Saurabh Bagchi is a Professor at Purdue University, West Lafayette, USA. He holds a PhD in Computer Science from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (2001). His research focuses on distributed systems security, networking, and embedded systems. Key areas include IoT security, cyber-physical systems resilience, and machine learning applications in edge computing. Bagchi's work spans theoretical and applied domains, addressing challenges in distributed algorithms, fault tolerance, and secure communication protocols. His contributions to firmware analysis, serverless computing optimization, and anomaly detection in industrial IoT systems have been widely recognized. He has published over 300 papers in top-tier conferences and journals such as IEEE Transactions on Dependable and Secure Computing, ACM Transactions on Sensor Networks, and CVPR. He collaborates with researchers in academia and industry to advance resilient networked systems, including projects funded by NSF and industrial partnerships. His lab explores cutting-edge topics like federated learning security, edge computing architectures, and game-theoretic approaches to cyber defense.
Prof. Dr. Martin Johns serves as Chair of Application Security at the Institute for Application Security within the Carl Friedrich Gauss Faculty at Technical University Braunschweig. He joined TU Braunschweig after working as Research Expert at SAP Security Research, where he shaped security strategy and led software security teams. Prior to SAP, he worked as software engineer in Germany at companies like TC Trustcenter and Infoseek Germany. Academic qualifications include a PhD in Computer Science (University of Passau, 2009) and a Diploma in Computer Science (University of Hamburg, 2003). His research focuses on web security and software security , particularly secure programming , vulnerability detection , and attack mitigation strategies. Recent publications cover topics like GDPR compliance frameworks , WebAssembly security , federated learning privacy , and server-side request forgery (SSRF) defenses. His work appears in top conferences including IEEE S&P, CCS, WWW, and ACM CODASPY.
Luigi Acerbi is an Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Helsinki, where he leads the Machine and Human Intelligence research group. He is also an active member of the Finnish Center for Artificial Intelligence (FCAI) and ELLIS (European Laboratory for Learning and Intelligent Systems). His research focuses on probabilistic machine learning and computational neuroscience, particularly on developing efficient methods for statistical inference, Bayesian models of perception, and resource-constrained rationality. His work bridges machine learning and cognitive science, with applications in Bayesian optimization, simulation-based inference, and image completion. The recent publications highlight a strong trend toward unifying probabilistic conditioning across diverse tasks using transformer-based meta-learning frameworks like the Amortized Conditioning Engine (ACE). These works emphasize amortized inference, flexible latent variable modeling, and the integration of prior knowledge at runtime, enabling efficient and scalable Bayesian methods for complex problems. Scientific Affiliations: University of Helsinki, Department of Computer Science Finnish Center for Artificial Intelligence (FCAI) ELLIS (European Laboratory for Learning and Intelligent Systems) Education: PhD in Computational Neuroscience, Doctoral Training Centre, Edinburgh, UK Advisor: Sethu Vijayakumar and Daniel Wolpert Visiting work at Computational and Biological Learning Lab, Cambridge Postdoctoral Experience: Alex Pouget’s lab, University of Geneva, Switzerland Wei Ji Ma, New York University, USA Collaboration with the International Brain Laboratory Luigi Acerbi mentors PhD students including Daolang Huang and Nasrulloh Loka, and collaborates widely with researchers such as Samuel Kaski. He has contributed to open-source tools like PyVBMC and is involved in community initiatives such as the EurIPS conference. His work is supported by grants from the Research Council of Finland, Business Finland, and the UKRI Turing AI World-Leading Researcher Fellowship. He leads a research lab focused on amortized probabilistic inference, with ongoing projects including PriorGuide and Stacked VBMC, aiming to make Bayesian methods more practical and accessible for real-world scientific and engineering applications.
Prof. Dr. Janick Edinger is a Professor of Distributed Operating Systems at the Department of Informatics, Faculty of Mathematics, Informatics and Natural Sciences, University of Hamburg, Germany. He leads a research group focused on distributed, context-aware, and adaptive computing systems, with a strong emphasis on edge computing, computation offloading, and assistive technologies. Education: PhD in Computer Science, University of Mannheim Studies at National Taiwan University Studies at University of Alberta, Canada Research stays at University of British Columbia, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, and Georgia State University, USA His research explores how edge computing and computation offloading can enable efficient, privacy-preserving processing of sensor and video data close to their sources, particularly in dynamic environments. He investigates the integration of autonomous and heterogeneous systems—such as drone fleets and mobile devices—into scalable middleware platforms for real-time monitoring and decision-making in logistics and industrial operations. His work also emphasizes societal impact, contributing to accessible routing, adaptive interfaces, and crowd-sourced mapping. The recent publications reflect a strong trend in edge computing, federated learning, privacy-preserving analytics, and assistive technologies. Topics include WebAssembly-based offloading, emotion prediction via eye tracking, real-time traffic detection, and predictive maintenance in Industry 4.0, showcasing a blend of foundational systems research and applied human-centered computing. Scientific Awards: PerCom 2021 Mark Weiser Best Paper Award Best Paper Award at IEEE PerCom 2021 for 'Voltaire: Precise Energy-Aware Code Offloading Decisions with Machine Learning' Prof. Edinger actively advises students and leads research projects involving grants and collaborations. His team includes PhD candidates and researchers working on middleware, edge systems, and context-aware applications. He has served on conference program committees, such as shadow PC member for EuroSys 2021, and publishes in top venues including IPDPS, PerCom, CHIIR, and COMPSAC. Labs and Teams: He leads the Distributed Operating Systems research group at the University of Hamburg, where he mentors students and collaborates on projects involving edge computing, IoT, and adaptive systems.
Antonello Monti is a Professor and Director of the Institute for Automation of Complex Power Systems at RWTH Aachen University. His research focuses on modern power systems, including smart grid technologies, hybrid AC-DC grids, and quantum computing applications in energy systems. Recent publications demonstrate innovations in grid resilience, EV charging optimization, quantum-assisted power system planning, and advanced simulation techniques. His team develops open-source tools like JuliaGrid for power system analysis and validates concepts through real-time testing platforms. Research addresses energy transition challenges including renewable integration, grid modernization, cyber-physical security, and next-generation optimization methods combining quantum computing with traditional power engineering approaches.
Professor Alexander Koller is a leading academic in Computational Linguistics at Saarland University's Department of Language Science and Technology. He holds a courtesy appointment in Computer Science and contributes to the Saarland Informatics Campus - one of Europe's premier computer science research centers. He leads the Computational Linguistics group and serves as speaker for the DFG-funded Research Training Group 'Neuroexplicit Models of Language, Vision, and Action'. PhD in Computer Science (Saarland University) Former positions: University of Potsdam, Columbia University, University of Edinburgh Sabbatical experiences: Meta AI (Paris), Allen Institute for AI (Seattle) His research focuses on computational modeling of meaning and reasoning in NLP, combining neural and symbolic approaches. Key contributions include semantic parsing systems like the AM parser and Alto, neurosymbolic models, and the GIVE Challenge for NLG evaluation. His recent work explores LLMs' limitations in problem-solving and compositional generalization. Recent publications highlight diverse applications across semantic parsing, dialogue systems, and LLM evaluation. Awards include ACL 2020 Best Theme Paper and multiple Outstanding Paper recognitions at ACL conferences. 2025 - AI Action Summit keynote speaker 2023 - ACL Outstanding Paper Awards 2022 - ELLIS Faculty appointment He maintains the DialogOS system for spoken dialogue development and teaches advanced computational linguistics topics. His group includes multiple postdocs and PhD students working across LLMs, dialogue systems, and semantic modeling.
Dr. rer. nat. Thomas Hermann is a faculty member at Bielefeld University's Faculty of Engineering, leading the Ambient Intelligence Group and coordinating the Computer Science program. He specializes in sonification, auditory data science, and smart environments. Head of Ambient Intelligence Working Group Computer Science Program Coordinator Member of multiple academic advisory boards His research focuses on interactive sonification for biomedical applications, quantum systems, and smart environments. Key projects include ECG sonification for cardiac diagnosis, real-time auditory feedback in swimming, and sonic interfaces for AR cooperation. Recent publications span 2025 with Python-based sonification tools ( pya AGen ), quantum system sonification, and ST-elevation myocardial infarction monitoring. He contributes to open-access supplementary materials and interdisciplinary workshops. As a researcher , Hermann develops practical sonification frameworks like Panson for facial behavior analysis, CardioScope for portable ECG monitoring, and Base Cube One for smart environments. His work bridges academic research with industry applications.
Holger Wittges is the Managing Director of the SAP University Competence Center (UCC) at the Technische Universität München (TUM) . His work focuses on Digital Transformation , Next Generation ERP , and Hybrid Cloud infrastructure. He is affiliated with the KrcmarLab and collaborates with IBM via the OpenPOWER@TUM initiative. Educational Background: 2004: Dr. rer. oec. (Promotion), Universität Hohenheim 1996: Diplom Wirtschaftsinformatiker, Universität Bamberg Research Interests include Digital Transformation, Cloud Computing, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), XaaS (Everything as a Service), and Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA). His work bridges academic innovation with industry needs through SAP UCC TUM, which provides 40+ educational service bundles like SAP HANA and S/4HANA for teaching and research. Recent Publications highlight advancements in machine learning for ERP support ticket systems, energy efficiency in SAP S/4HANA, and educational frameworks for cloud-based enterprise software. Articles emphasize collaboration with institutions across Europe and contributions to digital ecosystems like the SAP University Alliances. Key Projects include the OpenPOWER@TUM initiative with IBM, focusing on accessible AI/ML infrastructure for academia, and the SAP UCC TUM, which drives Education as a Service (EaaS) strategies for digital business ecosystems.
Muhammad Ali Gulzar is an Assistant Professor in the Computer Science Department at Virginia Tech and an Amazon Scholar at Amazon Web Services. His research focuses on improving developer productivity through automated debugging and testing for applications in emerging domains, including data-intensive software such as dataflow programs, ML/AI applications, and computational notebooks. Education Ph.D. in Computer Science from University of California, Los Angeles (Google Ph.D. Fellow 2017-2020) Research Interests Gulzar's research spans three primary areas: (1) automated tracking-code localization techniques in web applications, (2) re-engineering testing and debugging for data-intensive applications, and (3) advancing current testing and debugging practices in Federated Learning Applications. His work addresses the challenges of debugging in complex systems where traditional approaches fail due to the scale and distributed nature of modern applications. His research has significant implications for improving software quality, developer productivity, and accessibility in web applications. Research Trends Recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on debugging and testing challenges in emerging application domains. His work bridges traditional software engineering with machine learning, data-intensive systems, and web technologies. Notably, he has made significant contributions to Federated Learning debugging (FedDebug), accessibility challenges in ad-driven web applications, and semantic caching for Large Language Models. His approach often combines novel algorithmic insights with practical implementations that address real-world challenges in software development and maintenance. Scientific Awards Google Ph.D. Fellow (2017-2020) $1.1 million NSF award for Federated Learning research ACM CCS 2024 Distinguished Artifact Award Advising and Grants Gulzar leads a productive research group with multiple students contributing to publications in top-tier venues. His NSF-funded research on Federated Learning demonstrates his ability to secure competitive funding for innovative projects. His advising style appears to emphasize practical impact alongside theoretical contributions, with students often taking lead roles in publications. Current research directions include debugging techniques for Large Language Models, accessibility challenges in modern web applications, and novel testing approaches for distributed data processing systems.
Dr. Philipp Allgeuer is a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the Knowledge Technology Research Group within the Department of Informatics at the University of Hamburg. His work focuses on humanoid robotics, bipedal locomotion, and sensor fusion. He holds a PhD from the Autonomous Intelligent Systems Group at the University of Bonn, alongside dual bachelor's degrees in Mechatronic Engineering and Mathematical/Computer Sciences (both with First-Class Honors). His research contributions include the development of the igus Humanoid Open Platform and the NimbRo-OP series of humanoid robots, recognized with awards like the RoboCup HARTING Open Source Award (2016) and the Best Humanoid Award (2018). He has authored influential papers on fused angles for robot balance, tilt phase space representations, and neuro-inspired control architectures. Allgeuer's teams have dominated RoboCup competitions, winning titles in AdultSize and TeenSize leagues multiple times. His open-source software frameworks (e.g., rot_conv_lib , attitude_estimator ) and hardware designs are widely used in robotics research. Recent work explores multimodal human-robot interaction and AI-driven robotic task coordination. He is affiliated with the Knowledge Technology Research Group and contributes to projects like the NICOL humanoid robot, bridging social interaction and reliable manipulation. His research spans from low-level control algorithms to high-level behavior planning systems.
Prof. Dr. med. Franz Lennard Ricklefs is a Senior Physician and Head of the Working Group at the Department of Neurosurgery, University of Hamburg Faculty of Medicine. He is a Medical Specialist in Neurosurgery with cross-disciplinary expertise in neuro-oncology, molecular pathology, and extracellular vesicle research. Affiliations: University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), European Liquid Biopsy Society (ELBS), International Consortium on Meningiomas (ICOM) Research Interests: His work focuses on neurosurgical oncology, particularly glioblastoma and meningioma pathobiology. He investigates DNA methylation patterns, extracellular vesicle biomarkers, and liquid biopsy implementation in clinical neuro-oncology. Additional interests include surgical outcomes for epilepsy and aneurysm management. Article Trends: Over the last decade, Dr. Ricklefs has published extensively on: Extracellular vesicle applications as liquid biopsy markers DNA methylation subclasses for glioblastoma and meningioma Multicenter surgical outcome benchmarking Immune evasion mechanisms in neuro-oncology Technological innovations in neurosurgical visualization Molecular characterization of rare CNS tumors Professional Contributions: He co-authored the MISEV2023 guidelines for extracellular vesicle studies and participates in international consensus reviews for meningioma classification. His collaborations span institutions across Europe and North America.
Andrew Pavlo is a Professor in the Computer Science Department at Carnegie Mellon University's School of Computer Science. His research focuses on database management systems, particularly in the areas of transaction processing, in-memory databases, and self-driving database systems. He leads a productive research group that has published extensively in top database venues including VLDB, SIGMOD, and CIDR. Pavlo's research interests span database management systems, transaction processing, in-memory databases, non-volatile memory databases, and self-driving database systems. His work often bridges theoretical database concepts with practical system implementation, focusing on performance optimization, query processing, and system architecture. Recent work has explored machine learning applications for database tuning, novel storage techniques, and innovative approaches to transaction processing. An analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong focus on self-driving database systems, with significant work on the Database Gym framework for training machine learning models to optimize database performance. His research also examines columnar storage formats, transaction scheduling, and novel approaches to user-defined function optimization. The work demonstrates a consistent trajectory toward making database systems more autonomous and efficient through a combination of systems techniques and machine learning. Pavlo has been instrumental in mentoring numerous PhD students who have become active contributors to the database research community. His research has been supported by significant grants that have enabled the development of innovative database technologies and frameworks. His research group operates within CMU's vibrant database ecosystem, collaborating with other researchers on projects related to database systems, storage engines, and query processing frameworks. The group maintains close connections with industry partners to ensure practical relevance of their research contributions.
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Ralf Beck serves as Professor for Control and Regulation Technology and Automation Technology at Hochschule Düsseldorf University of Applied Sciences within the Faculty of Electrical Engineering & Information Technology. His academic responsibilities span multiple degree programs including BEng Electrical Engineering, BEng Industrial Engineering, and MSc Electrical Engineering and Information Technology. His educational background includes Mechanical Engineering studies at TU Braunschweig (1998-2004), followed by doctoral research at RWTH Aachen's Institute of Control Engineering where he earned his Dr.-Ing. in 2010 with a dissertation on predictive energy management for hybrid vehicles. Prior to his current professorship, he held progressive roles at FEV Europe GmbH from 2009-2018, culminating as Senior Project Manager for Vehicle and Powertrain Electronics. Beck's research focuses on control engineering systems with particular emphasis on automation technology, regulation systems, and model-based development approaches. His work bridges theoretical control methodologies with practical automotive applications, especially in hybrid vehicle energy management, multi-robot systems, and intelligent air path control. The Modellfabrik Fab21 serves as his primary experimental platform for model-based development applications. His publication record since 2005 demonstrates consistent contributions to control engineering, particularly in hybrid vehicle systems, emission control optimization, and calibration methodologies. Recent work shows increasing focus on distributed robotics and intelligent transportation systems, reflecting evolving research directions while maintaining core expertise in control theory applications. As an educator, Beck teaches foundational and advanced courses including Electrical Engineering III, Control and Regulation Technology, Model-Based Development, Technical Mechanics, and Advanced Control Engineering at the Master's level. His teaching integrates theoretical concepts with practical laboratory applications through the university's Moodle platform, emphasizing hands-on implementation of control algorithms and system modeling techniques.
Frank Fitzek serves as Full Professor holding the Deutsche Telekom Chair of Communication Networks at Dresden University of Technology, where he directs the Centre for Tactile Internet (CeTI) Cluster of Excellence and maintains association with the Faculty of Computer Sciences. His work is institutionally anchored within the School of Engineering Sciences and actively engages with 5G Lab Germany and 6G-life Hub initiatives, positioning him at the forefront of next-generation communication research. Fitzek's research spans communication networks, tactile internet systems, 5G/6G mobile technologies, network coding, quantum networking, virtual twinning, and haptic feedback systems. His recent publications demonstrate emphasis on resilient network architectures through quantum security protocols, cloud-native 5G implementations, theoretical communications frameworks, and human-computer interaction in mixed reality environments. This work consistently bridges theoretical innovation with practical testbed validations across multiple emerging technology domains. As Director of CeTI, Fitzek leads a major interdisciplinary research cluster focused on ultra-low latency networks enabling remote physical interaction. His affiliations with 5G Lab Germany and 6G-life Hub facilitate industry-academic collaboration on standardization and deployment of future communication infrastructures, with particular emphasis on network coding techniques and tactile internet applications that transform industrial automation and teleoperation scenarios.
Dr. Janis Nötzel is a senior researcher at the Chair of Theoretical Information Technology (Technische Universität München) and leads his independent Emmy Noether research group. Previously, he held a postdoctoral position at Universitat Autónoma de Barcelona and contributed to 5G practical implementations at TU Dresden's 5G Lab. His research spans quantum information theory, physical layer security, and machine learning applications. Key focuses include Quantum channel capacities under adversarial conditions Entanglement-assisted communication Quantum software frameworks (QuNetSim, QuReed) Interplay between classical and quantum communication Security analysis for 6G networks Resource optimization in quantum systems Recent publications (2023-2025) showcase innovations in Quantum satellite communication architectures Hybrid quantum-classical clustering algorithms Photonic processor instability modeling Covert capacity of compound channels Quantum key distribution resilience Free-space Bessel beam communication He actively collaborates with 6G-life research hub and contributes to quantum network simulation tools. Grants include funding from DFG (Leibniz Program), BMBF (6G-life, Q.Link.X), and StMWi (6G Zukunftslabor Bayern).
