The TUM Heilbronn Data Science Center (HDSC) is an interdisciplinary research center funded by the Dieter Schwarz Foundation bringing together five professors each from the TUM School of Computation, Information and Technology and the TUM School of Management. It conducts foundational research in data science, machine learning, artificial intelligence and optimization, with a focus on developing new methods and algorithms. This is complemented by application-oriented projects that use rigorous data analysis to generate actionable insights.
HDSC addresses relevant business challenges across diverse domains through close partnership between data scientists, management researchers, and industry. It serves as a platform for collaboration, knowledge exchange, and scientific progress – locally, nationally, and internationally.
Selected Research Topics at the Data Science Center
We focus on marketing analytics as the quantitative-empirical study of consumer and business behavior, examining how new technologies shape decision-making and welfare. We apply data science to uncover patterns in customer data, generate actionable insights, and guide strategy.
We work on the interdisciplinary research including AI(LLM)-assisted automated mobile app development e.g., source code generation and automated testing, and AI deployments into real-world software e.g., AI robustness, privacy, security, usability, and human-AI interaction.
We envision manufacturing as a dynamic, interconnected ecosystem spanning multiple locations and entities, where complex constraints and resource interdependencies – among people, machines, and robots – demand the deployment of intelligent algorithms for orchestration, informed decision-making, and planning. Our research pioneers advanced algorithms grounded in cutting-edge Data Science techniques, from mathematical optimization and deep learning to emerging quantum computing. Working at the intersection of disciplines, we rigorously apply and refine these innovations on real-world manufacturing challenges, ensuring our work addresses the sector’s most urgent needs.
We are developing advanced spatial-temporal machine learning and data mining models for the applications of smart cities and smart transportation systems. We aim to optimize the city resources (water, air, energy), vehicles, humans, infrastructures via machine learning, deep learning, large language models and so on.
Mission of the Center
- Connect expertise from management and computation to foster an inspiring environment for foundational and applied data science research.
- Enable innovation and transfer of cutting-edge data science methods from HDSC to academia, industry, and society.
- Deliver immersive and English-taught programs to educate and empower the next generation of AI innovators and data scientists.
- Promote active exchange and collaboration on data-driven topics among researchers, industry leaders, policymakers, and the public – locally and beyond.
Our Professors
Prof. Dr. Ali Sunyaev
Information Infrastructures
Heilbronn Data Science Center
(Center Director)
Prof. Dr. Christine Eckert
Marketing Analytics
Heilbronn Data Science Center
(Deputy Center Director)
Prof. Dr. Chunyang Chen
Software Engineering & AI
Heilbronn Data Science Center
Call for Applications for the TUM HDSC PhD Fellowship 2026
The TUM HDSC PhD Fellowship 2026 offers up to 10 young scientists the opportunity to conduct research with a host at TUM for up to 3 years within the framework of the fellowship. It consists a list of tandem projects between HDSC and Munich Data Science Institute (MDSI) and especially welcome international candidates.
More details will follow soon – stay tuned
Contact
Heilbronn Data Science Center
Bildungscampus 2
74076 Heilbronn
hdsc@tum.de