With expertise and experience in various specialist areas, we as the DAISEC team bundle diverse know-how for your steps into the digital future. Get to know us better here!
You can find an overview of the whole team on our
team page.
Katharina Band
Katharina Band has gained extensive knowledge of aspects of learning and education in adulthood through her studies in social sciences and sociology and her work as a research assistant at the Institute for Adult Education and Vocational Education. Through her work in several scientific projects, she has also gained practical experience in the pedagogical-didactic support and design of teaching-learning processes in adult education.
"My goal in the DAISEC is to prepare the training and courses offered in a didactically diverse way and to align them with the needs and requirements of SMEs. This enables participants to acquire practical knowledge and skills in the fields of artificial intelligence and cybersecurity and ensures knowledge transfer to companies."
Contact: band@daisec.de
Timo Bartels
Timo Bartels completed his master's degree in computer science at the TU Braunschweig in 2023. During his studies, he worked in parallel in overall integration at VW Commercial Vehicles. As a doctoral student at the Institute of Communications Engineering, he is currently researching efficient neural networks. In the DAISEC project, Timo Bartels leads the "Deep Dive into Deep Learning" training course.
"Through DAISEC, I have the opportunity to share my enthusiasm for artificial intelligence and at the same time strengthen Lower Saxony as a business location. My aim is to show that AI is not as complex as it initially seems. With my work, I want to help companies to be able to use this technology."
Contact: bartels@daisec.de
Nicole Bartodziej
Nicole Bartodziej is a research assistant at the Niedersächsischen Forschungszentrum für Fahrzeugtechnik (NFF) at the Technical University in Braunschweig. She completed her B.A. in Business Language at the University of Oppeln. Nicole is currently in the final stage of her interdisciplinary M.A. in Culture of the Technical-Scientific World with a specialization in the technical and natural sciences. She supports the DAISEC team in the field of networking and coordinates WP 5 "Innovation Ecosystem and Networking".
"My academic training gives me the ability to create a link between different fields of research and to understand different disciplines in context as a unit. This enables me to (inter)act in the midst of diverse work cultures, which can contribute to achieving technological progress in these areas."
Contact: bartodziej@dai sec.de
Markus Engel
Markus Engel gained extensive knowledge and practical experience in AI development during his dual studies in industrial engineering and through activities during his master's degree in data science. After graduating, he worked as a data scientist in a consulting firm advising companies in various industries on the use of AI and developing suitable solutions. As a doctoral student, Markus is now intensively working on complex issues related to artificial intelligence.
"In my consulting work as an AI expert, my mission is to accompany companies on their way to implementing artificial intelligence. I see myself as a bridge builder between the complex technologies of AI and the concrete needs of SMEs to facilitate their access to this promising field."
Contact: engel@daisec.de
Lukas Fischer
Lukas Fischer studied mechanical engineering at the Leibniz University of Hanover and Purdue University (USA). He gained extensive knowledge and practical experience through practical activities in the field of digital product and strategy development during his studies. As a project engineer, he has now been advising companies in the manufacturing industry on the effective use of digitalization technologies and artificial intelligence for around two years. He deepened his expertise by developing customized solutions in scientific and medium-sized projects. As a doctoral student, Lukas is working on a benefit-oriented methodology for strategy development in the context of artificial intelligence.
"In my role as an AI trainer, my mission is to support companies through artificial intelligence despite the turning point. As part of DAISEC, my aim is to help companies in Lower Saxony to strengthen their competitiveness through AI and become fit for the future. At the same time, I do educational work and run training courses to make AI accessible to various sectors in a low-threshold and effective way."
Contact: fischer@daisec.de
Jan-Ulrich Holtgrave
Jan-Ulrich Holtgrave studied computer science in Berlin, Hanover and Helsinki and completed his Master's degree with distinction in 2023. During his studies, he focused primarily on software engineering and IT security. He also wrote his thesis in the field of cryptography and user-friendly authentication. In addition to his studies, Ulli has worked as a freelance software developer for various companies and start-ups and has also helped to grow a start-up in the e-government sector since 2016. He is now doing his doctorate at the Helmholtz Center for Information Security in the Usable Security research group and supports DAISEC as an expert in cybersecurity.
"A professor of mine once said that (almost) nobody sits down at a PC to do IT security, but that, ideally, it is simply there. I therefore see it as my job to point out new technologies and develop adapted processes so that companies and administrations can attain this condition."
Contact: holtgrave@daisec.de
Leonie Hormig
Leonie Hormig completed her master's degree in economics at Leibniz University Hannover in 2022. Her studies focused on profound social, economic and ecological challenges, such as those arising from the digitalization of markets and societies. Parallel to her studies, Leonie worked, among other things, in human resources development, with the aim of ensuring the availability of specialists and managers. At DAISEC, she is now an expert for digital learning content.
"It has always been important to me to use the knowledge I learned in my studies as well as my practical experience to make a positive contribution to society. Through DAISEC, I have the opportunity to support Lower Saxony companies in strengthening their competitiveness as well as technology and knowledge transfer and to make them fit for the future."
Contact: hormig@daisec.de
Renata Latka
In 2023, Renata Latka successfully completed her Master's degree in International Management & Consultancy, gaining extensive knowledge in organizational behavior, business development and change management. In business development parallel to her studies, she supported the city in various areas to make it more attractive. With deepened knowledge and strengthened skills in business development, she now strives to bring practical approaches to the Lower Saxony business sector and promote the sustainable development of companies.
"It is important to me to pass on my expertise to companies and thus contribute to making Lower Saxony's companies more resilient and future-oriented. In particular, I rely on targeted support from digital tools to implement effective solutions and enable sustainable progress."
Contact: latka@daisec.de
Julian Laue
Julian Laue completed his master's degree in computer science at Ostfalia University of Applied Sciences this year with a grade of 1.3. Parallel to his studies, he worked in a research group at the university for two years, specializing in the automatic detection of vertebral body fractures. In addition to his work as an AI expert in the DAISEC, Julian is now conducting research on language models as a PhD student, with a special focus on the security of chatbots.
"As an AI expert, I also see myself as a kind of 'educator': many people believe that artificial intelligence is only accessible to large tech companies or that AI systems are fundamentally dangerous and uncontrollable. This is where I do valuable educational work through my profession."
Contact: laue@daisec.de
Dr. Nicolás Navarro-Guerrero
Nicolás Navarro-Guerrero is a research group leader at the L3S research center at Leibniz Universität Hannover. He studied electrical engineering with a focus on embedded systems and artificial intelligence in Chile. In the year 2016, he completed his PhD in Computer Science at the University of Hamburg, specializing in cognitively inspired and embedded intelligent systems. In DAISEC, he takes on the role of coordinator.
"As a researcher in robotics and artificial intelligence, I am passionate about developing knowledge-intensive research and development solutions for socially relevant challenges."
Contact: navarro@daisec.de
Walter Pirk
Walter Pirk has been working as a research associate on corporate transformation processes since 1998. His field of work at the Heinz-Piest-Institut für Handwerkstechnik is knowledge and technology transfer. Experience gained through the technological demands on the skilled trades in the areas of laser technology, fuel cells/cogeneration, innovation management and digitalization are the foundation for operational solution strategies in the DAISEC team.
"As an expert in craft-specific requirements for technology and innovation processes, I build a bridge between future-oriented information technology and company-specific solution strategies."
Contact: pirk@daisec.de
Annika Schumann
Annika Schumann has been Manager for Communication and Strategy at the L3S Research Center since 2021 and is responsible for funding and research projects, primarily with a focus on AI for manufacturing SMEs. Previously, after completing her master's degree, she worked in a commercial enterprise and in an innovation network in the areas of communication, event management and project management. At DAISEC, she is responsible for communication and marketing.
"Having worked with companies from various industries, I know that the path to secure, digitalized work processes is not always easy. DAISEC supports our regional companies in taking the first steps and approaching AI and IT security according to their own needs. In doing so, we are picking up SMEs where they stand and make their digital development easier."
Contact: schumann@daisec.de
Dr. Oliver Wiese
Dr. Oliver Wiese completed his doctorate on phishing at Freie Universität in 2023 and has been researching human-centric cybersecurity since 2015. Among other things, he has developed his own email client as a prototype in a BMBF project, trained journalists in combating phishing and investigated the usability of crypto wallets at the University of British Columbia. He is a postdoc at the CISPA Helmholtz Center for Information Security and works as a cyber security expert at DAISEC.
"Cyber security is complex and a challenge for everyone. That's why it's important to meet people where they are. In most cases, big improvements can be achieved with just small steps. Hardware, software and the people involved all need to be considered equally."
Contact: wiese@daisec.de
