Congratulations! Dr. Sandra Hummel has been appointed as a TUD Young Investigator for the Faculty of Education at TU Dresden. Following approval by the faculty and positive feedback from the Faculty Council, her application was approved by the Vice-Rectorate for Research. Our principal investigator Prof. Thomas Köhler will function as her mentor for the TUD Young Investigator program.

The appointment is a significant step in Dr. Sandra Hummel’s academic career. The status not only entails participation in the TUD’s FAST FORWARD qualification program, but also the official opportunity to get involved in teaching, supervision and committees. “For me, this is an opportunity not just to work on something – but to really be part of such a great university”, says Dr. Sandra Hummel.

TUD Young Investigators

The status TUD Young Investigator supports the work of independent junior research group leaders for a limited time by:

• fostering their integration into the faculties at TU Dresden
• offering a qualification program tailored to their needs

By appointment of TUD Young Investigators, structural disadvantages are counteracted that are sometimes experienced due to lack of defined status and inadequate connection to faculties. After their appointment, TUD Young Investigators will:

• choose a university professor of TU Dresden as a mentor and direct contact
• be accepted by the faculty as an assessor and examiner in doctoral procedures, particularly concerning the dissertations they (co-)supervise
• participate in teaching
• be integrated into their respective faculty, including the possibility to attend public parts of Faculty Council meetings as a guest
• get the opportunity to participate in a range of training activities

Learn more about TUD Young Investigators here.

Dr. Sandra Hummel

Dr. Sandra Hummel is working on the question of how AI systems can be designed in educational contexts in such a way that they are pedagogically connectable – i.e. accompany learning processes without undermining didactic principles or the perspectives of learners. In her junior research group Situating AI-based Mentoring at ScaDS.AI Dresden/Leipzig, she is working with an interdisciplinary team to develop the AI learning assistant SAM, which enables educationally sound and personalized learning and teaching support. The development of SAM is based on the group’s ongoing research work and is continuously being further developed by them. Learn more about SAM in the #29th Living Lab Lecture: AI in Personalized Education.

Dr. Sandra Hummel

TUD Dresden University of Technology

Center for Interdisciplinary Digital Sciences (CIDS)

Addendum

Dr. Sandra Hummel was presented with her TUD Young Investigator certificate on August 5, 2025 by Prof. Ursula M. Staudinger (Rector, TU Dresden). Prof. Angela Rösen-Wolff (Vice-Rector Research, TU Dresden) held the laudatio for Dr. Sandra Hummel.