Christoph Meinel (Univ.-Prof., Dr.rer.nat., Dr.sc.nat., 1954) was CEO and scientific director of Hasso-Plattner Institut für Digital Engineering gGmbH (HPI) at the University of Potsdam from 2004 to 2023. He is professor emeritus (C4) of computer science at the joint Digital Engineering Faculty of HPI and the University of Potsdam, where he holds the chair for "Internet Technologies and Systems.

Meinel is author or co-author of 25 books and monographs and editor of several conference proceedings and anthologies. He has published more than 750 (peer-reviewed) scientific papers in prestigious scientific journals and at international conferences.

Meinel studied mathematics and computer science at the Humboldt University in Berlin from 1974 to 1979, earning his Dr.rer.nat. degree there in 1981. In 1988 he habilitated as Dr.sc.nat. at the Institute of Mathematics of the Academy of Sciences in Berlin. In 1992 he was appointed full professor (C4) of computer science at the University of Trier. In the years 1998 to 2002, in addition to his professorship, he was also director and managing director of the Institut für Telematik e.V. From 1996 to 2007, Christoph Meinel was a member of the scientific board of directors of IBFI Schloss Dagstuhl. From 1992 to 2007, he was the spokesman for the "Complexity" specialist group of the German Informatics Society (GI). He has received numerous calls in Germany and abroad, is involved in a number of international program committees, has organized various international symposia and conferences, and was and is a member of a number of supervisory boards, e.g. the Security Advisory Board of SAP.

The keynote speaker will highlight the following: With the German University of Digital Science we want to establish a university the that offers all its study programs completely digital. German UDS opens its doors on one side to students who have families, are employed and want or need to continue their education in the digital field for their professional development. On the other side, it provides a chance for students from the countries of the global south who lack the financial means to study in Germany but still want to obtain a German university degree. Digitalization provides the means to democratize academic education and the knowledge needed to master the digital transformation. Teaching formats of the digital university are based on MOOCs (massive open online courses) and make use of a variety of innovative digital formats, that we have used an developed for the online learning platform openHPI.de from Hasso Plattner Institute.

Adrian FLOREA obtained his MSE (1998) at Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu and his Ph.D. in Computer Science from the ’Politehnica’ University of Bucharest, Romania (2005). At present he is Professor in Computer Science and Engineering at the ’Lucian Blaga’ University of Sibiu, Romania. Adrian is an active researcher in the fields of High Performance Processor Design and Simulation, Dynamic Branch and Value Prediction. He has worked over 20 years in interdisciplinary national and international research projects dealing with issues such as optimization problems in different engineering domains (microprocessors systems, suspension design and reliability, energy efficiency in buildings, smart electricity), embedded systems with applicability in Smart City (smart parking, urban mobility, smart traffic), creating digital tools for supporting communities of practice, mobile computing. He has published over 7 (didactic and scientific) books and 89 scientific papers in some prestigious journals (ISI Web of Science) and international top conferences in Romania, USA, UK, Italy, Germany, China, Slovenia, Korea, Latvia, Spain, India, Poland etc. He received ‘Tudor Tanasescu’ Romanian Academy Award 2005, for the book entitled ‘Microarchitectures simulation and optimization’ (in Romanian) and ‘Ad Augusta Per Angusta’ Award for young researcher, received from ‘Lucian Blaga’ University of Sibiu in June 2007, for special results obtained in scientific research. Since 2012 he is HiPEAC affiliate member and, since 2013 he is ACM Professional member. He is researcher in the European Union’s Horizon 2020 innovation programme under grant agreement No 731724, “Infrastructure and integrated tools for personalized learning of reading skill – iRead” and is the technical coordinator of the Erasmus+ KA2 strategic project “The FoF-Designer: Digital Design Skills for Factories of the Future”. Since 2019 professor Florea is leading the HPI Knowledge Transfer Centre at ULBS.

Ramona Samson is currently working for the Chief Economist Unit at the Directorate-General for Research and Innovation, European Commission. Previously, she worked as Deputy Head of Unit for 'SMEs, Financial Instruments and State Aid', providing advice as regards the design of ways to increasing private finance and closing market gaps in research and innovation investments. Until 2012, she held various positions at the Directorate-General for Trade. She holds a PhD from Copenhagen Business School

Julia von Thienen studied at the Free University of Berlin, majoring in psychology with a focus on neuroscience, research methodology, and philosophy, while minoring in computer science. Her PhD research on causation also integrated these fields. Julia has taught at the Free University of Berlin, the University of Chicago, and the University of Potsdam. In 2008, she joined the Design Thinking Research Program at the Hasso-Plattner-Institut (HPI). In her work, she explores design thinking as an approach to creativity, collaboration, and innovation. The research methods range from investigating individual physiological processes to examining global policy perspectives. In 2018, Stanford University and Potsdam launched a joint program in Neurodesign. Since then, Julia has been leading the neurodesign group at HPI, investigating the biological foundations of creativity, collaboration, and innovation, while also utilizing these insights for pioneering technology redesigns. A major recent focus of her work is Sustainable Design, pursued in collaboration with the Tangible Media Lab from MIT, involving co-creative teams supported by AI.

Remus Brad received an Engineer Diploma degree in Computer Science from the “Lucian Blaga” University of Sibiu (ULBS), Romania, in 1993, a M.S. degree from Université “Pierre et Marie Curie” Paris, France, in Artificial Intelligence in 1995 and a PhD. from Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, Romania, in 2003. Since 1994 he has joined the Department of Computer Science and Automation at the “Lucian Blaga” University of Sibiu, Romania, where he is actually a Professor. His current research interests include Image Processing, Motion Estimation and Biomedical Imaging. As Head of the Data Communication and Marketing Department of ULBS since year 2000, he has managed and maintained the university core network and server infrastructure, developing in-house software and web-based applications. He is a Senior Member of the IEEE.

Technology enthusiast with a focus on continuous learning and development. As an entrepreneur, I enjoy solving complex business problems with high-end technology. I support employees and colleagues in their creative ideas to develop their own potential. Lifelong learning and permanent development are my core values. The ability to take risks and at the same time remain solution-oriented is a key strength of mine.

Teodor Vintilă coordinates applied biotechnology disciplines in the Faculty of Bioengineering and Animal Sciences from Timisoara; is conducting research projects (managed 12 projects up to date) in the field of industrial microbiology and biotechnology, biofuels, biorefinery and bioeconomy.

I'm a software system architect with 17 years of experience in the industry and also a Mentor at Școala Informala de IT ( https://scoalainformala.ro/ )At Școala Informala de IT, I help adults develop their careers by teaching them about valuable software development concepts. My career has been driven by a lifelong love of learning, and I firmly believe that continuous learning is essential for building fulfilling and successful careers. .

Officer in the Ministry of Defense | Cybersecurity Specialist Cybersecurity enthusiast, lifelong learner, and education-driven builder with a passion for red teaming and ethical hacking. I completed my studies at the Land Forces Academy in Sibiu (2024) and pursued cybersecurity independently—late nights, weekends, and holidays—driven by purpose and the belief that it’s all worth it. I’ve organized two national CTF competitions: SMCC 2023 (Sibiu, 100 participants) and Chronos Security CTF 2024 (260 participants), aiming to build realistic and challenging learning experiences for the community. I strive to make a meaningful impact through everything I create. If you have a why, you're unstoppable. .

Dr. Catalin Vrabie is an Associate Professor in Information Technology and Communications, E-Government, and Smart City Strategies at the Faculty of Public Administration, National University of Political Studies and Public Administration (SNSPA), Bucharest, Romania. He also serves as the Director of the SMART Edu-Hub Advanced Research Center, an institutional platform dedicated to advancing research and innovation in digital governance and smart urban ecosystems.

Prof. Vrabie holds a PhD in Administrative Sciences with a doctoral thesis focused on transparency and innovation within e-government systems. He completed the Executive Certificate in Strategy and Innovation from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), with a specialization in artificial intelligence and digital transformation. He is a Professional Member of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), as well as an active member of the American Society for Public Administration (ASPA), the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI), and the Network of Institutes and Schools of Public Administration in Central and Eastern Europe (NISPAcee).

In his academic tenure, Prof. Vrabie has contributed extensively to teaching at both undergraduate and graduate levels in Romanian and English, covering subjects such as E-Governance Strategies, Smart Cities, and IT Fundamentals for Public Administration. His international academic engagements include visiting professorships at prestigious institutions such as Charles University (Czech Republic), ESAN University (Peru), Kaunas University of Technology (Lithuania), Hacettepe University (Türkiye), and others.

He is the Editor-in-Chief of the Smart Cities and Regional Development Journal (SCRD) and serves as Chair and President of the Smart Cities International Conference (SCIC), the first scientific event in Romania dedicated to Smart Cities. Prof. Vrabie has acted as principal investigator or expert in numerous national and EU-funded projects, including Horizon Europe, CNFIS, and POSDRU initiatives, focusing on digital transformation, AI in education, and urban innovation. His prolific academic output includes authorship of over a dozen university textbooks and monographs – including AI from idea to implementation (2024) and E-Government fundamentals (2016 / 2024 editions) – as well as coordination of interdisciplinary volumes on digital governance and innovation. His scientific contributions are reflected in articles published in high-impact journals such as Springer Lecture Notes in Business Information Processing, Sustainability, Administrative Sciences and Public Policy and Administration.

Prof. Vrabie is also an editorial board member and peer reviewer for multiple international journals, and a frequent keynote speaker and program committee member at conferences across Europe. He has been recognized with the Pierre DeCelles Award by IASIA for outstanding scholarly contribution to public administration education.

Beyond academia, he has actively contributed to smart development strategies at the local and regional levels in Romania, including strategic planning roles for numerous municipalities in Romania, as well as coordination of digital policy frameworks for local governments in Romania. His full CV, including a complete list of publications and academic activities, is available on the SNSPA website.

Radu is the Head of Technology at MultiversX, where he is creating a distributed infrastructure via MultiversX Network. Here he is working on a high-throughput blockchain technology focusing on scalability, speed, and security. Radu is involved in the research, architecture, development and release of multiple projects inside the MultiversX ecosystem. Radu is a published researcher with a PhD in Computer Science and also an Assistant Professor at the "Lucian Blaga" University of Sibiu. His main research interests include: Advanced Computer Architecture, Design Space Exploration and Machine Learning. Most of this expertise was consolidated by participating in EU funded research projects. During this time, Radu was also responsible for deploying enterprise solutions for business and services applications. As a software engineer his objective is to deliver on measurable business goals

Dr. Alex V. Mbaziira is an Associate Professor for cybersecurity and the Outgoing Director for the School of Technology and Innovation in the College of Business Innovation, Leadership and Technology (BILT) at Marymount University, USA. He has received over US$ 5 million in research funding from US Federal government agencies like National Science Foundation (NSF) and US Department of Defense (DoD) for his research. He is technical lead for applied research in Cyber Clinics at Marymount University, which is funded by the National Security Agency and applied AI research on red and purple teaming, which is funded by the DoD. He is also a member of the Cybersecurity and Privacy Working Group for the Greater Washington Board of Trade in Washington DC. He presents and publishes peer-reviewed research on applications of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and cognitive science to cybersecurity and cybercrime. He is also a member of professional organizations like IEEE, ACM and ISACA.

Having two positions as Senior Systems Engineer and Project Manager for Marquardt Team of CoDEMO5.0 Erasmus+ Project and with experience in a wide range of work areas, from IT Management to Electrical Engineering Power Plant Technologies and even Research and Development in Automotive Industry, I have constantly focused on developing innovative and sustainable products and partnerships. Identifying efficient ways and methods of training, supporting and working with others, I have aimed to build knowledge networks between stakeholders from both private and institutional areas.
Only driven by great ideas one can obtain sustainable human centered digitalized development.

I have been working within the automotive field since 2009, experiencing the full software development cycle for HMI products. My interests are also around software product lines, or how to efficiently develop similar products. During this workshop we will engage you to the latest technologies used within HMIs.

Vlad has graduated in 2012 from the “Hermann Oberth” Engineering Faculty of ULBS, majoring in Computer Science. Since then, he has activated in the engineering field of the Automotive Industry in both Research and Development, and Industrialization departments. With over 12 years’ experience in the field, Vlad has covered a multitude of activities, roles, projects and products, encompassing embedded software development, software and system testing, requirements engineering, equipment development, project management and team leading. With a strong understanding of the automotive products development lifecycle, from concept to end of life, Vlad is currently acting as a Software Project Manager in the R&D Department, leading a team of highly dedicated engineers in developing the smart-access systems of tomorrow.

As side activities, Vlad is a member of the CoDEMO 5.0 Project within his Organization, acting as a researcher & trainer of the Consortium and has been involved in moderating various Workshops for high-school and university students within the Company.

Completing the skill-stack there is the Lean Six Sigma – Green Belt Certification (by IASSC) and the Project Management Certification (by Romanian Ministry of Labor), two significant qualification degrees that are contributing with a high positive impact on the daily project work and activities.

Andreea-Iulia is a researcher and PhD student at Leibniz University Hannover, where she creates and evaluates algorithms for quantum computers. As a researcher turned entrepreneur, Andreea has experienced firsthand how groundbreaking innovations often struggle to reach the people who could benefit the most. That's why she founded innovailia, a German spin-off of Leibniz University Hannover and the QuBRA project.

A study on cryptographic algorithms adapted for the quantum computing era.

Bogdan Carp is the Programs Manager at CyberEDU, where he orchestrates impactful programs dedicated to developing practical skills in technology and, in particular, in cybersecurity. These include the national UNbreakable program, the National Cyber Security Olympics, and the Romanian Cyber Security Challenge (ROCSC). Apart from his work at CyberEDU, Bogdan is the co-founder and organizer of Electron, a hackathon focused on hardware hacking, which uses the CyberEDU platform infrastructure for its development.

Always connected to the pulse of technology and new trends, Bogdan is passionate about how education can adapt and transform to meet current demands. He believes that innovative educational programs, which are not necessarily part of the classic curricula, are fundamental for the development of young people, providing relevant experiences in an era where traditional education systems have difficulty keeping up with the speed of change. In his presentation, Bogdan will explore how transforming cybersecurity education can balance the innovation brought by emerging disruptive technologies with the management of inherent risks and positive societal impact. The discussion will focus on the impact generated by current educational programs and the potential of interactive experiential learning platforms (such as cyber ranges) in upskilling and reskilling processes. It will be highlighted how these environments allow for the exploration and development of a diverse range of practical skills ('hands-on skills') in cybersecurity, essential for navigating a complex digital environment and building individual and organizational resilience .

Albert Florea is currently a master's student at the Technical University of Munich, where he also completed his Bachelor's in Informatics. His main interests at the moment are Quantum Computing, Machine Learning and Deep Learning. Recently, during his studies, he contributed to the research of the Chair of Design Automation at TUM, where the resulting paper was accepted at the 2024 IEEE International Conference on Quantum Software (QSW). The work is open-source and can be checked on GitHub or arXiv (links provided in his LinkedIn profile). Additionally, he has acquired industry experience and has served as a teaching assistant.

The provisional title of the presentation is: From Computer Science Students to Quantum Researchers.

I have graduated my MSE in Communication Systems Engineering and Electronic Security at the Military Technical Academy "Ferdinand I" Bucharest while pursuing my dream of researching the quantum realm in Romania. Participating in numerous courses and events such as IBM and Womanium summer schools, hackathons organized by the Quantum Internet Alliance, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, International Telecommunication Union and IBM, as well as conferences held by some of my beloved mentors, Radu Ionicioiu and Ștefan Ataman, together with some of my student friends and with all the support from my university, we conceived this project to create a Romanian community passionate about quantum technologies - RoQteam.

Lennart Binkowski is a researcher and PhD student at Leibniz Universität Hannover, where he develops quantum algorithms for combinatorial optimisation and creates design patterns for quantum software development. His research history includes variational quantum algorithms for near-term devices, powerful quantum optimisation frameworks for far-term quantum computers, as well as the design of a hybrid classical-quantum programming language..

Radu George Crețulescu, PhD is an Associate Professor at the Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, Romania, where he has been teaching and researching in the field of computer science for over two decades. His academic focus includes Web Application Development, Object-Oriented Programming, Artificial Intelligence, and Real-Time Systems. Dr. Crețulescu earned his PhD in Computer Science with a specialization in document classification system design, further supported by an MSc and a diploma in Mathematics from the Babeș-Bolyai University of Cluj-Napoca. His technical expertise spans several programming languages, including PHP, C#, and JavaScript. Fluent in English and German, Dr. Crețulescu brings both academic rigor and practical insight to his work

Employee of Continental Sibiu since 2008 member of the "Manufacturing Innovation" department

Over 27 years of entrepreneurship, largely in IT, pioneer in the Romanian IT industry

Born 1980, Diploma in telecommunications at the Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, Romania. He started with the international automotive supplier Continental AG in 2004. In his current position, Mr. Gruian is the head of Manufacturing Software and Testing within Continental and has a strong test technologies background being a senior expert in this field. Automotive Operations Manufacturing (AOM), is a cross-divisional organization within Continental Automotive Technologies Group, that includes dedicated central departments. His department, AOM Digitalization & Technologies, is responsible for equipment software standardization, globalization of newly developed solutions, as well as piloting emerging technologies through specific innovation projects focused on manufacturing.

Alexander is the Founder and CEO of Magnusson Analytica, a Product and Marketing Analytics boutique agency and premier Amplitude European Partner firm. With a background in data analytics spanning a decade, specialising in user behaviour and product analytics, Alexander guides companies globally on how to improve their digital products, increase conversion rates, and optimise marketing efforts.

Eleonora Bilotta is a full professor of General Psychology at the Department of Physics of the University of Calabria, where she has been conducting interdisciplinary research at the intersection of psychology, computer science, and cognitive science for many years. She is currently the coordinator of the PhD program in Programming Psychology and Artificial Intelligence at the University of Trieste. Her scientific work focuses in particular on the study of artificial intelligence and human-machine conversational interfaces, investigated from both a technological and psychological perspective. At the same time, she is actively involved in promoting STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics) education, with a particular focus on innovative and inclusive teaching methods.

I am an analytical person and I know I can bring value when I am involved in creating and implementing innovative solutions to solve problems, naturally seeing room for improvement within complex systems. I find the greatest satisfaction in turning ideas into reality, with a characteristically critical approach. I prefer to work independently or with a small but specialized team, following strategic and calculated steps to implement a certain process or a change. Still, I am always open to ideas and will consider different perspectives with a fair approach.

A physicist, with a computer science background, a PhD in Neural Networks and a vast experience in different engineering and leadership roles, Silviu Rei is coordinating Continental Sibiu’s Architecture & Network Solutions R&D center. He is driving the company’s mission to shape a safe, connected, and autonomous future of mobility, while always searching for purpose and challenging the status-quo. In his current role, he is also responsible for integrating AI into Continental’s R&D processes, with the aim to enhance competitiveness, efficiency, and enable his colleagues to focus on value-added and innovative activities. This approach not only accelerates progress, it also fosters a culture of continuous improvement, drives sustainable growth, and positions Continental Sibiu at the forefront of technological advancements in the automotive industry.

Daniel Ursu is a Senior Software Engineer at BearingPoint, specializing in full-stack development. Passionate about innovation, Daniel actively engages as a speaker and mentor, guiding others through the rapidly evolving world of tech and artificial intelligence. He stays ahead of industry trends, consistently adopting emerging AI technologies early and sharing insights with the tech community.

Stefan Baumeister Ph.D., M.Sc. (Econ.), Diplom-Betriebswirt (FH) is a Senior Lecturer and Adjunct Professor at the University of Jyväskylä, School of Business and Economics. He has defended his doctoral dissertation with the title "An Eco-label for the Airline Industry - Instrument for Behavioral Change?" in June 2017. Since 2012, he has been acting as a teacher and instructor in the Corporate Environmental Management Master's Degree Program. In 2016 he was appointed as supervisor of Master's Theses and since 2019 as a Ph.D. supervisor. Starting from 2022, he has been acting as the Program Director of the Corporate Environmental Management Master's Degree Program. In addition to that, he has also been appointed to the School of Business and Economic's Education Development Committee for the term 2022-2025. In February 2022 he was awarded the Title of Docent (Adjunct Professor) in Aviation from the Faculty of Built Environment at Tampere University. Stefan’s research has appeared in leading journals of his field such as Transport Policy, Journal of Transport Geography, Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment, Case Studies in Transport Policy, Environmental Impact Assessment Review, Journal of Cleaner Production or Environmental Research Letters. During fall 2019 he was a Visiting Research Fellow at Griffith University, School of Engineering and Built Environment in Brisbane, Australia. During 2014-2015 Stefan was a Visiting Graduate Researcher at the Institute of the Environment and Sustainability at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) under a Fulbright Scholarship. In 2024 Stefan has been selected to the national IPCC working group by the Finnish Ministry of Environment for the years 2024-2028.

Ioana Albert Tóth is a Quality Assurance and Compliance Specialist with over 12 years of experience in software testing, security auditing, and regulatory standards. With a strong foundation in QA and nearly a decade as a trainer, she has guided hundreds of professionals into tech careers and led quality-focused initiatives across teams and organizations. Her background combines technical expertise with a leadership mindset, enabling her to align quality, security, and compliance goals with broader business objectives.

István is a Technical DevSecOps and Product Development Director at VerSprite Cybersecurity, deeply engaged in advancing cybersecurity through innovative approaches and technologies. Passionate about security automation, he consistently applies a holistic perspective to his work, ensuring that each contribution positively impacts the broader digital ecosystem. He leads consultancy efforts and oversees the development of both a Threat Modeling and a Cloud Security Posture Management platform. István is also the maintainer of the OWASP CSRFGuard project and has notable contributions to multiple open-source security automation tools, especially in the areas of vulnerability scanning and attack surface mapping. With a rich background in software development and various areas of cybersecurity, ranging from enterprise-level projects to startup innovation and consultancy, István brings a well-rounded view of the field's challenges and opportunities. His commitment to collaborative progress and knowledge sharing continues to shape his contributions across both industry and open-source communities.

Lasse Berntzen is a Professor in the School of Business, University of South-Eastern Norway. Since 2003, his research has focused on the Information Society and ICT in public sector, with emphasis on e-government and e-democracy. During the last years his research has focused on smart cities and smart communities. He has been involved in several research projects on national and international level, author and co-author of several conference papers and articles, and program committee member and reviewer for some of the most important conferences within his field of research.

His current research interests include automatic assessment of e-government services, different aspects of e-participation, and the use of geographic information systems to improve public decision-making and democratic participation, and the development of smart city concepts and technology.

In 2007 and 2008, he worked on regulatory aspects of e-democracy as an expert for the Council of Europe’s Ad-hoc Committee on e-democracy. He has also been a reviewer for the European Commission. Lasse Berntzen received his Cand. Scient. degree in Computer Science from the University of Oslo. His thesis work focused on object-oriented modeling of workflow processes. Since then, he has worked both as an academic and as a computer professional. During his professional career, he has written textbooks on computer networks, systems development, and web technology. In 2009, he was appointed fellow of the International Academy, Research and Industry Association (IARIA). He has been on the steering committee of ICDS since 2007, Cyberlaws since 2010, and COLLA since 2011, CENTRIC since 2013, and SMART since 2015. He is currently a member of IFIP WG 8.5: Information Systems in Public Administration. He is also a member of AIS, ACM, and IEEE.