Judy Kay is a Professor at the University of Sydney, Australia , renowned for her contributions to Artificial Intelligence in Education , User Modeling , and Ubiquitous Computing . Her work focuses on creating scrutable open learner models , enhancing collaborative learning analytics , and applying machine learning to education and health. Current research includes AI-driven misinformation detection and human-AI teaming for education. Recent projects involve virtual reality exergames and long-term physical activity tracking . Key publication trends span AI in education , data-driven learning design , and privacy-aware personalized systems . She actively collaborates with researchers in human-computer interaction and health informatics , emphasizing user control and ethical data use .
Chantal Pellegrini is a Lecturer and PhD student at the Chair of Computer Aided Medical Procedures (Prof. Navab) at Technical University of Munich (TUM). Her research focuses on Deep Learning applications in medical imaging, including explainable AI for radiology report generation and Vision-Language Models for clinical decision support. She actively contributes to the DHM, NARVIS Lab, and RobUSt research groups. Teaching responsibilities include courses such as 'Computer Aided Medical Procedures', 'Medical Augmented Reality', and 'Surgical Robotics'. She supervises student projects in medical AI and healthcare innovation, with recent projects involving multimodal report generation and graph pretraining for medical applications. Education: BSc/MSc Computer Science (TUM), current PhD student since 2022 Labs: DHM (German Heart Center), NARVIS Lab, RobUSt Robotics & Ultrasound Research Keywords: Medical Image Understanding, Radiology Reports, LLMs in Healthcare Her publications span surgical OR dataset development, reinforcement learning for clinical decisions, and explainable X-ray diagnosis systems. She mentors MA/BA students in medical AI and project management for healthcare applications.
Prof. Dr. Harald Reiterer is a leading researcher in Human-Computer Interaction at the University of Konstanz, where he has served as Professor since 2009. His academic journey includes a Ph.D. (1991) and habilitation (1995) from the University of Vienna, followed by roles including Senior Researcher at Fraunhofer FIT and Associate Professor at Konstanz. He currently holds multiple leadership roles: Dean of the Faculty of Sciences , Senator of Section 1 , and Consulting Dean . Ph.D. in Computer Science (University of Vienna, 1991) Venia Legendi (Habilitation) in HCI (University of Vienna, 1995) His research focuses on: Interaction Design for mixed reality environments Information Visualization in immersive contexts Hybrid User Interfaces combining physical and virtual elements 3D Object Manipulation in handheld AR Behavioral Analytics through mHealth interventions Recent work explores: Avatar representation in Augmented Reality (2024) Node selection efficiency in Virtual Reality (2024) Peripheral vision toolkits for Head-Mounted Displays (2023) Hybrid interface optimization for Mixed Reality (2023) Smartphone AR extensions for Spatial Memory (2023) Key scientific contributions: Landeslehrpreis 2021 for interdisciplinary exhibition design Development of Colibri cross-reality toolkit (2023) Foundational work on Re-locations for remote collaboration (2022) He leads numerous projects including: SMARTACT (Smart Mobility, 2015-2023) SFB TRR 161 (2009-2027) on XR interface measurement Blended Library (2011-2015) for future library design
Jun.-Prof. Dr. Christian Krupitzer is a Tenure Track Professor in Food Informatics at the University of Hohenheim's Institute of Food Science and Biotechnology, part of the Faculty of Natural Sciences. He leads the Department of Food Informatics and is a member of the Computational Science Hub (CSH). His research focuses on self-adaptive software systems, machine learning (especially edge computing), IoT technologies, and software engineering applied to food processing and agricultural systems. Education: PhD in Business Information Systems (Dr. rer. pol.), University of Mannheim (2018) M.Sc. and B.Sc. in Business Information Systems, University of Mannheim (2010–2012) High School Diploma (Abitur) from Wilhelmi-Gymnasium Sinsheim (2007) Research Interests: Krupitzer’s work integrates computational methods with food science, emphasizing adaptive systems for food quality monitoring, IoT in agriculture, and machine learning for predictive analytics. He explores edge computing’s role in real-time decision-making and secure group communication schemes for IoT networks. Publications: His recent work spans predictive maintenance in Industry 4.0, digital twins in food systems, and blockchain applications in supply chain authentication. The articles highlight trends in interdisciplinary approaches combining AI, IoT, and domain-specific challenges in food production and logistics. Awards: No scientific awards explicitly listed in the provided materials. Grants & Advising: While specific grants are unmentioned, his roles as department head and tenure-track professor suggest involvement in research funding. No formal advisee list provided, though his team includes postgraduate researchers like Dana Jox, Daniel Einsiedel, and others. Labs & Teams: Leads the Food Informatics department and collaborates with the Computational Science Hub. His team focuses on developing innovative solutions for food systems through computational methods.
Holger D. Thiele , Professor at Kiel University of Applied Sciences, specializes in Agricultural Economics with a focus on Agricultural Policy. Based at the Institute for Food Economics (ife) e.V., he contributes to interdisciplinary research at the intersection of agriculture, sustainability, and policy. External Roles: IDF Scientific Committee, German Informatics Society (GI), and Dairy Association Germany advisory board Leadership: Founding member of the Kieler Salon and director of ife e.V. Research Focus His work addresses critical issues in dairy industry policy, food economics, and agricultural sustainability. By bridging economic analysis with environmental and digital transformation challenges, he provides policy-relevant insights for stakeholders. Awards & Roles Managing Director, Institute for Food Economics (ife) e.V. Member, International Dairy Federation (IDF) Scientific Committee Advisor to German dairy sector through multiple committees
Ralf Zimmer is a Full Professor for Practical Informatics and Bioinformatics at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU) since 2001, affiliated with the Department of Informatics in the Faculty of Mathematica, Informatics and Statistics. He concurrently serves as Head of Section III and Head of the Research Group Network Regulation and Modeling / Machine Learning at the Leibniz Institute for Food Systems Biology at TUM (Leibniz-LSB@TUM) in Freising, Germany. His academic foundation includes a Diploma with distinction in Computer Science, Applied Mathematics and Operations Research from the University of Bonn (1981-1986), followed by a summa cum laude Doctorate in Computer Science and Applied Mathematics from CAU Kiel in 1990, where he received dual honors: the CAU Dissertation Award and Best Dissertation Award. Zimmer's research pioneers the integration of bioinformatics, systems biology, and machine learning to decode molecular food-consumer interactions. His group develops causal system models for biological networks, validated through in silico simulations and multi-omics perturbation experiments (transcriptomics/proteomics). Core methodologies include network regulation modeling, algorithmic bioinformatics, and database construction linking food compounds to biochemical networks and cellular phenotypes, with translational goals for food and biotech innovation. His 14 most recent publications (2012-2024) reveal dominant trends in multi-omics immunology and cardiovascular research, featuring computational innovations for high-throughput data analysis. Key themes include host-pathogen dynamics (viral infections), inflammatory disease mechanisms (atherosclerosis), and methodological advances in proteomics/transcriptomics, consistently bridging fundamental bioinformatics with clinical applications. Major scientific recognitions include: CAU Dissertation Award and Best Dissertation Award (1990) Director of LMU's Informatics Department (2010-2012) DFG Review Board membership for biomedical foundations (2008-2016) Leadership of the DFG Bioinformatics Munich Center (2001-2008) Academic Senate election at LMU München (2011) Zimmer directs LMU/TUM's joint B.Sc./M.Sc. bioinformatics programs since 2001 as founding architect of the DFG-funded Bioinformatics Munich initiative. His educational leadership spans spokesperson roles for international training groups (IRTG RECESS), collaborative research centers (SFB1123 Atherosclerosis), and elite programs (Data Science, Munich Center for Machine Learning). Grant stewardship includes directing the DFG Bioinformatics Munich Center and shaping national funding policy via the DFG review board. At Leibniz-LSB@TUM, his research group pioneers databases connecting food compounds to cellular phenotypes through molecular networks, collaborating with Munich universities, clinics, and biotech partners to develop high-throughput sequencing/proteomics applications for future food and health innovations.
Dr. Oksana Buzhdygan is a Senior Researcher in Theoretical Ecology at the Department of Biology, Faculty of Biology, Chemistry, Pharmacy at Freie Universität Berlin. She holds a PhD in Ecology from Chernivtsi National University and has held postdoctoral positions at institutions including the University of Georgia (USA) and Freie Universität Berlin. Her research focuses on biodiversity-ecosystem functioning links, multitrophic interactions, and ecological network analysis. Education: BSc, MSc, and PhD in Ecology (2000–2008), Chernivtsi National University, Ukraine Postdoctoral Fellowships: University of Georgia (2010–2012), Freie Universität Berlin (2013–2021) Research Interests: Environmental change impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem functions Ecological network analysis of multitrophic systems Food web dynamics in grasslands and freshwater ecosystems Publications reflect her expertise in biodiversity effects on energy flow, human impact on ecosystems, and plant diversity drivers. Her work bridges theoretical ecology with applied conservation challenges, particularly in grasslands and agroecosystems. Labs/Teams: Member of the Tietjen Group (Theoretical Ecology at Freie Universität Berlin), collaborating widely in international projects on biodiversity and ecosystem services.
Helmholtz Centre for Environmental ResearchGermany
Jürgen Groeneveld is a researcher at the Department of Ecological Modelling at the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) in Leipzig, Germany. His work focuses on agent-based modelling of ecological and socio-environmental systems, with a particular emphasis on pollinator conservation, climate change impacts, and biodiversity digital twins. He contributes to the BioDT Project and collaborates on initiatives like the BEEHAVE and BEE-STEWARD models for honeybee and bumblebee dynamics. His research integrates computational methods with ecological theory to address challenges in sustainable land use and environmental policy. Key projects include modeling land use transformations, analyzing the effects of pesticides on pollinators, and exploring risk-sharing mechanisms for smallholder farmers. Groeneveld has published extensively on topics such as metapopulation dynamics, forest fragmentation, and the application of standardized protocols (e.g., ODD) for simulation models. His work bridges theoretical ecology with practical applications, aiming to inform conservation strategies and climate adaptation policies. He participates in interdisciplinary collaborations across the UFZ’s research units, including the 'Smart Models / Monitoring' group. His contributions span publications in journals like Ecological Modelling, Ecosphere, and Nature, reflecting his expertise in both ecological and computational methodologies.
Verena Tiefenbeck is a Professor and Chair of Digital Transformation at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), leading a Bavarian Ministry-funded junior research group since 2019. Her work bridges digital transformation with behavioral science, focusing on high-resolution behavioral data to drive sustainability in energy, mobility, health, and human-AI collaboration. Education: MSc in Mechanical Engineering & Management (TU Munich, Ecole Centrale Paris) Doctorate: ETH Zurich (2014) Research explores how digital technologies shape human behavior through real-time feedback, algorithmic transparency, and nudges. Key areas include energy conservation, sustainable mobility, and AI adoption in organizational contexts. Her recent publications examine peer-to-peer energy markets, digital food labeling, and algorithmic fairness in HR. Core research themes across 2024-2025 publications include: Digital feedback mechanisms for energy/water conservation Algorithmic transparency in AI-driven recruitment Behavioral economics of renewable energy communities Digital nudges in health decisions and sustainable consumption Methodological transparency in design science research
Professor Rainer Kiko is a Heisenberg Professor and Make Our Planet Great Again Laureate at GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, where he leads research in Marine Biogeochemistry. His work focuses on understanding how global change impacts marine life distribution and activity, with significant implications for oceanic oxygen dynamics, nutrient cycles, and carbon dioxide transfer from the atmosphere to the deep sea. Kiko's research integrates augmented image observations that combine autonomous camera and environmental sensor systems with state-of-the-art artificial intelligence solutions and ecophysiological approaches to study zooplankton and detrital particle dynamics in a changing ocean. His primary research areas include marine carbon cycling, oxygen minimum zones, zooplankton dynamics, and the development of imaging technologies for marine observations. He leads several major projects including Imaging Marine life in an Ocean of Change (IOChange) funded by the Heisenberg Program of the German Research Foundation, and the Tropical Atlantic Deoxygenation project as part of the Make Our Planet Great Again initiative. His recent publications reveal a strong focus on marine particle dynamics, carbon export mechanisms, and the role of zooplankton in biogeochemical cycles, with particular attention to oxygen minimum zones and the impacts of climate change on marine ecosystems. Kiko employs advanced imaging technologies and machine learning approaches to address fundamental questions about the biological pump and ocean carbon sequestration. Among his notable recognitions are the prestigious Heisenberg Professorship from the German Research Foundation and the Make Our Planet Great Again Laureate award. His work has been published in high-impact journals including Nature Geoscience, Nature Communications, and Global Biogeochemical Cycles. Kiko mentors several researchers including Dr. Joelle Habib (Postdoc at Laboratoire d'Océanographie de Villefranche), Dr. Xiangyu Weng (Machine Vision specialist), Simon-Martin Schröder (computer scientist), and Claudeilton "Claus" Santana (PhD student). His research group develops innovative approaches combining deep learning, in situ imaging, and citizen science to resolve marine ecological questions across multiple scales.
Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape ResearchGermany
Masahiro Ryo is a Professor of Environmental Data Science at Brandenburg University of Technology (BTU) and leads the working group "Artificial Intelligence for Smart Agriculture" at the Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF). His research integrates machine learning with ecological systems to address global sustainability challenges, focusing on biodiversity, soil health, and AI-driven agricultural solutions. His work spans environmental data science, ecosystem services, and smart agriculture. Key themes include explainable AI for biodiversity monitoring, soil organic carbon prediction, and machine learning applications in ecological modeling. Recent publications highlight trends in environmental AI, with applications in yield mapping, fungal taxonomy, and global change ecology. He emphasizes the integration of ecological theory with deep learning to tackle small-data problems and improve model transferability. Contact: masahiroryo@gmail.com | Personal Website
Rhenish Friedrich Wilhelm University of BonnGermany
Prof. Dr. Ute Nöthlings is a full-time Professor of Nutritional Epidemiology at the University of Bonn's Institute of Nutrition and Food Sciences. Since 2012, she has directed the DONALD Study (Dortmund Nutritional and Anthropometric Longitudinally Designed cohort) and the COPLANT Study (a cohort on plant-based diets), focusing on dietary assessment methods, metabolomics, and microbiome research to understand diet-health relationships across the lifespan. Key Affiliations: University of Bonn, DONALD Study Director, COPLANT Study Director Her research spans three core areas: Dietary Methodology: Developing tools like NutriDiary app and glycemic index extended food-frequency questionnaires for precise nutrient intake analysis. Diet-Disease Relationships: Investigating links between adolescent dietary patterns and adult health outcomes (e.g., fatty liver indices, type 2 diabetes risk markers) through epidemiological cohort studies. Metabolomic & Microbiome Integration: Using advanced omics approaches to identify biomarkers for food intake and explore physiological mechanisms in chronic disease prevention. Key Collaborations: Rhineland Study, UK Biobank, European observational studies on body mass index and gut microbiome Recent publications demonstrate her work's scope: Metabolomic profiling of sweetened beverages and added sugar Gut microbiome analysis in obesity and colorectal cancer Development of sustainable food-based dietary guidelines using mathematical optimization Validation of dietary assessment tools against biomarkers
Dr. Konstantin Aal is a researcher at the Department of Business Informatics and New Media within the Faculty of Information Systems and New Media at the University of Siegen, Germany. Having joined the university in 2012 after completing his studies in Business Informatics there, Dr. Aal has established himself as a prominent researcher at the intersection of technology, social activism, and human-computer interaction. Dr. Aal's educational background is rooted in Business Informatics at the University of Siegen, where he also completed his major dissertation on the social platform come_NET and its use by children as part of the come_IN project. His academic journey reflects a consistent focus on the social implications of technology. His research interests span several critical areas in contemporary socio-technical studies. Dr. Aal investigates how social media platforms are used in political conflicts and activism, particularly in the Middle East and North Africa region, with specific attention to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and content moderation practices. He also explores human-technology interaction in contexts of aging and dementia care, human-wildlife conflict, and the digital transformation of rural communities. His work consistently emphasizes participatory design approaches, ethical considerations in technology development, and the importance of cultural sensitivity in global technology deployments. Dr. Aal's publication record shows a strong trajectory of impactful research, with particular emphasis on understanding how marginalized communities appropriate technology for their needs. His recent work on the "PlurAIverse" concept expands design paradigms for artificial intelligence to be more inclusive and culturally sensitive, while his ethnographic work in conflict zones reveals critical insights about digital activism under surveillance. Member of the research team for iStoppFalls (fall prevention for elderly) Contributor to multiple EU-funded projects on digital inclusion and socio-informatics Active participant in the Socio-Informatics research program at the University of Siegen Dr. Aal's work bridges theoretical insights with practical applications, often developing technologies in close collaboration with community stakeholders. His approach emphasizes "grounded design" - developing technological solutions that emerge from deep understanding of local practices and needs.
University Medical Center Hamburg-EppendorfGermany
Anne Daubmann is a Research Fellow at the Institute of Medical Biometry and Epidemiology within the Faculty of Medicine at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE) . Her work focuses on Medical Biometry and Health Services Research , with significant contributions to Mental Health , Multiple Sclerosis , and Primary Care domains. Her research spans: Digital health interventions for cancer patients Nutritional strategies in MS management Family-oriented mental health policies AI reliability in medical guidelines Resuscitation training methodologies Scientific Awards: Certificate in Medical Biometry (2020) from GMDS and IBS-DR She holds memberships in the International Biometric Society, German Region (IBS-DR) . Her methodological expertise includes statistical analysis in clinical trials and health outcomes evaluation .
Markus Schartau is a Researcher in the Biogeochemical Modelling Research Unit at GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, where he has worked since 2013. His research focuses on marine biogeochemical modeling, plankton dynamics, and parameter optimization in ecosystem models. With over 69 publications spanning two decades, Schartau has established himself as a leading expert in marine biogeochemical modeling, particularly in the areas of model calibration, mesocosm experiment simulation, and plankton community dynamics. His research interests encompass uncertainty and trustworthiness of biogeochemical model results, species composition and size frequency structures of plankton, methods of parameter optimization and model selection, simulations of mesocosm experiments, physiological and ecological variations of plankton, and temporal and spatial variations of organic substances in coastal ocean areas and estuaries. Schartau's work often bridges theoretical modeling with experimental observations to improve our understanding of marine biogeochemical processes. The analysis of his recent publications (2020-2024) reveals a strong focus on marine biogeochemical modeling, with particular emphasis on plankton dynamics, carbon cycling, and the impacts of environmental change. His work spans multiple spatial scales from coastal systems to the global ocean and integrates approaches from data science, biogeochemistry, and ecosystem modeling. Key themes include model calibration techniques, mesocosm experiment analysis, marine particle dynamics, and the effects of ocean acidification on biogeochemical processes. Schartau actively participates in major research projects including OceanNETs (EU project), BASS (funded by DFG), ICEBERG (EU project), and μARC (funded by BMBF), demonstrating his integration into the international marine science community. His collaborative approach is evident in his extensive co-authorship network across multiple institutions and countries. His career trajectory shows progression from postdoctoral positions at Stony Brook University and the Alfred Wegener Institute to permanent research scientist roles at Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht (now HEREON) and finally at GEOMAR. This path reflects his growing expertise and recognition in the field of marine biogeochemical modeling.
