Hubert Zangl is a Professor at the University of Klagenfurt and Head of the Institute for Intelligent System Technologies . He serves as Chairman of the Information Technology Curricular Commission and participates in the Faculty Conference of the Faculty of Technical Sciences. Key research areas include: Sensor technology Electrical measurement technology Robotics Signal processing Electronics Recent research trends focus on: High-fidelity FMCW radar simulation frameworks Energy-efficient sensor systems Printed electronics for structural health monitoring Uncertainty propagation in measurement science Modular robotics with secure transducer identification Capacitive tactile sensing for robotic grasping Contact: Hubert.Zangl@aau.at
Brian Horsak is a Professor and Head of the Center for Digital Health and Social Innovation at Fachhochschule Steyr. He holds an endowed professorship in Applied Biomechanics and Rehabilitation Research, focusing on integrating advanced technologies like VR/AR, machine learning, and wearable devices into clinical gait analysis and motor rehabilitation. His roles include leading the Institute of Health Sciences and contributing to the Department of Health Sciences and Media and Digital Technologies. Education: Dr. rer. nat. (2012, University of Vienna), Habilitation in Kinesiology (2020, University of Vienna), Master's in Sports Science (2002–2008, University of Vienna). Research interests revolve around improving patient care through biomechanical innovations, including musculoskeletal simulations, gait pattern analysis, and rehabilitation technologies. He leads projects like ReMoCap-Lab (motion capture for motor rehabilitation) and chairs the Applied Biomechanics in Rehabilitation Research initiative. Key achievements include the Lower Austria Innovation Prize (2021), multiple best paper awards, and grants for projects like TRUST AI and VReeze. His work bridges clinical practice with digital health solutions, emphasizing explainable AI (XAI) in gait classification and VR-based balance training. Notable contributions include developing the GaitRec dataset and studies on smartphone-based motion capture reliability. He collaborates internationally, publishing widely in Gait & Posture , Scientific Reports , and IEEE journals. Current projects focus on AI-driven gait analysis, musculoskeletal modeling, and XR applications in healthcare.
Professor Robert Eason is a leading academic at the University of Southampton, specializing in photonics and laser technology. His research spans interdisciplinary areas combining Machine Learning , Medical Diagnostics , and Microfluidics . Research Interests : Eason focuses on AI-driven laser applications, including deep learning for phototherapy , autonomous laser machining , and low-cost paper-based diagnostic devices . His work bridges photonics with biomedicine and advanced manufacturing. Recent Publications : His 2025 article in Scientific Reports explores AI simulations for psoriasis treatment, while 2024-2022 works address laser-controlled microfluidics, deep learning in microscopy, and reinforcement learning for laser machining. Supervision : He supervises PhD student Georgia Mourkioti in laser-based research projects. External Roles : Eason has served as a speaker at international conferences including the International Symposium on Laser Precision Microfabrication (2018), LAISER (2019), and Deep Learning for Control of Light-Matter Interactions (2022).
Georges Gielen is Full Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering (ESAT) at KU Leuven, Belgium, and part-time Research Director at imec. He has held multiple leadership roles including Chair of ESAT Department (2012-2013, 2020-2024) and Vice-Rector for Science, Engineering & Technology (2013-2017). His academic career spans over 30 years at KU Leuven, progressing from Assistant to Full Professor. His research focuses on analog and mixed-signal integrated circuit design automation , with expertise in CAD tools, design optimization, sensor interfaces, and neuromorphic systems. His work bridges hardware design with machine learning, particularly in hardware-efficient AI implementations and biomedical applications. He has pioneered techniques for automated analog circuit sizing, topology synthesis, and reliability-aware design in nanometer CMOS. Gielen has received numerous accolades including the IEEE CAS Mac Van Valkenburg Award (2015), IEEE CAS Charles Desoer Award (2020), and EDAA Achievement Award (2021). He holds an ERC Advanced Grant AnalogCreate and is an IEEE Fellow since 2002. As a prolific scholar, he has chaired major conferences including DATE (2006), ICCAD (2007), and ESSCIRC (2017). He has graduated over 55 PhD students through the MICAS research group at KU Leuven, currently supervising 13 doctoral candidates. His research team collaborates extensively with imec and industry partners on cutting-edge projects in carbon-aware AI accelerators, uncertainty-aware design, and neuromorphic sensor interfaces.
Dr. Andreas Zöttl is a physicist affiliated with the University of Vienna , currently serving as an Assistant Professor in the Computational and Soft Matter Physics department. His research focuses on computational modeling of active matter, microswimmers, and polymer dynamics, with applications in biophysics and soft materials. He teaches courses such as Computational Statistical Mechanics and Biological Physics , emphasizing theoretical and computational methods. His recent work explores reinforcement learning in microswimmer locomotion, chiral particle dynamics, and polymer behavior under shear flow. Research keywords include Machine Learning , Fluid Dynamics , and Soft Matter Physics . Themes span hydrodynamic interactions , active colloids , mesoscale simulations , and non-equilibrium systems . Contact: andreas.zoettl@univie.ac.at
Johannes Brandstetter is an Associate Professor at the Institute for Machine Learning at Johannes Kepler University Linz (JKU) where he leads the "AI for data-driven simulations" research group. He is also Co-founder and Chief Scientist at Emmi AI, bridging academic research with industrial applications in AI-driven physics simulation. Brandstetter earned his PhD after working at CERN's CMS experiment on Higgs boson physics. In 2018, he transitioned to machine learning, joining Sepp Hochreiter's research group in Linz. From 2021-2023, he worked at the Amsterdam Machine Learning Lab under Max Welling and Microsoft Research, developing expertise in Geometric Deep Learning and neural surrogates for partial differential equations. He returned to JKU in October 2023 to establish his own research group. His research spans Machine Learning, Deep Learning, and Physics-Informed Machine Learning with focus areas including Neural PDE solvers, Computational Fluid Dynamics, and Climate Modeling. Brandstetter believes AI is poised to revolutionize industrial-scale simulations, potentially saving thousands of compute hours across engineering domains. His work integrates computer vision, numerical simulation, and engineering components to advance data-driven approaches. Recent publications reveal a strong trend toward foundation models for scientific applications, particularly in atmospheric modeling (Aurora), geometric deep learning, and neural surrogates for complex physical systems. His interdisciplinary work spans computer vision, climate science, computational physics, and engineering, demonstrating the versatility of his research approach. Principal Investigator for "AlKa-DL: Alpine karst spring discharge prediction" (FWF-funded, 2024-2027) Principal Investigator for Cluster of Excellence "Bilateral Artificial Intelligence" (FWF-funded, 2024-2029) Co-PI for "Fast, efficient and flexible CFD simulation through generative AI" (FFG-funded, 2025-2026) As an educator and researcher, Brandstetter actively engages with the scientific community through invited talks at major conferences including presentations on "Closing the Gap Between Scientific Foundation Models and Real-World Applications" (March 2025) and "Scientific Machine Learning for Science and Engineering" (February 2025).
Priv.Doz.DI Dr.nat.techn. Günter Langergraber is a Professor and Head of the Institute of Sanitary Engineering and Water Pollution Control at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU). He also serves as Deputy Head of the Department of Landscape, Water and Infrastructure since 2025. With expertise in nature-based solutions , constructed wetlands , and resource-oriented sanitation systems , his work integrates modelling and simulation with practical applications for wastewater treatment and urban sustainability. Habilitation in Sanitary Engineering (2012), BOKU PhD in Natural Sciences (2001), BOKU His research focuses on developing advanced wastewater treatment technologies using constructed wetlands , biochar systems , and smart sensors . Key areas include urban water circularity , stormwater management , and climate resilience through nature-based infrastructure . He leads major EU-funded projects like ProCleanLakes and UniNEtZ , emphasizing the role of sustainable sanitation in achieving SDG 6 . Recent publications analyze: Design optimization of vertical flow wetlands using numerical models Implementation frameworks for circular cities via nature-based solutions Hydrological dynamics in Mediterranean and tropical wetland systems Soil water balance quantification via stable isotopes Scientific accolades include IWA Fellow (2014) and the IWA Project Innovation Award (2011) . He has supervised 478 publications and 56 projects, including EU Horizon 2020 initiatives and Austrian Science Fund (FWF) programs. As a keynote speaker at international conferences, he advocates for renaturalized urban water systems and decentralized sanitation . Langergraber contributes to technical guidelines (e.g., DWA-A 272) and policy reports for Austrian ministries. His work bridges academic research , industry collaboration , and public engagement through media appearances and training programs for wastewater plant operators.
Maria Papathoma-Köhle is an Associate Professor at the Institute of Alpine Natural Hazards , University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna. She holds a PhD in Tsunami Vulnerability Assessment from Coventry University (UK) and has held roles as Academic Coordinator of the MSc 'Risk Prevention and Disaster Management' at University of Vienna. Her research focuses on natural hazard vulnerability , particularly wildfire and flood risks in alpine regions, with methodological expertise in indicator-based vulnerability assessment and physical vulnerability indices . Education: PhD in Natural Hazards (Coventry University, UK) MSc in Environmental Management (University of Durham, UK) Geology Degree (University of Athens, Greece) Research: Specializes in wildfire vulnerability indices, flood risk modeling, and climate change adaptation frameworks. Developed the Physical Vulnerability Index (PVI) for buildings and contributed to EU-funded projects like FLOODLABEL and EXTEND. Awards: Elise Richter Scholarship (2016) Back to Research Grant (2012) Young European Scientist Award (2002) Projects: Led FWF-funded research on physical vulnerability indicators and collaborated on EU programs for wildfire preparedness. Current work includes climate change adaptation tools for Austrian infrastructure. Advising: Supervised 6 Master's/PhD students on wildfire and flood vulnerability topics. Publications: Over 106 peer-reviewed works; recent articles focus on wildfire indices, IPCC risk diagrams, and dynamic flooding assessment.
Sylvain Lefebvre is a permanent researcher at INRIA (Institut National de Recherche en Informatique et en Automatique) in France, where he leads the MFX research team since 2018. Previously, he was part of the ALICE group at INRIA Nancy (2009-2018) and the REVES team in Sophia Antipolis (2006-2009). His career includes a postdoctoral position at Microsoft Research Seattle (2005) following his PhD at INRIA Rhones-Alpes under Fabrice Neyret. His educational background includes a PhD in Computer Graphics from Université Joseph Fourier (Grenoble) in 2005, preceded by a Master in Computer Graphics from INP Grenoble in 2001. His habilitation thesis focused on Runtime Texture Synthesis. Lefebvre's research centers on simplifying content creation for highly detailed patterns, structures, and shapes with applications spanning Computer Graphics to additive manufacturing. He develops fast, controllable by-example synthesis approaches that generate content while enforcing user-specified constraints. His work addresses computational challenges through novel data structures and algorithms optimized for GPUs and FPGAs, including his Silice programming language. The ERC-funded ShapeForge project (2012-2017) advanced shape generation for 3D printing, leading to the IceSL software for digital modeling and fabrication. Analysis of his 15 most recent publications reveals a strong focus on additive manufacturing optimization, with recurring themes in structural integrity, material efficiency, and geometric algorithms. His work bridges computer graphics theory with practical fabrication constraints, particularly in microstructure design, slicing techniques, and mechanical metamaterials. The interdisciplinary nature spans computer science, materials engineering, and robotics. EUROGRAPHICS Young Researcher Award (2010) ERC Starting Grant for ShapeForge project (2012) Lefebvre has advised over 25 PhD students and interns including Marco Freire, Thibault Tricard, and Jimmy Etienne. His ShapeForge project received significant ERC funding, supporting research in computational fabrication. He serves on numerous program committees including SIGGRAPH, Eurographics, and SIGGRAPH Asia, reflecting his leadership in the computer graphics community. As leader of the MFX team since 2018, Lefebvre directs research in computational fabrication, focusing on IceSL software development for 3D printing workflows. The team integrates computer graphics techniques with manufacturing constraints, developing tools that simplify complex object design and fabrication while addressing real-world challenges in material usage and structural integrity.
Michael Hesse is a Professor of Space Physics at the University of Bergen, Norway. Previously, he held senior roles at NASA including Director of the Heliophysics Science Division (2012–2016) and Director of the Community Coordinated Modeling Center (1999–2012). He earned his PhD in theoretical physics from Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Germany (1988), followed by a Director’s Postdoctoral Fellowship at Los Alamos National Laboratory. His research focuses on magnetospheric dynamics, plasma simulations (particle-in-cell and magnetohydrodynamics), and space weather. He pioneered studies on magnetic reconnection and developed critical models for NASA’s space missions. Notable achievements include establishing the Space Weather Research Center and contributing to the Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission. Key Roles: NASA Director-level positions, University Professor Expertise: Plasma physics, numerical modeling, space weather forecasting Legacy: Over 270 peer-reviewed articles, H-index 51 He has received prestigious awards such as the NASA Distinguished Service Medal and AGU Fellowship. As a professor in Bergen, he actively mentors students and advances Norway’s space physics research.
Tina Comes is a Full Professor in Decision-Making & Digitalisation at the University of Maastricht, Netherlands. She holds a part-time position (0.2 FTE) and has previously held academic roles at TU Delft (Associate Professor in Decision-Making for Resilience, 2017), University of Agder (Full Professor in ICT, 2015-2017), and Visiting Professor at Lamsade, Université Dauphine, Paris (2014). Her research focuses on Crisis Informatics , Decision Theory , Disaster Management , Humanitarian Logistics , and Resilience . Her work spans building simulation , ventilation systems , and energy-efficient design , with grants totaling €9.6 million since 2012. Key projects include Resilient Systems (NL Ministry of Defense, 2020-2026), H2020 HERoS (2020-2023), and Climate Resilient Urban Infrastructure (Amsterdam, 2020-2022). She has supervised 6 PhD students at TU Delft (2017-2022), 3 Postdocs/PhDs at University of Agder (2013-2020), and 1 PhD at Université Toulouse (2014-2018). Her scientific awards include: 2020 José Maria Sarriegi Award by the Spanish Red Cross 2019 Emerald Literati Award 2016 Delft Technology Fellowship (acceptance rate 2012 Best Paper Award at ISCRAM Conference
Associate Professor at the University of Klagenfurt , affiliated with the Department of Management Control and Strategic Management under the Faculty of Economics and Law . Research focuses on agent-based modeling applied to organizational dynamics , complex systems , and managerial economics . Holds a doctoral degree in Social Sciences and Economics (2012) and venia docendi in Business Economics (2018) . Core faculty member in the Self-Organizing Systems research cluster Academic editor for PLoS ONE and editorial board member for multiple journals Recipient of the 2021 Advancement Award (Humanities/Social Sciences) from Carinthian government Research integrates computational simulation with organizational theory , examining phenomena like decentralized task allocation , incentive mechanisms , and reproducibility in social sciences . Teaching portfolio includes business analytics , management control , and scientific modeling at undergraduate and graduate levels. Recent publications explore organizational resilience , team coordination dynamics , and financial modeling using agent-based simulation techniques. Active participant in international conferences like Social Simulation Conference and European Conference on Operational Research .
Ivan Viola is an Associate Professor at the Institute of Computer Graphics and Algorithms, part of the Faculty of Informatics at TU Wien, Austria. He holds a leave of absence until December 2024 while also being affiliated with King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) as an Associate Professor funded by the Vienna Research Groups program. His research focuses on visualization techniques in medicine, biological sciences, and earth sciences, with a specialty in illustrative visualization and DNA-nanotechnology applications. Viola has contributed over 100 scientific works and serves as a reviewer and panelist for major conferences in computer graphics and visualization. Education: M.Sc. (2002) and Ph.D. (2005) in Computer Graphics from TU Wien. Postdoctoral research at the University of Bergen (2006-2011), where he became Full Professor before returning to TU Wien. Research Interests: Whole-cell visualization Molecular modeling Interactive 3D environments Biomedical visualization Data-driven colormap techniques Awards: IEEE VIS 2017 Best Paper Honorable Mention, 'Best Overall Concept' for CellView, and multiple visualization awards. Active in EuroVis and IEEE VIS organizing roles. Grants & Supervision: Leads the Visualization Group at TU Wien, supervising student projects and master’s theses. Involved in grants like the Vienna Research Groups program. Labs/Teams: Visualization Group at TU Wien, collaborating on projects like CellView and Molecumentary.
Prof. Walter Schwaiger is a Full Professor at TU Wien’s Faculty of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, leading the Institute of Management Science. His academic roles include serving as Head of the Faculty Council since 2010 and holding various curriculum committee positions. He teaches critical courses such as Financial Management, Enterprise Risk Management, and IT-based Management across bachelor’s and master’s programs. His research focuses on three core areas: Financial Enterprise Management (stochastic NPV modeling for renewable energy investments), Enterprise Risk Management (risk maturity assessments via ERMMA studies), and IT-based Management (ontology-driven accounting frameworks like OntoREA). Recent work includes predictive analytics applications in credit risk scoring and pandemic-driven default prediction studies. Prof. Schwaiger has authored influential textbooks like IFRS-Finanzmanagement series and pioneered the REA-based ERP-Control system. He actively contributes to management control research, publishing in venues like Controlling and WingBusiness , and collaborates with institutions like Funk Stiftung on large-scale ERM maturity studies. His professional service includes leading faculty strategy groups and quality management initiatives at TU Wien, reflecting his commitment to institutional governance and academic excellence.
Hannes Hick is a Professor at Graz University of Technology , affiliated with the Institute of Machine Elements and Development Methodology . His research focuses on mechanical development, tribology, and systems engineering for automotive and industrial applications. He actively contributes to engineering education and methodology standardization. Research Interests Hydrogen internal combustion engines System modeling and digital twins Tribology in electric drivetrains Sustainable engineering practices MBSE (Model-Based Systems Engineering) Friction and wear analysis Article Trends His recent work emphasizes hydrogen propulsion systems, model-based approaches for interdisciplinary engineering challenges, tribological optimization for sustainable mobility, and integrating AI with mechanical design workflows. Labs and Teams He leads research at the Institute of Machine Elements, focusing on mechanical validation and development methodologies for advanced powertrain systems.
