Alexandros triumphs over software vulnerabilities.
My work involves research tasks that I perform as part of the Center for Code Excellence (CCE) at fortiss and my Ph.D., I work on projects that are funded by the state, federal government or industry. On the other hand, I dedicate myself to my big personal project, my dissertation. I have created a research proposal that defines several research questions I will systematically work on over the coming years.
In the CCE, I mainly focus on Software Engineering for Machine Learning (ML), also known as MLOps (ML Operations). This involves applying established methods from the field of software engineering, such as versioning, to ML-specific artefacts such as data and models. In addition, I am investigating how to move from a prototypical to a productive environment when developing ML solutions. In particular, we want to develop solutions for and support small and medium-sized companies in this transition.n my PhD, I am researching automated methods for monitoring maintenance activities of open-source libraries. My goal is to identify poorly maintained libraries in a system to avoid that they are affected by a vulnerability while the underlying community is no longer active. This situation can only be solved by more expensive replacement or further development costs and should therefore be avoided.
In the CCE, I recently conducted a potential analysis of a customer together with a colleague. In doing so, we examined the company about possible use cases for artificial intelligence and made recommendations for action. The customer was very satisfied with our results. Regarding my doctorate, I recently presented my first paper at a conference. For this, I submitted a condensed version of my research proposal in a doctoral colloquium and received very positive feedback. This is a great success for me and confirms my work in this field.
Before the 10th grade, I had little enthusiasm for computer science because we were mostly taught the material in a less appealing way, such as SQL queries on paper, which in retrospect I find very unfortunate. Nevertheless, since then I have enjoyed dealing with new technologies and computer science topics, in which programming naturally plays a significant role. Thus, from the 10th grade on, my passion for programming slowly began. With Java as my entry language, I was fascinated by how one could design an increasingly "alive" system from an empty file. Nevertheless, since then, I have enjoyed exploring new technologies and information technology topics, in which programming naturally plays a significant role.
After completing my master's degree, I decided to look for a position for an application-oriented doctorate. In the process, I quickly came across fortiss, which turned out to be the perfect "match". On the fortiss job portal, I found an extremely interesting job posting in the CCE. After the initial interviews, the position turned out to be perfect for me both professionally and personally. Fortunately, I was able to take the position immediately and have since enjoyed working on my Ph.D. and the exciting research projects in the CCE team.
fortiss offers a perfect environment for application-oriented research. Here you have access to a broad network of experts consisting of Ph.D. students, postdocs and professors from different disciplines. At the same time, one gets the opportunity to apply one's research in public and industry-funded projects. In addition to the professional advantages, fortiss also offers the possibility of a good work-life balance, for example by offering a home office. Recreational opportunities such as the Central University Sports Centre are also available. For me as a computer scientist, it was also important that I was allowed to choose my hardware. Another plus point is the central location and the attractively furnished and light-flooded offices.
The openness and friendliness of the colleagues at fortiss are particularly valuable in my opinion. Every employee is helpful and always available to answer questions. Outside of work, we also engage in joint activities, such as the B2Run run and several Brezn Walks. Besides the great collegial aspect, fortiss is also characterized by an incredibly high level of professional expertise. Thanks to the division into different fields of competence, there are always experts on hand to help with questions. The combination of human values and professional expertise makes the colleagues at fortiss unique and is an important component for the personal development of each individual.
The biggest challenge for me was and is my doctorate. The first step, formulating a research proposal that should fill three to five years of work and then meet the high-quality requirements of a conference paper. Currently, I am continuously driven by self-motivation to work on individual research questions. The biggest motivation for me to continue is to solve my identified problem and hopefully find an application in the industry.
During the application process, the two virtual interviews and a personal interview at fortiss were particularly helpful in deciding on the position. I needed to get to know my colleagues and the premises in person to get a better picture. After my visit to fortiss, I was sure that I would like to accept the position.
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