Award Ceremony of the TUM Distinguished Affiliated Professorship to Professor Michael Backes
About the Event
On November 6, 2025, the Technical University of Munich (TUM) will honor Professor Michael Backes as TUM Distinguished Affiliated Professor. He is the founding director and CEO of the CISPA Helmholtz Center for Information Security (Center for IT Security, Privacy and Accountability).
With this honorary title, TUM recognizes his groundbreaking contributions to cybersecurity and privacy, exemplified by his leadership, innovative research, and international influence in shaping the future of digital security. As a TUM Distinguished Affiliated Professor, Michael Backes will become a member of the TUM School of Computation, Information and Technology (CIT).
When? Thursday, November 6, 2025, 3:30 to 6:00 p.m.
Where? TUM School of Computation, Information and Technology, Boltzmannstr. 3, 85748 Garching, Lecture Hall 2
The event will be held in English.
Registration and Program
Please use our registration form and register for the event by October 31, 2025.
3:30 p.m. | Welcome coffee and registration
4:00 p.m. | Welcome by Professor Hans-Joachim Bungartz (Dean of the TUM School of CIT)
4:20 p.m. | Laudatory speech by Professor Pramod Bhatotia (Chair of Distributed Systems and Operating Systems)
4:40 p.m. | Awarding of the TUM Distinguished Affiliated Professorship by President Hofmann
4:50 p.m. | Lecture by Professor Michael Backes: “On the Grand Challenges in Cybersecurity Research — or — why disruptive breakthroughs are key for large-scale economic and societal value creation.”
5:35 p.m. | End of the event and small sparkling wine reception
About Michael Backes
As founding director and chairman of the CISPA Helmholtz Center for Information Security, Michael Backes' research focuses primarily on trustworthy methods for machine learning, on novel approaches for protecting personal data, and on universal solutions for software and system security. His research results have shaped these scientific fields internationally, as is evidenced by over 300 peer-reviewed and highly cited publications in renowned international journals and conference proceedings. A short biography and further information about Michael Backes can be found on the website of the CISPA Helmholtz Center for Information Security.
TUM Distinguished Affiliated Professorship
The honorary title “TUM Distinguished Affiliated Professor” distinguishes leading international scientists who are working at other universities, advancing a scientific area, and developing long-term collaborations with their colleagues at the Technical University of Munich. The honorary title is conferred by the President upon decision by the TUM Extended Board of Management and the TUM Senate.