Riddhi Das is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Freiburg, affiliated with the Cluster of Excellence liv MatS (Freiburg Center for Interactive Materials and Bioinspired Technologies). Their research focuses on soft robotics, particularly the design, fabrication, and actuation of pneumatic soft robots. Current work emphasizes developing soft autonomous machine (SaM) systems with integrated logic gates and sensors for environmental interaction. Key research interests include biomimetic robotics inspired by biological systems such as seahorses and earthworms, peristaltic locomotion in granular media, and modular robotics for multi-terrain environments. The lab aims to merge advancements from liv MatS research areas into fully operational autonomous robotic systems. Publications highlight innovations in bioinspired robotics, granular medium locomotion, and programmable materials. While no awards are explicitly mentioned, their work aligns with cutting-edge interdisciplinary robotics research. Advising and grants details are not provided in the text. The lab is part of the liv MatS initiative, focusing on interactive materials and bioinspired technologies.
Jasmin Blanchette is a Professor of Theoretical Computer Science and Theorem Proving at the Institute for Informatics, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU), where he also serves as Dean of Studies for Computer Science since January 2024. He is additionally affiliated as a guest researcher with the VeriDis group at Loria in Nancy, France. His research lies at the intersection of automated and interactive theorem proving, with a focus on higher-order logic and proof automation. Key projects include the development of tools like Sledgehammer, Nitpick, and Zipperposition, and foundational work on (co)datatypes and higher-order superposition. His recent publications reflect a strong trend in formalizing and verifying automated reasoning techniques, especially in higher-order logic, with applications in proof automation, SMT solving, and logical verification. Articles frequently appear in top venues such as CADE, ITP, and the Journal of Automated Reasoning. CADE 2023 Best Paper Award for 'Verified given clause procedures' FroCoS 2023 Best Paper Award (with Visa Nummelin and Sander Dahmen) IPA Dissertation Award (awarded to his student Petar Vukmirović) Dutch 'cum laude' distinction (awarded to his student Anne Baanen) Dutch Prize for ICT Research 2022 Blanchette has advised numerous PhD and postdoctoral researchers, many of whom are now active contributors to the formal methods community. He has received significant research grants through projects like Matryoshka and Nekoka. He is also the editor-in-chief of the Journal of Automated Reasoning and plays a central role in organizing key conferences such as ITP, CADE, and CPP. He leads an active research group at LMU, consisting of postdocs and PhD students working on topics such as higher-order superposition, formalization of voting systems, categorical logic, and proof search heuristics. The team collaborates closely with international groups, including those at Inria and TU Wien.
Prof. Peter Hertkorn is a full professor of Computer Science at Reutlingen University's Faculty of Computer Science, specializing in programming languages and databases. He holds leadership roles including Chair of the Examination Board for Media and Communication Informatics B.Sc. and BAföG Officer for the same program. His research focuses on model-driven software development, domain-specific languages, DevOps automation, interactive learning technologies, and distributed ledger technologies. He co-leads the Software Engineering and User Experience (swuxLAB) and Distributed Ledger Technologies (DLT-LAB) research groups. Education background includes a Diplom-Informatiker (master's equivalent) and Dr.-Ing. (PhD) from University of Stuttgart. Professional experience includes 5 years at T-Systems International GmbH and prior academic roles at University of Stuttgart. His teaching focuses on Software Engineering and Database Systems courses. Publications span interactive learning environments, collaborative innovation systems, and AR-based knowledge spaces. Active in academic service roles and interdisciplinary research collaborations since 2009.
Prof. Dr. Kai Essig is a Professor of Human Factors and Interactive Systems at the Faculty of Communication and Environment, Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences, Kamp-Lintfort, Germany. He has a strong interdisciplinary background combining computer science, cognitive science, and human-computer interaction, with a focus on eye tracking, visual perception, and assistive technologies. Master of Science in Computer Science and Chemistry, Bielefeld University (1998) Ph.D. in Computer Science, Bielefeld University (2007) His research centers on eye tracking, human-computer interaction, usability engineering, visual attention, and cognitive interaction technology . He investigates how movement expertise influences visual perception and how multimodal software can support real-time human actions. His work integrates computer vision, machine learning, and neuroscience to develop intelligent systems that adapt to user behavior. The 15 most recent publications reflect a consistent trend in eye movement analysis, mental representations, brain-machine interfaces, and assistive technologies . These works span domains such as sports psychology, robotics, augmented reality, and cognitive neuroscience, demonstrating a strong interdisciplinary approach. Key themes include gaze-based interaction, automated annotation of visual behavior, and the implementation of smart systems for daily living assistance. Scientific recognition includes: Landmark in the Land of Ideas (2018) – for the ADAMAAS project, awarded by 'Land of Ideas', a joint initiative of the German government and the Federation of German Industries Prof. Essig has been actively involved in research projects such as ADAMAAS (Adaptive and Mobile Action Assistance in Daily Living Activities), which received national recognition. He has collaborated extensively with the Neurocognition and Action-Biomechanics Research Group at Bielefeld University and the Excellence Cluster CITEC. While no formal advising of students is listed, his publications suggest mentorship and collaboration with junior researchers. His lab work is centered on eye-tracking systems, multimodal interaction, and cognitive modeling , particularly within applied environments like smart glasses and assistive technologies.
Nele Mentens is a full professor at both KU Leuven and Leiden University, where she leads cutting-edge research in applied cryptography, hardware security, and secure embedded systems. At KU Leuven, she is affiliated with the Faculty of Engineering Technology and the Electrical Engineering Department (ESAT), leading the Emerging Technologies, Systems & Security (ES&S) research group at the Diepenbeek campus. Simultaneously, she holds a full professorship at Leiden University’s Leiden Institute of Advanced Computer Science (LIACS), focusing on applied cryptography and security. She has been instrumental in numerous national and international research initiatives, including Horizon Europe and NWO-funded projects. Full Professor, KU Leuven (since 2023) Full Professor, Leiden University (since 2020) Associate Professor, KU Leuven (2014–2023) Post-doctoral Researcher & Lecturer, KHLim / KU Leuven (2007–2014) Ph.D. in Engineering Science, KU Leuven (2007) M.Sc. in Electrical Engineering, KU Leuven (2003) Her research focuses on secure and efficient hardware design, particularly for cryptographic applications on FPGAs, reconfigurable architectures, IoT security, and neuromorphic computing. She explores physical attack resistance, side-channel analysis protection, and trusted computing architectures, with applications in healthcare, industrial monitoring, and endpoint AI. Her work bridges theoretical cryptography with practical hardware implementations, emphasizing energy efficiency and real-time performance. The 15 most recent publications reflect a strong trend toward secure, energy-efficient, and intelligent embedded systems. Topics include neuromorphic AI accelerators, trusted IoT architectures, dynamic reconfiguration for side-channel protection, and secure medical data processing. These works span disciplines such as computer architecture, cybersecurity, digital design, and embedded systems, with a focus on hardware-software co-design and real-world deployment. Nele Mentens has received recognition for her contributions, including: Best Paper Award, DATE'16 Best Paper Nomination, AsianHOST'17 Best Paper Award, CHES'19 She has supervised over 15 Ph.D. students and post-docs, both current and former, and has served as principal investigator in approximately 25 funded research projects. Her work has attracted significant grants from Horizon Europe, NWO, FWO, and national innovation programs. She actively contributes to the academic community through editorial roles in top journals and leadership in major conferences. Nele Mentens leads the ES&S research group at KU Leuven and collaborates closely with LIACS at Leiden University. Her team includes Ph.D. students, post-docs, and research experts working on projects like NimbleAI, NeuroSoC, and TrustedIoT. She has also established secure electronics labs through infrastructure grants and maintains strong international ties with institutions such as EPFL, Ruhr University Bochum, and ETH Zurich.
L. Thomas van Binsbergen is a Professor in the Department of Computer Science & Computer Engineering at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, affiliated with the College of Science & Health. His work focuses on language design, formal methods, and policy-based systems. His research explores Executable formal specifications of programming languages Modular meta-language frameworks (e.g., iCoLa+, eFLINT) Data-dependent grammars for network protocols Purpose-based access control derived from GDPR Functional parsing algorithms (GLL, Happy-GLL) Policy enforcement in distributed systems Recent publications (2020-2025) demonstrate trends in language parametric design, security policy formalization, and exploratory programming environments. Notable collaborations include Damian Frölich, Tim Müller, and Tom M. van Engers. Van Binsbergen earned his PhD from Royal Holloway, University of London (2019) and contributes to conferences like GPCE, SLE, and workshops on programming language theory and data security.
Jürgen Giesl is a Professor at the Teaching and Research Area Computer Science 2 within the Department of Computer Science at RWTH Aachen University , Germany. He leads research in programming languages, formal verification, automated deduction, and term rewriting systems. Research Interests: Automated Termination and Complexity Analysis of Programs Dependency Pairs and Term Rewriting Systems Verification of Probabilistic and Integer Programs Static Analysis and Symbolic Execution Model Checking and Constrained Horn Clauses Development of Automated Tools (AProVE, LoAT) His recent research, reflected in the latest publications, focuses on termination and complexity analysis for probabilistic programs, polynomial loops, and integer programs, using advanced techniques such as dependency pairs, loop acceleration, and semiring semantics. He also contributes to SMT solving and transitive relation learning for infinite-state model checking. Scientific Awards: Best Tool Paper Award at iFM 2017 Silver Medal (Second Best Paper) at SEFM '16 Best Paper Honourable Mention at IJCAR 2024 Best Student Paper Honourable Mention at IJCAR 2024 Advising and Grants: Giesl has supervised numerous PhD and Master’s students, including prominent researchers such as Fabian Frohn, Jens Hensel, Nils Lommen, and Marcel Hark. He leads a large research group focused on automated verification and has contributed extensively to international verification competitions. His work is supported by ongoing research grants and collaborations with leading institutions in formal methods. Labs and Teams: He leads the Programming Languages and Verification research group at RWTH Aachen, which develops and maintains the AProVE and LoAT tools. These tools are central to automated termination and complexity analysis and are regularly submitted to international competitions such as TERMCOMP and VBS.
Prof. Dennis Kolberg serves as Professor of Industrial Engineering at Lübeck University of Applied Sciences, holding dual leadership roles as Head of Industrial Engineering Bachelor/Master programs and Head of the Institute for Entrepreneurship and Business Development (IEBD). His career uniquely bridges academic research and industry implementation, with recent executive experience as Chief Product Officer at DIGIMONDO (2020-2023) and co-founding SPARETECH (2019). M.Sc. Industrial Engineering, University of Bremen (2007-2014) Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering, Technical University of Kaiserslautern (2014-2018) focusing on Industry 4.0 and Lean Management Vocational Training as Industrial Clerk, RK Rose+Krieger (2004-2007) His research pioneers the integration of lean production methodologies with digital technologies , specializing in Industry 4.0 implementation and OT/IT convergence for manufacturing environments. Key contributions include developing reference architectures for cyber-physical production systems and optimizing human-machine interfaces through lean automation principles. Current work emphasizes digital transformation in B2B contexts , particularly for software startups in industrial settings. Publications from 2015-2022 reveal a consistent trajectory from foundational CPS architectures toward applied IoT solutions, with recent focus on digital twins for production optimization. His work consistently bridges theoretical frameworks and practical implementation , demonstrating how lean principles enhance digital transformation outcomes in manufacturing. Kolberg actively supervises bachelor's and master's theses at Lübeck University of Applied Sciences, with students registering via email for thesis topics. His industry background informs practical research directions, though specific grant funding isn't detailed in available sources. As IEBD Director, he drives academic-industry partnerships focused on digital entrepreneurship. Leading the Institute for Entrepreneurship and Business Development, Kolberg oversees initiatives connecting academic research with business development in digital manufacturing. Previously at DFKI's SmartFactory KL, he directed research on changeable cyber-physical production systems, establishing methodologies now applied in his current industry collaborations.
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Werner Homberg is Chair holder and Vice Dean at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Paderborn. He leads Subproject C03 "Forming and Machining Technology" within Collaborative Research Center Transregio 285 and serves as Dean of Research at the Institute for Lightweight Construction with Hybrid Systems (ILH). Research focus areas: Deep drawing process optimization with intrinsic lubrication Modular 3D roller straightening systems for spring steel wires Forming-based manufacturing of lightweight joining elements Tool life improvement in thermomechanical forming Flow forming of metastable austenitic steel with phase transformation monitoring Recent publications demonstrate expertise in advanced forming technologies, hybrid material processing, and sensor-based monitoring systems. His work addresses both theoretical process understanding and practical implementation for sustainable manufacturing solutions. Contact: wh@luf.uni-paderborn.de | Office: Pohlweg 53, 33098 Paderborn | Space: IW1.801
Univ.-Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Volker Rodehorst is a full professor of computer vision at Bauhaus-Universität Weimar, holding positions in both the Faculty of Media and Faculty of Civil Engineering. His research focuses on photogrammetric computer vision, image analysis, 3D reconstruction, and structural health monitoring with applications in civil infrastructure inspection and urban modeling. He leads projects like ev.AI.luate and InfraCloud, leveraging AI and UAS technologies for infrastructure assessment. Education: PhD (2003): Technical University of Berlin, Faculty of Civil Engineering & Applied Geosciences Habilitation (2013): TU Berlin, Faculty of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science Computer Science Diploma (1994): TU Berlin Research Interests: UAS-based structural inspection using multi-view stereo and deep learning Crack detection and segmentation in concrete structures Automated building age estimation for energy modeling Flight path planning optimization for complex structures Integration of computer vision into BIM workflows Publications: Recent work emphasizes robust algorithms for crack detection (Omnicrack30k benchmark), UAS flight path optimization, and semantic segmentation challenges in bridge inspections. Key contributions include MVCrackViT and CISOL datasets advancing structural analysis methodologies. Awards: Best Academic Performance Prize (1994) - TU Berlin ISPRS Presidential Citation (2008) for WG III/2 leadership Grants & Labs: Leads Bauhaus' 3D-RealityCapture-ScanLab and coordinates EU projects like AISTEC-PRO. Active in developing modular solutions like smoodPLAN for infrastructure inspection. Teaching: Offers courses in photogrammetric computer vision, geodesy, and parallel systems. Supervises PhD students in structural health monitoring and computer vision.
Sven Apel is Professor of Computer Science at Saarland University, where he holds the Chair of Software Engineering and directs the Saarbrücken Graduate School of Computer Science within the Saarland Informatics Campus. His research aims to advance software engineering into an era of intensive automation by developing methods, tools, and theories for building efficient, reliable, and maintainable software systems, with a strong emphasis on the human factor and interdisciplinary inquiry. His primary research interests include software variability and configuration, AI-based program generation and optimization, socio-technical software analysis, and the application of empirical and neurophysiological methods to study program comprehension. He actively collaborates with industry partners such as Siemens AG, Bosch Engineering, and Airbus Helicopters to apply his research in real-world contexts. His recent publications demonstrate a strong trend towards integrating artificial intelligence and neurocognitive methods into software engineering, focusing on configurable systems, performance modeling, debugging processes, and the scientific validity of empirical studies. His work spans top venues like ICSE, FSE, ASE, and IEEE TSE. ERC Advanced Grant “Brains On Code” ASE Fellow ACM Distinguished Member Hugo Junkers Award for Research and Innovation Heisenberg Professorship (DFG) Emmy-Noether Fellowship (DFG) Best Doctoral Dissertation Awards (University of Magdeburg, Ernst-Denert Foundation, 2007) Most Influential Paper Awards (SPLC'19, ICPC'22, GPCE'23) ACM SIGSOFT Distinguished Paper Awards (ICSE'15, ICSE'21) Best Paper Awards (SPLC'11, Modularity'15, Academy of Management'18) Distinguished Reviewer Awards (ASE'18, ICSE'24, FSE'24) Sven Apel has secured significant research funding, including an ERC Advanced Grant (€2.5M) and multiple DFG grants as Principal Investigator and Project Leader. He has advised numerous PhD and Master’s students and is actively involved in the academic community through program committees for major conferences like ICSE, FSE, and ASE. His work is conducted within a collaborative environment that includes close partnerships with researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Informatics and other institutions within the Saarland Informatics Campus.
Oliver Karras is a researcher, data scientist, and lecturer at the Data Science and Digital Libraries research group at TIB – Leibniz Information Centre for Science and Technology. He holds a BSc, MSc, and PhD in Computer Science from Leibniz University Hannover. His research focuses on FAIR scientific knowledge, Open Research Knowledge Graph (ORKG), and national research infrastructure projects like NFDI-4Ing and FAIR-DS. He is a member of the German Informatics Society (GI) and spokesperson of the Requirements Engineering (RE) group, contributing to conferences and journals as a reviewer. Previously, he was a research associate and PhD student in the Software Engineering group at Leibniz University, leading the DFG project ViViReq on video integration in requirements engineering. His research interests include Data Science, AI, Knowledge Representation, Software Engineering, Requirements Engineering, Empirical Research, and Open Science. He has published over 60 papers in these areas, with notable contributions to knowledge graphs, FAIR data, and reproducibility frameworks. His work emphasizes organizing scientific knowledge for accessibility and collaboration across disciplines. He is actively involved in initiatives like the ORKG, promoting sustainable literature reviews and open science practices. His professional contributions extend to tool development, such as OntoAligner for ontology alignment and SciKGTeX for semantic annotation in LaTeX. Oliver Karras collaborates with institutions like Leibniz University, contributing to the NFDI consortium and energy research projects. His expertise bridges technical innovation and academic rigor, addressing challenges in knowledge management and reproducibility. His current roles include advancing TIB’s research infrastructure and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration through knowledge graph applications.
Christof Röhrig is a Professor at the FH Dortmund - University of Applied Sciences and Arts , conducting research at the Institute for the Digitalization of Work and Living Environments (IDiAL). He leads the Intelligent Mobile Systems Lab , focusing on robotics, wireless sensor networks, and kinematic modeling. His research spans mobile robotics , indoor localization , and industrial automation , with a strong emphasis on IoT , 5G networks , and rescue robotics . Key trends in his recent work include LoRaWAN localization , modular robot design , and digital twin architecture . He collaborates extensively on motion control , sensor fusion , and energy-efficient systems , though no specific students, awards, or grants are listed in the provided data. The lab at IDiAL explores robotics in emergency response and industrial IoT applications , with a focus on precision localization and collaborative automation .
Wenguang Chen is a researcher affiliated with Tsinghua University and Pengcheng Laboratory , specializing in computer science and high-performance computing . His work bridges theoretical advancements with practical applications in domain-specific languages , parallel programming , and machine learning . Research Interests include: Development of modular DSLs for numerical methods (e.g., Mat2Stencil) Performance optimization in distributed and parallel systems Compiler frameworks for privacy-preserving AI (e.g., FHE-based neural network inference) Graph algorithms scaling to trillion-edge datasets Applications of Rust in memory-safe pointer analysis Recent Publications span 2014–2025, focusing on: Parallelization strategies for supercomputing Compiler automation tools Extreme-scale data processing Performance variance diagnosis in production environments
Ruben Taelman is a postdoctoral researcher at IDLab , Ghent University – imec, specializing in decentralization, Linked Data publishing, and querying. He develops open-source JavaScript libraries like the Comunica engine for decentralized data access and focuses on intelligent infrastructure for data publication and retrieval. His research bridges academic and industrial perspectives, addressing challenges in decentralized knowledge graphs, policy negotiation, and data governance. Key projects include Triple Storage for versioned RDF querying and contributions to the Solid ecosystem for user-centric data control.
