The Berlin Model: Education for Post-Professional Activities (BANA) is an innovative continuing education program for individuals aged 45 and over, providing access to current scientific knowledge. The BANA lecture series at the Technische Universität Berlin is open to the public and addresses contemporary and socially relevant issues. The format encourages dialogue with civil society and allows participants to engage with the lecturers after each talk – through questions, suggestions or comments. The lecture series in the summer semester of 2026 will be organized and conducted in cooperation with the scientists of the ECDF. The second lecture in the series will take place on May 18, 2026, from 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

1. Lecture:

Fairness in AI-Supported Personnel Selection? – Expectations and Outcomes 

Helena Mihaljević

Teaser

Artificial intelligence is increasingly being used in personnel selection, promising more objective and efficient decision-making. But what does “fair” actually mean when algorithms help determine professional opportunities? This presentation provides an accessible introduction to current research on AI-supported recruitment and demonstrates why fairness is not merely a technical issue. Empirical studies highlight how stakeholders from HR, technology development and organizations understand fairness (and how these understandings differ), where uncertainties lie and why transparency alone is not sufficient. The presentation will also discuss the role of regulation, organizational values and participatory auditing procedures—and what all this means for the responsible use of AI in practice.

Helena Mihaljević has been ECDF Professor for “data science” at Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft Berlin (HTW Berlin) since July 2018. A mathematician by training, she brings extensive practical experience from several years working as a data scientist in the private sector. Her research analyzes data and digital technologies using methods from machine learning and natural language processing. She leads interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research projects, including work on the communication dynamics of conspiracy theories as well as on issues of fairness, responsibility and regulation in data-driven systems. Her work combines technical analysis with societal and ethical perspectives. 

2. Lecture:

AI Applications for Resilient Societies and Infrastructures

Felix Biessmann

Teaser

Artificial intelligence plays a crucial role in building resilient societies and infrastructures. The presentation illustrates this through four examples. The Bundesanstalt für Geowissenschaften und Rohstoffe (BGR) uses AI to predict groundwater levels. By analyzing historical and current data, drought periods can be identified at an early stage, promoting sustainable water use. The BGR also employs AI to accurately predict soil quality. These data help farmers apply nutrients optimally and prevent erosion, protecting both crop yields and the environment. In a project with the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs, AI is used for wastewater modeling, enabling cities to better respond to extreme weather events and strengthening urban infrastructure. AI-supported analyses also examine political discourse on platforms such as Twitter, helping to understand societal sentiment and foster balanced public opinion.

Felix Biessmann has been ECDF Professor for “machine learning” at the Berliner Hochschule für Technik since October 2018. From 2014 to September 2018, he worked as a Machine Learning Scientist at Amazon’s machine learning research lab in Berlin. In parallel with his work at Amazon, he collaborated on projects with the Deutsche Krebsgesellschaft and the Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin für Sozialforschung. His research focuses on developing ML methods and applications for automating data quality, transparent ML and ML applications that particularly contribute to sustainability goals.

Venue: 

Einstein Center Digital Future
Conference. Hall, 1st Floor
Wilhelmstr. 67
10117 Berlin

Please note that the event will take place in German.

Register now