About us
Team

Management:

Dr. Swantje Westpfahl

Dr. Swantje WESTPFAHL

Director

Dr. Swantje Westpfahl is the Director of the Institute for Security and Safety.
Holding a PhD in the interdisciplinary field of linguistics and machine learning she is experienced in a variety of scientific methods, and in the coordination and organization of research and educational projects as well as capacity building.
At the Institute for Security and Safety her main objectives are the strategic development of the institute and the expansion of cooperation projects. Thus, she’s also the personal point of contact for all cooperation partners. She coordinates the research and development as well as the capacity building activities of the Institute, especially with a focus on new developments in cyber security, e.g. with respect to the energy and automotive industry.
As a key point of contact with international institutions, she is the ISS’s representative at the United Nations OEWG on ICT in the context of international security and also in UNECE’s WP.29 GRVA. She is also member of two working groups – „Cyber Security in Oil and Gas“ and „Cyber Security in Energy“ – at the World Economic Forum. At the European Energy Information Sharing and Analysis Centre (EE-ISAC), she is the head of the European Initiatives Task Force.
Her main areas of expertise are security culture, capacity building and didactics, and cyber security in international relations.

Henning Fromme

Director

Henning Fromme is the Director of the Institute for Security and Safety.

He holds a degree as Diplom-Kaufmann (Univ.) of Passau University with a focus on organizational development and marketing.

During his career he contributed to the growth of start-ups, hidden champion and global players in software, consulting and education services. At the Institute for Security and Safety his main objectives is the strategic development of the institute and the expansion of cooperation projects. He serves as personal point of contact for clients, partners and employees.

He is an experienced business leader dedicated to the success of his clients. His main areas of expertise are cyber security consulting, organizational development and capacity building.

Guido_Gluschke

Guido GLUSCHKE

Former Director

in memoriam

Guido Gluschke was founder and director of the Institute for Security and Safety from 2012 until 2021. He was not only a highly esteemed supervisor and colleague, but also a highly respected expert and visionary, with an inexhaustible knowledge in the field of cyber security. He was involved in many international expert groups, a frequently invited key-note speaker and managed a variety of projects with national and international Organizations.

We will do our utmost to continue his work and ideas and carry them forward in his spirit. He was a role model and friend for many who crossed his path. We will therefore continue and advance all collaborations and visions for more cybersecurity worldwide.

Present:

Isabell Neise

Isabell Neise

Head of Business Development & Marketing

Isabell Neise is the business development manager of the Institute for Security and Safety. At the Institute for Security and Safety her main objectives are the strategic development of sales and marketing as well as the strategic positioning of the ISS Capacity Building Center (ICBC).

Isabells holds a Masters Degree in language and communication studies. Moreover, she is writing her dissertation in in the field of media and communication studies about audience participation and customer relation ship management in social media contexts. Isabell is experienced in the organization of research projects, and scientific methods as well as in journalism, PR, and marketing.

Dmytro CHERKASHYN

Dmytro CHERKASHYN

Head of Cyber Security Research & Development

Dmytro Cherkashyn holds a M.Sc. degree in nuclear energy from the Sevastopol National University of Nuclear Energy and Industry, Ukraine, with specialization in physical protection of nuclear facilities, nuclear materials, radioactive wastes and other radioactive sources.

Prior to his current position as nuclear security scientist at the ISS, he was a nuclear safety specialist to the deputy chief of physical protection department at a research reactor and senior teacher at the nuclear energy facilities department at his university. His experience is mostly bound with technical aspects of International Safeguards and the State Nuclear Security Regime.

His area of interests also include nonproliferation, international cooperation on nuclear safety and security, and IT/cyber security for nuclear facilities. Dmytro participated as lecturer in the series of IAEA‘s international courses in Obninsk/Russia and Odessa summer schools in Ukraine.

Stefanie ZIEGNER

Stefanie ZIEGNER

Instructional Designer

Stefanie Ziegner works as an instructional designer at the Institute for Security and Safety.

Bringing years of experience in the didactical conception and animation of web-based trainings, she is now responsible for the production of web-based trainings and large-scale blended-learning programs at ISS

She holds a degree Magistra Artium (MA) from the Chemnitz University of Technology in Pedagogics, Psychology and Sociology and focussed on the Pedagogics of E-Learning and New Media.

Jugersa SMAJA

Cyber Security Researcher

Jugersa Smaja is a Cyber Security Researcher at the Institute for Security and Safety. In her role, she specializes on the technical aspects of cybersecurity with a focus on Cyber Threat Intelligence, Cyber Security Assessments and Cyber Forensics.

She holds a Master's degree in Cyber Security from the University of Salford and a Bachelor's degree in Business Informatics from Tirana University.

Oliver LOMMEL

Oliver LOMMEL

Software-Developer & IT-Services

Oliver Lommel works as a senior software developer of the Institute for Security and Safety, specializing in service-oriented architectures and web-centralized applications.

His second field of activity is the administration and maintenance of internal IT-systems, networks and supportive services.

Dr. Fabian Brackhane

Dr. Fabian Brackhane

Cyber Security Researcher & Content Manager

Dr. Fabian Brackhane is cyber security researcher and content manager at the Institute for Security and Safety. His current work focuses on project coordination and didactic processing of training content.

After studying information science and phonetic sciences, Fabian did his PhD and worked for several years in research. During his professional career he gained experience in various scientific methods and research techniques as well as in teaching, journalism and PR

Anne Giertz

Anne Giertz

Instructional & Game Designer

Anne Giertz studied game design as well as general pedagogy, vocational pedagogy, and media theory and practice.  She is an experienced instructional designer in concepting e-learning media and didactical frameworks. Furthermore, she co-developed video games as well as tutorial games for serious gaming. At the Institute for Security and Safety, she supports the ICBC in the development and design of cyber security trainings. In her studies and in her work, she focussed on the theory of what makes games fun. She will use this knowledge in order to create even more immersive cyber security trainings.  

Desiree REILING

Desiree Reiling

Designer

Desiree Reiling is a media designer at the Institute for Security and Safety. She is an accomplished layout designer for e-learning material and also assists the marketing and event management teams.

Desiree graduated from the University of Pforzheim with a bachelor‘s degree in Visual Communication, with an emphasis on Illustration and New Media Concepts.

Kristina Neumann

Designer

Kristina Neumann is a media designer of the Institute for Security and Safety. Her experience in marketing spans various sectors. At the Institute for Security and Safety, she implements design and production processes.

Marie-Luise Reiling

Instructional Designer

Marie-Luise Reiling arbeitet als Instructional Designer am Institute for Security and Safety. Sie hat Erfahrung in der methodischen und didaktischen Konzeption von Lehr- und Lernumgebungen sowie der Organisation und Durchführung von Bildungsveranstaltungen, Schulungen und Workshops.

Ihre Berufserfahrung sammelte sie vor allem in den Bereichen Personalentwicklung , Aus- und Weiterbildung und im Umgang mit Diversität bei verschiedenen großen Unternehmen und in der Forschung.

Sie hat ihr 1. Staatsexamen in Germanistik und Erziehungswissenschaften an der Universität in Freiburg und ihren Master in Bildungswissenschaften (M.A.) an der Pädagogischen Hochschule in Heidelberg absolviert.

Annika Wägenbauer

International Stakeholder Relations Officer

Annika Wägenbauer holds the position of International Stakeholder Relations Officer at the Institute for Security and Safety at the UAS Mannheim. She makes sure everything runs smoothly here at the ISS while supporting the strategic development of the institute and the expansion of cooperation projects. Furthermore, she participates in European and global forums and represents the company internationally on an ad-hoc basis.

Annika has an interdisciplinary and multilingual background. She holds a Master of Social Sciences (M.S.Sc.) in International Security and Law from the University of Southern Denmark and a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in European Studies from The Hague University of Applied Sciences. Having lived and worked in nine countries while being able to communicate in about eight languages, she knows how to navigate today’s multi-faceted working environment. Annika is dedicated, flexible and efficient. With several years of work experience in the German automotive industry, she masters bridging the gap between the public and private sector.

Dr. Sarah Torres

Research Fellow

Dr. Sarah Torres is cyber security researcher and research fellow at the Institute for Security and Safety at the Brandenburg University for Applied Science.
She holds a PhD in applied linguistics, media and communication studies. After working at a research institute for a few years, she joined the cybersecurity sector in 2021. Her main areas of expertise are ISMS management monitoring, process management and information/cyber security in critical infrastructure. While working for the international security management consultancy VICCON, she has gained theoretical and practical expertise in various areas including information security and know how protection, ISMS guideline management and compliance, risk management, strategic ISMS-planning and certification management.

Michael Strey

Research Fellow

Michael Strey holds a diploma in business management from the university of applied sciences Kempten, Germany. His main areas of expertise are information/cyber security and know how protection, especially in the energy sector and other critical infrastructures. Working for the international security management consultancy VICCON since 2005, he has gained wide experience in various projects regarding risk management, information and cyber security management as well as certification management.

 

Who We Are

institute for security and safety team who we are
The Institute for Security and Safety (ISS) provides advice, international capacity building and research:

Cooperation

cooperation horizon europe
Contact us for future cooperation in research and capacity building in the field of security:

Key Topics

digital security smart cities automotive cyber nuclear
The Institute for Security and Safety (ISS) addresses a range of key topics  in its work: