Oskar Aszmann
Medical University of Vienna
Plastic surgeon and pioneer of bionic hand transplants. Professor at the Medical University of Vienna. PhD from Johns Hopkins University. ERC grantee and award-winning innovator in bionic reconstruction surgery.
Christoph Bock
CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine (OeAW) & Medical University of Vienna
Epigenetics, bioinformatics & machine learning. Principal investigator at CeMM & professor at the Medical University of Vienna. ERC Starting & Consolidator grants. Organizing committee of the Human Cell Atlas. “Highly Cited Researchers” (Web of Science) each year since 2019. Future goal: engineering epigenetic cell states for precision therapy.
Joanna Bryson
Hertie School of Governance, Berlin
Computer scientist and ethicist. Professor of Ethics and Technology at the Hertie School of Governance in Berlin. Co-author of the UK’s "Principles of Robotics" and founding expert in the "Global Partnership for AI".
Amber Case
Research Director, Metagov, New York
Cyborg Anthropologist, TED Speaker and Author; exploring the intersection of humans & technology. Key achievements: Co-founder of Geoloqi, Esri acquisition, author of "Calm Technology" & "An Illustrated Dictionary of Cyborg Anthropology.". Future goal: Humanizing our tech-driven world.
Dani Clode
University of Cambridge
Designer exploring the relationship between body and technology. Winner of the Helen Hamlyn Design Award and the YouFab creative Haptic design award. Featured in BBC, The Guardian, and TEDx. Goal: challenge the perception of prosthetics.
Mark Coeckelbergh
University of Vienna
Professor of Philosophy of Media and Technology at the University of Vienna. Former president of the Society for Philosophy and Technology. Expert and author on ethics of AI, robotics, and technology. Member of the High Level Expert Group on Artificial Intelligence of the EU.
Thomas Feuerstein
Independent artist, Vienna
Austrian artist. Works with sculptures, installations, BioArt & net art. Explores the interplay of language, visual & molecular elements. Transforms biological materials into artistic media. Exhibited internationally in museums and galleries.
Thomas Hartung
Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore
Toxicologist developing alternatives to animal testing. Professor at the Johns Hopkins University, the Georgetown University, and the University of Konstanz. Pioneer in bioengineered microphysiological systems and AI for safety sciences.
Eva Jablonka
Tel Aviv University
Evolutionary theorist and geneticist. Professor at Tel Aviv University. Expert on epigenetic inheritance and evolution. Author of "Evolution in Four Dimensions".
Johannes Jäger
Complexity Science Hub Vienna
Evolutionary systems & theoretical biology. CSH Associate Faculty. Ronin Scholar. JTF grantee and leader of a project on organismic agency, evolution, and AI
Kristina Kashtanova
AI artist & educator, New York
AI educator, consultant, and activist. Background in software development, journalism, photography, and art. Freelance photographer and comic book artist. Teaching on AI at Columbia University and on social media. Featured on WSJ, Reuters, Bloomberg Law, the Guardian, etc.
Tarja Knuuttila
University of Vienna
Philosopher of science. Professor at the University of Vienna. ERC grantee and leader of the Possible Life project on synthetic biology. Member of the Academia Europaea.
Tamar R. Makin
University of Cambridge
Cognitive neuroscientist. Professor at the University of Cambridge. Formerly at the UCL and the University of Oxford. ERC grantee and Wellcome Trust Senior Fellow. Studying brain plasticity after hand loss and bionic augmentation.
Helga Nowotny
European Research Council (former president)
Professor emerita of Science and Technology Studies at ETH Zurich. Former president of the European Research Council. Author of “The Cunning of Uncertainty” and “An Orderly Mess”. Pioneer of social studies of science and innovation. Promoter of responsible research and open science.
Johannes T.B. Overvelde
AMOLF & Eindhoven University of Technology
Mechanical engineer and leader of the Soft Robotic Matter Group at AMOLF, and Associate Professor at Eindhoven University. PhD from Harvard University. ERC Starting grant on Smart fluidic circuits for autonomous soft robots.
Rajesh P. N. Rao
University of Washington, Seattle
Computer scientist and neuroengineer. Professor at the University of Washington & Director of the Center for Neurotechnology. Co-founder of Neubay Inc. Pioneer of brain-computer interfaces and brain-to-brain communication.
Natalie Sebanz
Central European University (CEU)
Cognitive scientist. Professor at Central European University (CEU) & co-director of the Social Mind Center. Expert on social interaction and joint action. ERC Consolidator and ERC Proof of Concept grantee. Member of the Academia Europaea and Leopoldina. Future directions: Diversity in Social Interaction; Increasing Pro-sociality through Joint Action.
Surjo R. Soekadar
Charité - Berlin
Physician-scientist in clinical neuroscience. Einstein Professor of Clinical Neurotechnology at the Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin. ERC Starting and Consolidator grants on developing next-generation brain/neural-machine interfaces. Future goal: converging neurotechnologies to restore, improve or maintain mental health.
Sarah Spiekermann-Hoff
Institute for Information Systems & Society at WU Vienna
Professor of Information Systems and Ethics at WU Vienna University of Economics and Business. Author of “Digital Ethics” and “Networked Minds”. Expert on human values, privacy, and digital well-being. Co-founder of the European Privacy Association. Advocate for ethical design and regulation of technology.
Michael Stampfer
Vienna Science and Technology Fund - WWTF
Director of the Vienna Science and Technology Fund. Active in building institutional frameworks for science, in research policy, cross-disciplinarity and Digital Humanism. Current and future goal: Vienna as a strong and pioneering location for science and innovation.
Elly Tanaka
Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna
Biochemistry and regenerative biology. Leader of the Vertebrate Limb & Spinal Cord Regeneration Group at IMP Vienna. Pioneer in the understanding of limb regeneration in salamanders and beyond. ERC Advanced grantee and winner of the Ernst Schering Prize and the Erwin Schrödinger Prize. Future goal: understand why salamanders respond to injury by regenerating limbs while frogs and mice do not.
Manos Tsakiris
Royal Holloway, University of London
Professor of Psychology at Royal Holloway, University of London & Director of the Centre for the Politics of Feelings. Award-winning researcher on embodiment, self-awareness and social cognition. Exploring how feelings shape our world.
Christiane Wendehorst
Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna
President of the Humanities and Social Sciences Division of the OeAW. Professor of Law at the University of Vienna and Scientific Director of the European Law Institute (ELI). Expert on the legal challenges of digital transformation. Committed to creating good law for a better digital future.
Bart de Witte
HIPPO AI Foundation, Berlin
Award-winning social entrepreneur. Founder of the HIPPO AI Foundation, a non-profit for open sourced AI in medicine, and Hippo AI, a community platform of open sourced medical AI. Advisor to Fortune Global 500 companies and startups in digital health.