Builder for the best
Both in her research into adaptive systems for process automation and in her managerial tasks, professor of Information Systems Dimka Karastoyanova aims to make processes run smoother. In May 2025, she joined the board of IPN. ‘I want to contribute towards improving the standing of the Dutch informatics research community and the funding availability from industry and government.’
How did you become a computer scientist?
‘As a student, I did not have a scientific career in mind. I studied industrial engineering in Bulgaria, and decided to pursue a second master’s in computational engineering in Germany to enrich my knowledge. During that master’s program, I got acquainted with the then new fields of database systems and workflow management, and got curious to explore the use of such systems for different applications. That is why I decided to pursue a PhD at the Database and Distributed Systems group of TU Darmstadt, where I worked on new ways of building software systems. This topic fascinates me till this day. As a scientist, I can evaluate different solutions and compare them without being restricted by company policies that tend to change fast, and I can solve complex problems, which I truly enjoy doing.’
After having studied and worked in Bulgaria and Germany, why did you decide to come to the Netherlands?
‘That was the result of solving a “two body problem”, as it so often occurs in scientific careers. While I was working in Hamburg and Potsdam, my husband got a job here in Groningen. About a year later a Rosalind Franklin position opened up, for which the topics were open. I applied, and I am glad I was selected for the position. In terms of talent development, we should come up with solutions for this two body problem, for example by establishing double career programs at all levels. For PhDs and postdocs there are some possibilities, but when both partners are more advanced in their career, it is virtually impossible to stay together without one having to take a step back in favor of the career of their spouse.’
What is your research about?
‘My research is about adaptive systems for process automation and performance improvement. Or, in other words, about software that changes while it is being used to steer automated processes, for example in manufacturing, logistics, healthcare or scientific experiments.
In my research, I create both models and software systems to optimize a variety of application scenarios. Different applications have different needs. Sometimes, a process has to become faster, or cheaper. On other occasions, it is about environmental sustainability, like lowering the energy usage, or decreasing the CO2 emissions.
The biggest challenges for us as scientists are to accurately model complex processes and to determine what is the best way to build the software that runs them and ensures that they stay flexible.’
What type of applications do you typically work on?
‘Anything ranging from manufacturing, logistics, and supply chain management, to eScience and data science (a.k.a. “processes for AI”), and healthcare. That diversity is also what makes this field interesting. Even in a similar field, the context can still be vastly different. Producing cars is not the same as producing computers, and treating patients is different for every other disease. Since each domain has its own way of measuring requirements like flexibility, cost, and sustainability, in our work, it is important to map characteristic features of the process at hand and work with different models of performance metrics and indicators.’
Before joining the Bernoulli Institute Dimka Karastoyanova held a joint appointment as an associate professor of Data Science at the Kühne Logistics University in Hamburg and as a Senior Researcher at the Hasso Plattner Institute of the University of Potsdam. Karastoyanova received her doctoral degree in Computer Science in 2006 from the Technische Universität Darmstadt, holds an MSc degree in Computational Engineering from the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg and an MSc and BSc in Industrial Engineering from the Technical University of Sofia, Bulgaria. Since May 2025, she is part of the board of IPN.
How do you approach a new project?
‘Usually, we start by taking stock: how is the process executed now? Who will benefit from automating it? What kind of support do they need? This way, we collect the requirements for the system. Then we create an initial architecture, based on what is already available and linked to the specific software platforms used in that specific organization. And then we test to what extent the system we developed meets the requirements.
Besides working on systems that are tailor-made for specific applications, we also develop new concepts. That starts by understanding the current state of the art in a specific field and identifying problems, to subsequently look for new ways of building systems. In our group, this approach works both ways: we learn from the applications we work on, and from our conceptual work we obtain knowledge that brings added value to our applications and their users.’
What is the biggest challenge in your field?
‘My current research is mostly aimed at environmental impact and sustainability of processes and process-aware information systems. But at the moment, we lack sufficient data to accurately assess the environmental impact of process automation. Companies have to report about, for example, their total CO2 emissions, but they do not have data about the software contribution to the environmental impact.
So, in order to assess if any new system is actually an improvement, we first need to ensure we can establish ground base. What makes this hard, is that companies will not experiment just for the sake of it.
Furthermore, there is the complexity of the field in general. There is no silver bullet to create programs that improve your processes.’
From early on in your career, you have taken up management positions. Why?
‘In short: because it is a great learning experience, and because I like to organize activities that help others. For example, shortly after I came to Groningen, I became head of the Department of Computer Science, which helped me understand the dynamics of the department, and of the Bernoulli Institute that it is part of. For me, coming from abroad, engaging in the department’s management was also a good way to learn about the Dutch culture and how people interact with each other here.
During those four years, establishing an even more transparent and open way of communicating and exchanging information has been close to my heart. Now, I want to do the same on an institute level, working on strategic development.’
Currently, you are also a board member of Informatics Europe. What does that responsibility entail?
‘Informatics Europe connects more than 50,000 informatics researchers from over 30 countries and supports policymaking across Europe. My portfolio involves professional career development for early career researchers. Even though on a European level we are very proud of our talent, we do not do enough to support them, and we do not do it in a consistent way across the continent. So, as one of the first actions of the working group we established last year, we started developing a survey for PhDs and postdocs, working toward a common mentorship program crossing different institutions. In the end, our ambition is to set up a career development program that lays out career paths for computer scientists, and teaches them the skills they need for each next stage.’
Next to your other managerial tasks, last May, you also joined the board of IPN. What is your ambition there?
‘I know my research community, I know the department here in Groningen, now I feel the time has come for me to expand my overview of the Dutch landscape. Also, I want to help my institution align better with the national policies in this field.
The topics I want to work on all align with my expertise. I’ll act as a liaison between the IPN board and the Special Interest Group Future Computing Systems and Networking, which is closest to my scientific field. I’ll be involved in international relations, for example by interacting with Informatics Europe. I would like to help establish better support for early career researchers and improve diversity and will be supporting my colleagues who lead these two portfolios.
More in general, I would like to contribute towards improving the standing of the informatics research community and demonstrate its significant impact towards solving real-life societal problems, as well as advocate for increased funding availability from industry and government. I also support putting more effort in maintaining open and transparent communication towards the IPN members. I am convinced that placing the focus on these perspectives will ensure that every ICT researcher feels proud of being a member of a vibrant, ambitious and fair community.’
Photo: Henk Veenstra