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.
Felicitas Kleber is Professor of Speech Science in the Department of Language Science and Technology at Saarland University (Universität des Saarlandes). Her research profile demonstrates extensive expertise in experimental phonetics and laboratory phonology with a particular focus on German dialects and sound change phenomena. She maintains active research collaborations, most notably with J. Harrington and Ulrich Reubold, resulting in numerous high-impact publications in leading linguistics and phonetics journals. Her research interests span experimental phonetics and laboratory phonology with specific expertise in speech production and perception , sound change processes, German dialectology , phonological acquisition , and prosody and intonation analysis. Her work frequently examines the acoustic, perceptual, and articulatory dimensions of speech, particularly focusing on vowel and consonant quantity phenomena in German varieties. Analysis of her publication record reveals consistent methodological rigor with emphasis on acoustic analysis, perception experiments, and longitudinal studies. Her research often investigates sound changes in progress, particularly examining vowel fronting phenomena in both German and English varieties, and the relationship between speech production and perception mechanisms. Much of her work employs apparent-time analyses to track diachronic changes through synchronic variation across age groups. Professor Kleber serves as an Associate editor for the Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, reflecting her standing in the field. She has secured significant research funding including the DFG-funded project "Typology of vowel and consonant quantity in South German varieties: acoustic, auditory, and articulatory analyses of adult and child speakers" (2016-2024) and the DAAD-supported "Form and function of prosodic structure in Hungarian and German" (2015-2016). Her research methodology typically combines acoustic analysis with perception experiments and sometimes articulatory measurements to provide comprehensive insights into phonetic phenomena.
Dr. Tyll Robin Lemke is a researcher at Saarland University in the Department of Modern German Linguistics (Neuere deutsche Sprachwissenschaft). He serves as a scientific staff member in Project B3 of the Collaborative Research Center SFB 1102. His academic focus includes experimental linguistics, syntax, and psycholinguistics, with specialized expertise in ellipsis phenomena and fragment analysis. Lemke's research explores the cognitive underpinnings of language production and comprehension, particularly investigating how predictability, context, and information theory shape linguistic structures. His work employs diverse methodologies including corpus analysis, psycholinguistic experiments, computational modeling, and gamified experimental paradigms to examine ellipsis, fragments, and syntactic phenomena in German. Analysis of Lemke's recent publications reveals consistent themes: the role of predictability in language production, constraints on ellipsis resolution, information-theoretic approaches to language efficiency, and experimental validation of syntactic theories. His research bridges theoretical linguistics with cognitive science through innovative experimental designs. In the upcoming 2025/26 winter semester, Lemke is teaching courses on Experimental Linguistics and Ellipsis in Theory and Experiment. He maintains an active research program within the SFB 1102 collaborative framework and regularly presents at international linguistics conferences.
Dr. Yu Huang is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science at Vanderbilt University's School of Engineering, with a secondary appointment in the Department of Teaching and Learning at the Peabody School of Education. She is affiliated with the Institute for Software Integrated Systems, the Frist Center for Autism and Innovation, the Vanderbilt Lab for Immersive AI Translation (VALIANT), and the Vanderbilt LIVE Learning Innovation Incubator. Her academic journey began with a BS in Aerospace Engineering from Harbin Institute of Technology in China (2011), followed by an MS in Computer Engineering from the University of Virginia (2015), and culminated with a PhD in Computer Science and Engineering from the University of Michigan in 2021 under Professor Westley Weimer. Dr. Huang's research bridges human cognition and machine intelligence to enhance software development. Her work spans software, hardware, AI, medical imaging (fMRI/fNIRS), eye tracking, and mobile sensing through collaborations with Security, Education, Psychology, and Neuroscience researchers. She leads the MIND Lab (Mixed INtelligence Development for programming lab), investigating programming expertise formation, code comprehension processes, cognitive error patterns, and diversity in programming communities. Her innovative approach combines empirical human studies with AI model development to create more effective programming tools. Her recent publications reveal a growing emphasis on leveraging human attention data to improve code language models, analyzing cognitive biases in security contexts, and examining social factors in technical communication. The research shows strong interdisciplinary connections between neuroscience, psychology, and software engineering, with increasing applications of LLMs in developer tooling. Dr. Huang's work consistently demonstrates how understanding human cognition can inform better AI systems for programming tasks. Dr. Huang has received numerous prestigious recognitions including the 2025 ICPC Vaclav Rajlich Early Career Achievement Award and three ACM SIGSOFT Distinguished Paper Awards (ICSE 2019, FSE 2023, ICSE 2024). Her lab has earned the Best Presentation Award at GI2024, while her students have received the Richard Bennett/Dorothy Danforth Compton Prize scholarship and the C. F. Chen Best Paper award. She actively mentors a diverse team of graduate students (Yifan Zhang, Zach Karas, Zihan Fang, Yueke Zhang, Jiahao Zhang) and undergraduate researchers, with many former students advancing to top institutions (Stanford, Harvard, Duke, UC Berkeley) and organizations (NASA JPL). Her research is supported by a 4-year NSF grant, GitHub Tech for Social Good funding, and the Provost's Faculty Immersion Vanderbilt Grant, enabling comprehensive studies of human-AI collaboration in software engineering. The MIND Lab maintains a strong collaborative culture, frequently working with Professor Kevin Leach's research group and organizing retreats to locations like Radnor State Park and the Great Smoky Mountains. This environment fosters innovation at the intersection of human cognition and software engineering while supporting the professional development of emerging researchers in the field.
Dr. Silvana Deilen is a Researcher at the Institute for Translation Studies & Technical Communication within the Faculty of Language and Information Sciences at the University of Hildesheim. She joined the university in 2023 after working as a Research Associate at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz from 2018-2024. Her primary research focus centers on accessible communication, particularly in the areas of Easy Language and Plain Language translation, with special emphasis on cognitive aspects of translation processes and AI-assisted translation technologies. Dr. Deilen earned her B.A. in Multilingual Communication from Cologne University of Applied Sciences (2012-2015), followed by an M.A. in Specialized Translation from the same institution (2015-2018). She completed her doctoral studies (Dr. phil.) in Translation Studies at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (2018-2021) with summa cum laude distinction, supervised by Prof. Dr. Silvia Hansen-Schirra and Prof. Dr. Arne Nagels. Her research interests span multiple interconnected domains within translation and communication accessibility. A significant portion of her work examines the cognitive processing of compound words in Easy Language, utilizing eye-tracking methodologies to investigate how visual segmentation affects reading behavior and cognitive load. She has pioneered research on AI-assisted translation for health communication, particularly focusing on how large language models can support the creation of accessible health information. Her work bridges theoretical translation studies with practical applications in healthcare, government communication, and digital accessibility. Dr. Deilen's publication record reveals a clear trajectory toward increasingly sophisticated integration of technology and accessibility. Her recent work shows strong emphasis on evaluating AI systems like ChatGPT for translation tasks, developing editorial workflows for AI-assisted translation of health information, and investigating cognitive aspects of compound translation. The interdisciplinary nature of her research connects linguistics, cognitive science, health communication, and artificial intelligence, demonstrating how translation studies can address real-world accessibility challenges. 2014 & 2016: PROMOS Scholarships 2018-2021: Doctoral Scholarship from Gutenberg Young Researchers College 2020: Best Student Paper Award at Swiss Conference on Barrier-free Communication 2023: Award for Outstanding Dissertation from Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz 2023: Multiple research grants from University of Hildesheim, Wort & Bild Verlag, and Niedersachsen Zukunftsdiskurse 2025: DAAD Postdoctoral Research Grant Dr. Deilen actively collaborates on significant research projects including the KI-GesKom project (AI-Supported Health Communication in Plain Language), which receives funding from the state of Niedersachsen. She works closely with Prof. Dr. Ekaterina Lapshinova-Koltunski, Prof. Dr. Christiane Maaß, and Sergio Hernández Garrido as part of the Research Center for Easy Language. Her work with the Apotheken Umschau demonstrates practical application of research, translating health information into accessible formats for people with communication limitations. Dr. Deilen also contributes to the academic community as a program chair and scientific committee member for international conferences including UCCTS 2025 and Translation in Transition 2024.
Kevin Trompelt serves as Lecturer and Chair of Hebrew Linguistics at Heidelberg University of Jewish Studies since 2006, teaching comprehensive Hebrew language courses from beginner to advanced levels including Modern Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew, Rabbinic Hebrew, and Tanakh with Accents. His academic foundation includes: M.A. in Bible from Hebrew University of Jerusalem (2005) Hebrew Language studies at Hebrew University of Jerusalem (1999-2005) Semitics/Islamic Studies, Protestant Theology and Judaic Studies at Jena, Halle and Leipzig Universities (1995-1999) Doctoral concept development at University of Tübingen (2005-2006) Trompelt's research centers on the Masoretic accentuation system's linguistic functions, examining its syntactic structure, exegetical significance, and role in text segmentation across Biblical Hebrew manuscripts. His work reveals how accentuation reflects textual variants between Masoretic tradition and earlier sources like Dead Sea Scrolls, with particular focus on poetic books (Psalms, Proverbs, Job). He demonstrates the system's dual function as both grammatical guide and textual preservation mechanism. Publication trends show escalating sophistication from foundational textual variant analysis (2009-2011) to current syntactic-exegetical integration (2022-2024), consistently bridging linguistic theory with practical textual criticism across Biblical and Rabbinic corpora. He has mentored numerous Hebrew language students through structured curriculum development while advancing research without documented external grants or awards.
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.
Min Peng is a Professor at Wuhan University's School of Computer Science. His research focuses on artificial intelligence, machine learning, natural language processing, and knowledge graphs. He has collaborated extensively with institutions like Hefei University of Technology and the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences. His work bridges theoretical advancements in AI with practical applications in finance, social media analysis, and network optimization. Recent contributions include neural-symbolic reasoning frameworks, contrastive learning for knowledge graphs, and financial benchmarking with large language models. Research interests emphasize scalable machine learning models for complex reasoning tasks, explainable AI, and domain-specific applications in finance and social networks. Over 100 publications span venues like WWW, ACL, and NeurIPS, highlighting interdisciplinary impact. Notable projects include SymAgent (neural-symbolic agent frameworks), PIXIU (financial LLM benchmark), and DTC (commonsense machine comprehension). Key technical trends include integrating large language models with structured data, temporal knowledge graph reasoning, and transfer learning across domains. His work often addresses real-world challenges in data efficiency, interpretability, and cross-domain scalability. Current efforts explore financial LLMs, agent-based reasoning systems, and multimodal applications. While no specific grants or awards are listed in the provided data, his prolific publication record indicates sustained research excellence. Collaboration networks include teams in computer science, electrical engineering, and finance disciplines.
Nele McElvany serves as Professor of Empirical Educational Research and Vice Rector for Research at TU Dortmund University, where she has been Executive Director of the Institute for Research on Education and School Development (IFS) since 2014. Her academic career spans leadership roles in major educational research initiatives and significant contributions to understanding literacy development, educational assessment, and the intersection of migration and education within the Faculty of Educational Sciences, Psychology and Educational Research. Her research focuses on teaching and learning in school contexts, assessment and promotion of literacy skills, education in relation to migration and social inequalities, teacher competencies, and large-scale educational assessments. Professor McElvany's work particularly emphasizes reading comprehension development across diverse student populations, vocabulary acquisition mechanisms, and the impact of educational interventions on student outcomes. Her methodological expertise spans longitudinal studies, large-scale assessments, and experimental interventions. Analysis of her publication record reveals consistent engagement with international comparative studies, particularly the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS/IGLU), alongside growing attention to contemporary challenges like the educational impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Her research demonstrates methodological sophistication through integration of qualitative and quantitative approaches to examine how family background, migration status, and educational policies affect learning outcomes. Professor McElvany leads numerous significant research projects including the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study 2026, the National Educational Panel Study (NEPS), and various initiatives focused on reading promotion through AI, teacher development, and educational equity. She serves on multiple national and international committees including as Chairwoman of the NEPS Network Committee and member of the Scientific Advisory Board of Stiftung Lesen.
Prof. Dr. Claudia Schlaak is Professor of Language Teaching and Learning Research: Didactics of French and Spanish at the University of Kassel, where she serves as Head of the Department of Foreign Language Teaching and Learning Research. She has held this position since September 2020, following an acting professorship at the same institution from October 2018 to December 2019. Her academic work bridges theoretical research and practical application in foreign language education, with particular focus on inclusive teaching methodologies and multilingual contexts. Dr. Schlaak's research centers on foreign language teaching and learning, with special emphasis on didactics of French and Spanish, inclusive education approaches, multilingualism in educational contexts, and the integration of digital technologies in language acquisition. Her work examines how diverse language backgrounds influence learning processes, with particular attention to bilingual learners (especially German-Turkish bilinguals) acquiring Romance languages. She investigates pronunciation acquisition, text complexity, intercultural competence development, and the implementation of inclusive teaching strategies that recognize learner diversity as a resource rather than a challenge. Analysis of her recent publications reveals a strong trend toward digital learning environments, with increasing focus on virtual reality applications, 360-degree learning environments, and digital tools for pronunciation training. Her research consistently addresses multilingual contexts and inclusive approaches, with growing attention to potential-oriented teaching methodologies that shift focus from deficits to learner strengths. The interdisciplinary nature of her work connects linguistics, educational psychology, and technology-enhanced learning. Dr. Schlaak serves as co-editor of the journal Romance Language and its Didactics (since January 2019) and the series French Didactics in Dialogue (since April 2020). She has contributed significantly to academic discourse through numerous edited volumes, special journal issues, and collaborative research projects that bridge theoretical insights with practical classroom applications. Her work demonstrates strong commitment to teacher education, with multiple publications addressing pre-service and in-service teacher training, particularly regarding inclusive practices, intercultural competence development, and the integration of digital tools in language teaching. She has developed practical teaching materials, including method cards for foreign language instruction and inclusive teaching resources for Spanish language classrooms.
Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Rasha Abdel Rahman is a leading figure in Neurocognitive Psychology at the Institute of Psychology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin . Her research bridges the domains of language production , visual perception , and semantic memory organization , with particular emphasis on electrophysiological mechanisms (EEG) and emotional influences on cognitive processing. Habilitation in Psychology (2008), Ph.D. in Psychology (summa cum laude, 2001), and M.S. in Psychology (1997) from Humboldt-Universität Since 2010: Heisenberg Professor of Neurocognitive Psychology 2009: Heisenberg Fellow Her research interests focus on: Language production mechanisms Interface between vision, semantics, and language Functional organization of semantic memory Attentional and emotional modulation of perception Face and object perception dynamics Mental imagery processes The laboratory employs behavioral and electrophysiological (EEG) methods to investigate how knowledge shapes perception and language processing. Recent studies examine: Emotional content's impact on social judgment AI-generated face perception Art perception influenced by artist morality Trustworthiness effects in visual consciousness Selected scientific awards include: Heisenberg-Fellowship (DFG, 2008) Heinz Heckhausen Junior Scientist Award (DGPs, 2002)
Dr. Francesca Delogu is a Scientific Associate at Saarland University's Department of Linguistics and Language Technology. Her research focuses on the cognitive and neural bases of online language understanding, particularly expectation-based mechanisms, event/script knowledge, pragmatic inferences, and reference processes. Specializes in ERP (Event-Related Potentials) and eye tracking methodologies Collaborates extensively with Prof. Matthew W. Crocker and Dr. Herbert Brouwer Her work examines how extra-linguistic knowledge influences semantic integration and lexical retrieval, with applications in computational linguistics and language technology. She has taught courses on experimental methods in psycholinguistic research since 2012. Key research trends include the functional dissociation of ERP components (N400/P600) in language comprehension, rational redundancy in referential expressions, and the role of discourse context in expectation generation. Her publications span journals like Language, Cognition and Neuroscience , Cognitive Science , and Brain Research .
Prof. Dr. Poldi Kuhl is a Professor of Educational Psychology at Leuphana University , Lüneburg, since 2021. Affiliated with the Institute of Psychology in Education (IPE) and the Center for Empirical Research on Language and Education (ERLE) , Kuhl specializes in educational psychology, developmental psychology, and inclusive education. Their research focuses on data-driven decision-making, digital learning platforms, academic language demands, and teacher professional development. Education: Diploma in Psychology (2003) and PhD in Philosophy (2008) from Freie Universität Berlin. Kuhl’s recent work examines how academic language features affect learning outcomes, digital data utilization in primary education, and mental health literacy among teachers. Their publications span topics from virtual reality training tools to inclusive teaching strategies in mathematics. Kuhl’s career includes leadership roles at the Research Data Center (FDZ) at the Institute for Quality Improvement in Education (IQB) and a Junior Professorship at Leuphana University. They have collaborated with institutions like the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya and the Max Planck Institute for Human Development .
Susanne Narciss is a Professor at the Psychology of Learning and Instruction department of Technische Universität Dresden, leading the Center of Tactile Internet with Human in the Loop (CeTI). Her research focuses on error processing in educational contexts, with 15 recent publications analyzing error climates, feedback strategies, and motivational frameworks. Key Research Areas : Learning from errors/failure, instructional feedback design, affective-motivational responses, error-related metacognition. Methodological Scope : Combines longitudinal studies, experimental designs, and qualitative analyses across K-12, university, and informal learning settings (museums, home contexts). Her work emphasizes context-specific interventions for educators, parents, and students, including error-competency training programs and metacognitive scaffolding tools. Current projects examine vibrotactile feedback systems for motor learning and cultural responsiveness in psychology education. Collaborative Networks : Works with international teams on the International Competences for Undergraduate Psychology model and cyber-physical system pedagogy. Recent Trends : 2025 articles focus on collaborative error processing, scenario-based human-machine interaction, and generative learning tasks in digital environments.
Dr. Jacek Kudera is a post-doctoral researcher in the Department of Phonetics at the University of Trier, coordinator of the LODinG project at the Trier Center for Digital Humanities, and adjunct faculty at WSB Merito University in Wrocław. His work bridges phonetics, Slavic linguistics, digital humanities, and forensic speech science. Education 2022 – PhD, Department of Language Science and Technology, Saarland University, Germany 2019 – MA (Linguistics), Department of Linguistics, Cognitive Science and Semiotics, Aarhus University, Denmark 2015 – Magister (Slavic Philology), Institute of Slavic Studies, University of Wrocław, Poland Research Interests His research focuses on phonetic and prosodic aspects of Slavic languages , cross-linguistic speech perception , forensic automatic speaker recognition , and human-robot interaction . He employs experimental methods such as eye-tracking, articulatory measurements (EMA), and large-scale digital corpora to investigate how speakers of closely related languages understand one another and how machines can replicate or support this process. Publication Trends Across more than 25 peer-reviewed articles (2014-2025), Kudera has consistently explored Slavic intercomprehension , speech technology evaluation , and digital humanities infrastructure . Recent work (2024-2025) targets voice cloning security , linked open data for linguistics , and mismatch conditions in forensic speaker recognition . Scientific Awards & Fellowships Visegrad Fellowship, University of Presov (2025) Erasmus+ Fellowships (Ostrava 2025, Zagreb 2014, Rijeka 2012-2013) NAWA Fellowship, Polish Academy of Sciences (2022) Nordlys Fellowship, University of Eastern Finland (2018-2019) CEEPUS & additional Central-European mobility grants (2014-2018) Projects & Funding Coordinator : “Mismatch conditions in machine speaker identification” (University of Trier Research Fund, 2024-2025) Coordinator : LODinG – Linked Open Data in the Humanities (Trier Center for Digital Humanities, ongoing) Coordinator : “Patterns: Linguistic Creativity and Variation” (Trier Center for Language and Communication, 2022-2024) Member : SFB 1102 “Information Density and Linguistic Encoding” (Saarland University, DFG, 2019-2022) Member : Digital Atlas of Dialects of Bosnia and Herzegovina (2017-2018) Member : CLARIN-PL & European Roadmap for Research Infrastructures (2014-2017) Labs & Teams He conducts research within the Phonetics Team at the University of Trier , collaborates closely with the Trier Center for Digital Humanities , and maintains affiliations with the Phonetics Group at Saarland University and the WSB Merito University in Wrocław.
