Lamarr Lecture Series Winter Semester 2026/27

The Lamarr lecture series provides an overview of cutting-edge research in triangular AI, which combines a data-intensive approach with human knowledge and context as two additional powerful sources of intelligence. Methods are examined for integrating knowledge from various sources such as previous experience, informed simulations, mathematical descriptions of physical laws, and explicit knowledge provided by humans. The series also explores methods for exploiting the resources of the open, variable contexts in which the system operates, such as active sensing, experimentation and dynamic multimodal interaction with humans. Lectures will examine current research in several core areas of AI including hybrid machine learning, natural language processing, embodied AI, and resource-aware and trustworthy machine leanring. The series will also examine several interdisciplinary application areas for triangular AI, including physics, industry and production, logistics, and life sciences and health.

The lectures are given by researchers of the Lamarr Institute for Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence at the University of Bonn and the TU Dortmund University. Lectures will alternate between the two locations, given in presence at one location and live-streamed to the other. Designed primarily for Master’s-level computer science students, the course aims to broaden understanding of artificial intelligence, highlight research conducted at the Lamarr Institute and foster talent among early-stage researchers. As an update for the upcoming term, the series is now integrated into the new Master’s program in Artificial Intelligence at the University of Bonn, enabling participating students to earn ECTS credit points.

Course Details

• When: Winter Semester 2026/27, held weekly on Tuesdays from 10:15 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. (90 minutes total per session).
• Who: Delivered by Lamarr Institute researchers, including professors, postdocs, and doctoral candidates from all scientific fields across the University of Bonn and the TU Dortmund University.
• Format & Structure: The series features a distinctive hybrid, cross-site format. Sessions alternate in-person delivery between the two university locations while streaming live to the other site, allowing real-time parallel participation across both campuses.
• Content Breakdown: The curriculum covers Lamarr’s ten main research areas, rotating on a weekly or biweekly basis. Each research topic begins with a 45-minute introductory overview, followed by a second 45-minute segment focused on specialized content or deeper explorations into specific subtopics.

Lecture Schedule

October 13, 2026 | Dortmund

• Topic: Resource-Aware Machine Learning
• Speaker: Matthias Feurer (TU Dortmund) – Title TBA

October 20, 2026 | Dortmund

• Topic: Trustworthy AI
• Speaker: Jakob Rehof (TU Dortmund) – Title TBA

October 27, 2026 | Bonn

• Topic: Hybrid Machine Learning
• Speakers:
  • Christian Bauckhage (University of Bonn) – “Hybrid Machine Learning (motivated by a simple example)”
  • Ramsés Sánchez (University of Bonn) – “Amortizing Bayesian Inference: From Synthetic Data to Reasoning Agents”

November 3, 2026 | Bonn

• Topic: Hybrid Machine Learning
• Speakers:
  • Aurora Rossi (University of Bonn) – “Characterizing Functional Connectivity Subnetwork Contributions in Narrative Classification with Shapley Values”
  • Lorenz Sparrenberg (University of Bonn) – “Model Inference on Commodity Hardware: The Impact of Quantization on LLMs”

November 10, 2026 | Bonn

• Topic: Natural Language Processing
• Speaker: Florian Mai (University of Bonn) – “Introduction to NLP” & “Emergent Misalignment in Large Language Models”

November 17, 2026 | Bonn

• Topic: Natural Language Processing
• Speakers:
  • Nicholas Kluge Correa (University of Bonn) – “Lessons and Insights from Training a One-to-Many Language Model”
  • Behzad Shomali (University of Bonn) – Title TBA

November 24, 2026 | Bonn

• Topic: Embodied AI
• Speakers:
  • Sven Behnke (University of Bonn) – “Introduction to Embodied Artificial Intelligence”
  • Hermann Blum (University of Bonn) – “Visual Learning for Robot Navigation”

December 1, 2026 | Bonn

• Topic: Embodied AI
• Speakers:
  • Sven Behnke (University of Bonn) – “Vision-Language Action Models for Cognitive Robots”
  • Jürgen Gall (University of Bonn) – “Forecasting and Controllable Egocentric Video Generation”

December 8, 2026 | Bonn / Dortmund

• Topic: AI in Life Sciences & Healthcare
• Speakers:
  • Elena Xerxa & Andrea Mastropietro (University of Bonn) – “AI in the Life Sciences: An Overview”
  • Tian Liheng (TU Dortmund) – Title TBA

December 15, 2026 | Bonn

• Topic: AI in Life Sciences & Health
• Speakers:
  • Thomas Schultz (University of Bonn) – Title TBA
  • Diego Valderamma (Fraunhofer SCAI) – Title TBA

December 22, 2026 | Dortmund

• Topic: AI in Planning & Logistics
• Speaker: TBA

January 12, 2027 | Dortmund

• Topic: Physics
• Speaker: Christian Glaser (TU Dortmund) – Title TBA

January 19, 2027 | Dortmund

• Topic: Physics
• Speaker: TBA

January 26, 2027 | Dortmund

• Topic: AI in Industry & Production
• Speaker: Rekha Prasad (TU Dortmund) – Title TBA

February 2, 2027 | Bonn

• Topic: Human-centered AI Systems
• Speaker: Natalia Andrienko & Gennady Andrienko – Title TBA