About This Newsletter

Dear RWTH AI community,

This newsletter is meant to keep you informed on relevant activities around AI at the RWTH University. The newsletter also provides an excellent platform to showcase your success, share your results, and promote your events. We've had numerous contributions and suggestions, so keep up the good engagement. If you are missing something or have any other ideas how this newsletter could be even more interesting and useful to our AI community, please send an email to contact@ai.rwth-aachen.de

As usual, we would appreciate it if you could forward this information to your research groups, your students, and other interested parties. To receive the newsletter, please join the mailing list by sending an email with the subject “subscribe” to ai-center-interest-join@lists.rwth-aachen.de

We are looking forward to collaborating with you all on some exciting topics and hearing your feedback.

QUICK ACCESS

Announcements/News

Meet The Members

Project/Paper Of The Month

Events

Awards/Prizes/Recognitions

Open Calls

External Events

External Open Calls

Announcements/News

The AI Community event enters its third round

For the third time, the AI Center invited its members to the AI Community event. This time, the gathering took place at Kwartier 106 - a venue with an industrial charm that shaped the event’s atmosphere.

Following a brief welcome and key updates on the work and achievements of the AI Center, two lightning talks were given by Prof. Bastian Leibe and Prof. Sigrid Brell-Cokcan. After a short break, participants discussed in groups how the AI Center has supported its members in the past and in which AI-related topics or areas RWTH should become more actively involved in the future.

The informative part concluded with two further lightning talks by Prof. Max Lemme and Prof. Daniel Truhn. The evening then concluded with a convivial, informal dinner that provided ample opportunity for lively exchange within the AI Community.

Meet The Members

Astrid Rosenthal-von der Pütten

Area of Expertise:

Human-AI/Robot Interaction, Social Robotics

Ancillary activities:

Senior Associate Editor ACM Transaction on Human-Robot Interaction, Spokesperson RIG TC Situated Social Robotics

Hobbies:

Participates in and organizes “Das Schwarze Auge” Live-Action Role Playing events; sews costumes

Contact:

arvdp@itec.rwth-aachen.de

Project/Paper Of The Month

Events

Awards/Prizes/Recognitions

We didn’t receive any information on Awards/Prizes.

If you have any suggestions for the next newsletter, please contact the editorial team by email: contact@ai.rwth-aachen.de

Open Calls

AI Connect: Research Meets Industry 

This event will bring together around 50 young AI researchers and company representatives on November 26-27, 2026, at Burg Frankenberg in Aachen.
In collaboration with JUPITER AI Factory (JAIF), AI Grid and CAIRNE, participants will explore four real-world industry challenges and develop ideas for translating AI research into practical business solutions. The programme includes company presentations, interactive small-group workshops, idea pitches and networking.
The event will be held in English, and participation is free of charge. Places are limited and subject to pre-selection. Applications must be submitted by October 11, 2026.

Find out more about the company use cases and apply here.

External Events

External Open Calls

BMDS: Funding Guidelines "Digital Tech-to-Product"

The Federal Ministry for Digital Affairs and State Modernisation has published the funding guidelines entitled ‘Digital Tech-to-Product - Developing sovereign and market-oriented innovations in digital technologies’.

The application process consists of two stages. The deadline for submitting project outlines is 11 October 2026.

You can find more information here.

Hector Fellow Academy: Hector Research Career Development Award

The award supports outstanding W1 assistant professors (tenure-track or non-tenure-track) or junior research group leaders in natural sciences, engineering, medicine, or psychology on their path to a professorship.

Each year, three researchers receive €25,000 each. Applications are open until 30 October 2026.

You can find more information here.

Wübben Stiftung Wissenschaft: New sandpit call 2027 „E­du­ca­ti­on and Ar­ti­fi­ci­al In­tel­li­gen­ce”

The Stiftung has announced the 2027 sandpit call "Education and AI" for researchers at all career levels (post-doc and above) and all disciplines at German universities. Participants will explore AI’s impact on education from multiple perspectives.

Funding of €50,000 covers a 3-day sandpit plus follow-up workshop for documentation. The event will be organized by the funded researchers themselves.

Applications in English may be submitted by March 31, 2027.

You can find more information here.

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