Benjamin Schäfer

Antibiotic research

Drug discovery with AI

Drug design, synthesis, and development with AI

Benjamin Schäfer is a tenure-track professor at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). In his research, the data scientist focuses on the consequences of the energy transition for our electricity grids: they are becoming more complex because renewable energy sources are typically fed into the grid in a decentralized, fluctuating manner. Operating this supply system generates large amounts of data.

Schäfer analyzes this data using machine learning methods. His goal is to develop innovative prediction models for users and grid operators: for example, they provide information on how the power grid should be expanded. Unlike previous models, the algorithms are also designed to disclose the factors they take into account for their predictions – such as the current electricity price or the time of day for which the prediction is relevant. This principle of “explainable AI” can lead to broader acceptance of AI models by ensuring results that even non-experts can understand. 

Benjamin Schäfer studied physics at Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg and earned his doctorate at the Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization and the University of Göttingen. After working in the UK and Norway, he returned to Germany in 2022 as a tenure-track professor at KIT.