Dr.-Ing. Monica Ciolacu

RESEARCH

Google Scholar Profile

EDUCATION

10/2016-07/2020 Doctoral degree, University Politehnica Bucharest (UPB), Faculty of
Electronics, Telecommunications and Information Technology, Romania
Supervisor Prof. Dr. h. c. mult. Eng. Paul Svasta
Cooperation with Technische Hochschule Deggendorf, Prof. Dr. Dr. Heribert
Popp and Prof. Dr. Cezar Ionescu. Thesis: “An Adaptive Framework for Computer-based LearningTechnology”, Magna Cum Laude, Ph.D. in Electronics, Telecommunications, and Information Technology

04/1998 -04/1999 Multimedia Designer and Programmer, Multimedia Academy Bayern, Deggendorf

09/1991-07/1996 University Politehnica of Bucharest, Romania, Faculty of Electronics and
Telecommunications, Specialization “Applied Electronics”
Thesis: “Remote control for satellite receiver”. Degree Dipl. Engineer, Grades 9,50 (best grade 10).

09/1987-07/1991 High School of Physics and Mathematics No 4, Bucharest, Romania
Nuclear Techniques and Technologies, Mathematics and Physics.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Since 11/2025 Researcher, Chair of Educational Science with a focus on Media Education and dtec.bw, University of Bundeswehr Munich

10/2021- 11/2024 Researcher, Chair of Education Science with a focus on Diversity Research and Educational Spaces of Middle Childhood,University of Passau
• Taught 4 seminars on "Learning and teaching with/about Generative AI -
competence oriented teaching in primary schools”, each 2 SWS
• Taught 8 seminars on "Fundamentals of Research Methods”each 4 SWS .
10/2021-04/2023 Head of Transfer Forum for Technology and Didactics (DiTech), University of Passau
• Coordinated and developed educational, didactical, and technical initiatives for the
University of Passau for nearly two years and encouraged collaboration and networking
with national and international universities.
•Initiated “DiTech Quick Dips” workshops with topics such as “AI for Everybody”

08/2018-10/2021 Initiator, Product- and Project Manager, SMART founding’s I-IV, Technische
Hochschule Deggendorf (THD) and Virtuelle Hochschule Bayern (vhb), Faculty of
Applied Computer Science
10/2019-10/2021 Member of the Advisory Board of the Faculty of Computer Science, elected
representative of scientific staff (45 people), THD Developed webinars and marketing strategies for potential Bachelor and Master students of theAI Faculty (Computer Science). Management of Faculty of Computer Science courses, available on the E-Learning platform Moodle.
07/2017-09/2019 Member of the Advisory Board of the Faculty of Applied Sciences, THD

09/2014-12/2015 Project Manager V(virtual), W (wissensbasiert) support - based on the knowledge ofstudents and A (analytic) - VWA MINT Coach DIT, “Best MINT”, Ministry of Educationand Culture of Bavaria, TH Deggendorf
06/2011-05/2013 Programme Assistant to the Faculty of Business Informatics, TH Deggendorf
Responsible for 20 professors and ca. 300 regular and part-time Bachelor’s and Master’s
students on the Business Informatics Programme.
10/2001- 04/2011 Product Marketing, Webmaster, and Field Application Engineer Training, KontronEmbedded Modules (KEM) (JUMPtec), Deggendorf www.kontron.com
07/1999-04/2001 Web Design and Programmer, Team Schönswetter, Passau
05/1999-07/2001 Multimedia Producer, Multimedia Agentur m2GmbH, München
05/1998-04/1999 Multimedia Design and Programmer, Multimedia Academy Bayern, Deggendorf
10/1996-04/1997 Engineer in the General Inspectorate of Radio (IGR) of the Ministry of Radio andTelecommunications, Bucharest, Romania
09/1994-09/1996 Working Student at Tele Sigma “Student Television” cooperation with TV 5
International France, Bucharest during my studies of Electronic Engineering at
University Politehnica of Bucharest, Romania Analog and Digital Video editing.

PRIZES AND AWARDS
• Outstanding Paper Award for high-quality research, "Mechanical property degradation of Polylactic Acid (PLA) 3D printed parts under ultraviolet radiation", International Symposium on Industrial Engineering and Smart Automation ISM. A. Zapciu, C. Ghe. Amza - University POLITEHNICA of Bucharest, M. I. Ciolacu - University of Passau, E. Francalanza - University of Malta, E. Rauch –University of Bolzano, 2022.
• Nomination for Bertha-Benz FoundationAward for young female engineers who have createdadded value for society with the results of their dissertations, 2021.
• Best Video Pitch Award “Ich packe meinem Koffer für den E-Learning Tag und ich nehme mit eine Schachtel Pralinen“, FH Joanneum, Austria, Okt. 2021

PUBLICATIONS
1. Heribert Popp, Erwin Semke, Monica I. Ciolacu, “Virtueller, wissensbasierter und analytischer MINTCoach (VWA-MINT)”, In Bayerisches Staatsministerium für Bildung und Kultus, Wissenschaft und Kunst (Ed), „Erfolgreicher MINT-Abschluss an bayerischen Hochschulen“, Oct. 2015, pp. 72-81, 2015. https://www.km.bayern.de/download/13359_stmbw_abschlussbericht_best_mint.pdf.
2. Monica I. Ciolacu, Rick Beer, “Adaptive user interface for higher education based on web technology”,Conference: IEEE 22nd International Symposium for Design and Technology in Electronic Packaging (SIITME 2016), Location: Oradea, Romania, Oct. 21st-23rd, 2016, Publisher: IEEE, Research Areas: Engineering, Web of Science Categories: Engineering, Electrical & Electronic, 2016, pp. 300-303.
3. Monica I. Ciolacu, Paul Svasta, Waldemar Berg, Heribert Popp, “Education 4.0 for Tall Thin Engineerin Data-Driven Society”, Conference: IEEE 23rd International Symposium for Design and Technology in Electronic Packaging (SIITME 2017), Location: Constanța, Romania, Oct. 26-29, 2017, Publisher: IEEE, 2017, pp. 432-437.
4. Monica I. Ciolacu, Ali Fallah Tehrani, Rick Beer, Heribert Popp, “Education 4.0 – Fostering StudentPerformance with Machine Learning Methods”, Conference: IEEE 23rd International Symposium for Design and Technology in Electronic Packaging (SIITME 2017), Location: Constanța, Romania, Oct. 26th-29th, Publisher: IEEE, Web of Science Categories: Engineering, Electrical & Electronic, 2017, pp. 438-443.
5. Monica I. Ciolacu, Heribert Popp, „Lehre 4.0: Effiziente virtuelle Weiterbildung /Open InnovationEducation 4.0“, Forschungsbericht 2016-2017, Wissens- und Technologietransfer der Technische Hochschule Deggendorf, Germany, 2017, pp. 52-58.
6. Heribert Popp, Monica I. Ciolacu, „Lehre 4.0 revolutioniert E-Learning in Hochschule und
Weiterbildung“, Die neue Hochschule (DNH), (4), Germany, 2017, pp. 12-15.
7. Monica I. Ciolacu, Ali Fallah Tehrani, Leon Binder, Paul Svasta, “Education 4.0 - Artificial Intelligenceassisted Higher Education: Early Recognition System with Machine Learning to support Students’Success “, Conference: IEEE 24th International Symposium for Design and Technology in Electronic Packaging (SIITME 2018), Location: Iasi, Romania, Oct. 25th-28th, 2018, Publisher: IEEE, Web of Science Categories: Engineering, Electrical & Electronic, 2018, pp. 23-30.
8. Monica I. Ciolacu, Leon Binder, Rick Beer Heribert Popp, “Education 4.0 für Akademiker 4.0
Kompetenzen -Blended Learning 4.0 Prozess mit Learning Analytics Cockpit”, Proceedings of
Arbeitskreis Learning Analytics der Fachgruppe E-Learning in der Gesellschaft für Informatik (GI), “Digitalisierungs(wahn)Sinn? Wege der Bildungstransformation – DeLFI und HDI Sept. 10, 2018, Goethe-Universität Frankfurt, Workshop, http://ceur-ws.org/Vol-2250/WS_LA_paper7.pdf, 2018, pp.1-10.
9. Heribert Popp, Rick Beer, Monica I. Ciolacu, “Blended Learning 4.0: KI unterstützte digitale Lehre” –Workshop, In F. Waldherr, C. Walter (Ed.). Tagungsband zum Forum der Lehre an der TechnischeHochschule Ingolstadt, 16. April 2018, 2018, pp. 72-78, https://dizbayern.
de/images/documents/400/DiZ_FdL_2018_Tagungsband.pdf.
10. Heribert Popp, Monica I. Ciolacu, Leon Binder, “Smarter Blended Learning 4.0 Prozess”, Proceedingsof 17th E-Learning Tag der FH JOANNEUM University of Applied Sciences, Sep. 2018, Graz, Austria, 2018,pp.101-112, http://oer.fh-joanneum.at/zml/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/ELT-Tagungsband2018_final.pdf.
11. Monica I. Ciolacu, Heribert Popp: „Education 4.0: Künstliche Intelligenz gestaltet smarte BlendedLearning Prozesse”, Forschungsbericht 2018-2019, Conference: 6er Tag der Forschung, Technische Hochschule Deggendorf, 10. April 2019, Germany, pp. 51-59.
12. Monica I. Ciolacu, Leon Binder, Ali F. Tehrani, Heribert Popp, “Enabling IoT in Education 4.0 withBiosensors from Wearables and Artificial Intelligence”, Conference: IEEE 25th International Symposium for Design and Technology in Electronic Packaging (SIITME 2019), Location: Cluj-Napoca, Romania, Oct. 23rd-26th, Publisher: IEEE, 2019, pp. 17-24.
13. Monica I. Ciolacu, Paul Svasta, Dan Stoichescu, Ioan Tache, "Education 4.0 - Jump to Innovation IoT inHigher Education", Conference: IEEE 25th International Symposium for Design and Technology in Electronic Packaging (SIITME 2019), Location: Constanta, Romania, Oct. 23rd-26th, 2019, Book Series: International Symposium for Design and Technology in Electronic Packaging, Publisher: IEEE,2019, pp. 135-141.
14. Heribert Popp, Monica I. Ciolacu, Leon Binder, “Education 4.0: IoT- und CoP-unterstützte Smarte ELearning-Prozesse”, Proceedings of 19th E-Learning Tag der FH Joanneum University of Applied Sciences, Sept. 2020, Workshop, pp. 42-55, Graz, Austria.
15. Monica I. Ciolacu, Ali F. Tehrani, Paul Svasta, Ioan Tache, Dan Stoichescu: „Education 4.0: An AdaptiveFramework with Artificial Intelligence, Raspberry Pi and Wearables - Innovation for creating value”, Conference: 26th IEEE International Symposium for Design and Technology in Electronic Packaging (SIITME 2020), Oct. 21st -24th, Publisher: IEEE, , 2020, pp. 298-303.
16. Monica I. Ciolacu, Paul Svasta, Daniela Hartl, Stefanie Görzen, „Education 4.0: Smart Blended Learningassisted by Artificial Intelligence, Biofeedback and Sensors”, 14th IEEE International Symposium on Electronics and Telecommunications (ISETC2020), Nov. 5th-6th, Timisoara, Romania, 2020, pp. 1-4.
17. Monica I. Ciolacu, Paul Svasta, „Education 4.0: AI Empowers Smart Blended Learning Process withBiofeedback”, 12th IEEE Global Engineering Education Conference (EDUCON 2021), “Women inEngineering”, April 21st-23rd, online event, Vienna, Austria, 2021, pp. 1443-1448, https://doi.org/10.1109/EDUCON46332.2021.9453959.
18. Bernhard Haderer, Monica I. Ciolacu, "Education 4.0: Artificial Intelligence Assisted Task- and TimePlanning System", Procedia Computer Science, Volume 200, online event, pp. 1328-1337, ISSN 1877-0509, 2022, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procs.2022.01.334, Open Access.
19. Monica I. Ciolacu, Bernhard Haderer, Andreas Berl and Paul Svasta, "Education 4.0: Innovation LearningLab for AI-Analysis and Concept Proposal”, 2021 IEEE 27th International Symposium for Design andTechnology in Electronic Packaging (SIITME), Timisoara, Romania, 2021, pp. 45-50, https://doi:10.1109/SIITME53254.2021.9663426.
20. Monica I. Ciolacu, Alina E. Marcu, Marian Vladescu, Dan Stoichescu and Paul Svasta, "Education 4.0 Labfor Digital Innovation Units – Collaborative Learning in Time of COVID-19 Pandemic", 2021 IEEE 27thInternational Symposium for Design and Technology in Electronic Packaging (SIITME), Timisoara, Romania,2021, pp. 268-271, https://doi:10.1109/SIITME53254.2021.9663606.
21. Monica I. Ciolacu, Tamara Rachbauer, Christina Hansen, Bogdan Mihailescu, Paul Svasta, and CristinaMarghescu, „Virtual Collaboration with Agile Methods in Engineering Education 4.0 – Jump to DigitalInnovation Units in the New Normal”, IEEE 9th Electronics System-Integration TechnologyConference (ESTC), Sibiu, Romania, 2022, pp. 282-291, https://doi.org/10.1109/ESTC55720.2022.9939480.
22. Radu Zapciu, Catalin Ghe. Amza, Monica I. Ciolacu, Emmanuel Francalanza, Erwin Rauch "MechanicalProperty Degradation of Polylactic Acid (PLA) 3D Printed Parts under Ultraviolet Radiation", In: Matt,D.T., Vidoni, R., Rauch, E., Dallasega, P. (eds) Managing and Implementing the Digital Transformation.ISIEA 2022. Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems, vol. 525, 2022, pp. 26-33, Springer, Cham, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-14317-5_3
23. Monica I. Ciolacu, Heribert Popp, „Education 4.0: KI- und IoT-unterstützte Blended-Learning-Prozesse– smart Blended Learning“, Forum der Lehre 2022, „VIELFALT LEBEN – Heterogenität in Studium undLehre“, Bayerisches Zentrum für Innovative Lehre - BayZiel / DiZ – Zentrum für Hochschuldidaktik, OTH Regensburg, 2022, pp. 95-105, https://www.didaktikzentrum.de/images/cwattachments/FdL_2022.pdf Open Access.
24. Monica I. Ciolacu, T. Rachbauer, C. Hansen, "Education 4.0 in the New Normal – HigherEducation Goes Agile with E-Portfolio". In: Auer, M.E., Pachatz, W., Rütmann, T. (eds) Learning in the Age of Digital and Green Transition. ICL 2022. Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems, vol. 633, 2023, pp. 289-299, Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-26876-2_27.
25. Monica I. Ciolacu, Bogdan Mihailescu, Tamara Rachbauer, Christina Hansen, Catalin Ghe. Amza, PaulSvasta, "Fostering Engineering Education 4.0 Paradigm Facing the Pandemic and VUCA World",Procedia Computer Science, vol. 217, 2023, pp. 177-186, ISSN 1877-0509,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procs.2022.12.213 Open Access.
26. Fabian Obster, Josephine Brand, Monica I. Ciolacu, Andreas Humpe, „Improving Boosted GeneralizedAdditive Models with Random Forests: A Zoo Visitor Case Study for Smart Tourism“, ProcediaComputer Science, vol. 217, 2023, pp. 187-197, ISSN 1877-0509,
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S187705092202292X, Open Access.
27. Monica I. Ciolacu, Gustavo R. Alves, Claudius Terkowsky, Abdallah Y. Zoubi, Konrad E. R. Boettcher, MariaI. Pozzo, and Alexander A. Kist, “Developing Future Skills in Engineering Education for Industry 5.0:Enabling Technologies in the Age of Digital Transformation and Green Transition”, REV 2023 - 20thIEEE International Conference on Remote Engineering and Virtual Instrumentation International Associationof Online Engineering (IAOE) Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece. 01-03rd March 2023, pp. 1019–1031, https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-031-42467-0_94.
28. Monica I. Ciolacu, M. Brandl, F. Stelzer, C. Hansen, W. Gamerith, K. Plank,T. Rachbauer, M. Würdinger-Gaidas, "Building a sustainable, student-centered and resilient higher education 5.0 through intra- und interinstitutional collaborations", IEEE EXPAT’23, University ofEvora, Portugal, 05-07th June 2023, 6th Experiment@ International Conference (exp.at'23), pp. 169-174,https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10546235.
29. Monica I. Ciolacu, Heribert Popp, "Education 4.0 – Smarte (IoT- und KI-gestützte) Hochschulbildung", Buch Künstliche Intelligenz in der Bildung. In: C. de Witt, C. Gloerfeld, S. Wrede (Hrsg.) Verlag SpringerVS. ISBN 978-3-658-40078-1, Nov. 2023,https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-40079-8.
30. S. Baciu, Monica I. Ciolacu, A. Esau, J. Chow, B. Roffelsen, L. Levak, B. Castleforte, Y. Marimoto, M. Ball, M.Barreto, L. Bennett, S. Hull, W. Peak, “AZIMUTH from AI to Zenith: An Alphabet Adventure – AICC AIChildren’s Companion”, Amazon, https://lmy.de/btkFl, June 2024.
31. A. Al-Zoubi, M. I. Pozzo, Monica I. Ciolacu, G. R. Alves, A. Kist, (2024). “University 4.0: The Future ofHigher Education in the Age of Technology”. In: Auer, M.E., Langmann, R., May, D., Roos, K. (eds) SmartTechnologies for a Sustainable Future. STE 2024. Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems, vol 1027, Springer, June 2024. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-61891-8_12.
32. Monica I. Ciolacu, Cristina Marghescu, Bogdan Mihailescu, Paul Svasta, “Does Industry 5.0 Need anEngineering Education 5.0? Exploring Potentials and Challenges in the Age of Generative AI”, 2024IEEE Global Engineering Education Conference (EDUCON), Kos, Greece, 2024, pp. 1-10, https://doi:10.1109/EDUCON60312.2024.10578712.
33. Monica I. Ciolacu, C. Marghescu, M. Sorecau, B. Mihailescu, E. Sorecau, P. Bechet, “Education 5.0:Transforming Engineering Education in the Age of Generative AI”, IEEE 30th International Symposium for Design and Technology in Electronic Packaging (SIITME), Sibiu, Romania, pp. 303-308.
34. Fabian Obster, Monica I. Ciolacu and Andreas Humpe, "Balancing Predictive Performance andInterpretability in Machine Learning: A Scoring System and an Empirical Study in Traffic Prediction"in IEEE Access, vol. 12, pp. 195613-195628, 2024, doi: 10.1109/ACCESS.2024.3521242.