Prof. Dr. Nina Gantert is a distinguished Professor of Probability Theory at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) , affiliated with the TUM School of Computation, Information and Technology . She has held faculty positions at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology and the University of Münster prior to joining TUM in 2011. Her research focuses on probability theory , particularly stochastic processes , large deviations , and random media . She investigates random walks in random environments as models for transport in disordered systems and explores applications in physics and biology . Recent publications highlight her work on branching random walks , mixing times , biased random walks , and large deviation principles for complex stochastic systems. She has co-authored studies on random walks in dynamical percolation , interacting edge-reinforced processes , and extremal point processes in branching models. Scientific Awards: Elected fellow of the IMS (2016) Her academic career spans institutions including ETH Zürich, University of Bonn, Technical University of Berlin, and TUM. She has supervised numerous Bachelor’s and Master’s theses on topics ranging from mixing time analysis to percolation theory , often collaborating with international co-authors.
Sebastian U. Stich is a tenured faculty member at the CISPA Helmholtz Center for Information Security , where he has been since December 2021. He is also a member of the European Lab for Learning and Intelligent Systems (ELLIS) since June 2020. His research focuses on optimization methods for machine learning, collaborative learning algorithms, privacy and security in distributed systems, and theoretical foundations of deep learning. Stich received his PhD in Theoretical Computer Science from ETH Zurich (2014), following a Master's in Mathematics at the same institution (2010-2014). Prior to CISPA, he worked as a research scientist at EPFL (2016-2021) and held positions at ETH Zurich and ICTEAM/CORE. He has been awarded the ERC Consolidator Grant 2024 , Google Research Scholar Award (2023), and Meta Privacy-Enhancing Technologies Research Award (2022). His team includes Dr. Anton Rodomanov (since 2023), Dr. Rotem Mulayoff (since 2024), Xiaowen Jiang (2023), Yuan Gao (2023), and notable alumni like Anastasia Koloskova (defended 2023). Stich actively organizes workshops (e.g., NeurIPS OPT 2024) and serves on editorial boards ( Journal of Optimization Theory and Applications , Transactions on Machine Learning Research ). He teaches advanced courses in optimization at Saarland University and has held visiting positions at MIT. Key scientific contributions include: Developing ProgFed for progressive federated learning (2021) Creating ProxSkip to accelerate communication in federated settings (2022) Formalizing SCAFFOLD with control variates for FL (2020) Introducing RelaySum mechanism for decentralized learning (2021) Proposing Lookahead-Minmax for GAN training (2021) His work addresses fundamental challenges in: Decentralized optimization theory Communication-efficient algorithms Privacy-preserving model training Handling heterogeneous data distributions Stochastic gradient dynamics Second-order optimization methods
Prof. Dr. Ingo Scholtes is Chair of Machine Learning for Complex Networks at Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg's Center for Artificial Intelligence and Data Science (CAIDAS). His research spans network science, graph machine learning, and computational social science, with applications in software engineering, ecology, biology, and physics. He received a Juniorfellowship from the German Informatics Society (2014) and an SNSF Professorship (CHF 1.5Mio, 2018). Current affiliations: JMU Würzburg (since 2021), University of Zurich (2018-2024), Bergische Universität Wuppertal (2019-2021) Research focus: Higher-order network modeling, temporal graph analysis, AI for collaborative systems, causality-aware machine learning His recent publications demonstrate strong trends in temporal network analysis , graph neural networks for time-series, and higher-order models across software engineering and social science domains. He co-chairs multiple international workshops on complex networks and serves as associate editor for EPJ Data Science and Advances in Complex Systems. Key scientific contributions: Foundational work on higher-order network models published in Nature Physics Methodological innovations in temporal network visualization (HOTVis) and path-based analysis (pathpy) As both educator and organizer, he leads the Computational Social Science Section at GI e.V., mentors across disciplines, and develops tools like git2net for collaboration analysis. His work bridges theoretical foundations with practical applications in network science.
Moritz Wiese is a Researcher at the Chair of Theoretical Information Technology within the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Technische Universität München (TUM) . His work focuses on information-theoretic security, quantum communication, and wireless networks, with significant contributions to interference modeling and secure coding schemes. Research Interests : Information-Theoretic Security, Quantum Wiretap Channels, MIMO Systems, 5G/6G Technologies, Physical Layer Security, and Network Coding. Key Grants : Involved in DFG-funded projects (Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize, UKoloS) and BMBF initiatives (6G-life, QuaDiQua). Collaborations : Worked with Prof. Holger Boche, Christian Deppe, and Rami Ezzine on secure communication and randomness generation. Labs : Active in the ACES Lab and 6G-life research hub, focusing on joint communication/sensing and neuromorphic computing. Publications : Over 20 papers on secure estimation, wiretap channels, and quantum secrecy, including top-tier journals like IEEE Transactions on Information Theory and Journal of Mathematical Physics .
Anna Levina is an Assistant Professor for Computational Neuroscience at the University of Tübingen , affiliated with the Department of Computer Science under the Faculty of Science. Her research focuses on the self-organization of neuronal activity, critical dynamics in neural networks, and the excitation/inhibition balance in cortical circuits. Current positions: Assistant Professor (since 2018), Group Leader (2017-2018), Equality Officer (Computer Science) Previous roles: IST Fellow (2015-2017), Associated Researcher (2011-2015), Postdoc/PI (2011-2015), Postdoc (2008-2011) Her research integrates mathematical modeling , statistical physics , and computational neuroscience to study criticality phenomena, neural avalanches, and adaptive network dynamics. Key interests include: Self-organized criticality in neural systems Excitation/Inhibition balance mechanisms Network topology and dynamics Timescale analysis in neural processing Stochastic modeling of neural activity Recent publications reveal trends in understanding critical dynamics across biological and artificial networks, with applications to memory systems, sensorimotor integration, and disease modeling. She has received recognition as an IST Fellow .
Aleksandar Bojchevski is a full professor of Computer Science at the University of Cologne, leading the Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence Lab (TAIL). His research focuses on developing robust, interpretable, and privacy-preserving machine learning models, particularly graph neural networks (GNNs). The lab emphasizes trustworthiness in high-stakes applications through methods that handle noisy, adversarial, or anomalous data. Bojchevski holds a PhD and PostDoc from the Technical University of Munich, advised by Stephan Günnemann. Previously, he was faculty at CISPA Helmholtz Center for Information Security. His work bridges theory and practice, addressing adversarial robustness, uncertainty quantification, and scalable GNN techniques. Research interests include: robustness certification for GNNs, conformal prediction, adversarial attack analysis, and privacy-aware machine learning. His lab actively collaborates with RWTH Aachen and organizes events like the Learning on Graphs Meet Up. Recent achievements include a teaching award for the Machine Learning lecture (SS 24) and NeurIPS 2024 acceptance of SVFT: Parameter-Efficient Fine-Tuning with Singular Vectors . Open positions are available in his group focusing on trustworthy ML topics. Key labs/teams: Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence Lab (TAIL), Center for Data and Simulation Science (CDS) as a core scientist.
Kord Eickmeyer is a Lecturer at Technische Universität Darmstadt in the Department of Mathematics, specializing in the mathematical logic group. He holds a PhD in mathematics from Humboldt University Berlin and has held postdoctoral positions at TU Darmstadt (2011–2017) and the National Institute of Informatics in Tokyo (2011–2013). His research focuses on finite model theory, graph structure theory, and computational complexity, particularly in descriptive and parameterized complexity, as well as randomization and derandomization techniques. Research interests include exploring the boundaries of computational complexity through logical frameworks, analyzing graph structures for efficient algorithm design, and investigating the role of randomness in computation. His work bridges theoretical computer science and mathematical logic, with applications in algorithm design and formal methods. Publications span topics from model-checking on ordered structures to gap-planar graphs and randomized logics. Collaborations include prominent institutions like the National Institute of Informatics and Humboldt University Berlin. No scientific awards are explicitly listed, but his extensive academic contributions reflect a strong research trajectory. Advising and grants are not detailed in the provided text, though his academic career includes supervision roles during his PhD and postdoctoral phases. His involvement with the mathematical logic group at TU Darmstadt highlights collaborative research efforts in foundational areas of computer science and mathematics.
Professor Katrin Tent is a distinguished mathematician specializing in mathematical logic at the University of Münster, where she holds a professorship in the Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science within the Institute for Mathematical Logic and Foundations Research. She is an active researcher in Mathematics Münster, an investigator in CRC 1442 Geometry: Deformations and Rigidity, and contributes to multiple research projects including Topics in Mathematics Münster T3: Models and universes, T4: Groups and actions, and T8: Random discrete structures and their limits. PhD in Linguistics, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel (1988) Diplom in Mathematics, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel (1989) PhD in Mathematics, University of Notre Dame (1994) Habilitation, "Model theory of groups and BN-pairs" (2000) Professor Tent's research bridges model theory, group theory, and geometry, with particular focus on finite Morley rank structures, BN-pairs, and sharply multiply transitive groups. Her work often combines methods from these areas to prove unexpected results, either constructing groups or incidence geometries with surprising model theoretic properties or using model theory to construct new and interesting geometries or groups. Her recent publications reveal a consistent trajectory connecting model theory with group-theoretic structures. She has made significant contributions to understanding sharply 2- and 3-transitive groups, finite Morley rank geometries, and the model theory of generalized polygons. Her work demonstrates how model-theoretic techniques can solve deep problems in group theory and geometry, particularly through the study of BN-pairs and incidence structures. DFG Research Fellowship (1996-1998) Bayerischer Habilitationsförderpreis (1998-2001) Heisenberg-Stipendium (2001-2004) ERC Consolidator Grants expert panel (2016, 2018) Elected to DFG Senate (2019) Professor Tent leads an active research group with current members including Marco Amelio, Dr. Benjamin Brück, Anna Cascioli, Lukas Jonuska, Silke Meissner, Zahra Mohammadi Khangheshlaghi, and Dr. Sam Shepherd. Her former research group members include Dr. Simon Andre, Dr. Isabel Müller, and Dr. Tim Clausen, among others. Her supervisory work spans both theoretical foundations and specific applications in geometric group theory and model theory. Her research group operates within the Institute for Mathematical Logic and Foundations Research at the University of Münster, collaborating closely with other researchers in the Mathematics Münster cluster. The group participates in various projects including CRC 1442 - C04: Group theoretic aspects of negative curvature, contributing to the vibrant mathematical research environment at one of Germany's leading mathematics institutions.
Ron Peled is a Full Professor in the School of Mathematical Sciences at Tel Aviv University , currently on leave to serve as the Brin Professor in the Department of Mathematics at the University of Maryland starting summer 2024. During 2022–2024 he was a Member at Princeton University and the Institute for Advanced Study . Education & Career: While explicit degrees are not listed, his trajectory shows appointments at NYU (2009–2010), UC Berkeley and Tel Aviv University as a teaching assistant, followed by faculty positions culminating in full professorship. Research Interests: His work lies at the intersection of probability theory, statistical physics, and combinatorics . Key themes include: Disordered systems and random environments (random-field Ising, spin glasses) First-passage percolation and random metrics Random surfaces and height functions Loop models and critical phenomena Random matrices and band matrices Geometric probability and allocation problems Publications & Impact: With over 70 papers in top journals such as Annals of Mathematics , Annals of Probability , Inventiones Mathematicae , and Communications in Mathematical Physics , his recent work explores minimal surfaces in random environments, localization in random band matrices, and quantitative disorder effects in low-dimensional spin systems. Grants & Awards: Research has been continuously funded by: Israel Science Foundation (grants 1048/11, 861/15, 1971/19, 2340/23) ERC Starting Grant LocalOrder ERC Consolidator Grant Transitions Marie Skłodowska-Curie International Reintegration Grant SPTRF Teaching & Mentoring: Prof. Peled has taught a broad spectrum of courses at Tel Aviv University (Brownian motion, probability, percolation, random matrices, stochastic calculus) and NYU (combinatorics, discrete mathematics). He has supervised 13 post-doctoral fellows and 8 graduate students (PhD & MSc) to date. Service & Outreach: He co-organizes the Joint Israeli Probability Seminar and has organized numerous international workshops and conferences including at Oberwolfach, Technion, and Tel Aviv University.
Noam Berger Steiger is a Professor of Stochastic Processes at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), within the School of Computation, Information and Technology and the Department of Mathematics. His office is located at Parkring 11, Garching bei München, and he can be contacted at noam.berger@tum.de. His research focuses on stochastic processes in random environments, percolation theory, and random walks. Key contributions include asymptotic analysis of preferential attachment graphs, quenched invariance principles for non-elliptic random walks, and slowdown phenomena in ballistic random motion. His work bridges theoretical probability with applications in complex systems. Analysis of his 2012-2014 publications reveals consistent focus on random walk dynamics in disordered media, with significant results on ballisticity conditions, trail detection in random scenery, and distributional limits. His research employs advanced probabilistic techniques published in top-tier journals including Annals of Probability and Probability Theory and Related Fields . Professor Berger has supervised 11 theses: 5 bachelor's theses at TUM covering Brownian motion properties and investment strategies for risk-averse investors, and 6 master's theses (3 at TUM, 3 at Hebrew University) on topics including return times for random walks, mass transport principles, and spin-glass percolation. His current teaching includes Markov Chains, Probability on Graphs, and Brownian Motion seminars. He is an active member of TUM's Probability Theory research group, which participates in the TUM-ICL Mathematical Sciences Hub and Exzellenzcluster MCQST. The group collaborates on quantum science initiatives while maintaining strong foundations in classical probability theory and stochastic analysis.
Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Nejdl is a Professor at the Institute for Data Science within the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at Leibniz University Hannover. He serves as Executive Director of the L3S Research Centre and Leibniz Forschungszentrum Inclusive Citizenship. Web Science Information Retrieval Artificial Intelligence Deep Learning His recent research focuses on AI applications in medicine , multimodal data fusion , and ethical AI systems . Projects include CAIMed (AI in Causal Medicine) and DAISEC (AI & Cybersecurity). His publications span conferences like AAMAS, WWW, and SIGIR. Notable awards include membership in the National Academy of Science and Engineering (acatech) . Former students hold positions at institutions like Stanford, TU Dresden, and ETH Zürich. Current projects involve climate resilience AI , federated learning for healthcare , and quantum-inspired data science .
Maximilian Egger is a Doctoral Researcher at the Institute for Communications Engineering under Prof. Antonia Wachter-Zeh at the Technical University of Munich (TUM). His research focuses on distributed machine learning, privacy-preserving computing, and information theory. He holds an M.Sc. in Electrical Engineering and Information Technology (2022, TUM) and a B.Eng. in Electrical Engineering (2020). He has conducted research stays at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (2024) and Imperial College London (2023). Egger has received several awards, including the DAAD Scholarship (2023) and the VDE Award Bavaria (2020). His work emphasizes secure federated learning, Byzantine-resilient systems, and efficient distributed algorithms. He is affiliated with the Chair of Coding and Cryptography and actively contributes to advancements in decentralized learning systems. Recent publications highlight breakthroughs in privacy preservation, channel capacity estimation, and scalable federated edge learning.
John van de Wetering is an Assistant Professor at the Theoretical Computer Science group of the Informatics Institute, University of Amsterdam, working with the QuSoft research center. He co-authored the open-access book Picturing Quantum Software and developed the PyZX quantum compiler. His research spans quantum computation and quantum foundations, focusing on diagrammatic methods like the ZX-calculus and ZH-calculus. Quantum circuit optimization and verification Quantum foundations via algebraic/compositional methods Co-creator of PyZX His recent publications explore multi-qutrit systems, completeness of graphical calculi, and quantum state representations. Supervises students in quantum computing, including Lia Yeh and Sarah Li. Directs the new Master's program in Quantum Computer Science at UvA. Actively contributes to open-source projects and international conferences. Notable collaborations include Aleks Kissinger, Neil J. Ross, and QuSoft researchers. Uses GitHub for DiZX development (qudit extension of PyZX). No explicit scientific awards mentioned.
Martin Grohe is a Professor at the School of Logic and Theory of Discrete Systems , part of the Department of Computer Science at RWTH Aachen University . His research spans Algorithms and Complexity , Logic , Database Theory , Graph Theory , and Machine Learning , with a focus on integrating logical frameworks into computational models. His recent work explores graph neural networks , Weisfeiler-Leman algorithms , and parameterized complexity , as seen in publications on isomorphism testing , database repairing , and probabilistic query evaluation . While no specific scientific awards are mentioned, his contributions to graph theory and machine learning are widely recognized through numerous peer-reviewed publications.
Prof. Laura Vargas Koch serves as Junior Professor at RWTH Aachen University, leading the Teaching and Research Unit of Algorithmic Game Theory and Discrete Mathematics (GDM). Her interdisciplinary work bridges mathematics, computer science, and economics through rigorous theoretical frameworks. Her research focuses on: Algorithmic Game Theory : Analyzing fair pricing mechanisms and equilibrium structures in traffic flow systems Combinatorial Optimization : Developing approximation algorithms for clustering problems and graph-based optimization Analysis of her 2021-2025 publications reveals evolving expertise in dynamic traffic modeling, routing game equilibria, and auction mechanism design. Her work consistently addresses theoretical foundations while maintaining practical relevance to transportation networks and resource allocation systems. The GDM unit under her direction provides specialized coursework and fosters collaborative research at the intersection of discrete mathematics and economic modeling.
