Ian Horrocks is a Professor of Computer Science at the University of Oxford and a Fellow of Oriel College. His research focuses on knowledge representation, description logics, automated reasoning, and semantic web technologies. He has held academic positions at the University of Manchester (2003–2007) and served as Chief Scientist at Cerebra Inc. (2001–2006). Horrocks earned his BSc (1st class), MSc, and PhD in Computer Science from the University of Manchester (1981–1997). His work includes foundational contributions to ontology languages (e.g., OWL) and reasoning systems such as HermiT and ELK. He has supervised over twenty doctoral students and postdoctoral researchers. His honors include Fellowships from the Royal Society (2011), ECCAI (2009), and the British Computer Society (2005). He serves as Editor-in-Chief of the Transactions on Graph Data and Knowledge and leads initiatives in semantic web standards and knowledge graph applications. Key Roles: Editor-in-Chief (Journal of Web Semantics), Co-Chair (W3C OWL Working Group) Grants: EPSRC Senior Research Fellowship (2005), numerous international collaborations Labs: Oxford Semantic Technologies, involvement in projects like RDFox and PAGOdA
Uwe Zdun is a Professor at the Faculty of Computer Science, University of Vienna, where he serves as Vice-Director of Studies for Computer Science and Head of the Research Group Software Architecture. His teaching portfolio includes core courses such as Software Engineering 2, Advanced Software Engineering, and Practical Software Courses for Bachelor's and Master's theses across multiple semesters (2024W-2025S). His research spans software architecture with emphasis on microservices, cloud computing, and DevOps. Key focus areas include architectural design decisions, infrastructure-as-code conformance, security in distributed systems, and the integration of machine learning operations (MLOps/RLOps). He investigates cognitive aspects of architecture practices through controlled experiments and develops model-driven approaches for quality assessment in complex systems. Recent publications (2024-2026) reveal three dominant trends: (1) Security and coupling analysis in infrastructure-as-code deployments, (2) MLOps/RLOps integration for Industry 4.0 cyber-physical systems, and (3) Performance optimization patterns for CI/CD pipelines and autoscaling. His work bridges theoretical architecture models with industrial practice, particularly in microservice ecosystems and reinforcement learning applications. Professor Zdun leads the Research Group Software Architecture at the University of Vienna's Faculty of Computer Science. The group focuses on empirical validation of architectural patterns, tool development for conformance checking, and advancing design decision methodologies in cloud-native and AI-driven systems.
Thomas Henzinger is a Professor at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA), where he leads the Henzinger Thomas Group focused on improving software reliability through mathematical methods. He previously served as ISTA's President (2009–2022) and held academic positions at EPFL, Max Planck Institute, UC Berkeley, and Cornell University. Education: Dipl.-Ing. in Computer Science (Johannes Kepler University, Austria), M.S. in Computer and Information Sciences (University of Delaware), PhD in Computer Science (Stanford University), and Honorary Doctorates from Fourier University (France) and Masaryk University (Czech Republic). The group's research spans concurrent systems , embedded systems , quantitative model checking , runtime monitoring , and trustworthy AI . They develop tools like HyTech and VAMOS, emphasizing predictability, robustness, and fairness in safety-critical software. Recent publications highlight trends in quantitative automata , fairness in AI , quantum algorithms , and automata theory , reflecting interdisciplinary applications from cyber-physical systems to neural networks. Collaborative projects include SPyCoDe (security foundations) and VAMOS (software monitoring). Honors & Awards: 2024 Fellow of the Royal Society 2020 Member, US National Academy of Sciences 2015 Royal Society Milner Award 2012 Wittgenstein Award 2006 ACM and IEEE Fellow 1995 NSF CAREER and ONR Young Investigator Awards Henzinger advises current and former PhD students including Mahyar Karimi, Pavol Kebis, and Mathias Lechner. His grants include ERC Advanced Grants (QUAREM, VAMOS) and FWF funding (Wittgenstein Award, NFN RISE). Labs & Teams: He leads the Henzinger Thomas Group at ISTA, collaborating with FORSYTE (TU Wien) and contributing to EU-funded initiatives. The group integrates postdocs, PhD students, and interns in formal methods and system verification.
Gerti Kappel is a full professor at the Institute of Information Systems Engineering at TU Wien, affiliated with the Business Informatics Group (BIG). Since 2020, she has served as Dean of the Faculty of Informatics at TU Wien, previously holding the role of Dean’s team member responsible for research, diversity, and financial affairs (2016–2019). She previously held a full professorship in computer science (database systems) and led the Department of Information Systems at Johannes Kepler University Linz (1993–2001). Her research focuses on Model Engineering, Web Engineering, and Process Engineering, particularly in cyber-physical production systems. She has co-authored influential works such as UML@Work (2005), UML@Classroom (2015), and Web Engineering (2006). Key projects include leadership roles in Vienna Informatics Living Lab (2018–2019), MPM4CPS (2014–2019), and ARTIST (2012–2015), addressing topics like model versioning, cloud architecture modeling, and inter-organizational systems. Her recent articles explore circular systems engineering, IoT-based simulation environments, and model-driven approaches for time-series analytics and cloud applications. She actively contributes to academic governance, including managing the Office of the Dean (E199-01) and overseeing faculty services. Her work emphasizes bridging theory and practice through collaborative frameworks like ERPEL and TROPIC . Grants: Projects funded by Austrian Research Promotion Agency, European Cooperation in Science and Technology, Vienna Business Agency, and others. Advising: Supervised over 15 graduate theses, including recent works on model-driven techniques for railway planning, debugging frameworks for modeling tools, and cloud-based IDEs. Labs/Teams: Leads research within the Business Informatics Group (BIG) and collaborates with the Vienna Informatics Living Lab for applied systems engineering.
Bernhard Pucher is a Senior Scientist at the Institute of Sanitary Engineering, Industrial Water Management and Water Pollution Control (SIG), within the Department of Landscape, Water and Infrastructure at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU). He holds a doctorate in technical natural sciences and is actively leading and participating in multiple research projects focused on urban water management and nature-based solutions. His research interests lie at the intersection of urban sustainability and environmental engineering, with a strong focus on urban water management , circular economy , nature-based solutions , treatment wetlands , vertical greening systems , and greywater treatment . His work emphasizes process-based modeling of water and solute transport, particularly using the HYDRUS software, to optimize the design and performance of decentralized water treatment systems. The recent articles highlight a consistent trend in developing and evaluating nature-based technologies for sustainable urban water cycles. Key themes include the performance assessment of vertical and horizontal flow wetlands, numerical modeling for design optimization, the multifunctionality of green walls for cooling and water reuse, and the integration of blue-green infrastructure into circular city frameworks. His research bridges technical modeling with practical implementation, aiming to quantify resource recovery and improve urban resilience. Board member of the IWA national committee Austria (2023) Member of the Management Committee, IWA Specialist Group on 'Wetland Systems for Water Pollution Control' (2019) Active reviewer for journals including Chemical Engineering Journal , Science of the Total Environment , and Water Science and Technology Served on scientific advisory boards for major conferences like WETPOL and IWA ecoSTP He has supervised numerous master’s theses on topics such as greywater use for vertical greening, treatment performance of living walls, and modeling of rainwater use. His projects are funded by diverse sources including the European Commission (Horizon), FFG, national companies, and private foundations, demonstrating strong grant acquisition capability. He is also involved in knowledge transfer through public reports, media contributions, and participation in policy-relevant seminars. Bernhard Pucher is a key member of a research team that includes collaborators like Günter Langergraber, Ulrike Pitha, and Isabella Zluwa. His work is often conducted within interdisciplinary projects such as 'resilientRAIN', 'UrBan hEat islands REsilience', and the EU COST Action 'Circular City Re.Solution', reflecting a collaborative approach to addressing complex urban environmental challenges.
Thomas Henzinger is a Professor at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (IST Austria) since 2009, serving as its President from 2009 to 2022. He holds honorary doctorates from Fourier University and Masaryk University. His research focuses on formal methods for improving software reliability in concurrent and embedded systems, with contributions to quantitative verification, quantum computing, and algorithmic fairness. He leads the Henzinger Group , which addresses challenges in software correctness, safety-critical systems, and AI ethics. Education: PhD from Stanford University (1991), followed by postdoctoral work at Université Joseph Fourier (1991). Research Interests: Concurrent and embedded systems, formal methods, quantum algorithms, fairness in AI, and runtime verification. His team develops mathematical foundations and tools to ensure software robustness in complex systems. Recent Trends in Publications: Focus on advancing formal verification techniques for neural networks, quantum computing, and ethical AI. Key contributions include fairness shields for decision systems and middleware for third-party monitoring (VAMOS). Awards: Royal Society Fellow (2024), US National Academy of Sciences Member (2020), Wittgenstein Award (2012), and numerous test-of-time awards. Advising & Grants: Advised over 20 PhD students. Secured ERC Advanced Grants (VAMOS, QUAREM) and FWF grants (Wittgenstein Award). Labs/Teams: Leads the Henzinger Group , collaborating on projects like SPyCoDe (semantic security) and VAMOS (third-party monitoring middleware).
Peter Mohr-Ziak is a researcher affiliated with both the Institute of Computer Graphics and Vision at the University of Technology Graz (TU Graz) and VRVis Forschungs GmbH. His primary focus areas include Augmented Reality (AR) and Mixed Reality (MR) systems, specifically in the domains of AR visualization, content generation for AR, and head-mounted display (HMD) technologies. He is actively involved in projects with AVL List GmbH in addition to his academic research. Academic Rank: Researcher at TU Graz Education: Telematics, TU Graz Peter's research interests center on creating interactive AR systems with applications in industrial assembly, remote assistance, and education. His work spans technical aspects of AR visualization and practical implementations for skill training (e.g., guitar tutorials) and complex tasks like maxillofacial surgery. He investigates spatial rendering techniques, adaptive perspective models, and light field applications in mixed reality environments. Recent research trends include: 2024: Expanding into human-robot interaction and AR affordance templates 2023: Developing interactive guitar tutorials and state-aware configuration detection systems 2022: Advancing focus cues in video see-through MR and assembly instruction authoring 2019-2020: Improving HMD interaction with TrackCap and light field remote assistance 2017: Creating adaptive perspective rendering and video tutorial retargeting systems Scientific recognition includes: 2021: ISMAR Best Conference Paper 2017: CHI Best Paper Honorable Mention He contributes to projects at TU Graz's Institute of Computer Graphics and Vision, including collaborations with VRVis Forschungs GmbH and AVL List GmbH, while maintaining personal interests in photography and drone flying.
Prof. Dietmar Winkler is a Lecturer at TU Wien's Department of Information Systems Engineering, specializing in Cyber-Physical Production Systems (CPPS) and Software Engineering. His work focuses on integrating safety, security, and quality aspects into production systems through model-driven engineering and agile practices. He contributes to Industry 4.0 initiatives, particularly in asset-based risk mitigation and knowledge graph frameworks for security analysis. Research interests include: production systems engineering, cyber-physical systems, test-driven validation, model integration, and software quality intelligence. His publications emphasize multi-view modeling, traceability pipelines, and empirical studies on test code readability. Recent work explores security-log analysis via knowledge graphs (VloGraph), test scenario validation using design models, and efficient FMEA re-validation in agile environments. He co-leads projects on digital production system safety and coordinates multi-disciplinary engineering artifacts. Active in academic communities, he organizes conferences like Software Quality: The Next Big Thing. His contributions bridge theory and practice in systems engineering, with a focus on improving software development processes in complex industrial settings.
Michael Kerber is a Professor at Graz University of Technology, Institute of Geometry, specializing in computational topology and geometry. His research bridges mathematical theory with applications in data analysis, focusing on persistent homology and geometric algorithms. PhD from Max Planck Institute for Informatics (2009) Postdoc positions: Max Planck Institute, Stanford University, IST Austria His work centers on designing efficient algorithms for topological data analysis, particularly: Persistent Homology 2-Parameter Persistence Geometric Filtrations Algebraic Curve Analysis High-Dimensional Sphere Packing Recent publications emphasize: Improved Delaunay bifiltration methods NP-hardness of interleaving distance computation Sparse Čech filtrations for big data Integration with graph neural networks He has co-developed key software tools: PHAT DIPHA HERA SOPHIA
David Ribeiro Lamas is a Professor of Human-Computer Interaction at Tallinn University's School of Digital Technologies, where he heads the Human-Computer Interaction group. He also serves as the chair of the Estonian chapter of ACM's SIGCHI and as an expert member of IFIP's TC13. With an extensive international career spanning the USA, UK, Portugal, Cape Verde, Mozambique, Afghanistan, and Estonia, he has developed deep expertise in designing organizations, communities, and human technologies. His educational background includes a PhD in Human Computer Interaction from Portsmouth University (1998), an MSc in Computer Science from Minho University (1994), and an Honours BSc in Informatics/Applied Mathematics from Portucalense University (1989). He also completed specialized studies in Strategic Management at the Polytechnic University of Catalunya and a postdoc in Augmented and Virtual Environments at Michigan State University. Lamas' research primarily focuses on design theory and methodologies, with recent work emphasizing trust in technology, facial recognition systems, and vibrotactile interfaces. He has pioneered academic programs including the Master in Human-Computer Interaction and the Masters in Interaction Design (run online with Cyprus University of Technology). His approach combines theoretical rigor with practical application, particularly in cross-cultural contexts. His publication record shows a strong trend toward understanding human trust in technology systems, with significant work on facial recognition, vibrotactile feedback systems, and trust frameworks. His research spans both theoretical contributions to HCI methodology and practical applications addressing real-world challenges in digital accessibility and user experience. 2025 HCI Pioneer Award from IFIP TC13 2025 Tallinn Conference Ambassador 2024 IFIP Service Award 2015 Badge of Merit from Tallinn University 2011 Best Paper Award for work on Estonia's M-Government Services 2000 Best Paper Award for research on Web navigation guidance Lamas has successfully supervised forty-eight master students, seven doctoral students, and two post-doc researchers, and currently supervises twelve doctoral students. His leadership extends to numerous research projects including COST Actions on Interactive Narrative Design and Human-Computer Interaction methodologies. He founded and leads STARTS.EE, Tallinn University's initiative promoting encounters between science, technology, and the arts. He has been instrumental in building the Estonian HCI community through seasonal courses on Experimental Interaction Design, Research Methods in HCI, and the Design of Human Technologies since 2010. His World Usability Day events bring together over 600 researchers and practitioners annually from the Baltics, Nordic countries, and beyond. Lamas has chaired major international conferences including INTERACT 2019, NordiCHI 2020, AfriCHI 2021, and ICIDIS 2021.
Stefan Biffl is an Associate Professor of Software Engineering at Technische Universität Wien's Institute of Information Systems Engineering. He holds MS and PhD degrees in Computer Science from Vienna University of Technology and an MS in Social and Economic Sciences from the University of Vienna. His research focuses on software-intensive systems engineering, particularly in process improvement, quality assurance, and cyber-physical production systems. He has led over €4M in research projects, including the 7-year Christian Doppler Laboratory for Software Engineering Integration. Biffl has authored/co-authored over 250 publications and serves on program committees for top conferences like ICSE and ESEC/FSE. His current roles include co-leading TU Wien's Center for AI and Machine Learning (CAIML) Business group and supervising the Doctoral College on Trustworthy Autonomous Cyber-Physical Systems. Key research areas span systems architecture, empirical software engineering, and digital humanism principles in automation. He has advised major automotive companies like Volkswagen and Neuman Aluminium through the Comet Center for Digital Production. Biffl's involvement in academic organizations includes steering committees for ECSA and SEAA, and他曾担任多个期刊的客座编辑。他的著作包括《基于价值的软件工程》等 Springer 出版的书籍。研究项目注重工业自动化与知识工程的交叉应用，特别是在集体智能系统和 Industry 4.0 领域。 近期项目包括探索 AI 在商业绩效提升中的应用（2025 年）、数字化工单的安全风险分析（与 Secure Business Austria 合作）以及基于数据的汽车生产优化。他的工作强调将人本主义原则融入数字化转型，确保技术进步与社会价值的结合。
Renate Sabine Kränzl-Nagl serves as a Professor at the University of Applied Sciences Linz, where she leads research in the Social & Societal Innovation strength area within the Research Center Linz Bioinformatics Digital Transformation. Her academic work spans over three decades with 127 publications and active involvement in 17 research projects through 2026. Her research interests focus on Social & Societal Innovation , Childhood Research , and Digital Transformation with particular emphasis on evaluation methodologies and impact research. She applies multidisciplinary approaches to address societal challenges, especially in social profit organizations, child advocacy systems, and healthcare technology development. Recent publication trends reveal a strong focus on practical applications of research, with numerous commissioned works and project evaluations. Her work bridges academic research with real-world implementation, particularly in social services, elderly care technology, waste management systems, and women's employment in rural areas. The multidisciplinary nature of her work is evident across various publication types including books, conference papers, and commissioned reports. Her scientific contributions include leadership in major research projects such as the Digital Nursing Home evaluation, TrainYourBrain Optimizer development for Alzheimer's care, and the KiJA evaluation of child advocacy representatives. She actively participates in academic discourse through conferences like the Austrian Universities of Applied Sciences Research Forum and INNOVATE 2025. Lead Researcher for Digital Nursing Home Process and Impact Evaluation (2025) Co-PI for KiJA Evaluation of Child Advocacy Representatives (2025-2026) Co-Researcher for BF-WASP Agile Systems for Social Profit Organizations (2024-2025) Her research methodology emphasizes multidisciplinary approaches to evaluation and impact research, particularly relevant during periods of societal transformation. She maintains active collaboration networks across academic, public sector, and social profit organization domains.
Ao.Univ.Prof. Stefan Biffl is a Professor at TU Wien's Forschungsbereich Information und Software Engineering. His work focuses on Cyber-Physical Production Systems (CPPS), Industrie 4.0, and software engineering, with an emphasis on security, quality, and interdisciplinary approaches to production systems. He leads projects like 'Security Improvement of Information Processing in the Production System Lifecycle.' Research interests span Complex Event Processing, data analytics in production, and self-adaptive systems. Recent work explores test-driven validation, risk management, and multi-domain modeling in CPPS. He collaborates on frameworks like MDM-CPPS and QualSec, addressing challenges in automation, security, and sustainability. No scientific awards listed, but extensive contributions to publications and industry-oriented research are evident. He advises on production systems engineering and contributes to open-access publications through TU Wien's platforms.
Christian Vogel is a Senior Lecturer affiliated with the Institute for Signal Processing and Speech Communication at TU Graz. His work focuses on advanced signal processing techniques, analog/digital conversion systems, and mixed-signal architectures. Key research areas include time-interleaved ADC error correction, digital predistortion for RF systems, and EVM estimation methodologies. Education: Holds a Dr.techn. (Doctor of Engineering) and Dipl.-Ing. (Diploma in Engineering). His research emphasizes practical applications in mixed-signal systems, including calibration techniques for high-resolution ADCs, nonlinear system compensation, and energy-efficient transmitter design. Recent work explores optimization-based quantization, crest factor reduction in envelope tracking, and adaptive filtering for digital predistortion. Publications span over 15 years, addressing topics ranging from PWM-based RF transmission to all-digital phase-locked loops. His contributions bridge theoretical signal processing with hardware implementation challenges in modern electronic systems. Teaching expertise includes analog and digital signal processing, with authorization to teach at TU Graz. Active in industry-academia collaboration, his work aims to improve system performance in telecommunication and embedded electronics.
Prasanna Viktor is a Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Southern California (USC), holding the Charles Lee Powell Chair in Engineering. He also serves as Director of the Center for Energy Informatics and has held leadership roles in interdisciplinary research centers such as the USC Infosys Center for Advanced Software Technologies. With a BE from Bangalore University, ME from Indian Institute of Science, and PhD from Pennsylvania State University, he is a globally recognized expert in reconfigurable computing, FPGA accelerators, and parallel computing. His research focuses on high-performance architectures for applications in networking, security, HPC, and machine learning. Over 25 years, he has secured research grants totaling over $50M, including $12.9M from 2016–2021. He has advised over 70 doctoral students and published over 600 papers, earning 22 best paper awards. His work has led to IP cores with improved throughput, latency, and energy efficiency. Prasanna is a Fellow of the IEEE, ACM, and AAAS, and an elected member of Academia Europaea. He has received prestigious awards such as the W. Wallace McDowell Award (2015) and the Distinguished Alumnus Award from IISc (2019). He currently serves as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Parallel and Distributed Computing. He leads interdisciplinary efforts in energy informatics and smart oilfield technologies, bridging computer science, engineering, and energy sectors. His contributions include foundational work in reconfigurable computing and FPGA-based accelerators for diverse applications.
