Prof. Dr. Claudia Peus is a full Professor of Research and Science Management at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) School of Management , serving since May 2011. She holds executive roles as Founding Director of the TUM Institute for LifeLong Learning (TUM IL3) since December 2019 and Executive Vice President for Talent Management and Diversity since October 2017. Her career spans visiting positions at MIT's Sloan School of Management and Harvard University, alongside her habilitation (2011) and PhD (2005) from LMU Munich. Current affiliations: TUM School of Management, TUM IL3, RWI – Leibniz Institute for Economic Research Research focuses: Leadership development in the digital age, diversity in organizations, ethical leadership, and research organization management Recent research trends analyze digital leadership dynamics, gender-decoded recruitment practices, robotic leadership interfaces, and neurophysiological mechanisms in leadership behavior. Her 2025 work on moral careers and 2024 resource-based absorption theory highlight evolving themes in organizational psychology. Scientific honors include: Highly Cited Research Award, Leadership Quarterly (2016) Emerald Citations of Excellence (2016) Best Teaching Award, TUM School of Management (2014) Academy of Management Symposium Award (2010) Bayerische Landesbank Wissenschaftspreis (2006) Prof. Peus advises organizations on diversity and talent management. She was recognized as one of Germany's Most Inspiring Women (2020) and leads projects like FührMINT, ForGenderCare, and the TUM Neurophysiological Leadership Lab (NeLeLab).
Larissa Schlegel-Pape serves as a Scientific Associate at the Department for Ornamental and Pedigree Poultry within the Farm Animal Clinic of Freie Universität Berlin's Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. Her work focuses on developing innovative methods for assessing chicken welfare through the creation of the "Stressed Chicken Scale," which aims to systematically identify stress indicators in poultry. Her research interests center on animal welfare science, specifically stress assessment in chickens using both behavioral observation and computer vision technology. She investigates how body posture, movement patterns, and other visual indicators can reliably signal discomfort or stress in poultry, with the goal of creating practical assessment tools for veterinarians and poultry farmers. Her work bridges veterinary medicine, ethology, and technological innovation, contributing to refinement research (one of the 3Rs principles) in animal husbandry. Analysis of her publications reveals a strong focus on developing and validating the Stressed Chicken Scale across multiple contexts. Her work spans methodological development, practical implementation studies, and technological integration with computer vision systems. The research demonstrates progression from conceptual framework to validation studies and practical application, with increasing sophistication in assessment techniques and broader implications for animal welfare standards in poultry farming. Schlegel-Pape actively collaborates with the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) and participates in interdisciplinary projects involving artificial intelligence applications in agriculture. She presents her findings regularly at major German veterinary conferences including the DVG (Deutsche Veterinärmedizinische Gesellschaft) events, DACh Epidemiology conferences, and specialized poultry medicine gatherings. Her work contributes significantly to advancing animal welfare assessment methodologies and promoting refinement in poultry husbandry practices.
Prof. Martin Boeker is a Professor of Medical Informatics at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), affiliated with the TUM School of Medicine and Health. His work focuses on advancing healthcare through AI-driven solutions, interoperability frameworks, and precision medicine initiatives. Key projects include the German Medical Text Corpus (GeMTeX) and the MIRACUM DIFUTURE Alignment Hub. Expertise: Medical Informatics, AI in Healthcare, Federated Learning, Health Data Integration Key Contributions: FHIR-based systems, clinical decision support, patient-centered outcomes research Leadership: Director of the Institute for AI and Informatics in Medicine at TUM Hospital Right of the Isar Research emphasizes bridging clinical practice and data science through projects like modular health crawlers, automated guideline adherence monitoring, and cross-institutional medical NLP solutions. His work spans oncology informatics, rare disease management, and pandemic response data ecosystems. Recent articles highlight innovations in digital twins for precision oncology, federated analysis in oncology, and German-language medical NLP challenges. He collaborates internationally on EHR standardization and healthcare interoperability, contributing to the Medical Informatics Initiative (MII) and pandemic evidence ecosystems. Grants and collaborations involve the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, European initiatives, and industry partnerships. Educational efforts focus on training future medical informatics professionals through MII competency programs.
Dr. Jan Delcker is a Post-Doc Researcher at the University of Mannheim's Chair for Economic and Business Education, specializing in Learning, Design & Technology. With a background in social work and media education, his research examines digitalization in educational contexts. Key research areas include: AI competence assessment in teachers and students Digital curriculum development in vocational schools Mobile learning applications for language assessment Impact of COVID-19 on school development He teaches courses on educational systems management and research methodology while supervising graduate theses. Recent publications explore AI tool adoption predictors and text mining analysis of vocational curricula.
Elena Simperl is a Professor of Computer Science and Deputy Head of Department for Enterprise and Engagement at King's College London's Department of Informatics. She co-directs the King's Institute for Artificial Intelligence and serves as Director of Research for the Open Data Institute. As a Hans Fischer Senior Fellow at the Technical University of Munich's Institute for Advanced Study, she leads the Trustworthy Knowledge Graphs focus group and contributes to advancing human-centric AI research across European institutions. Professor Simperl obtained her doctoral degree in Computer Science from the Free University of Berlin and her diploma from the Technical University of Munich. Prior to joining King's, she held academic positions in Germany, Austria, and at the University of Southampton, and was a Turing Fellow. Her career trajectory demonstrates consistent leadership in bridging academic research with practical applications in data ecosystems. Her research sits at the critical intersection of AI and social computing, focusing on human-centric approaches to building sociotechnical systems that integrate data, algorithms, and human capabilities. She investigates how to make knowledge engineering more accessible, how to leverage collective intelligence for data quality improvement, and how to design participatory AI systems that address societal challenges like misinformation. Her work spans knowledge graphs, semantic technologies, crowdsourcing, and open data, with particular emphasis on the social dimensions of data-intensive systems and the governance frameworks needed for trustworthy AI deployment. Analysis of her recent publications reveals a strong evolution toward integrating large language models with traditional knowledge engineering practices while maintaining human oversight. There's a clear trajectory from foundational work on knowledge representation toward increasingly applied research addressing real-world challenges in media ecosystems, citizen science, and data governance, with growing attention to policy implications of AI technologies. Fellow of the British Computer Society Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts Hans Fischer Senior Fellow at TUM-IAS (2023) Ranked among top 100 most influential scholars in knowledge engineering of the last decade Included in Women in AI 2000 ranking Professor Simperl has led 14 major European and national research projects totaling millions in funding, including MediaFutures (a Horizon 2020 program tackling online misinformation), QROWD, ODINE, Data Pitch, and ACTION. She currently co-chairs the Croissant working group in ML Commons developing data standards for AI, and serves as president of the Semantic Web Science Association. Her research has directly influenced the development of data ecosystems supporting startups and citizen science initiatives across Europe, demonstrating exceptional ability to translate theoretical advances into practical impact. As Director of Research at the Open Data Institute, she oversees initiatives connecting data entrepreneurs with artists and civic organizations. Her leadership in the MediaFutures project established a data-driven innovation hub that supported 51 startups/SMEs and 43 artists through three open calls, creating a sustainable model for arts-technology collaborations addressing media challenges. Her work with the ODINE project helped create a European ecosystem for data-driven startups, demonstrating her commitment to building practical applications of open data principles.
Prof. Dr. Johanna Heitzer is a University Professor for Mathematics Education at RWTH Aachen University since 2011. She leads the Teaching and Research Area of Mathematics Education within the university's mathematics department. Her office is located in Room 352 of the Kreuzherrenstraße 2 building in Aachen. She serves as co-editor of the journal 'mathematik lehren,' co-author of the 'Mathematics - New Ways' textbook series, and holds numerous committee positions including membership in the Faculty Advisory Board and Structural Commission of the Center Council. 1989: High school diploma 1989-1994: Mathematics and Physics Teacher Training at RWTH Aachen 1994-1996: Traineeship at Aachen Teacher Training College 1997: Research assistant at University of Münster 1998-2007: Mathematics and Physics teacher at Korschenbroich Gymnasium 2007-2010: Scientific assistant and doctorate at RWTH Aachen 2011-present: University Professor at RWTH Aachen Professor Heitzer's research focuses on the training and further education of mathematics teachers, development of contemporary teaching materials, applied and interdisciplinary mathematics, and the transition from school to university. Her work emphasizes concept formation, linguistic communication in mathematics, and the historical development of mathematical ideas as teaching resources. She investigates mathematics-specific learning and cognitive processes through multiple research projects including the Aachen school-university project iMPACt. Her recent scholarly output demonstrates a strong trend toward integrating digital technologies in mathematics education, particularly 3D printing and e-learning tools. She has increasingly focused on the social relevance of mathematics, exploring concepts of fairness, sustainability, and citizen empowerment through mathematical modeling. Her work bridges theoretical mathematics education with practical classroom applications, maintaining a strong connection to both historical perspectives and contemporary educational challenges. Special prize from Sparkasse Bad Hersfeld-Rotenburg for best mathematics Abitur (1989) Borchers Plaque for doctoral examinations passed with distinction (2011) DMV honor as Mathemaker of the Month (2013) Brigitte Gilles Prize 2013 for the MINT-L4 Center Professor Heitzer has supervised numerous doctoral students, serving as primary or secondary advisor for at least nine PhD dissertations between 2016-2021. Her research projects include the School-University Project MathePlus Aachen (iMPACt), e-Learning 'Mathematics for Civil Engineers,' and the development of mathematics items for StudiChecks NRW. She has secured funding through the Quality Initiative for Teacher Education (both phases) and participates in the ComeIn project focused on digitalization in teacher training. Her grants consistently emphasize practical applications of mathematics education research with direct impact on classroom practice. As a founding member of the MINT-L4@RWTH center and initiator of the working group Mathematical Education for Sustainable Development, Professor Heitzer has established significant collaborative structures. She participates in the Subject Didactics Forum at the Teacher Training Center of RWTH Aachen and has served in leadership roles including Chair of the Center Council (2014-2016) and Board member of the Teacher Training Center (2014-2017). Her work connects with national and international networks through her membership in the Society for Mathematics Education (GDM), the German Association for Mathematics and Science Education (MNU), and the German Mathematical Society (DMV).
Viktoriya Olari is a researcher at the Didactics of Computer Science department, Freie Universität Berlin. Her work focuses on artificial intelligence literacy, data literacy, and digital education frameworks for K-12 and teacher training programs. She contributes to projects like ENKIS, DigiProMIN, and TrainDL, emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches to computer science education. Key Projects: ENKIS, AMI, Digi4All, siMINT, AI@IT2School Her recent publications address pedagogical methods for AI/data literacy integration, teacher professional development, and physical computing in education. She holds weekly consultation hours for students and maintains research partnerships across Germany. Research Themes: AI education in schools, data-driven pedagogy, digital transformation of teacher training
Mareike Fuhlrott is a researcher in German Studies at the University of Siegen, Faculty I, specializing in the didactics of the German language with a focus on writing instruction, subject-specific learning tasks, and the integration of artificial intelligence in educational contexts. She is actively involved in teaching, research, and interdisciplinary projects. Her research interests include language-sensitive subject teaching, educational task design, digital learning materials, and Education for Sustainable Development. She employs both qualitative and quantitative research methods and contributes to national and international academic discourse through lectures and workshops. Mareike Fuhlrott is engaged in several collaborative research projects such as KIMADU (AI in German and Mathematics), SBN (Language – Education – Sustainability), KIS (AI Writing Arrangements), DigiWiss, FiSBY, and BiSu. She has delivered numerous presentations on AI in writing instruction, textbook optimization, and linguistic complexity in ESD materials at universities across Germany and Europe. She completed her dissertation under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Torsten Steinhoff and Prof. Dr. Katrin Kleinschmidt-Schinke. She teaches courses for primary school teacher education and leads innovative teaching projects focused on open educational resources (OER), AI-supported assessment, and digital science communication. She also provides academic writing support through the Center for Academic Writing (ZefaS). Her work emphasizes interdisciplinary, reflective, and competence-based approaches to shaping education in the digital age.
Professor Matthias Bauer is a distinguished scholar of English literature at the Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, where he has served as Professor of English since 2004. He currently holds the position of Chair of English Literatures and Cultures and acts as speaker for Modern Languages in the Faculty of Humanities. His academic journey includes a professorship at Saarland University (2001-2004) and extensive scholarly contributions across multiple research domains. First state examination in English and History from Münster University (1984) MA in English Literature from Yale University (1985) Dr. phil. from Münster University (1990; supervisor: Inge Leimberg) Habilitation from Münster University (1999) Professor Bauer's research spans Early Modern English literature (particularly Shakespeare and Metaphysical Poetry), nineteenth-century literature (with emphasis on Dickens), and poetry across historical periods. His work explores the aesthetics of co-creativity, the relationship between language and literature, and literary processes of sacralization and desacralization. He investigates how understanding literary texts functions, what competencies are required, and whether systematic annotation can facilitate comprehension. His recent publications reveal a strong focus on collaborative authorship in Early Modern literature, ambiguity studies, and the intersection of digital humanities with literary annotation. Professor Bauer consistently examines how texts create meaning through ambiguity, co-creation, and religious dimensions, connecting historical literary practices with contemporary theoretical frameworks. Deputy spokesperson for CRC/SFB 1391 "Different Aesthetics" (since 2019) Chair of project C5 "The Aesthetics of Co-Creativity in Early Modern English Literature" Chair of project C5 "Multiple Common Grounds" in CRC/SFB 1718 "Common Ground" Former chair of Research Training Group "Ambiguity: Production and Perception" (2013-2022) He actively supervises Bachelor's and Master's theses on literature from 1550-1900, literary theory, literature and linguistics, poetry, and literature and religion. His editorial work includes serving as co-editor of Connotations: A Journal for Critical Debate, the Literaturwissenschaftliches Jahrbuch, and multiple book series focusing on religion and literature. Professor Bauer leads research teams working on projects related to the Collaborative Research Center "Common Ground" (CRC/SFB 1718), where he chairs project C5 "Multiple Common Grounds: Linguistic Mechanisms for Literary Meaning." His department also hosts a peer-learning project on annotating literature, connecting theoretical research with practical pedagogical applications.
Prof. Dr. Lena Wessel is a Mathematics Education faculty member at the Department of Mathematics Didactics, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Computer Science and Mathematics, University of Paderborn. She leads teacher training programs and participates in university governance as elected Faculty Council member. Research Focus: Her work centers on comprehension-oriented mathematics instruction at secondary/vocational levels, emphasizing language development, continuity in curriculum design (spiral principle), and digital mathematics tools. As DZLM network partner, she develops professional development programs for secondary educators. LiaNMU project (scalar products, plane reflections) VioLa project (digital discussion formats) LLV.HD project (cross-university learning networks) Key Contributions: She has coordinated major projects like MESUT (language-supported fraction understanding) and LaMaVoC (language in vocational mathematics). Her 2024 publications analyze language-integrated pedagogy and algebraic concept unification in teacher training.
Stefania Degaetano-Ortlieb is an Associate Professor of English Linguistics and Corpus Linguistics at Saarland University's Department of Language Science and Technology. She serves as Principal Investigator for the Collaborative Research Center (SFB 1102) 'Information Density and Linguistic Encoding,' leading Project B1 on diachronic information density in English scientific writing (17th century-present). Her interdisciplinary work bridges computational methods with sociolinguistics, focusing on register variation, language change, and digital humanities. Research interests center on text mining, data analytics, and probabilistic modeling of language variation. Key areas include: Diachronic evolution of scientific registers and linguistic densification Information-theoretic approaches to language efficiency Computational sociolinguistics and register diversification AI applications in humanities education (e.g., ChatGPT integration) Her publications show a strong trend toward quantitative diachronic analysis, with recent work emphasizing: interpretable AI models for linguistic change detection; propagandistic narrative analysis in conflict zones; and multi-word expression dynamics in scientific discourse. Cross-disciplinary collaborations frequently intersect with history, psychology, and media studies. Awards include the Fellowship Excellence Program for Young Female Scientists (2015-2018). Current grants: EU Horizon MSCA Doctoral Network 'CASCADE' (€521K to UdS, 2024-2027) Data-Pin Project for AI in education (€50K, 2023-2024) SFB 1102 Project B1 (€595K, 2022-2026) Advises PhD candidates in the EU CASCADE project on computational semantic change. Leads a research team exploring Russian media narratives, personality modeling in LLMs, and multi-word expressions. Directs teaching modules integrating AI tools for humanities students.
Prof. Stefan Wrobel is a Professor of Computer Science at the University of Bonn and Director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Intelligent Analysis and Information Systems (IAIS). He holds leadership roles, including Co-Director of the Lamarr Institute for Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence and Managing Director of the Bonn-Aachen International Center for Information Technology (b-it). His research focuses on AI, machine learning, and big data applications in industry and society. He earned his PhD from the University of Dortmund and has held academic positions at Magdeburg University and Berlin Technical University. Active in national/international AI initiatives, he chairs the Fraunhofer Strategic Research Field on Artificial Intelligence and co-leads the Machine Learning Rhine-Ruhr (ML2R) Competence Center. Education: Master's (Georgia Tech), PhD (University of Dortmund). Research emphasizes intelligent algorithms, data analysis, and AI ethics. Awarded GI-Fellow (2022) and honored by the German Computer Science Society for contributions to AI history. Key roles include Editorial Board member of Machine Learning journals and advisory roles in AI ethics and certification. Scientific contributions span over 100 publications in machine learning, data mining, and visual analytics. Advised numerous PhD students on topics like graph mining and trustworthy AI. Leadership in institutions like Fraunhofer Technology Hub for Machine Learning and the German Computer Science Society's Special Interest Group on Knowledge Discovery.
Prof. Dr. Christian Rathmann is a Professor for Sign Language Interpreting at the Institute of Rehabilitation Sciences , Humboldt University of Berlin. His academic journey includes prior roles at the University of Hamburg, University of Bristol, and The Ohio State University. PhD in Linguistics (2005), University of Texas at Austin MA in Linguistics (2000), University of Texas at Austin Research Interests : Rathmann specializes in sign language linguistics , focusing on morphosyntactic processes, semantics, and pragmatics. His work explores L1/L2 acquisition , multilingualism, language contact, and the implementation of the CEFR for sign languages . He also investigates Deaf Studies , discourse analysis, and language rights within international contexts. Scientific Contributions include publications on verb agreement, language standardization, and bilingual co-activation. His 2024 work on Signbank 2.0 and VisuoLab emphasizes digital resources for sign languages. Alexander von Humboldt Polish Honorary Research Scholarship (2016-2020) Professional Engagement : Rathmann serves on editorial boards (e.g., Frontiers in Psychology ) and scientific committees, including the SignON Project and the German Deaf Association . He advocates for early sign language access and language rights for deaf children.
Dagmar Abendroth-Timmer is a Professor in Romance Studies - Didactics at the University of Siegen, Faculty I. She is a leading figure in foreign language didactics, with a strong focus on action-oriented teaching, multilingualism, teacher education, and digital learning environments. Her research is deeply international, involving collaborations across Europe through projects like LANGSCAPE, ENROPE, and ViMuLEnc. University: University of Siegen School: Faculty I Department: Romance Studies - Didactics Position: Professor Email: abendroth@romanistik.uni-siegen.de Her research interests include foreign language didactics, multilingual and intercultural education, teacher professionalization, empirical research methods, and digital learning. She has made significant contributions to the development of action-oriented language teaching models, particularly in digital and multilingual contexts. Her recent publications explore virtual multilingual encounters, translanguaging, and identity formation in language classrooms. The recent articles reflect a strong trend toward digitalization in language education, with a focus on virtual exchange, teacher training in digital environments, and the role of multilingualism in online learning. There is a consistent emphasis on reflective practice, identity, and critical pedagogy across her work. She is actively involved in academic leadership, serving as a network consultant for LANGSCAPE and coordinating international projects. She has contributed to numerous edited volumes and special journal issues, particularly on plurilingualism and teacher education. Dagmar Abendroth-Timmer supervises research assistants and contributes to curriculum development in teacher education. She is engaged in ongoing research projects such as ViMuLEnc, which explores virtual multilingual learning encounters, and drama pedagogy in language teaching. Her work bridges theory and practice, aiming to enhance both teacher training and classroom instruction in foreign languages.
Dr. Sebastian Hellmann is a senior researcher at the Institute of Computer Science , University of Leipzig , affiliated with the Business Information Systems department. He leads the Knowledge Integration and Language Technologies (KILT) Competence Center at InfAI and serves as executive director and board member of the DBpedia Association . His work spans semantic technologies, linked data, and knowledge graphs, with significant contributions to data curation, FAIR data principles, and natural language processing. PhD in Computer Science (2014) at University of Leipzig Contributed to open-source projects like DBpedia, NLP2RDF, and OWLG Author of over 80 peer-reviewed publications (h-index 21, 4300+ citations) Sebastian's research focuses on Knowledge Graphs , Ontology Management , and Data Interoperability , as evidenced by his publications and projects. Recent work includes ClassRank for knowledge graph summarization, DBpedia Databus for dataset management, and the Open Energy Ontology for energy systems analysis. His projects often bridge semantic web technologies with practical applications in data quality, integration, and user-centric tools. Selected publications highlight his expertise in Linked Data , Ontology Archiving , and Agile Knowledge Engineering . He actively participates in academic-industry collaborations through EU H2020 projects like ALIGNED and FREME , as well as the Smart Data Web initiative. His work with DBpedia, Wikidata, and the Semantic Web community underscores his commitment to advancing machine-readable knowledge representation.
