AGENDA (2025)
| 09:00 a.m. | SOFT LANDING |
| 09:30 a.m. | Welcome Address |
| 09:40 a.m. | “AI & Data Challenges in the Energy Sector“ by Dr. Sarah Henni (E.ON) The energy sector is undergoing a fundamental transformation, driven by digitalization, renewable integration, and increasing regulatory demands. In this talk, we will explore real-world AI use cases from energy networks, highlighting the technical and strategic challenges of data-driven decision-making. Key topics include data governance, regulatory requirements and the impact of data quality on AI model performance. Additionally, I will share insights from leading a Data Science team in a complex industry – balancing business impact, prioritizing AI use cases, and fostering collaboration between domain experts and data scientists. |
| 10:20 a.m. | “Machine Learning in Biomedical Research: Opportunities, Challenges, and Interpretability” by Prof. Dr. Merle Behr (University of Regensburg) The integration of Machine Learning (ML) into biomedical and pharmaceutical research holds immense potential, leveraging extensive datasets such as electronic health records and genetic data. This presentation explores the dual facets of ML in this domain: the opportunities it presents and the challenges it poses. We highlight the transformative power of ML approaches in predictive modeling and emphasize the critical importance of understanding data structures and algorithm functionalities to avoid biases and imbalances that can lead to unreliable results. Furthermore, we demonstrate approaches for the interpretability of complex models, focusing on Random Forests (RF). By systematically analyzing tree structures within RF ensembles, we can identify key features and their interactions, providing interpretable explanations for genotype-phenotype relationships and estimating heterogeneous treatment effects in causal inference settings. |
| 11:00 a.m. | — COFFEEBREAK |
| 11:20 a.m. | “The Role of Causality in Autonomous Fault Handling for Cyber-Physical Production Systems” by Dr. Kaja Balzereit (Hochschule Bielefeld) Causality is the relationship between causes and effects. However, identifying causal dependencies can be challenging. In cases where sufficient domain knowledge is lacking, causality can easily be confused with correlation. This talk will discuss the role of causality in the context of autonomous fault handling for cyber-physical systems – i.e., systems that combine physical components with computational (cyber) capabilities. Autonomous fault handling, which involves the automatic adaptation of a system’s configuration to a faulty situation (reconfiguration), requires information about causal dependencies. An algorithm for reconfiguration that integrates causality in the form of propositional logic will be presented. The algorithm identifies an adaptation for handling the faulty scenario, leading to an increased resilience of the cyber-physical system. |
| 12:00 noon | — LUNCHBREAK |
| 01:00 p.m. | Lightning round |
| 01:40 p.m. | Poster Session (& COFFEE) |
| 03:00 p.m. | „Herausforderungen und Chancen: Künstliche Intelligenz trifft Polizeiarbeit“ von Polizeipräsidium Oberpfalz Die zunehmende Verfügbarkeit von Künstlicher Intelligenz für eine breite Nutzerbasis hat zu tiefgreifenden Veränderungen in verschiedenen Lebensbereichen geführt – mit sowohl positiven als auch negativen Auswirkungen. Ein besorgniserregender Trend ist die Nutzung von KI-basierten Systemen zur Durchführung oder Intensivierung illegaler Handlungen. Das Themenfeld Künstliche Intelligenz stellt die Polizeiarbeit vor Herausforderungen, bietet aber auch Chancen: Einerseits die Bewältigung rechtlicher Herausforderungen beim Einsatz von KI-Systemen zur Ermittlungsunterstützung, andererseits die Bekämpfung von KI-gestützter Kriminalität. |
| 03:40 p.m. | “From Curiosity to Leadership: My Journey in AI and the Road Ahead” by Dr. Corina Apachiţe (Continental AG) Artificial Intelligence is reshaping industries, redefining work, and creating new opportunities. But how does one navigate this rapidly evolving field and grow from an AI enthusiast to a recognized leader? In this talk, I will share my journey – from my early passion for technology to my role as Program Head AI and Key Technologies at Continental Automotive. I will highlight the critical milestones, challenges, and turning points that shaped my career, including my recent recognition as one of Germany’s „Best of AI Leaders 2024.“ Beyond personal experiences, this talk will explore the broader question of leadership in AI: What does it take to drive meaningful impact in a global company? How can we foster innovation while ensuring ethical AI deployment? And most importantly, how do we empower more women to take leading roles in this field? By reflecting on lessons learned and discussing the evolving AI landscape, I aim to inspire the next generation of data scientists and AI leaders to embrace curiosity, resilience, and bold decision-making as they carve their own paths in this exciting domain. |
| 04:20 p.m. | WiDS 2025 Summary |
| 04:30 p.m. | Get-together No program, just delicious food and plenty of networking opportunity. |
| 06:30 p.m. | Goodbye |