Cyber Security in the Age of Large-Scale Adversaries

Jahrhunderthalle Bochum. Copyright: Stadt Bochum/ Leitmann

CASA Grand Reception, February 4, 2026

Join us at the Grand Reception of the Cluster of Excellence CASA: Securing the Digital Society. As the German Research Foundation (DFG) renews CASA’s funding with an investment of €43 million for the years 2026-2032, the cluster will further strengthen Bochum’s position as one of Europe’s leading centers for cybersecurity research. To mark this milestone, we will convene a celebratory afternoon with insights into CASA’s latest research endeavors, complemented by additional program highlights.

The event will be opened with welcoming addresses by Ina Brandes, Minister of Culture and Science of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, Jörg Lukat, Mayor of the City of Bochum, and Professor Martin Paul, Rector of Ruhr University Bochum. The reception will continue with academic contributions, concluding with a festive dinner and informal get-together in the evening.

We look forward to welcoming you to Bochum.

At a Glance

When: 4 February 2026, starting at 3:00 pm (Dinner and Get-Together starting from 6:30 pm) - Registration starts from 2.30 PM.
Where: Jahrhunderthalle, Bochum (An d. Jahrhunderthalle 1, 44793 Bochum)
Registration: Registration is closed. Please contact Christina Scholten for possible participation in the event

Program

From 2:30 pm	Admission
3:30 – 3:35 pm	Welcome Address, Prof. Martin Paul, Rector of Ruhr University Bochum
3:40 – 3:50 pm	Welcome Address, Ina Brandes, Minister of Culture and Science of the German State of North Rhine-Westphalia
3:55 – 4:00 pm	Welcome Address, Jörg Lukat, Mayor of the City of Bochum
4:00 – 4:30 pm	Research Insights *“CASA so far, so new”,* Prof. Eike Kiltz
4:30 – 4:40 pm	CASA Science Slam: Carmela Troncoso
4:40 – 5:00 pm	Break
5:00 – 5:10 pm	Science Slam: Kevin Borgolte
5:15 – 6:00 pm	Keynote Lecture “AI, Society, and Computing: Leveraging Global Data While Tackling Ethical Challenges”, Prof. Meeyoung Cha
From 6:15 pm	Dinner and Get-Together (Music: Ivan Habernal & band)

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Keynote Lecture “AI, Society, and Computing: Leveraging Global Data While Tackling Ethical Challenges”

Prof. Meeyoung Cha, CASA PI and Scientific Director, Max Planck Institute for Security and Privacy (MPI-SP)

Abstract: AI agents powered by individuals' data are reshaping everyday interactions on social platforms and marketplaces. At a planetary scale, the aggregation of multi-modal data enables transformative applications such as poverty mapping, socioeconomic predictions, and disaster assessments. However, these advancements also bring systemic risks, including biases, misinformation, and threats to democratic institutions.

This talk explores how thoughtful design in database systems and AI can mitigate these challenges, foster sustainable development, and uphold human-centered values. It further advocates for the vigilant oversight of societal-scale AI applications to prevent dual-use and other ethical concerns and instead promote the benefit for humanity. I will also discuss my journey through my research on misinformation, as well as my life as a data scientist, based on my experiences collaborating with world-class scientists at Meta, AT&T Research, and Microsoft, as well as NGOs such as the United Nations Pulse Lab and the World Customs Organization.

Bio: Meeyoung (Mia) Cha is a leading AI and data science researcher dedicated to applying technology for societal benefit. She is a Scientific Director at the Max Planck Institute for Security and Privacy (MPI-SP), an Adjunct Faculty at Ruhr University Bochum (RUB) in Germany, and a Professor at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST). Her research focuses on data science and computational social science, particularly in areas such as misinformation, poverty mapping, fraud detection, and human-machine interactions. Her work has earned widespread recognition, including Best Paper Awards, Test-of-Time Awards, the Hong Jin-Ki Creator Award, the Korean Young Information Scientist Award, and the ACM Distinguished Member status.

https://www.mpi-sp.org/cha
mia.cha(at)mpi-sp.org

Moderation by Eva Wolfangel, Journalist

Eva Wolfangel is a journalist, author, and public speaker specializing in emerging technologies and their societal impact. She was awarded European Science Writer of the Year (2018), received the German Reporter Award in 2020, and was a Knight Science Journalism Fellow at MIT in Boston (2019–2020). Her work focuses on artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and cybersecurity, and she explores innovative journalistic formats, including immersive VR storytelling and data journalism.

Wolfangel is a frequent speaker at leading international conferences. She delivered the opening keynote at CHI 2023, a top-tier conference on human–computer interaction, titled “The Human Element in Cybercrime and Cybersecurity.” She has also spoken at the Chaos Communication Congress (CCC), where her talks examined how chatbots can be manipulated to reveal information they are designed to withhold. Her book A False Click: How We Can Protect Ourselves from Attacks from the Internet was published by Penguin Random House in 2022.

Ivan Habernal Quartet

Their current album Places and Stories has been hailed by critics as a “powerful and sensational debut.” Founded in Frankfurt am Main in 2015, the Ivan Habernal Quartet performs contemporary jazz original compositions by its bandleader and bassist, who studied music in Prague and took private lessons in New York City before becoming part of the Frankfurt jazz scene.

Alongside his work as a musician, Ivan Habernal is Professor of Trustworthy Human Language Technologies at the Faculty of Computer Science at Ruhr University Bochum.