Professor Thomas Bein is affiliated with the Department of Chemistry at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU) , where he leads the Functional Nanosystems research group. His work focuses on synthesizing and characterizing nanostructured materials with applications in energy, catalysis, and biomedical delivery. Mesoporous nanoparticles for drug delivery Semiconductor nano-morphologies for photovoltaics Photoelectrochemical water splitting Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) Electroactive networks His research emphasizes atomic-scale control of material architectures using self-assembly, hydrogen bonding, and covalent interactions, enabling precise tuning of electronic, optical, and catalytic properties. A review of his recent publications reveals cutting-edge investigations into covalent organic frameworks (COFs), perovskite-inspired solar materials, and functional nanoparticle systems. Key trends include optimizing energy conversion efficiency, enhancing stability in optoelectronic devices, and exploring bio-compatible nanocarriers for targeted therapies. Professor Bein’s group actively contributes to interdisciplinary projects at the intersection of chemistry, physics, and biomedical engineering, with ongoing collaborations in solar energy, sustainable materials, and nanomedicine.
Jun Liu is a distinguished scientist and academic, serving as a Battelle Fellow at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and holding the position of Campbell Chair Professor at the University of Washington. His career spans over three decades in materials science and energy storage research, with significant leadership roles including Director of the Battery500 Consortium, a major DOE initiative focused on developing next-generation battery technologies. Dr. Liu earned his Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering from Hunan University, followed by a Master's degree in Ceramic Engineering and a Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering, both from the University of Washington. His educational background provided the foundation for his extensive career in advanced materials development. Dr. Liu's research focuses on the development, synthesis, and characterization of new materials for energy applications, with particular emphasis on battery technologies. His work spans lithium-ion batteries, lithium-sulfur systems, redox flow batteries, and magnesium-based energy storage solutions. He has pioneered approaches to improve energy density, cycle life, and safety of battery systems through innovative materials design and interface engineering. Analysis of Dr. Liu's recent publications reveals a strong focus on practical battery applications, with particular attention to lithium metal anodes, solid electrolyte interphases, and high-energy battery systems. His research increasingly addresses the challenges of translating laboratory discoveries into commercially viable battery technologies, with growing emphasis on pouch cell development and real-world performance metrics. Distinguished Inventor of Battelle (2007) PNNL's Inventor of the Year (2012, 2016) Electrochemical Society Battery Division Technology Award DOE EERE Exceptional Achievement Award PNNL Lifetime Achievement Award Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science Fellow of the Materials Research Society Member of the Washington State Academy of Science Dr. Liu has secured substantial research funding through his leadership of the Battery500 Consortium and other DOE initiatives. He has mentored numerous researchers and students throughout his career, contributing to the development of the next generation of energy storage scientists. His research group at PNNL collaborates extensively with academic institutions, national laboratories, and industry partners to advance battery technology. Dr. Liu leads the Battery500 Consortium, a major collaborative effort involving multiple national laboratories, universities, and industry partners focused on developing lithium-metal batteries with significantly higher energy density than current technologies. His research group at PNNL maintains state-of-the-art facilities for materials synthesis, characterization, and battery testing, enabling comprehensive investigation of next-generation energy storage systems.
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Rüdiger Daub serves as Professor and Chair of Production Engineering and Energy Storage Systems at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), operating within the Department of Mechanical Engineering. His leadership encompasses research direction, academic supervision, and strategic development of battery production technologies at TUM's Garching campus (Boltzmannstr. 15), with active industry collaborations driving innovation in sustainable manufacturing. Daub's research program pioneers advanced production methodologies for lithium-ion and solid-state batteries, focusing on electrode manufacturing, electrolyte filling, and cell assembly processes. His work investigates critical parameter interdependencies affecting battery safety and performance, developing inline monitoring systems and digital twin technologies for real-time process optimization. Key contributions include moisture control in electrode production, electrochemo-mechanical characterization of solid-state systems, and robotics solutions for deformable object assembly, all integrated with machine learning for quality assurance in industrial settings. Analysis of his 2023-2025 publications reveals a dominant research trajectory toward solving production bottlenecks in next-generation energy storage. The work demonstrates increasing integration of computational modeling with empirical validation, particularly in solid-state battery manufacturing and high-voltage electrolyte systems. A notable trend is the cross-pollination of robotics, computer vision, and uncertainty quantification techniques to address complex assembly challenges and distribution shifts in quality monitoring, reflecting industry's urgent need for adaptable, data-driven production systems. Leading TUM's specialized laboratories for battery cell production, Daub's team maintains comprehensive facilities for electrode calendering, electrolyte filling, and cell assembly with integrated tracking and tracing capabilities. The research infrastructure supports collaborative projects with automotive OEMs and battery manufacturers to develop scalable production processes, emphasizing environmental sustainability through water-based electrode production and footprint optimization. Current initiatives focus on digital factory modeling and prelithiation technologies for next-generation battery systems.
Holger Fröning is a full professor at Heidelberg University’s Institute of Computer Engineering (ZITI), where he leads the Hardware and Artificial Intelligence (HAWAII) Lab. His research focuses on embedded machine learning , high-performance computing , and hardware-software co-design , with emphasis on resource efficiency, power optimization, and emerging architectures like analog , photonic , and resistive memory systems. He has held leadership roles including Managing Director of ZITI (2023–present) and Dean of Studies for Computer Science (2019–2022) , and has collaborated with institutions such as NVIDIA Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Graz University of Technology. Research Trends : His recent publications explore Bayesian neural networks , green machine learning , analog computing noise mitigation , and GPU/FPGA optimization . Articles highlight photonic computing for AI , memory-efficient training , and hardware-aware DNN compression . Scientific Awards : 2025 HiPEAC Paper Award (Nature Computational Science) 2014 Google Faculty Research Award Multiple Best Paper Awards (IPDPS, ICPP, ECML-PKDD workshops) Leadership & Service : Organized workshops (WEML, ITEM, F4HD), chaired tracks at EuroPar and ISC, and served on program committees for ICPR, ECAI, and FPL. Education & Affiliations : PhD and MSc from University of Mannheim (2007/2001). Sponsors include DFG, FWF, FFG, NVIDIA, SAP, and XILINX.
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.
Prof. Dr. Peter Strasser is a faculty member at the Technische Universität Berlin , affiliated with the Institute of Chemistry and leading the Electrochemical Catalysis, Energy and Materials Sciences Group within the Faculty II - Mathematics and Natural Sciences . His research spans electrocatalysis , fuel cell technology , and high-throughput materials testing , with a focus on nanostructured catalysts for clean energy systems. Research Interests : High Throughput Testing Fuel Cells Electrocatalysis Electrochemical Materials Water Splitting CO2 Conversion Scientific Contributions highlight trends in oxygen evolution reactions , dealloyed catalysts , and non-noble metal electrocatalysts . His work bridges materials science and energy storage , particularly for hydrogen fuel cells and magnesium batteries . Awards : Otto Roelen Medal 2016 Advising notable researchers like former PhD student Mehtap Özaslan , who established a junior research group at the University of Oldenburg and won the Umicore Scientific Award. Prof. Strasser's team collaborates with UniSysCat and has secured funding from the Federal Ministry of Research for catalyst innovation.
Jishen Zhao is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of California, San Diego (Jacobs School of Engineering). His research focuses on computer architecture, non-volatile memory systems, and deep learning acceleration. Dr. Zhao has published extensively in top venues including ISCA, MICRO, ASPLOS, and IEEE Transactions. He collaborates with researchers at UCSD and beyond to advance systems for emerging applications in AI and autonomous vehicles. Dr. Zhao's primary research areas include persistent memory systems, hardware/software co-design for deep learning, and safety-critical computing. He develops techniques for crash consistency, memory disaggregation, and efficient neural network deployment. His work on autonomous vehicles addresses scenario generation and perception-aware system design. Recent projects explore LLM applications for software engineering and hardware verification. Analysis of Dr. Zhao's 2024-2025 publications reveals a strong shift toward AI-integrated systems research. He applies large language models to tasks like RTL verification and software issue localization while continuing to innovate in memory systems for serverless computing. There is growing emphasis on safety-critical systems for autonomous vehicles and energy-efficient neural network training using novel hardware architectures. Information about Dr. Zhao's scientific awards, advising activities, grants, and laboratory facilities was not available in the provided documentation.
Boris Murmann is Professor at Stanford University, specializing in integrated circuit design, mixed-signal computing, and energy-efficient AI hardware. His research advances neural interface technologies, analog design automation, and tinyML systems. Recent work develops ultra-low-power neural recording ICs for brain-computer interfaces, RRAM-based memory systems, and open-source semiconductor design frameworks. Publications demonstrate innovations in compressive sensing for neural data, hardware-algorithm co-design, and reinforcement learning for analog circuit synthesis. Significant contributions include Medusa (TinyML processor), EMBER (RRAM macro), and methodologies for coarsely-quantized computer vision and analog design automation.
Michio Honda is an Associate Professor (Reader) at the School of Informatics , University of Edinburgh , specializing in computer networking and operating systems . His research focuses on network stack designs, including co-design of networking and storage systems, and transport scale-out architectures. He has contributed to foundational work such as identifying TCP extensibility challenges (IMC'11) and pioneering TCP/IP stacks for persistent memory (NSDI'18). Research Trends : His 15 most recent works emphasize systems research, with keywords spanning Networking , Operating Systems , and High-Performance Computing . Sub-fields include TCP Protocol Design , Persistent Memory Optimization , and Network Scalability . Awards : Notable honors include the ISOC/IRTF Applied Networking Research Prize (2011), Facebook Research Award (2021), and Google Research Scholar Award (2022). Grants & Collaborations : Current projects involve network/storage co-design (HotNets'21) and transport scale-out (NSDI'21), often in collaboration with institutions like VMWare and Google.
Prof. Peter Müller-Buschbaum is a Full Professor and Head of the Chair of Functional Materials at the Physics Department of the Technical University of Munich (TUM). He has held this position since April 2018 and also served as Scientific Director of the Research Neutron Source Heinz Maier-Leibnitz (FRM-II) and the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Center (MLZ) from 2018 to 2023. His leadership extends to multiple roles including Core Member of the Integrated Research Institute Munich Institute of Integrated Materials, Energy and Process Engineering (MEP) since 2021, and Head of the Renewable Energies Network (NRG) at MEP. Full Professor (W3), Head of the Chair of Functional Materials at TUM School of Natural Sciences (since 04/2018) Deputy Editor of "ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces" (since 01/2024) Supervising Professor "Electronics Laboratory" at TUM School of Natural Sciences (since 11/2023) Member of TUM Sustainability Board (since 05/2023) Core Member of MEP Institute (since 10/2021) Head of Renewable Energies Network at MEP (since 10/2021) Prof. Müller-Buschbaum's research spans energy materials for photovoltaics and battery technologies, smart responsive materials that adapt to environmental stimuli, and nanocomposite materials with tailored properties. His group employs advanced scattering techniques to characterize materials at the nanoscale, providing insights into structure-property relationships critical for developing next-generation energy technologies. His extensive publication record demonstrates particular expertise in perovskite solar cells, lithium-ion battery technologies, and polymer-based functional materials, with recent work focusing on improving device stability and efficiency while understanding fundamental degradation mechanisms. His publications reveal a strong emphasis on energy conversion and storage technologies, with particular attention to interfacial engineering in both photovoltaic and battery systems. The research shows sophisticated integration of materials synthesis, advanced characterization, and device engineering to address critical challenges in renewable energy technologies. His work bridges fundamental science with practical applications through collaborations with major international research facilities. Scientific Service and Recognition Member of the Council of the Cluster of Excellence "ORIGINS" (since 01/2019) Spokesperson of the Chemical Physics and Polymer Physics Association of DPG (03/2021-10/2022) Member of the European Spallation Source Scientific Advisory Panel (since 03/2011) German representative at the European Polymer Federation for polymer physics (since 03/2011) Chairman of the Keylab "TUM.solar" in the Bavarian research project "Solar Technologies Go Hybrid" (since 03/2012) Prof. Müller-Buschbaum actively contributes to academic community through editorial work, having served as Associate Editor (2012-2022), Executive Editor (2023), and currently Deputy Editor (2024-present) of "ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces". He maintains strong international collaborations with synchrotron and neutron facilities worldwide, reflecting his expertise in advanced materials characterization techniques essential for cutting-edge materials research.
Dr. Svyatoslav Kondrat is a Research Fellow at the Institute for Computational Physics, University of Stuttgart, working in the group of Prof. Holm. His research focuses on computational studies of ionic systems, nanopores, and energy storage materials, utilizing large-scale molecular dynamics simulations to investigate electrolyte behavior under confinement and in bulk solutions. His primary research interests include: Electrolyte physics and ionic transport mechanisms Nanopore design for supercapacitors and energy applications Solvent effects in confined electrochemical systems High-performance computing for molecular simulations Kondrat's publications (2017-2024) demonstrate a consistent focus on optimizing ion transport and screening in nanoporous materials, with applications in energy storage. His work bridges theoretical electrochemistry, computational physics, and nanomaterials engineering, frequently exploring charge dynamics using advanced simulation techniques. He collaborates extensively within Prof. Holm's research group on projects involving confined electrolytes and decay length phenomena in concentrated ionic systems.
Ulrich Tallarek serves as Professor of Analytical Chemistry in the Faculty of Chemistry at Philipps University of Marburg, where he has held a W3 professorship since 2011. He also serves on the Board of Directors for the Materials Science Center at the university, a position he has held since 2007. His research group focuses on the fundamental understanding of transport phenomena in porous media with applications spanning chromatography, battery technology, and microfluidic systems. The group maintains strong collaborations with institutions worldwide and secures substantial research funding for advanced computational and experimental work. Professor Tallarek's research interests center on functional porous solids, with specific focus on morphology-transport-performance relationships. His work bridges multiple scales from molecular dynamics simulations of solute behavior in nanopores to macroscopic transport in chromatographic columns and battery electrodes. Key research areas include diffusion in hierarchical porous media, electrokinetic phenomena in microfluidic systems, molecular simulation of chromatographic processes, and advanced characterization of porous materials using tomography and other techniques. His group has pioneered multiscale simulation approaches that connect molecular-level surface chemistry to macroscopic transport properties. The research output demonstrates consistent focus on understanding fundamental transport mechanisms in porous systems, with recent publications emphasizing multiscale simulation techniques, molecular dynamics studies of solvent effects in chromatography, advanced characterization of mesoporous structures, and applications to separation science and energy storage. The work shows strong integration of computational modeling with experimental validation across multiple length scales. 2003: Desty Memorial Prize for Innovation in Separation Science, The Royal Institution of Great Britain, London 2006: Young Scientist Award from DECHEMA e.V. 2011: Named Discussion Leader at the 2011 Gordon Research Conference on Physics & Chemistry of Microfluidics 2011–2012: Chairman of the German Chemical Society (GDCh), Marburg 2013: Finalist, World Technology Awards, for category Environment 2013: Named as one of the 100 most influential analytical scientists in the world (The Analytical Scientist Power List) 2017: Recipient of the Silver Jubilee Medal 2017, The Chromatographic Society, UK Professor Tallarek's research has been supported by numerous grants enabling high-performance computing resources, advanced instrumentation, and international collaborations. His group maintains strong ties with industry partners in separation science and analytical instrumentation. The Tallarek Research Group includes postdoctoral researchers, PhD students, and technical staff working across experimental and computational domains. Current projects focus on molecular simulation of chromatographic processes, advanced characterization of porous battery electrodes, and development of novel separation methodologies. The Tallarek Research Group operates state-of-the-art facilities for computational modeling, including access to high-performance computing resources at Forschungszentrum Jülich. The group also maintains experimental capabilities for chromatographic analysis, materials characterization, and microfluidic device development. Their work on physically reconstructed porous media has established new standards for connecting microstructure to transport properties in complex materials systems.
Prof. Dr. Viktor Leis is a Professor in the Department of Computer Science at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), leading the Chair for Decentralized Information Systems and Data Management. His research focuses on cost-efficient data systems, particularly in cloud environments, with expertise in core database topics like query processing, transaction management, and storage optimization. He earned his PhD from TUM in 2016 and previously held professorships at Friedrich Schiller University Jena and Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg before returning to TUM in 2022. His work has been recognized with prestigious awards, including the ACM SIGMOD Dissertation Award, VLDB Early Career Research Contribution Award, and an ERC Starting Grant. Research Interests: Cloud computing, database systems, query optimization, storage engines, transaction processing, and NVMe-optimized systems. Key Projects: Developed the LeanStore storage engine and contributed to the Hyper database system. His recent publications emphasize cloud-native architectures, high-performance storage solutions, and hybrid transactional/analytical processing. He actively teaches courses on distributed systems, cloud databases, and blockchain technologies.
Daniel J. Abadi is a prominent researcher in database systems at Yale University. With over two decades of impactful research, he has made significant contributions to the fields of distributed databases, transaction processing, and column-oriented database systems. His work bridges theoretical foundations with practical implementations that have influenced both academia and industry. Dr. Abadi's research primarily focuses on database system architecture, with particular emphasis on: Distributed and geo-replicated database systems High-performance transaction processing Column-oriented and analytical database systems Stream processing and real-time analytics Cloud and serverless database technologies Integration of machine learning with database systems His recent work shows a continued focus on addressing scalability challenges in modern database systems, with particular attention to multi-region transaction processing, automated data management, and the integration of machine learning techniques. The trend in his publications indicates a strong emphasis on practical, deployable systems that solve real-world problems faced by industry. Dr. Abadi has been instrumental in several major research initiatives and reports that have shaped the direction of database research, including the Seattle Report and the Cambridge Report on Database Research. Throughout his career, Dr. Abadi has mentored numerous students and collaborated extensively with leading researchers in the field. His work has received significant recognition through widespread citations and adoption of his ideas in both academic and industrial database systems.
Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Gero Mühl is a W2-Professor at the University of Rostock, where he holds the chair for "Architecture of Application Systems" since October 2009. His academic journey includes positions as a Heisenberg Fellow at the Technical University of Berlin (2009), postdoctoral research at TU Berlin (2002-2009), and doctoral studies at TU Darmstadt where he received his Dr.-Ing. degree with distinction in 2002. He completed dual Diplomas in Computer Science (Dipl.-Inform.) and Electrical Engineering (Dipl.-Ing.) from FernUniversität in Hagen in 1998. Prof. Mühl's research focuses on Self-Organizing Distributed Systems , with particular expertise in distributed systems, distributed algorithms, event-based systems, middleware, energy-efficient systems, organic computing, sensor networks, web services, and electronic commerce. His work bridges theoretical foundations with practical implementations in real-world distributed environments. His recent publications show a strong trend toward time-sensitive networking, content-based publish/subscribe systems, and P4 programmable data planes. These works address critical challenges in industrial communication, real-time systems, and network reliability. His research group has made significant contributions to making distributed systems more autonomous, reliable, and efficient. Scientific awards and recognitions include: Nomination for the Berlin Science Award for Young Scientists (2008) Heisenberg Fellowship by the German Research Foundation (DFG) (2008) Best paper award in System Software and Security at SAC 2015 Prof. Mühl has been actively involved in numerous research projects and collaborations, particularly focusing on self-organizing and self-stabilizing systems. His work on the REBECA publish/subscribe middleware represents a significant contribution to autonomous distributed systems. He has supervised numerous students and researchers, contributing to the development of the next generation of computer scientists specializing in distributed systems. His laboratory at the University of Rostock focuses on practical implementations of self-organizing distributed systems, with current projects investigating time-sensitive networking, publish/subscribe systems, and energy-efficient distributed computing. The team combines theoretical analysis with practical system development to address real-world challenges in industrial and commercial applications of distributed systems.
