University of Graz appoints Dominik Kowald as professor of AI-based information retrieval

Dominik Kowald joins the University of Graz as Professor for AI-based Information Retrieval in Digital Humanities, linking research on trustworthy AI and digital archives.

The University of Graz has announced the appointment of Dominik Kowald as Professor for AI-based Information Retrieval in Digital Humanities.

The appointment was shared in a LinkedIn post by Professor Christoph Trattner, Director of SFI MediaFutures at the University of Bergen, who previously supervised Kowald’s PhD.

The university said Kowald will begin teaching this semester, starting with Introduction to Computer Science, and will contribute to projects that use AI tools to improve access to historical materials. He will also strengthen connections between digital humanities research and the development of trustworthy AI.

Background and research focus

The University of Graz, one of Austria’s leading research institutions, said Kowald’s appointment will enhance its focus on information retrieval, recommender systems, and ethical AI. Alongside his new academic role, Kowald continues to work at the Know Center in Graz, where he leads the Fair AI research group. The group develops algorithms and evaluation methods designed to minimize discrimination and bias in AI systems.

Kowald holds a PhD in Computer Science and a habilitation in Applied Computer Science from Graz University of Technology. His doctoral research focused on cognitive-inspired recommender systems, while his postdoctoral work explored fairness, privacy, and transparency in AI models.

The Department of Digital Humanities said Kowald will support research projects that apply AI to analyze and retrieve information from cultural and historical archives. One of the department’s current aims is to connect ongoing work on trustworthy AI at the Know Center with its digital humanities initiatives.

The university described Kowald’s appointment as part of its broader effort to integrate AI into academic disciplines traditionally centered on qualitative analysis, ensuring that data-driven tools remain explainable and responsible in their design.s.

Professor Trattner shared his support in a LinkedIn post, saying, “It’s been many years since Dominik completed his PhD, and watching his career flourish has been incredibly rewarding. From his early research on cognitive-inspired recommender systems and tag recommendation during his PhD, to his impressive recent work on fairness, reproducibility, and trustworthy AI—his trajectory has been nothing short of inspiring.”

Trattner added, “Seeing him now lead cutting-edge research at the intersection of AI and the digital humanities makes me both proud and excited for what lies ahead.”