TeWi-Kolloquium

Tuesday, November 26, 2024 | 11:45 a.m. – 01:15 p.m. (CET) | Room: HS 10 | Alpen-Adria Universität Klagenfurt

Ass.-Prof. Dr. Mirt Komel | Department of Cultural Sciences

Faculty of Social Sciences l | University of Ljubljana

Abstract: The lecture will present the aesthetics of Yoko Taro’s Nier : Automata (Square Enix, 2017), the culmination of the legendary DrakeNier series (encompassing the three Drakengard titles plus Nier : Replicant, Nier : Automata, and the mobile »gacha« game Nier : Reincarnation).If contemporary »quality art video-games«—by analogy to »quality art television«—are to be understood as artworks, than one most show how they inherited not only the modern but also the classical art-forms in developing their own aesthetical language in the function of interactivity, thus allowing us to baptize them as a veritable Ottava Arte. Thus, by taking as our starting-point the understanding of video-games as Gesamtkunstwerk (»total work of art«), encompassing all the previous classic and modern art-forms (architecture, sculpture, painting, music, dance, literature, film), we will focus on these aesthetical aspects of Nier : Automata, broken down into the technical elements of its: world-building (»architecture«), character-design (»sculpture«), level-design (»painting«), soundtrack (»music«), gameplay (»dance«), story-telling (»literature«) and, last but not least, the role of cut-scenes (»film«). The main underlining idea of this analytical endeavor is that Nier : Automata managed to attain not only a devoted cult status among its followers but also to make a name for itself in the pantheon of contemporary quality art video-games precisely because it managed to develop at its fullest all of the mentioned elements in order to provide an immersive interactive experience like no other, thus embodying the aesthetical ideal of a video-game Gesamtkunstwerk.

Bio: Mirt Komel, philosopher and writer, professor of modern philosophy and literature at the Faculty of Social Studies of the University of Ljubljana, currently also Head of the Department of Cultural Studies. Studied at the Faculty of Social Sciences and Faculty of Arts at the University of Ljubljana, graduated at the Faculty of Social Sciences in 2005, and in 2010 obtained a PhD in philosophy at the Department of Philosophy of the Faculty of Arts. Researcher at the Centre for Cultural and Religious Studies (2006-), teaching assistant (2006-2012) docent-professor (2012-2024), now assistant-professor (2014-) at the Department of Cultural Studies. Also, been researcher at the Peace Institute of Ljubljana (2005-2023), member of the editorial board of the Časopis za kritiko znanosti (2007-2014), co-founder of the International Hegelian Association Aufhebung. Author of several scientific articles and scientific monographs (Twin Peaks and Postmodernism, An Attempt of a Touch, Socratic Touches, Discourse and Violence, Guillotine of the Spirit: Hegel and the French Revolution, The Language of Touch (ed.), etc.). Lately also author of The Eight Art: Aesthetics of Video-games (Osma umetnost : estetika videoiger).

Main areas of research is the study of political and social philosophy—especially Heglo-Marxism—Lacanian psychoanalysis and structural linguistics, but also specialized in haptic studies, balkan studies, comparative literature, and cultural studies of video games.

Proficient in Slovenian, English, Italian and French (acquired international certificates), passively in Serbian/Croatian/Bosnian, moderate in modern and ancient Greek.

TeWi-Kolloquium – in Kooperation mit der Ringvorlesung ‚Nachhaltigkeit und Klimakrise: Lectures for Future‘ (LV-Nr. 210.306)

Friday, October 04, 2024 | 12:00 am (CET) | Room: HS 3 | Alpen-Adria Universität Klagenfurt

Univ.-Prof.i.R. Dr. Georg Kaser

Professor for Climate and Cryospheric Research (retired)

ACINN Institute of Atmospheric and Cryospheric SciencesUniversity of Innsbruck

Vice President for Natural and Technical Sciences Austrian Science Fund FWF

Abstract: Der jüngste Bericht des Weltklimarates IPCC ist klar: der menschgemachte Klimawandel ist in vollem Gang. Schleichende Veränderungen sowie die Häufung und das Ausmaß von Extremereignissen nehmen signifikant zu. Bereits die seit „Paris“ angestrebten Klimaziele werden mit großen Schäden einhergehen und sehr teuer werden. Und es schaut nicht danach aus, dass man sie überhaupt erreichen will: die ursächliche Emission von Treibhausgasen ist global und hierzulande, trotz einiger Rückgänge, anhaltend sehr hoch. Erste Hinweise auf das Auslösen irreversibler Veränderungen und beschleunigender Rückkoppelungen im Klimasystem machen sich in der Zwischenzeit bereits alarmierend bemerkbar. Gleichzeitig werden die zeitlichen Handlungsfenster zur Anwendung durchaus bekannter Handlungsoptionen immer kleiner. Gesellschaftliche Veränderungen müssen sehr schnell, tiefgreifend und konsequent umgesetzt werden.

Bio: Georg Kaser ist Univ. Professor für Klima und Kryosphärenforschung i.R. und arbeitete seit 2003 zweimal als Leitautor und dann als Review Editor an insgesamt drei Berichtszyklen des Weltklimarates (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change – IPCC) mit. Seit 2017 ist Prof. Kaser Mitglied der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften und seit 2021Vizepräsident des Fonds zur Förderung der wissenschaftlichen Forschung (FWF).

Thursday, September 26, 2024 | 02:0 pm (CET) | Room: Z.1.09 | Alpen-Adria Universität Klagenfurt

Dr. Stefan Schauer | Austrian Institute of Technology

Abstract: The technical and processual interconnection among critical infrastructures (CIs) has drastically increased over the last decade, amplified by the ongoing digitalization in this sector. With the application of Industrial Control Systems (ICS) and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems, CIs have evolved into highly complex ecosystems, becoming more and more dependent on each other. In such ecosystems, an incident happening within one infrastructure is no longer limited to this infrastructure alone but can have wide-ranging effects on dependent CIs as well as the society as a whole. The cascading effects of such incidents show that it is nowadays no longer sufficient to analyze and assess risks from the perspective of one organization alone. In this talk, we will take a closer look at these interdependencies within and among CIs and how to capture them in a structured way. Further, we will discuss a modelling and simulation approach that is able to describe on an abstract level, how much a critical entity (either a technical component or an entire infrastructure) is affected by an incident. This approach will set the basis for describing how the effects can propagate through the network of interdependent critical systems and infrastructures and for assessing the overall consequences of an incident as part of CI risk management.

Bio: Stefan Schauer is Senior Scientist at the Austrian Institute of Technology (AIT) and is an experienced researcher in the fields of risk and security management in the Center for Digital Safety & Security (DSS). He studied Computer Science at the University of Klagenfurt and received his PhD in Theoretical Physics form the Technical University of Vienna, analyzing the security of quantum cryptographic protocols. Since 2022, he is Thematic Coordinator of the Dependable Systems Engineering (DSE) group at AIT. His research focus lies on risk management and risk assessment for critical infrastructures as well as the integration of security architectures for such organizations. In this context, he is working on novel risk assessment methodologies and processes to tackle future challenges of these infrastructures. Further, he is looking into mathematical concepts for the identification and handling of cascading effects within an organization and among critical infrastructures on a national scale. As part of his research, he is author and editor of three Springer books and has published over 80 papers in journals and conferences.

Stefan Schauer is also actively engaged in national and European research projects, has coordinated one of the last FP7 projects, HyRiM, and was the main lead for AIT in the recent H2020 INFRA projects PRAETORIAN, PRECINCT and SAURON; additionally, he was leading several FFG-funded KIRAS projects. Currently, he is working in the Horizon Europe project SUNRISE and the Digital Europe project CyberSecPro as well as the FFG KIRAS project MERCURIUS. 

Monday, September 23, 2024 | 05:00 pm (CET) | Room: S.2.42 | Alpen-Adria Universität Klagenfurt

Prof. Lea Skorin-Kapov | University of Zagreb

Abstract: Emerging eXtended Reality (XR) technologies have been recognized as a key enabler for the design of novel immersive experiences, often relying on the fusion of the digital and physical worlds. In particular, social and collaborative XR services enabling users to meet and interact in immersive environments have the potential of leading to an evolutionary step in communication services. Among the key technologies and infrastructures needed to meet the requirements of emerging XR use cases, there is a need for high bandwidth and low-latency networks, as well as remote computing for processing and rendering deployed on cloud and edge infrastructures. In this talk we will outline emerging XR applications and implications on future network requirements. We will discuss ongoing standardization efforts and technology enablers for XR in 5G and beyond, and discuss industry forecasts which envision XR to be the next mass market mobile computing platform. The talk will also briefly present the ongoing research project DIGIPHY – XR Communication and Interaction Through a Dynamically Updated Digital Twin of a Smart Space, conducted in cooperation between the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing at the University of Zagreb and partner companies Ericsson Nikola Tesla and Delta Reality.

Bio: Lea Skorin-Kapov is Full Professor and head of the Multimedia Quality of Experience Research Lab (MUEXLab) at the University of Zagreb Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing (FER). Her primary research interests include Quality of Experience assessment and modelling of immersive services and applications, and cross-layer management of QoS/QoE in networks. She teaches courses at bachelor, masters, and doctoral levels dealing with multimedia services, heuristic optimization methods, and communication networks. She received her Dipl.-Ing., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in Telecommunications from FER at the University of Zagreb, Croatia, in 2001, 2004, and 2007, respectively. From 2001-2009 she was employed in the Research and Development Center of Ericsson Nikola Tesla, Zagreb, Croatia, doing research on QoS signaling, negotiation, and adaptation for multimedia services. Since 2010 she has been employed at the Department of Telecommunications, FER. She has been involved in numerous research and industry funded projects and is currently principal investigator for the project „XR Communication and Interaction Through a Dynamically Updated Digital Twin of a Smart Space“ funded by the EU through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan. She has published over 100 scientific papers, serves on the editorial board of IEEE Transactions on Network and Service Management, and has served as guest editor for a number of journals such as Elsevier Computer Networks, IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Signal Processing, and ACM Transactions on Multimedia Computing, Communications, and Applications. She is a senior member of IEEE and from 2019-2022 served as Chapter chair of the IEEE Communications Society – Croatia Chapter.

Wednesday, June 26, 2024 | 10:00 am (CET) | Room: HS 11 | | Alpen-Adria-Universität Klagenfurt

Dr. Farzad Tashtarian | Department of Information Technology (ATHENA Christian Doppler (CD) Laboratory)

Abstract: In today’s digital landscape, video streaming has become a cornerstone of online content delivery, with applications spanning entertainment, education, teleconferencing, and live broadcasting. The importance of optimizing video streaming cannot be overstated, as Quality of Experience (QoE) directly impacts user engagement and satisfaction. However, the video streaming pipeline faces significant challenges, including maintaining high QoE, minimizing latency, and managing costs effectively. This talk addresses these critical issues by exploring holistic strategies that enhance the video streaming experience from source to destination. We will delve into the complexities of content provisioning, content delivery, and content consumption, emphasizing the necessity of an end-to-end approach. Additionally, by considering the entire streaming pipeline, we will discuss novel algorithms designed for optimizing end-to-end video streaming and demonstrate how these approaches can more effectively tackle the primary challenges of QoE, end-to-end latency, and video streaming costs.

Bio: Farzad Tashtarian is a post-doctoral researcher in the ATHENA project at the Institute of Information Technology (ITEC), Alpen-Adria-Universität Klagenfurt (AAU). Prior to joining ATHENA, he served as an Assistant Professor at Azad University of Mashhad, Iran. He earned his Ph.D. in Computer Engineering from Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran. As a researcher, he has co-authored more than 60 papers published in prestigious journals and conferences. He is a work-package leader and scientific coordinator in the ATHENA Projects at Alpen-Adria-Universität Klagenfurt. His current research interests include Multimedia Networks, Immersive Media, Generative AI for Multimedia Streaming, software-defined networking, mathematical modeling, and distributed optimization. For more information visit: https://tashtarian.net/

Tuesday, June 25, 2024 | 09:00 am (CET) | Room: HS 10 | Alpen-Adria Universität Klagenfurt

Prof. Tamer Khatib | An-Najah National University

Abstract: In order to assure sustainable development, decentralized green management is required through local government units. Such a process required competences that imply behavioral, structural and strategic aspects. Join us to learn more on how to green governments for localized sustainable development.

Bio: Tamer is a photovoltaic power systems professional. He holds a B.Sc. degree in electrical power systems from An-Najah National University, Palestine as well as a M.Sc. degree and a Ph.D degree in photovoltaic power systems from National University of Malaysia, Malaysia. In addition he holds Habilitation (the highest academic degree in German speaking countries) in Renewable and sustainable energy from Alpen Adria Universitat, Klagenfurt, Austria. Currently he is a Full Professor of renewable energy at An-Najah National University. He is also the director of An-Najah Company for Consultancy and Technical Studies. So far, he has 2 patents, 4 books and 140 research articles, while his current h-index is 42. He has supervised 5 Ph.D researches, 19 master researches and 65 bachelor researches. He is a senior member of IEEE, IEEE Power and Energy Society, The International Solar Energy society, Jordanian Engineers Association, and International Association of Engineers.

His research interests mainly fall in the scope of photovoltaic systems and solar energy fundamentals. These interests include PV systems design and optimization, modeling and control of PV systems, hybrid PV/Wind systems, hybrid PV/diesel systems, Grid connected PV systems, sun trackers, MPPT technology, inverters in PV system, solar chargers, batteries and charge controllers, solar energy fundamentals, solar energy prediction, AI applications for solar energy and PV systems, wind power systems, wind chargers, wind energy modeling and prediction.

Find the SLIDES on on our slideshare account: https://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/greening-local-government-units-current-status-and-required-competences/269872823

Thursday, June 13, 2024 | 03:00 pm (CET) | Room: S.2.42 | Alpen-Adria Universität Klagenfurt

Dr. Daniel Thilo Schroeder | Researcher at SINTEF

Abstract: In an era where efficient processing of complex graph structures is increasingly vital across various domains, such as social networks and biological system modeling, there arises a need for robust computational architectures. This Kolloquium introduces a novel approach that incorporates a higher-order pipeline architecture, aiming to enhance graph data processing. Integrating functional programming with object-oriented principles facilitates complex data processing through an intuitive, modular system. Central to this system is the notion of treating computation units as first-class entities, which promotes modular and type-safe environments. Additionally, the system includes a higher-order traversal abstraction to support flexible data manipulation strategies, a directed data-transfer protocol for efficient data flow management, and an operator model that enhances the robust lifecycle management of operations. The adaptability and performance of this system are further augmented by its capability to incorporate various graph computation models, such as vertex-centric and edge-centric processing. This approach contributes to scalable solutions that meet diverse computational needs without overcomplicating the user interface by offering a structured yet adaptable method for graph data handling.

Bio: Daniel Thilo Schroeder is a Research Scientist at SINTEF’s Smart Data group, where he develops high-performance, scalable platforms for processing and analyzing extreme data using massive graph representations, facilitated by serverless computing. He is actively involved in the enRichMyData project, focusing on creating FAIR-compliant datasets essential for Big Data and AI applications, and the GraphMassivizer Project, which seeks to revolutionize data processing through sustainable, advanced graph technologies. Previously, during his postdoctoral research at Simula’s Department for High-Performance Computing, he developed new computational frameworks for Graph Neural Networks to enhance deep learning for unstructured data. Daniel earned his PhD by focusing on the early detection and analysis of online misinformation, aiming to develop strategies for its mitigation. Contact Daniel at daniel.t.schroeder@sintef.no or visit https://danielthiloschroeder.org/

Thursday, April 25, 2024 | 03:30 pm (CET) | Room: S.2.69 | Alpen-Adria Universität Klagenfurt

Alexandru Iosup | University Research Chair and Full Professor at the Vrije University of Amsterdam

Abstract: Our society has turned digital: From science to business, from online shopping to online gaming, from education to government, digital applications depend every moment on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure. To pilot this infrastructure and navigate through it, we need detailed information and decision-making support, provided on-time, cheaply, and reliably. (We briefly argue non-data-driven approaches are currently unable to cope with real conditions.) In this talk, we argue that Operational Data Analytics (ODA) can provide these capabilities, with advances not only in monitoring and observability, but also in data sourcing and ontology mapping, data cleaning and filtering, data characterization and modeling, and process management. Furthermore, we argue a digital twin, capable of simulating both the current conditions and making long-term predictions, should be integrated with the ODA system – providing an advanced form of A – to help with resource management and scheduling, pipeline optimization, energy awareness, general system tuning, capacity planning, etc. We present a reference architecture for ODA, a partial analysis of the state of the art, and experience with data collection and its use in the digital twinning of datacenters. This work aligns with and benefits from collaboration with the SPEC RG Cloud Group and, among others, the EU Graph-Massivizer project, and the OffSense and 6G Future Network Services projects in the Netherlands.

Bio: Dr.ir. Alexandru Iosup is a full professor at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU), and the chair of the VU research group Massivizing Computer Systems and the VU Computer Science Honours Programme. He is also co-chair of the national IPN SIG on Future Computer Systems and Networking and elected chair of the international SPEC-RG Cloud Group. His fascination for massivizing distributed systems and ecosystems across the digital computing continuum, with applications in cloud computing, big data and graphs, scientific and business-critical computing, and the metaverse, has received prestigious recognition, including membership in the (Young) Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences of the Netherlands, the Netherlands ICT Researcher of the Year award, and a Ph.D. from TU Delft. These accompany over 200 publications, and numerous open science FAIR artifacts such as software and datasets and archives, with high scientific and technical impact. Further, dr. Iosup’s leadership and innovation in education led to various awards, including the prestigious Netherlands Higher Education Teacher of the Year. He has also received a knighthood for cultural and scientific merits. Contact Alexandru at A.Iosup@vu.nl or visit http://atlarge.science/aiosup

Thursday, April 25, 2024 | 08:30 am (CET) | Room: S.2.37 | Alpen-Adria Universität Klagenfurt

Ana Lucia Varbanescu | Assoc. Prof. Dr. ir. at the University of Twente and University of Amsterdam

Abstract: “Computation” has become a massive part of our daily lives: in science, a lot of experiments and analysis rely on massive computation, in AI we use vast resources to train and use massive models, and in engineering we use complex simulations and digital twins to increase efficiency and productivity. Under the assumption that computation is cheap, and time-to-result is the only relevant metric, we often use significant computational resources at low efficiency. In this talk, I argue this approach is an unacceptable waste of computing resources, and demonstrate we can do better! By means of a couple of case-studies, I will show how performance engineering can be used for zero-waste computing, proving how efficiency and time-to-result can be happily married. I will further propose a co-design methodology that leverages such performance engineering methods to enable the selection of algorithms _and_ their effective deployment on suitable infrastructure. The approach relies on design-space exploration, driven by efficient search methods and compositional performance models. I will conclude by reflecting on the next steps and open questions that need answers to make this co-design approach feasible and applicable for more applications and systems.

Bio: Ana Lucia Varbanescu holds a BSc and MSc degree from POLITEHNICA University in Bucharest, Romania. She obtained her PhD from TU Delft, The Netherlands, and continued to work as a Postdoc researcher in The Netherlands, at TU Delft and VU University in Amsterdam. She is a MacGillavry fellow at University of Amsterdam, where she was tenured in 2018 as Associate Professor. Since 2022, she is Professor at University of Twente, The Netherlands. She has been a visiting researcher at IBM TJ Watson (2006, 2007), Barcelona Supercomputing Center (2007), NVIDIA (2009), and Imperial College of London (2013).  She has received several national grants (including a personal Veni grant) and she is a co-PI for the Graph-Massivizer EU project. Ana’s research stems from HPC, and investigates the use of heterogeneous systems for high-performance applications, with a special focus on performance and energy efficiency modeling for both scientific and data-intensive applications. Her latest research focuses on zero-waste computing and model-based systems co-design.