The Rectorate of the University of Münster honored 13 early-career researchers with the 2025 Dissertation Award at a ceremonial event in the Festive Hall of the Schloss. The awards were presented by Rector Prof. Dr. Johannes Wessels and Prof. Dr. Maike Tietjens, Vice-Rector for Academic Career Development and Diversity. The award for the School of Business & Economics was given to Dr. Christina Okoutsidou for her dissertation “Decoding AI Influencer’s Effectiveness: Multimodal Insights for Social Media Marketing”, supervised by Prof. Dr. Manfred Krafft. In addition, the Rectorate recognized the best doctoral theses of 2025.

Das Rektorat der Universität Münster hat in einer Feierstunde in der Aula im Schloss 13 Nachwuchswissenschaftlerinnen und -wissenschaftler mit dem Dissertationspreis des Jahres 2025 ausgezeichnet. Rektor Prof. Dr. Johannes Wessels und Prof. Dr. Maike Tietjens, Prorektorin für akademische Karriereentwicklung und Diversity, verliehen die Auszeichnungen. Den Preis für die Wirtschaftswissenschaftliche Fakultät erhielt Dr. Christina Okoutsidou für ihre Arbeit „Decoding AI Influencer’s Effectiveness: Multimodal Insights for Social Media Marketing“, betreut von Prof. Dr. Manfred Krafft. Außerdem hat das Rektorat die besten Doktorarbeiten des Jahres 2025 ausgezeichnet. 

How can processes in large-scale kitchens be made more precise, sustainable, and efficient? This was the question tackled by Nico Nonnen and Mattis Sippel, two Information Systems graduates from the University of Münster, laying the foundation for their start-up, better bites. Their AI-driven software solution helps kitchen managers plan ingredient usage more accurately, reduce food waste, and optimize processes.

Wie lassen sich die Abläufe in Großküchen präziser, nachhaltiger und effizienter gestalten? Mit dieser Frage beschäftigten sich die beiden Wirtschaftsinformatik-Absolventen der Universität Münster, Nico Nonnen und Mattis Sippel, und legten damit den Grundstein für ihr Start-up better bites. Ihre KI-gestützte Softwarelösung unterstützt Küchenleitungen dabei, den Wareneinsatz genauer zu planen, Lebensmittelverschwendung zu reduzieren und Prozesse zu optimieren.

At the graduation ceremony, the Student Council of the School of Business and Economics awarded the teaching prizes for outstanding achievement in teaching. Students nominate three courses in the Bachelor’s and Master’s programs across the three subjects: Business Administration, Economics, and Information Systems. The Teaching Award Committee then selects the winners. 

Awards for Information Systems:

• Information Systems (Bachelor): Dr. Johannes Sedlmeir – “Security of Distributed Systems”
• Information Systems (Master): Sandro Franzoi and Tobias Zimmermann – „Hilti Seminar“
• Business Administration (Master): Prof. Jan vom Brocke and Mara Burger – “Entrepreneurship 4: Business Modelling”  

Further nominations:

• Information Systems (Bachelor): Dr. Adam Widera and Prof. Bernd Hellingrath – “Quantitative Methoden und Simulation in der humanitären Logistik“ and Prof. Christian Grimme – „Systemanalyse und Entscheidungsfindung“  
• Information Systems (Master): Dr. Armin Stein, Tobias Zimmermann and Helene Müller – „Process Engineering“ and Prof. Dragos-Calin Vieru and Dr. Jan Stockhinger – „Digital Transformation and Organizational Ambidexterity“

We warmly congratulate all awardees on this recognition! 

Teaching Award for Bachelor's in Information Systems: Prize Winner Dr. Johannes Sedlmeir (left) with fellow nominees Dr. Adam Widera and Prof. Christian Grimme. 

Teaching Award for Master's in Information Systems: Prize Winner Mara Burger and Prof. Jan vom Brocke. 

Die Fachschaft Wirtschaftswissenschaften hat im Namen der Studierenden die Auszeichnungen für besonders gute Lehre vergeben. In den drei Fächern Betriebswirtschaftslehre, Volkswirtschaftslehre und Wirtschaftsinformatik wurden jeweils drei Veranstaltungen im Bachelor- und im Masterstudium nominiert, aus denen das Gremium Lehrpreis die Gewinner:innen kürte. Der Lehrpreis wird seit 2010 von der Fachschaft Wirtschaftswissenschaften verliehen. Damit werden Dozentinnen und Dozenten des Fachbereichs für herausragende Leistungen in der Lehre belohnt.

The Economics Student Council has presented awards for outstanding teaching on behalf of the students. In the three subjects of business administration, economics and business informatics, three courses each were nominated in the bachelor's and master's programmes, from which the teaching award committee selected the winners. The teaching award has been presented by the Economics Student Council since 2010. It rewards lecturers in the department for outstanding achievements in teaching.

Around 250 Bachelor's and Master's students received their degree certificates at the end of November. The graduation ceremony organised by the WiWi student council provided a fitting festive setting for the occasion. After a welcome address by Prof. Dr. Thomas Langer, Dean of the School of Business and Economics, the certificates were presented and numerous photos were taken. At a champagne reception, the graduates had the opportunity to toast with family and friends.

Rund 250 Bachelor- und Masterstudierende haben Ende November ihre Abschlusszeugnisse erhalten. Die von der Fachschaft WiWi organisierte Abschlussfeier bot dafür den angemessenen festlichen Rahmen. Nach der Begrüßung durch Prof. Dr. Thomas Langer, Dekan der Wirtschaftswissenschaftlichen Fakultät, wurden die Zeugnisse überreicht und zahlreiche Fotos gemacht. Bei einem Sektempfang hatten die Absolvent:innen die Gelegenheit, mit Familie und Freund:innen anzustoßen.

How can processes in large-scale kitchens be made more precise, sustainable, and efficient? This was the question tackled by Nico Nonnen and Mattis Sippel, two Information Systems graduates from the University of Münster, laying the foundation for their start-up, better bites. Their AI-driven software solution helps kitchen managers plan ingredient usage more accurately, reduce food waste, and optimize processes.

The idea originated where many students eat every day: in the cafeteria. While having lunch in the Da Vinci cafeteria on the Leonardo Campus, the two founders wondered how kitchen managers could calculate the right quantities every day without reliable guest numbers.

The first conceptual approaches had already emerged a few months earlier in their final bachelor’s module in Digital Business, led by Dr. Jan Stockhinger, in which students were asked to develop their own innovation. Since gastronomy played a significant role in their environment, they focused on the challenges of over- and underutilization in large-scale kitchens. In January 2025, they decided to pursue their idea after graduation in their own start-up.

Their first point of contact was the REACH Euregio Start-up Center, where they participated in the “Validation Lab” and systematically validated their idea. Conversations with potential customers quickly revealed that there is a great need for precise, data-driven planning, especially in cafeterias and large-scale kitchens.

A decisive step in the development of better bites was the close collaboration with the Studierendenwerk Münster, which they gained as a pilot customer. The founders had access to historical data, could observe processes on site and even take a look behind the scenes in the kitchen. This allowed them to analyze real processes and build and continuously adjust the software based on valid data.

The system behind better bites is a self-developed machine learning model that analyzes external factors such as weather, semester periods, lecture schedules, local events and previous sales figures to accurately predict how many guests will come and which dishes will be in high demand. Each cafeteria is modeled as an individual location with its own characteristics, while cross-location patterns within a city like Münster are also taken into account.

The results from several university cities demonstrate the software’s potential: it reduces food waste by 2,800 kilograms per location per year, increases planning accuracy by 11 percent, and lowers costs per location by more than €10,000 annually.

One of the biggest challenges was to develop the software in such way that it can be used not only by the Studierendenwerk Münster but in any cafeteria. At the same time, the user interface was designed to be as intuitive as possible and to show transparently how the forecasts are created. The founders emphasize that it is particularly important to them that: “we don’t want to replace the kitchen managers but support them in their daily planning,” emphasizes Nico Nonnen.

In addition to the Studierendenwerk Münster, the founders are now working with other student service organizations in North Rhine-Westphalia and Baden Württemberg. The next steps for Nico Nonnen and Mattis Sippel include expanding to additional locations and entering the corporate cafeteria. In the long term, the software is intended to support not only kitchen managers but also teams in menu planning, controlling and sustainability management. “We want to build long-term partnerships,” says Mattis Sippel. “We are deliberately not scaling without restraint but staying close to our customers in order to meet their needs optimally.”

The founders see their bachelor’s degree in Information Systems as an important foundation. The combination of business and IT content provided them with both theoretical fundamentals and practical knowledge, for example in the modules Data Management, Statistics or Digital Business. In addition, they gained valuable experience in working student jobs, internships, and through their engagement in student initiatives, allowing them to apply and deepen their knowledge. Experiences that particularly strengthened their soft skills, teamwork, and project competencies include the project seminar “INFOCAMP Board – A Hybrid Dashboard for Real-Time Visualization and Analysis of (Dis)Information Campaigns” with Prof. Christian Grimme, the Digital Business seminar with Dr. Jan Stockhinger, and a joint semester abroad in Lisbon.

“We are able to link a rather traditional sector like communal catering with the information technology sector, and that is exactly what we learned during our studies: that you have to think interdisciplinarily,” says Nico Nonnen.

Their advice to students is to make the most of their studies, actively seek practical experience, think interdisciplinarily, and seize opportunities such as semester abroad in order to grow both professionally and personally.

Nico Nonnen and Mattis Sippel behind the scenes in the cafeteria at Aasee (© Studierendenwerk Münster).

The Joint Science Conference of the German federal government and the German states has announced that the University of Münster will be involved in two research projects within the new Academies Programme. One of them is the project “The Vatican and the Persecution of Jews in Europe”, led by church historian Prof. Dr. Hubert Wolf, theologian Prof. Dr. Michael Seewald, and information systems scholar Prof. Dr. Jan vom Brocke.

A total of 15.4 million euros—distributed over a 25-year funding period—will be provided by the Federal Government, the North Rhine-Westphalian Academy of Sciences, Humanities and the Arts, and the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities. The Vatican research team plans to analyze around 10,000 petitions written by Jewish people to the Vatican during the Nazi era with the help of artificial intelligence.

Links related to this announcement:

Read more about the project “The Vatican and the Persecution of Jews in Europe” in the University of Münster’s press release and on the project page.

Learn more about Prof. Jan vom Brocke here.

This year marked the 20th presentation of the Dr. Andreas Dombret Doctoral Prize, which has honoured outstanding work at the interface between academia and practice since 2007. To celebrate the anniversary, the donor, Hon. Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Andreas Raymond Dombret, current and former award recipients, and their doctoral supervisors gathered at the A2 by Lake Aasee, where they exchanged views in a festive atmosphere on their career paths in companies, ministries, and universities.

In diesem Jahr wurde zum 20. Mal der Dr. Andreas Dombret-Promotionspreis verliehen, mit dem seit 2007 herausragende Arbeiten an der Schnittstelle von Wissenschaft und Praxis gewürdigt werden. Zur Feier des Jubiläums kamen im A2 am Aasee der Stifter Hon. Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Andreas Raymond Dombret, aktuelle und ehemalige Preisträger:innen sowie ihre Doktorväter zusammen und tauschten sich in festlicher Atmosphäre über ihre Karrierewege in Unternehmen, Ministerien und Hochschulen aus.

The Joint Science Conference of the German federal government and the German states has announced that the University of Münster will be involved in two research projects within the new Academies Programme. One of them is the project “The Vatican and the Persecution of Jews in Europe”, led by church historian Prof. Dr. Hubert Wolf, theologian Prof. Dr. Michael Seewald, and information systems scholar Prof. Dr. Jan vom Brocke.

Die Gemeinsame Wissenschaftskonferenz von Bund und Ländern hat bekanntgegeben, dass die Universität Münster mit zwei Forschungsprojekten am neuen Akademienprogramm beteiligt sein wird. Eines davon ist das Vorhaben „Der Vatikan und die Verfolgung der Juden in Europa“, das vom Kirchenhistoriker Prof. Dr. Hubert Wolf sowie von dem Theologen Prof. Dr. Michael Seewald und dem Wirtschaftsinformatiker Prof. Dr. Jan vom Brocke angeführt wird.

At the doctoral graduation ceremony on 19 November 2025, six early-career researchers from the School of Business & Economics celebrated the successful completion of their doctorates. The formal presentation of the doctoral certificates was carried out by the Dean of the Faculty, Prof. Dr. Thomas Langer.

As part of the ceremony, Jens Böke, Nils Burchardt, Leander Gayda, Janina Wiebringhaus, Carl Philipp Wolff and Yahya Yilmaz were awarded their doctorates.

Bei der Promotionsfeier am 19. November 2025 durften sich 6 Nachwuchswissenschaftler:innen der Wirtschaftswissenschaftlichen Fakultät über den erfolgreichen Abschluss ihrer Promotion freuen. Die feierliche Übergabe der Doktorurkunden erfolgte durch den Dekan der Fakultät, Prof. Dr. Thomas Langer.

Im Rahmen der Feier wurden Jens Böke, Nils Burchardt, Leander Gayda, Janina Wiebringhaus, Carl Philipp Wolff und Yahya Yilmaz promoviert. 

This semester, the Dr. Andreas Dombret Doctoral Prize is being presented to Dr. Julia Katharina Hennes. Her summa cum laude dissertation entitled ‘Thriving amid change: An empirical investigation of business adaptation to physical climate risks’ at the Institute for Entrepreneurship under Prof. Dr. David Bendig impressed with its outstanding combination of economic theory and practical implications. The Dr. Andreas Dombret Doctoral Prize, worth €3,000, is funded by the Dr. Andreas Dombret Foundation under the umbrella of the University Foundation of Münster.

In diesem Semester wird der Dr. Andreas Dombret-Promotionspreis an Dr. Julia Katharina Hennes verliehen. Ihre Summa cum laude-Dissertation mit dem Titel „Thriving amid change: An empirical investigation of business adaptation to physical climate risks“ am Institut für Entrepreneurship von Prof. Dr. David Bendig überzeugte durch die herausragende Verbindung von wirtschaftswissenschaftlicher Theorie und praxisrelevanten Implikationen. Der mit 3.000 Euro dotierte Dr. Andreas Dombret-Promotionspreis wird von der Dr. Andreas Dombret‑Stiftung unter dem Dach der Universitätsstiftung Münster finanziert.

In part 22 of our Alumni Stories, we introduce Dr. Ute Paukstadt. After completing her studies at the University of Duisburg-Essen, she pursued a PhD in Information Systems at the University of Münster. Following her doctorate, she began her professional career as a lecturer in IT systems and IT management at the University of Applied Sciences for Police and Public Administration in North Rhine-Westphalia, while also working as an IT/ERP consultant. In 2021, she joined Evonik, initially as Senior Manager Digitalization, and from 2022 onward she served as Product Owner for Digital Business and Generative Artificial Intelligence. Since April 2025, Ute Paukstadt has been leading an international GenAI team at Evonik, where she is responsible for developing internal AI solutions such as “EvonikGPT” and shaping strategic frameworks and governance structures for the responsible use of generative AI within the company.