DFKI was founded in 1988 as a non-profit public-private partnership. It has several research facilities throughout Germany, a project office and our Open Source Lab in Berlin. In the field of innovative commercial software technology using Artificial Intelligence, DFKI is the leading research centre in Germany. Research and development projects are conducted in eighteen research departments, ten competence centres and seven living labs. Funding is received through grants from public funding agencies as well as from cooperation with industrial partners.
Tina is a transdisciplinary researcher having delivered policy, research and projects for governments, consultancies and startups in Australia, the UK and Germany. She is a DAAD Alumni and has degrees in urban planning and regeneration and a PhD on urban innovation for sustainability.
Lefteris is a senior researcher specialized on artificial intelligence and machine learning, holding a PhD from the Univetsity of Saarland. He is currently supporting the Open Source Lab with the development of open source tools related to the use of machine learning in order to take advantage of mobility data.
Olya has just completed her BA in graphic design at Kunsthochschule Weißensee Berlin.
Aylin studies Linguistics and English at the University of Potsdam and supports the team for events and administration.
Analía holds a Master degree in law from the Universidad Nacional de Tucuman in Argentina. She is an international PhD student at the University of Potsdam and her research focuses on Governance of Natural Resources.
Julia has a background in communication science and economics. Her focus is on the conception and realization of projects in the field of open knowledge, open access and digital education.
Susanne is a design researcher with a strong focus on concepts and strategies of sustainability. She gained her PhD at the University of the Arts Berlin on the relation of trash and design, inquiring on sustainability in design education.
For guidance and assistance on strategic topics of sustainability and social responsibility, the Volkswagen Group appointed an international Sustainability Council in September 2016 and opened a window of opportunity for novel and unconventional approaches to critical topics relevant to the largest automotive manufacturer on the globe.
A dedicated group of internationally renowned experts from politics, science and research advise Volkswagen on the topics of sustainable mobility, environmental protection, and social responsibility as well as integrity, the future of work, and digitization. The Council acts independently, not obliged to follow instructions and is equipped with far-reaching information and consultation rights, as well as rights to operate on its own initiative and to launch projects of its own. The Open Source Lab is funded by the Volkswagen Sustainability Council, independent in its research agenda and obliged to share all research and results that is gained, in public and in person.
Mr. Kell was the founding Executive Director of the United Nations Global Compact, the world’s largest voluntary corporate sustainability initiative, and now chairs the Anglo-German asset manager Arabesque Partners.
Dr. Ottmar Edenhofer is professor for Economics of Climate Change at the Technical University Berlin, deputy director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and director of the Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change (MCC).
Mr. Leterme is Secretary-General of the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA) and former Prime Minister of Belgium as well as leader of the Belgium Christian Democratic and Flemish (CD&V).
Ms. Hedegaard is chairing a number of foundations and executive boards, such as OECD’s Round Table for Sustainability, KR Foundation, Aarhus University, and the green think tank, Concito. She is a former European Commissioner for Climate Action and Danish Minister of Environment.
Mr. Sy is Secretary General of the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and co-chair of the Global Preparedness Monitoring Board (GPMB) a venture by the World Health Organization and the World Bank Group.
Dr. Gesche Joost is a professor for design research at the University of Arts in Berlin, head of the Design Research Lab and the Interactive Textiles research department at DFKI.
Mr. Sommer is deputy chairman of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, member of the board of trustees of Volkswagen Stiftung and former chairman of the Confederation of German Trade Unions (DGB).
Mrs. Oge is the former Director of the Office of Transportation Air Quality of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). She is the author of the book «Driving the Future: Combating Climate Change with Cleaner, Smarter Cars».