Organs and bodies
CAIS was founded in November 2016 as an independent research college in the legal form of a non-profit limited liability company. Since April 2021, it has been expanded into an institute for digitization research.
Its sponsors include the Ruhr University Bochum, the University of Duisburg-Essen, the Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, the University Münster, the Bergische University Wuppertal, the GESIS – Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences, the RWI – Leibniz Institute for Economic Research and the Grimme Institute (Marl).
CAIS is funded by the Ministry of Culture and Science of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia.
CAIS is managed by the Executive Board, which consists of the Scientific Director, Professor Dr. Christiane Eilders, and the Commercial Director, Tim Pfenner.
Responsible for the individual areas and departments of CAIS are:
- the head of the CAIS College, Dr. Esther Laufer,
- the head of science communication, Dr. Matthias Begenat,
- the scientific coordinator, Dr. Josephine B. Schmitt,
- the Head of Research Data & Methods, Dr. Johannes Breuer.
The management is supported by the CAIS team.
Directly to …
Program Commission
The Program Commission is responsible for the announcement of the program lines and the selection of the applications. Submitted applications are evaluated by the Commission according to the following criteria: Consistency with the CAIS research agenda, scientific excellence and relevance of the project, innovation potential, trans- and interdisciplinary orientation, professional profile and competence of the applicants. If necessary, external reviewers with proven expertise will be consulted.
Taking into account a balance between the program lines and research disciplines on the one hand and the existing capacities on the other, the commission makes the final decision on the applications.
Ralf Benzmüller
G DATA SecurityLabs
Prof. Dr. Bernd Blöbaum
University Münster
Prof. Dr. Isabelle Borucki
Philipp University of Marburg
Prof. Dr. Ralf Dewenter
Helmut Schmidt University Hamburg
Dr. Frauke Gerlach
Grimme-Institute
Prof. Dr. Thorsten Holz
CISPA Helmholtz Center for Information Security
Prof. Dr. Katharina Kinder-Kurlanda
University Klagenfurt
Prof. Dr. Hannah Ruschemeier
FernUniversität Hagen
Prof. Dr. Jens Schröter
Rheinischen Friedrich-Wilhelms University Bonn
Dr. Malte Steinbach
zebralog GmbH
Dr. Charlotte Unruh
University of Southampton
Dr. Esther Laufer
Center for Advanced Internet Studies
Prof. Dr. Christiane Eilders
Center for Advanced Internet Studies
Dr. Matthias Begenat
Center for Advanced Internet Studies
Advisory Board
The Advisory Board advises CAIS on strategic and programmatic development and provides impetus and recommendations on key topics. The Advisory Board evaluates the Center at regular intervals.
Prof. Dr. Nicole Krämer
Chairwoman
University Duisburg-Essen
Svea Ekert
Das Erste
Julia Eisentraut
Landtag Nordrhein-Westfalen
Angela Freimuth
Landtag Nordrhein-Westfalen
Dr. Harald Gapski
Grimme-Institute
Prof. Dr. Manfred Hauswirth
Fraunhofer-Institute
Dr. rer. nat. Dirk Hecker
Fraunhofer-Institute
Prof. Dr. Regina Jucks
University Münster
Prof. Dr. Martin Mauve
Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Tobias Meisen
Bergische University Wuppertal
Stefan Pfeiffer
Green Mine GmbH
Prof. Dr. Barbara Pfetsch
Freie University Berlin
Dr. Katrin Weller
GESIS – Leibniz Institut für Sozialwissenschaften
Prof. Dr. Uta Wilkens
Ruhr-University Bochum
Supervisory Board
The Supervisory Board monitors and advises the Executive Board on the management of the Company. This includes, in particular, monitoring legality, expediency and economic efficiency. It adopts the business plan and monitors the implementation of the program lines. In addition, it plays a key role in fundamental strategic decisions and the development of the research agenda.
Dr. Christina Reinhardt
Head of the Supervisory Board
Chancellor Ruhr-Universität Bochum
Dr. Frauke Gerlach
Director Grimme-Instituts
Dr. Martin Goch
Chancellor Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf
Prof. Dr. Pedro José Marrón
Prorector Universität Duisburg-Essen
Jost Henze
Administrative Director gesis Leibniz Institute of Social Science
Dr. Ursula Löffler
Chancellor Bergische University Wuppertal
Dr. Stefan Rumpf
Administrative Board at RWI Leibniz Institute of Economic Science
Thorsten Menne
Group Manager„Forschungsförderung, Forschungspolitik“, Deputy Head of the Research Department MKW des Landes NRW
Kordula Attermeyer
Head of Department „Digitale Gesellschaft, Medienkompetenz“ Staatskanzlei des Landes Nordrhein-Westfalen
Prof. Dr. Monika Stoll
Prorector for Research Universität Münster