Kick-off event
We were thrilled to formally kick off the AICS initiative with an event on December 2, 2024 at the MPI-SWS campus in Kaiserslautern. The program featured welcome addresses from prominent institutional leaders, an overview of the initiative by Krishna Gummadi, Scientific Director at MPI-SWS, and inspirational talks by distinguished experts such as Alan Mislove, Senior Associate Dean at Northeastern University, and Meeyoung Cha, Scientific Director at the Max Planck Institute for Security & Privacy. This gathering represents our commitment to fostering a collaborative environment that bridges academia, industry, and policy to advance responsible AI research.
Agenda
The AICS kick-off event brought together leading researchers and institutional leaders working at the intersection of artificial intelligence, computing systems, and society. The invited speakers represent diverse perspectives spanning algorithmic accountability, online platforms, and computational social science, core themes of the AICS initiative.
Prof. Dr. Derek Dreyer
Managing Director, Max Planck Institute for Software Systems (MPI-SWS)
Derek Dreyer is a Managing Director at the Max Planck Institute for Software Systems (MPI-SWS) in Saarbrücken, where he leads the Foundations of Programming research group. His research develops rigorous formal foundations for programming languages and software verification, with the goal of ensuring the safety and reliability of modern software systems. He is particularly known for pioneering work on the Iris and RustBelt verification frameworks. Dreyer received a PhD in Computer Science from Carnegie Mellon University and has been a faculty member at MPI-SWS since 2008, becoming Scientific Director in 2022. He is also an Honorary Professor at Saarland University and a recipient of the ACM SIGPLAN Robin Milner Young Researcher Award and an ERC Consolidator Grant.
Prof. Dr. Christoph Garth
Dean, Department of Computer Science; Professor of Scientific Visualization, RPTU University Kaiserslautern-Landau
Christoph Garth is Dean of the Department of Computer Science at the Rheinland-Pfälzische Technische Universität Kaiserslautern-Landau (RPTU) and Professor of Scientific Visualization. He leads the Scientific Visualization Lab, where his research develops methods for the analysis and visualization of large-scale, complex, and time-dependent simulation data arising in fields such as fluid dynamics, engineering, and the natural sciences. Garth studied computer science at TU Kaiserslautern, where he obtained his PhD in 2007. Following postdoctoral research at ETH Zürich and the University of California, Davis, he joined TU Kaiserslautern as junior professor in 2010 and was appointed full professor in 2017. As Dean, he oversees academic strategy, research development, and education within the computer science department at RPTU.
Clemens Hoch
Minister for Science and Health, State of Rhineland-Palatinate
Clemens Hoch is Minister for Science and Health of the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate, a position he has held since 2021. A trained lawyer and member of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), he previously served as Head of the State Chancellery and State Secretary (2014–2021) and as a member of the Rhineland-Palatinate state parliament. As minister, he is responsible for higher education, research policy, innovation, and the health system of the state, and promotes strategic development in areas such as biomedical research, biotechnology, and academic–industry collaboration.
Prof. Dr. Malte Drescher
President, RPTU University Kaiserslautern-Landau
Malte Drescher is President of the Rheinland-Pfälzische Technische Universität Kaiserslautern-Landau (RPTU), a position he has held since October 2024. A physical chemist by training, he is Professor of Physical Chemistry at the University of Konstanz, where he previously served as Vice-Rector for Research (2019–2024) and Vice-Rector for Teaching (2018–2019). His research focuses on electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR/ESR) spectroscopy and the structural dynamics of complex molecular and biological systems. Drescher studied physics at the University of Karlsruhe, where he obtained his PhD in 2005, and later completed his habilitation in physical chemistry at the University of Konstanz. He has received major competitive funding, including an ERC Consolidator Grant and a DFG Heisenberg Professorship. As President of RPTU, he leads the strategic development of the university and its research and innovation agenda.
Prof. Dr. Patrick Cramer
President, Max Planck Society
Patrick Cramer is President of the Max Planck Society, Germany’s leading organization for basic research. An internationally renowned structural and molecular biologist, he previously served as Director and Executive Director at the Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences in Göttingen. His research has advanced fundamental understanding of gene transcription and its regulation, and he has received major international honors including the Shaw Prize and the Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize. As President of the Max Planck Society, he represents the organization globally and shapes its strategic development across disciplines, including initiatives at the interface of artificial intelligence, computing, and society.
Prof. Dr. Krishna P. Gummadi
Scientific Director, Max Planck Institute for Software Systems (MPI-SWS)
Krishna P. Gummadi is a Scientific Director at MPI-SWS and leads research on the societal implications of computing and AI systems, including algorithmic fairness, accountability, and governance of online platforms. He is one of the founders of the AICS initiative, which explores how computing architectures shape societal outcomes and inform responsible AI design.
Prof. Dr. Alan Mislove
Professor, Northeastern University
Alan Mislove is Professor of Computer Science and Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in the Khoury College of Computer Sciences at Northeastern University. His research examines large-scale online platforms and algorithmic systems, with a focus on auditing algorithms for fairness, privacy, and societal impact. His work has influenced policy and regulation of digital platforms, and he has advised U.S. government agencies on technology and privacy, including serving as Deputy U.S. Chief Technology Officer for Privacy in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (2023–2024). Mislove received a PhD in Computer Science from Rice University and is a recipient of major honors including the NSF CAREER Award and the IRTF Applied Networking Research Prize.
Prof. Dr. Meeyoung Cha
Scientific Director, Max Planck Institute for Security and Privacy (MPI-SP)
Meeyoung Cha is a Scientific Director at MPI-SP and an internationally recognized expert in computational social science and data-driven analysis of online information ecosystems. Her research focuses on misinformation, social media dynamics, and the societal impacts of AI-driven platforms. She contributes to interdisciplinary initiatives at the intersection of computing, society, and policy, including AICS-related activities.