Compact CV
Michael Backes is the founding director and CEO of the CISPA Helmholtz Center for Information Security. He is moreover a professor of Saarland University and the director of the CISPA-Stanford Center, jointly with Prof. John Mitchell from Stanford.In his research, Prof. Backes 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.
His research has earned him internationally renowned scientific awards and honors, in particular the ERC Synergy Grant, which is Europe's most highly endowed EU group research award, the Karl Heinz Beckurts Prize, an ERC Starting Grant, the Caspar Bowden Privacy Award, the IEEE and ACM Fellowship, as well as various Career Awards and Best Paper Awards.
His research results have regularly been translated into highly innovative applications that have brought him widespread attention beyond the scientific community. In particular, Prof. Backes was the first German to receive the MIT TR35 Award, which recognized him as one of the top 35 researchers and innovators in the world under the age of 35 (across disciplines) whose “accomplishments are poised to have a dramatic impact on the world as we know it”.
Michael Backes is regularly listed in rankings as one of Germany's most important IT personalities. He holds an honorary doctorate from the Université de Lorraine and is both honorary citizen and future ambassador of the city of St. Ingbert.
A more comprehensive CV can be found here. A full list of publications is available here, but the most complete list over time will presumably be available at my DBLP entry.
Selected Awards/Honors
- ACM Fellowship, 2024
- Honorary Citizen and Future Ambassador, St. Ingbert, 2023
- Karl-Heinz Beckurts Prize, 2019
- IEEE Fellowship, 2019
- NDSS Best Paper Award, 2019
- CSF Distinguished Paper Award, 2019
- Medal of Honor, Saarland Division of Engineers, 2019
- Doctor Honoris Causa / Honorary Doctorate, 2018
- NSA Cybersecurity Research Award, 2017
- IEEE Golden Core Award, 2017
- CNIL-INRIA Privacy Award, 2017
- Member, German Academic of Technical Sciences (acatech), 2015
- Teaching Award of the State of Saarland, 2015
- ERC Synergy Grant 2014
- IEEE Outstanding Community Service Award, 2014
- CS Teaching Award of Saarland University, 2014
- IEEE Outstanding Community Service Award, 2011
- ERC Starting Grant, 2009
- MIT TR35 (35 most outstanding researchers / innovators under the age of 35 worldwide), 2009
- CS Teaching Award of Saarland University, 2009
- IBM Faculty Award, 2008
- Fellow of the German Max Planck Society, 2007
- CS Teaching Award of Saarland University, 2007
- IBM Outstanding Achievement Award, 2005
- IBM Research Division Award, 2005
- Caspar Bowden Award 2004
- IBM Outstanding Achievement Award, 2004
- VDI Diploma Thesis Award 2002
- Scholarship of the German Science Foundation (DFG), 2001