Prof. Daniela Nicklas' Special Lecture

On April 17th, we had the privilege of hosting a lecture by Professor Daniela Nicklas from the University of Bamberg, Germany.
She is also a leading researcher in mobile computing and pervasive computing and is currently on a sabbatical, staying for a month at our school.

Title: "Sensors and the City: Challenges in Real-life Smart City Research"
Abstract:
The smart city concept has evolved significantly over the years, reflecting the dynamic nature of urban development and technological advancements. Initially, the term "smart city" primarily focused on leveraging technology to enhance the efficiency and infrastructure of urban areas, often emphasizing sensor-based solutions for traffic management and resource optimization. However, in recent years, the definition has broadened to encompass a more holistic approach, highlighting technological innovation, sustainability, citizen engagement, and the overall quality of urban life. This shift reflects a growing recognition that smart cities must prioritize human-centric solutions and environmental sustainability to thrive in the 21st century. To reach this goal, we must take the perspectives of many stakeholders in a city into account. Still, sensors are a future city's eyes, ears, and sometimes noses. And even with the rise of machine learning and artificial intelligence, one has to overcome many engineering challenges to build truly smart systems for future cities. 

Bio.:
Since 2014, Daniela Nicklas has been a full professor at the University of Bamberg, Germany, and holds the Chair of Mobile Systems. Before that, she was a Junior professor of database and internet technologies at the Universitat Oldenburg and a member of the Executive Board in the Transportation division at the OFFIS Institute for Computer Science. She came there from a PostDoc position at the Universitat Stuttgart (2006-2008), where she also obtained her PhD in 2005, working on integrating large-scale spatial context models for mobile applications.

Her research interests are computer systems bridging the gap between the physical and digital worlds, focusing on data management for sensor-based systems and context-aware applications. She applies data stream management technologies to application domains such as smart cities, precision farming, pervasive computing, and situational awareness in general. In 2009, she received the IBM Exploratory Stream Analytics Innovation Award for "Data Stream Technology for Future Energy Grid Control."

Together with Prof. Dr. Marc Redepenning and Prof. Dr. Astrid Schutz, she manages the Smart City Research Lab Bamberg. She is a member of many program committees and organizing committees of pervasive computing and database conferences and workshops (e.g., PerCom, MDM, BTW, ...), a member of the editorial board of the Datenbankspektrum (German Journal on Databases) and the board of the German Society for Computer Science (GI).