Research

Excellent and broad
AI expertise.

Machine Learning

(Probabilistic) Deep Learning

Statistical Relational AI

Computer Vision

Natural Language Processing

Robotics

Models of Higher Cognition

Psychology of Information Processing

Database Systems

Software Engineering

Distributed Systems

Hardware

Bioinformatics

Semantic Web

Sustainability

Medicine

Finance

Multimodal AI

620+ Publications

Artificial Intelligence Publications from our team.

170.000+ Citations

A growing number of citations in other publications.

AI Conferences

Program Chair at ACL, CVPR, UAI, CoRL, ECML PKDD among others.

Fellows

EurAI, IEEE, ELLIS among others.

Projects

hessian.AI initiates and participates in a lot of projects to drive cutting-edge research, promote interdisciplinarity, and foster the transfer of AI research to the broader community.

Excellence Strategy of the German federal & state governments

Reasonable AI (RAI)

HMWK Cluster projects

LOEWE

LOEWE is the Hessian program for promoting cutting-edge research. The German acronym stands for “State Initiative for the Development of Scientific and Economic Excellence”.

WhiteBox

A selection of projects in which hessian.AI is involved:

Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG)

Federal and State

ATHENE – National Research Center for Applied Cybersecurity

ATHENE AVSV Automatic Vulnerability Scanning and Verification
ATHENE REVISE Reliable and Verifiable Information through Secure Media
ATHENE SeDiTraH Secure Digital Transformation in Health Care
ATHENE SenPai Security and Privacy in Artificial Intelligence
ATHENE TRUDATA Trustworthy Data Ecosystems

European Research Council (ERC)

Grants of the Europäische Innovationsrate (EIC)

EIC Transition Grant

Prof. Jan Peters, Ph.D.
VRP – Visuelle Roboterprogrammierung

Laufende koordinierte Verbundprojekte

MSCA – COFUND
trainLSE: Interdisciplinary and intersectoral doctoral training programme at the Technische Universität Darmstadt in Life Science Engineering
01.04.2024 – 31.03.2029
Koordination: Prof. Dr. Heinz Koeppl

MSCA – DN
SYNSENSO – Cell-free synthetic biology for combinatorial biosensor design
01.09.2022 – 31.08.2026
Koordination: Prof. Dr. Heinz Koeppl

Graduate School

With the hessian.AI Graduate School, that is currently being established, we combine the goal of promoting young scientists in the field of artificial intelligence in the best possible way, ensuring optimal conditions for doctoral studies, and continuously strengthening the international appeal of hessian.AI.

For this purpose, hessian.AI has established its own supervision concept as well as a qualification program. We see the following aspects as central to the doctoral phase in hessian.AI:

Development of sustainable research concepts
practice in cooperative and interdisciplinary work on a research topic
Acquisition of specialized knowledge beyond the special field of the dissertation as well as further key qualifications relevant to the professional field (such as entrepreneurship, project management skills, etc.)
Development of mediation skills both for exchanges with an expert audience as well as for conversation and communication activities with an audience outside the discipline
Acquisition of initial teaching experience
Participation in international research collaborations and, if possible, expansion of international contacts

What’s life like as a PhD candidate in Germany?

In Germany, pursuing a PhD — especially in computer science or engineering — can be a rewarding experience both professionally and personally. PhD candidates are typically employed by their universities or research institutions, earning a competitive salary that covers living expenses, healthcare, and family needs. A full-time position at the E13 level usually starts at around €4,600 per month, with salary growth over time. The working environment is supportive, with access to top-tier research facilities and generous funding opportunities. While some departments operate primarily in German, many leading institutions use English as their working language, making it accessible to international candidates.

PhD candidates benefit from structured programs, paid holidays, and no tuition fees. Beyond academics, Germany offers a rich cultural experience — from diverse cuisine to quirky traditions — and a strong sense of community among researchers. All in all, it’s a place where academic growth and quality of life go hand in hand.

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Connectom Networking and Innovation Fund

The Connectom Fund offers seed funding for joint research between hessian.AI members and other colleagues from participating universities. It is financed by the state of Hesse and is announced and carried out by the Technical University of Darmstadt as the lead partner of hessian.AI. The fund is used to support projects across the entire spectrum of research, teaching, demonstrator/prototype development or application.

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Research