The informatics campus in Stellingen is home to an unusual community of researchers, students, and robots. Just like small children do at school, the robots there learn to mind their manners, show respect, and be considerate of others.

Prof. Dr. Eva Bittner investigates the way IT connects people, allows for the sharing of knowledge electronically, and makes decision-making processes such as urban planning more interactive. We spoke with the junior professor about her work and career plans.

The Department of Informatics in the School of Mathematics, Informatics and Natural Sciences at the Universität Hamburg is one of the largest Informatics departments in Germany, excelling in teaching and research by means of a broad and modern profile. We offer a variety of interesting Bachelor and Master programs. Furthermore, there is an English research-oriented Master course “Intelligent Adaptive Systems”. Our aim to provide high quality teaching is enhanced by a system of student evaluations and top-level research.

Our research activities cover a wide range of areas, cooperating with partners from science and industry both at national and international level. Our International Transregional Collaborative Research Centre (TRR) on “Crossmodal Learning (CML)” and our technology transfer organization “Hamburger Informatik Technologie-Center (HITeC) e.V.” are particularly noteworthy examples.

At the Department of Informatics 28 professors research and teach supported by approximately 180 research, technology and management staff. More than 2300 students are enrolled in 5 Bachelor and 5 Master degree courses.

The role of computer science is to support and assist people in dealing with increasingly complex tasks and processes. Systems should remain manageable and understandable: technology has to adapt to human beings, not vice versa.

Research and teaching at the Department of Informatics places human beings at the center of the three principal informatics tasks: analysis, design and construction.

Each workgroup und professorship is assigned to one of three priority areas:

Human-Centered Computing (HCC) is especially dedicated to the obtainment of knowledge in semi-natural and technical systems, the design of adaptive, autodidactic systems and the design of Human-Computer Interaction.

Complex Systems Engineering (CSE) focuses on developing large software applications and infrastructures. The control of complexity and reliable operation are important aspects in this respect.

Computing in Science (CIS) comprises the activities of the department in such areas as High Performance Computing, Machine Learning, Bioinformatics, and Big Data.