Stefan Wrobel is a Professor of Computer Science at the University of Bonn, Director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Intelligent Analysis and Information Systems IAIS and Director of the Lamarr Institute. As one of the leading AI researchers in Germany, Stefan has been engaged for many years in scientific, technical and economic aspects of AI, with a particular focus on Data Mining and Machine Learning. His research focuses on intelligent algorithms and large-scale data analysis. Stefan has published widely in international top-tier conferences and journals and is recognized as one of the most influential figures in German AI.

Sylvain Baillet, PhD, FRSC, is Director of Research & Innovation at University of Montreal Health Centre (CHUM), Director of the CHUM Research Centre, and Full Professor of Neuroscience at U of Montreal. A physicist with an international career in Europe and the USA, he holds the Tier-1 Canada Research Chair in Neural Dynamics of Brain Systems. His work advances time-resolved brain imaging and predictive modeling, including the use of AI models to probe predictive processes underlying perception and cognition. He develops widely used neuroimaging methods, open-source software, and data resources. He previously served as Associate Dean at McGill University and was elected Chair of the Organization for Human Brain Mapping.

Axel Ngonga studied computer science and physics at Leipzig University, where he earned his PhD and completed his habilitation. After leading the Agile Knowledge Engineering group in Leipzig, he became Professor for Data Science at Paderborn University in 2017. He also serves as one of the directors of the Joint Artificial Intelligence Institute and is a Lamarr Fellow. His research focuses on knowledge graphs. He is the thankful recipient of over 30 international awards, including a Next Einstein Fellowship, and the 2024 NRW innovation award for his works on neurosymbolic machine learning. He is also a co-founder of the Tentris GmbH, a deep tech startup that develops the leading-edge tensor-based graph database TentrisDB.

Maren Bennewitz is a Professor of Humanoid Robots, Vice Rector for Digitalization at the University of Bonn, Principal Investigator at the Lamarr Institute and a member of the Executive Board of the Cluster of Excellence PhenoRob – Robotics and Phenotyping for Sustainable Crop Production. A renowned expert in AI-driven Robotics, her research focuses on robots operating in human environments, with emphasis on human-robot interaction. She has developed innovative Machine Learning solutions, among them navigation, manipulation and active perception techniques for legged and wheeled robots and the generation of foresighted, personalized robot behavior.

Christian Temath is Managing Director of the competence platform KI.NRW. He and his team work to strengthen the initiative “AI made in NRW” and to promote the technological sovereignty of North Rhine-Westphalia by making it easier for larger companies, SMEs and startups to get started with AI. As Transfer chair at the Lamarr Institute, Christian also supports collaboration between research and industry. He holds a PhD in business informatics and has extensive experience in technology consulting and the practical application of AI in international e-commerce. His work focuses on facilitating the adoption of AI in companies and organizations.

Tom Winter is a Corporate Language and Semantic Technologies expert at Deutsche Bahn AG, where he drives the transformation of corporate language into ontology-based, interoperable knowledge structures.He establishes a semantic framework in which terminology serves as a reference layer for enterprise knowledge models. His work enables applications such as machine translation, generative AI, and Digital Twins.After serving as Chairman of the Deutscher Terminologie-Tag e. V. (DTT) until 2025, he continues to contribute as a board member. And he is a member of the Rat für Deutschsprachige Terminologie (RaDT).

Prof. Dr. Sahar Vahdati is Professor of AI for Science at Leibniz University Hanover and TIB, Leibniz Information Centre for Science and Technology, where she leads the Nature-Inspired AI for Science Lab. Her research develops theoretical foundations for reasoning and causality in frontier AI models for scientific discovery, with the aim of building transparent, robust, and trustworthy AI for science. She coordinates the EOSC Assistant project, an agentic GenAI Open Research Assistant launching in September 2026. Her broader research agenda explores mind-inspired AI, ARC-AGI, and pathways toward safe AGI.

Stefanie Kemp has served as Chief Transformation Officer (CTO) of Sana Kliniken AG since September 1, 2022, leading the Executive Board’s Transformation division and driving the group’s evolution into an integrated healthcare service provider. She began her professional career as a pediatric nurse. Over 35 years ago, she transitioned into the information technology sector via the pharmaceutical industry. In addition to RWE/innogySE, she has worked at Lowell Financial Services, operated her own consulting firm, and held positions at Oracle. She also holds supervisory board mandates, serves as Executive Sponsor of the Rotonda Business Club Düsseldorf, and is actively involved as a mentor for the Women into Leadership e. V. (IWiL) initiative.

Jens Kleesiek studied medicine in Heidelberg, earning his MD, before completing a PhD in computer science in Hamburg. He is a qualified specialist in radiology and medical informatics. In addition, Jens worked for several years in an executive role in industrial software development. Currently, he is Director of the Institute for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine (IKIM) at Essen University Hospital and heads the Machine Learning in Medicine department. He holds faculty positions at the University of Duisburg-Essen and TU Dortmund University. His research focuses on clinical pattern recognition and multimodal data integration to improve decision-making at the point of care.

Stefan Wrobel is a Professor of Computer Science at the University of Bonn, Director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Intelligent Analysis and Information Systems IAIS and Director of the Lamarr Institute. As one of the leading AI researchers in Germany, Stefan has been engaged for many years in scientific, technical and economic aspects of AI, with a particular focus on Data Mining and Machine Learning. His research focuses on intelligent algorithms and large-scale data analysis. Stefan has published widely in international top-tier conferences and journals and is recognized as one of the most influential figures in German AI.

Sylvain Baillet, PhD, FRSC, is Director of Research & Innovation at University of Montreal Health Centre (CHUM), Director of the CHUM Research Centre, and Full Professor of Neuroscience at U of Montreal. A physicist with an international career in Europe and the USA, he holds the Tier-1 Canada Research Chair in Neural Dynamics of Brain Systems. His work advances time-resolved brain imaging and predictive modeling, including the use of AI models to probe predictive processes underlying perception and cognition. He develops widely used neuroimaging methods, open-source software, and data resources. He previously served as Associate Dean at McGill University and was elected Chair of the Organization for Human Brain Mapping.

Axel Ngonga studied computer science and physics at Leipzig University, where he earned his PhD and completed his habilitation. After leading the Agile Knowledge Engineering group in Leipzig, he became Professor for Data Science at Paderborn University in 2017. He also serves as one of the directors of the Joint Artificial Intelligence Institute and is a Lamarr Fellow. His research focuses on knowledge graphs. He is the thankful recipient of over 30 international awards, including a Next Einstein Fellowship, and the 2024 NRW innovation award for his works on neurosymbolic machine learning. He is also a co-founder of the Tentris GmbH, a deep tech startup that develops the leading-edge tensor-based graph database TentrisDB.

Maren Bennewitz is a Professor of Humanoid Robots, Vice Rector for Digitalization at the University of Bonn, Principal Investigator at the Lamarr Institute and a member of the Executive Board of the Cluster of Excellence PhenoRob – Robotics and Phenotyping for Sustainable Crop Production. A renowned expert in AI-driven Robotics, her research focuses on robots operating in human environments, with emphasis on human-robot interaction. She has developed innovative Machine Learning solutions, among them navigation, manipulation and active perception techniques for legged and wheeled robots and the generation of foresighted, personalized robot behavior.

Christian Temath is Managing Director of the competence platform KI.NRW. He and his team work to strengthen the initiative “AI made in NRW” and to promote the technological sovereignty of North Rhine-Westphalia by making it easier for larger companies, SMEs and startups to get started with AI. As Transfer chair at the Lamarr Institute, Christian also supports collaboration between research and industry. He holds a PhD in business informatics and has extensive experience in technology consulting and the practical application of AI in international e-commerce. His work focuses on facilitating the adoption of AI in companies and organizations.

Tom Winter is a Corporate Language and Semantic Technologies expert at Deutsche Bahn AG, where he drives the transformation of corporate language into ontology-based, interoperable knowledge structures.He establishes a semantic framework in which terminology serves as a reference layer for enterprise knowledge models. His work enables applications such as machine translation, generative AI, and Digital Twins.After serving as Chairman of the Deutscher Terminologie-Tag e. V. (DTT) until 2025, he continues to contribute as a board member. And he is a member of the Rat für Deutschsprachige Terminologie (RaDT).

Prof. Dr. Sahar Vahdati is Professor of AI for Science at Leibniz University Hanover and TIB, Leibniz Information Centre for Science and Technology, where she leads the Nature-Inspired AI for Science Lab. Her research develops theoretical foundations for reasoning and causality in frontier AI models for scientific discovery, with the aim of building transparent, robust, and trustworthy AI for science. She coordinates the EOSC Assistant project, an agentic GenAI Open Research Assistant launching in September 2026. Her broader research agenda explores mind-inspired AI, ARC-AGI, and pathways toward safe AGI.

Stefanie Kemp has served as Chief Transformation Officer (CTO) of Sana Kliniken AG since September 1, 2022, leading the Executive Board’s Transformation division and driving the group’s evolution into an integrated healthcare service provider. She began her professional career as a pediatric nurse. Over 35 years ago, she transitioned into the information technology sector via the pharmaceutical industry. In addition to RWE/innogySE, she has worked at Lowell Financial Services, operated her own consulting firm, and held positions at Oracle. She also holds supervisory board mandates, serves as Executive Sponsor of the Rotonda Business Club Düsseldorf, and is actively involved as a mentor for the Women into Leadership e. V. (IWiL) initiative.

Jens Kleesiek studied medicine in Heidelberg, earning his MD, before completing a PhD in computer science in Hamburg. He is a qualified specialist in radiology and medical informatics. In addition, Jens worked for several years in an executive role in industrial software development. Currently, he is Director of the Institute for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine (IKIM) at Essen University Hospital and heads the Machine Learning in Medicine department. He holds faculty positions at the University of Duisburg-Essen and TU Dortmund University. His research focuses on clinical pattern recognition and multimodal data integration to improve decision-making at the point of care.