectures), hardware security (including memristive cryptographic implementations), and AI-driven approaches to hardware testing and reliability. These works bridge fundamental computer architecture research with practical industrial applications. University of Stuttgart's Publication Prize for Paper on Partitioning of Quantum Circuits Prof. Polian actively supervises doctoral students including Devanshi Upadhyaya, and leads significant research grants such as the DFG Priority Program Nano Security which he coordinates. His department offers numerous thesis and research opportunities for students interested in cutting-edge hardware research. The Hardware-Oriented Computer Science department maintains strong collaborations with industry partners including IBM, Infineon Technologies, and Advantest, as well as academic institutions through the IQST Graduate School and QuantumBW initiatives.
Prof. Tim Güneysu is a full Professor and Head of the Security Engineering department at the Faculty of Computer Science, Ruhr-Universität Bochum. He serves as Vice Dean for Strategy and Finances (since 2023) and previously as Speaker of the Horst-Görtz Institute for IT-Security (2020-2023). His academic journey includes roles as Associate Professor at the University of Bremen (2015-2017) and Assistant Professor at Ruhr-Universität Bochum (2011-2015). He also holds positions at the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI) and has conducted postdoctoral research at UMass Amherst. His research focuses on Security-by-Design principles, CAD for Security, and countermeasures against physical attacks. He emphasizes efficient cryptographic implementations and system-level hardware security. Key areas include post-quantum cryptography, side-channel resistant designs, and secure embedded systems. He has contributed over 200 publications in top venues, with recent work on FPGA-based cryptographic accelerators, secure hardware extensions (e.g., KeyVisor), and post-quantum algorithms for IoT. His research themes include agile signature acceleration, fault attack mitigation, and hardware-software co-design for security. Notable projects include CONVOLVE (edge-AI security) and QuantumRISC (quantum-safe systems). His work bridges theoretical cryptography with practical hardware implementations, emphasizing real-world security applications.
Peter Schwabe is a scientific director at the Max Planck Institute for Security and Privacy and holds academic positions as a part-time professor for cryptographic engineering in the Digital Security Group at Radboud University, Faculty of Science, and as an adjunct professor in the Faculty of Computer Science at Ruhr University Bochum. His career spans multiple prestigious institutions including Academia Sinica and National Taiwan University. Dr. Schwabe's research focuses on cryptography, particularly post-quantum cryptography, cryptographic engineering, and implementation security. His work addresses critical challenges in secure cryptographic implementations, side-channel resistance, and the transition to quantum-resistant algorithms. He has made significant contributions to NIST's post-quantum cryptography standardization project, particularly with CRYSTALS-Kyber which was selected for standardization in July 2022. His publication record shows a strong emphasis on practical implementations of cryptographic algorithms, formal verification of security properties, and addressing real-world security challenges. Recent work centers on verifying Kyber implementations, protecting against Spectre variants, and developing high-assurance cryptographic software. Dr. Schwabe has received significant recognition in the field, serving as an elected member of the IACR Board of Directors and participating in various steering committees including the IACR CHES and RWC Steering Committees. He also serves on advisory boards for several security-focused companies. As an advisor, he has supervised numerous PhD students working on cutting-edge cryptographic research, with recent graduates focusing on post-quantum cryptography, side-channel resistance, and formal verification of cryptographic implementations. His research group actively contributes to both theoretical advances and practical implementations in cryptography.
Mario Berta is a Professor of Physics at RWTH Aachen University’s Institute for Quantum Information, with an honorary Visiting Reader position at Imperial College London’s Department of Computing. His research focuses on mathematical aspects of quantum information science, including quantum communication theory, cryptography, and algorithms. He leads a group funded by the ERC Starting Grant QEntropy, exploring entropy’s role in quantum information. He actively recruits PhD/postdoc researchers and organizes workshops like the Mathematics of Quantum Information conference at RWTH Aachen and Beyond IID 13 in Munich. Education: PhD in Theoretical Physics from ETH Zurich. Prior roles include Senior Research Scientist at Amazon Web Services’ quantum computing division and Postdoctoral Researcher at Caltech’s IQIM. He has pioneered quantum Gibbs sampling algorithms for the Fermi-Hubbard model and contributed to quantum error correction and complexity theory. His work bridges theoretical foundations with practical implementations, emphasizing resource analysis and algorithm optimization. Research interests span quantum algorithms’ computational complexity, entanglement theory, and information-theoretic security. He explores topics like quantum channel coding, hypothesis testing, and distributed quantum protocols under communication constraints. His group’s activities include organizing international workshops and collaborations with institutions like ML4Q and EPSRC. Funding sources include the European Research Council, RWTH’s Exploratory Research Space, and the EPSRC. He advocates for open-access science, as seen in his German-language article Algorithmen für neue Hardware . His work aims to advance quantum technologies through rigorous mathematical frameworks and experimental feasibility analysis.
Stefan Wildermann is a Professor at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), where he leads the Reconfigurable Computing Group within the Chair of Computer Science 12 (Hardware-Software Co-Design) in the Department of Computer Science. He has maintained continuous research activity at FAU since 2006, progressing from researcher to his current leadership position. Dr. Wildermann earned his Diploma degree in Computer Science from FAU in 2006 and completed his doctorate (Dr.-Ing.) in Computer Science at the same institution in July 2012. His academic career has been entirely rooted at FAU, demonstrating a strong institutional commitment and progression through the ranks. His research spans multiple cutting-edge areas in computer science and engineering, with particular emphasis on reconfigurable systems and hardware-software co-design. Wildermann's work in edge computing explores efficient processing at the network periphery, while his research in organic computing investigates self-organizing systems that can adapt to changing environments. His expertise extends to optimization techniques for embedded systems, applying game theory principles and convex optimization methods to solve complex resource allocation problems. More recently, he has integrated reinforcement learning approaches to enhance system adaptability and performance. His teaching portfolio includes courses on event-driven systems, computer engineering fundamentals, embedded systems, and hardware-software co-design. Analysis of Wildermann's publication record from 2021-2025 reveals a strong focus on hardware acceleration, security, and embedded systems. His work demonstrates consistent evolution from foundational research in reconfigurable architectures toward practical applications in IoT, robotics, and secure computing. A significant portion of his recent work addresses near-data processing using FPGAs for database acceleration, while maintaining parallel research streams in side-channel security analysis and energy-efficient embedded systems design. His publications frequently appear in top-tier conferences including DATE, FPL, ASP-DAC, and HOST, reflecting strong recognition within the computer architecture and embedded systems communities. Wildermann has held significant leadership roles including Head of the Reconfigurable Computing Group since 2015 and previously served as Head of the Self-organizing Systems Group (2012-2015) and Lab Leader of the Automotive Lab within the Embedded Systems Initiative (2016-2020). His research has been consistently funded through multiple projects investigating invasive computing, reconfigurable architectures, and embedded systems design methodologies. Currently based in Room 02.116 at Cauerstr. 11, 91058 Erlangen, Wildermann continues to lead active research in the Hardware-Software Co-Design group, supervising projects that bridge theoretical computer science with practical hardware implementation challenges.
Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Rainer Leupers is a faculty member at RWTH Aachen University, chairing the Department of Software for Systems on Silicon. His research focuses on embedded systems, hardware-software co-design, virtual prototyping, and security in computing-in-memory architectures. He has published extensively on RRAM accelerators, logic locking, and neuromorphic security. Chair of Software for Systems on Silicon Research in hardware security and deep learning accelerators Recent publications on cross-tool virtual frameworks and thermal side-channel attacks His work bridges system-level modeling with practical security implementations, emphasizing reliability and performance in heterogeneous computing environments. Key trends in his 2025-2023 articles include compute-in-memory optimization, neural network inference efficiency, and security vulnerabilities in emerging hardware. Awards and formal recognitions are not explicitly detailed in the provided materials. He has not directly mentioned advising students or research grants in the given text fragments. The chair's contact information includes an office at ICT Cube 1, Electrical Engineering, Aachen, with direct email and website links.
Dominique Unruh is a Professor at RWTH Aachen University , leading the Chair for Quantum Information Systems . Additionally, they hold a Professorship in Cryptography at the Institute of Computer Science of the University of Tartu , Estonia. Their research spans quantum computing , quantum cryptography , post-quantum cryptography , and formal verification of cryptographic protocols and programs. Research Focus : Quantum programs, zero-knowledge proofs, lattice-based cryptography, and quantum random oracle model. Key Contributions : Advancements in NTRU encryption efficiency, quantum Hoare logic, and rewinding techniques for security proofs. Tools : Active development in the EasyCrypt framework for cryptographic verification. Email : unruh@cs.rwth-aachen.de
Nele Mentens is a full professor at both KU Leuven and Leiden University, where she leads cutting-edge research in applied cryptography, hardware security, and secure embedded systems. At KU Leuven, she is affiliated with the Faculty of Engineering Technology and the Electrical Engineering Department (ESAT), leading the Emerging Technologies, Systems & Security (ES&S) research group at the Diepenbeek campus. Simultaneously, she holds a full professorship at Leiden University’s Leiden Institute of Advanced Computer Science (LIACS), focusing on applied cryptography and security. She has been instrumental in numerous national and international research initiatives, including Horizon Europe and NWO-funded projects. Full Professor, KU Leuven (since 2023) Full Professor, Leiden University (since 2020) Associate Professor, KU Leuven (2014–2023) Post-doctoral Researcher & Lecturer, KHLim / KU Leuven (2007–2014) Ph.D. in Engineering Science, KU Leuven (2007) M.Sc. in Electrical Engineering, KU Leuven (2003) Her research focuses on secure and efficient hardware design, particularly for cryptographic applications on FPGAs, reconfigurable architectures, IoT security, and neuromorphic computing. She explores physical attack resistance, side-channel analysis protection, and trusted computing architectures, with applications in healthcare, industrial monitoring, and endpoint AI. Her work bridges theoretical cryptography with practical hardware implementations, emphasizing energy efficiency and real-time performance. The 15 most recent publications reflect a strong trend toward secure, energy-efficient, and intelligent embedded systems. Topics include neuromorphic AI accelerators, trusted IoT architectures, dynamic reconfiguration for side-channel protection, and secure medical data processing. These works span disciplines such as computer architecture, cybersecurity, digital design, and embedded systems, with a focus on hardware-software co-design and real-world deployment. Nele Mentens has received recognition for her contributions, including: Best Paper Award, DATE'16 Best Paper Nomination, AsianHOST'17 Best Paper Award, CHES'19 She has supervised over 15 Ph.D. students and post-docs, both current and former, and has served as principal investigator in approximately 25 funded research projects. Her work has attracted significant grants from Horizon Europe, NWO, FWO, and national innovation programs. She actively contributes to the academic community through editorial roles in top journals and leadership in major conferences. Nele Mentens leads the ES&S research group at KU Leuven and collaborates closely with LIACS at Leiden University. Her team includes Ph.D. students, post-docs, and research experts working on projects like NimbleAI, NeuroSoC, and TrustedIoT. She has also established secure electronics labs through infrastructure grants and maintains strong international ties with institutions such as EPFL, Ruhr University Bochum, and ETH Zurich.
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Stefan Schulte is a Full Professor at Hamburg University of Technology, leading the Institute for Data Engineering and the Christian Doppler Laboratory Blockchain Technologies for the Internet of Things (CDL-BOT). He holds a diploma in Economics and a Bachelor's in Computer Science from the University of Oldenburg, followed by a Master's in Information Technology (with Merit) from the University of Newcastle. After completing his PhD at TU Darmstadt in 2010, he held roles as Postdoctoral Researcher at TU Wien, Assistant Professor (tenure-track), and eventually Associate Professor before joining TU Hamburg in 2021. His research focuses on data engineering, blockchain technologies applied to IoT, elastic computing, and quality-of-service (QoS) aspects in smart systems. Notable contributions include work on fog computing, federated learning, and cross-blockchain interoperability. He has published over 140 papers in top-tier venues like IEEE Transactions on Services Computing and ACM Computing Surveys. Key awards include Best Paper Awards at the IEEE International Conference on Blockchain (2020) and the European Conference on Service-Oriented and Cloud Computing (2023). Prof. Schulte chairs major conferences such as the IEEE International Conference on Fog and Edge Computing (ICFEC 2025) and serves on editorial boards for journals like IEEE Transactions on Services Computing. He leads CDL-BOT, a lab exploring blockchain applications in IoT and manufacturing. His industrial collaborations include projects like SIMPLI-CITY (smart mobility) and CREMA (cloud-based manufacturing). Current research emphasizes blockchain interoperability, federated learning frameworks, and edge-AI systems. He actively reviews proposals for the German Research Foundation, EU programs, and industry initiatives.
Dr. Arish Sateesan serves as Professor and Chair of the Institute for Networked Systems at RWTH Aachen University's Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, located at Kackertstrasse 9 in Aachen, Germany. His research group operates from House C (Room C046) with direct contact via asa@inets.rwth-aachen.de. His primary research domains center on hardware-accelerated network security solutions, specializing in FPGA implementations for high-speed networking. Key focus areas include: Real-time network monitoring and intrusion detection systems Hardware-optimized cryptographic and non-cryptographic algorithms Machine learning integration for wireless beamforming and LiDAR processing Ultra-high-speed flow measurement architectures His work bridges theoretical computer science with practical hardware constraints, emphasizing throughput optimization for security-critical applications. Analysis of his 15 most recent publications (2021-2025) reveals a pronounced shift toward hardware-software co-design for next-generation networks. The research trajectory shows increasing integration of quantized neural networks with traditional security primitives, particularly for mm-Wave and 5G/6G applications. A consistent theme across all publications is the prioritization of hardware friendliness through algorithmic simplification and architectural innovation. As Institute Chair, he leads a research ecosystem focused on developing deployable security solutions for modern network infrastructures, with current projects targeting autonomous vehicle communication systems and infrastructure protection against distributed denial-of-service attacks.
Prof. Dr. Daniel Slamanig is a Full Professor of Cryptology at the Universität der Bundeswehr München (UniBw M) in its Department of Computer Science and Research Institute Cyber Defense (CODE). He heads the Quantum Safe & Advanced Cryptography (QuSAC) Lab and focuses on the development of provably secure cryptographic primitives with applications to real-world security challenges. Prof. Slamanig obtained his PhD in computer science from the University of Klagenfurt in 2011 (with distinction). Prior to his current position, he worked as a Scientist and then Senior Scientist at the AIT Austrian Institute of Technology, and as a Senior Researcher and PostDoc at Graz University of Technology's IAIK. Prof. Slamanig's research spans the foundations and applications of cryptography, with special focus on provably secure public-key cryptographic primitives (including digital signatures) with strong security guarantees against quantum attacks, and privacy-friendly cryptographic mechanisms such as zero-knowledge proofs. His work consistently emphasizes the connection between theoretical foundations and practical implementations, ensuring cryptographic solutions are both secure and applicable to real-world scenarios. His recent publications demonstrate a strong emphasis on post-quantum cryptography (particularly isogeny-based approaches), privacy-preserving technologies, anonymous credentials, and structure-preserving cryptographic protocols. A notable contribution is his work on the Picnic family of post-quantum digital signature schemes, which reached the final round of NIST's post-quantum cryptography standardization project. Prof. Slamanig has received several prestigious awards for his contributions to cryptography: "netidee SCIENCE" award of the Internet Foundation (2018) Best Paper Award at CANS 2021 Top Reviewer Award at the 30th ACM SIGSAC Conference on Computer and Communications Security (CCS 2023) Prof. Slamanig actively mentors the next generation of cryptographers, currently supervising PhD students Thomas den Hollander, Sebastian Spindler, and several others. His research is supported by numerous grants from EU Horizon programs, including PiQASO, SUNRISE, and EDOCC, as well as national funding agencies like FFG. He serves on program committees for top cryptography conferences including CRYPTO, EUROCRYPT, and ACM CCS, and reviews for leading journals such as the Journal of Cryptology. At Universität der Bundeswehr München, Prof. Slamanig leads the Quantum Safe & Advanced Cryptography (QuSAC) Lab within the Research Institute Cyber Defense (CODE), where his team works on cutting-edge research in post-quantum cryptography, privacy-enhancing technologies, and practical implementations of cryptographic protocols for real-world security challenges.
