Vanessa Mai

• KIARA
  Projekt goal of KIARA is the development and implementation of an innovative AI- and AR-application based on the easyARguide.
  Project description KIARA
• ReACD (Response to Cybersecurity Incidents and Data Loss)
  The ReACD project focuses on improving the cybersecurity of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), startups, and small businesses.
• REDiEE - a new transfer modell for teaching
  
  Project description REDiEE

• Bauer, Alexander; Mai, Vanessa; Neef, Caterina; Richert, Anja (2026): Smarter Coaching Chatbots: Leveraging Hybrid Architectures for Deeper Context Awareness. In: HCI International 2025 – Late Breaking Papers : 27th International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction, HCII 2025, Gothenburg, Sweden, June 22–27, 2025, Proceedings, Part XV. 27th International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction, HCII 2025; Gothenburg, Sweden; 22.06.-27.06.2025., S. 3 - 22. (peer-reviewed)https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-13184-3https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-13184-3_1
• Koch, Maximilian; Maloko, Haadi; Mai, Vanessa; Rutschmann, Rebecca; Richert, Anja (2026): Evaluating Acceptance of an AI-Based Coaching Chatbot for Virtual Reflection in Interdisciplinary Project Teams. In: HCI International 2025 – Late Breaking Papers : 27th International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction, HCII 2025, Gothenburg, Sweden, June 22–27, 2025, Proceedings, Part XV. 27th International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction, HCII 2025; Gothenburg, Sweden; 22.06.-27.06.2025., S. 37 - 52.https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-13184-3https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-13184-3_3
• Mai, Vanessa; Richert, Anja (2025): Von digitalen Assistenten zu vertrauensvollen Partnern: Wie Künstliche Intelligenz Studierende im akademischen Mentoring qualitätsorientiert unterstützen kann. In: Handbuch Qualität in Studium, Lehre und Forschung. (peer-reviewed)https://doi.org/10.25162/HQSL-2025-0003
• Mai, Vanessa; Richert, Anja (2025): Smart Technologies in Coaching and Learning: Potenziale, Einsatzbereiche und Anwendungsbeispiele. In: Hebbel-Seeger, Andreas (Hrsg.): Hochschullehre lernen, verstehen und gestalten : Konzepte, Ideen, Erfahrungen. Wiesbaden: Springer VS, S. 221 - 236. (peer-reviewed) https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-48999-1https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-48999-1_14
• Mai, Vanessa; Savanevska, Nataliia; Richert, Anja; Preusser, Ivonne; Heisenberg, Gernot (2024): Relationship Building in Human-Machine Interaction : A Proof of Concept on the Influence of Self-Disclosure on Rapport in Chatbot Coaching using Psychophysiological Measurements. In: journal.kommunikation-medien. Vol. 2024, S. 1 - 27. (peer-reviewed/Open Access)https://doi.org/10.25598/JKM/2024-16.2
• Mai, Vanessa; Bauer, Alexander Christoph; Richert, Anja (2024): MIA – Development and Acceptance of an AI-Based Chatbot for Study Orientation. In: ICERI2024 Proceedings. 17th annual International Conference of Education, Research and Innovation; Seville, Spain; 11.11.-13.11.2024., S. 7244 - 7248.https://doi.org/10.21125/iceri.2024https://doi.org/10.21125/iceri.2024.1743
• Mai, Vanessa; Nickel, Johanna; Gähl, Anna; Rutschmann, Rebecca; Richert, Anja (2024): AI-based Chatbot Coaching for Interdisciplinary Project Teams: The Acceptance of AI-based in Comparison to Rule-based Chatbot Coaching. In: AHFE International Human Interaction and Emerging Technologies (IHIET 2024) : Proceedings of the 12th International Conference on Human Interaction and Emerging Technologies, IHIET 2024, August 26-28, 2024, IUAV University of Venice, Italy. 12th International Conference on Human Interaction and Emerging Technologies (IHIET 2024); IUAV University of Venice, Italy; August 26 - 28, 2024., S. 249 - 259. (peer-reviewed/Open Access)https://doi.org/10.54941/ahfe1005457https://doi.org/10.54941/ahfe1005484
• Mai, Vanessa; Rutschmann, Rebecca (2023): Best Practices im Chatbot Coaching. Einblicke in Forschung und Entwicklung des StudiCoachBots der TH Köln und in die Coaching Chatbot Plattform evoach. In: Organisationsberatung, Supervision, Coaching. Vol. 30. (peer-reviewed/Open Access)https://doi.org/10.1007/s11613-022-00802-2
• Varney, Paul; Mai, Vanessa; Varney, Valérie (2023): Fostering Employability Skills in Engineering Education : A Game based Learning Approach. In: EDULEARN23 Proceedings. 15th International Conference on Education and New Learning Technologies; Palma, Spain; 03.07.-05.07.2023., S. 6117 - 6126. (peer-reviewed)https://doi.org/10.21125/edulearn.2023https://doi.org/10.21125/edulearn.2023.1595
• Mai, Vanessa; Maloko, Haadi; Varney, Paul; Richert, Anja (2023): Investigating the Impact of a Chatbot's Disclosure Behavior on Rapport Building in Student Coaching. In: EDULEARN23 Proceedings. 15th International Conference on Education and New Learning Technologies; Palma, Spain; 03.07.-05.07.2023., S. 5312 - 5321. (peer-reviewed)https://doi.org/10.21125/edulearn.2023https://doi.org/10.21125/edulearn.2023.1398
• Mai, Vanessa; Rutschmann, Rebecca (2023): Chatbots im Coaching. Potenziale und Einsatzmöglichkeiten von digitalen Coaching-Begleitern und Assistenten. In: Organisationsberatung, Supervision, Coaching. Vol. 30. (peer-reviewed/Open Access)https://doi.org/10.1007/s11613-022-00801-3
• Varney, Paul; Mai, Vanessa; Varney, Valérie (2023): Fostering Employability Skills for Engineers with Serious Games : A Gamified GBL Concept. In: Proceedings of the 17th European Conference on Games Based Learning, ECGBL 2023. 17th European Conference on Games Based Learning; Enschede, Netherlands; 05.10-06.10.2023., S. 700 - 705. (peer-reviewed/Open Access)https://doi.org/10.34190/ecgbl.17.1.1867
• Mai, Vanessa; Bauer, Alexander; Deggelmann, Christian; Richert, Anja (2023): Acceptance and User Needs of Coaching Chatbots: An Empirical Analysis of a StudiCoachBot’s Conversation Histories. In: HCI International 2023 – Late Breaking Papers : 25th International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction, HCII 2023, Copenhagen, Denmark, July 23–28, 2023, Proceedings, Part III. 25th International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction, HCII 2023; Copenhagen, Denmark; July 23–28, 2023., S. 176 - 190. (peer-reviewed)https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-48060-7_14
• Varney, Paul; Mai, Vanessa; Maloko, Haadi; Varney, Valérie (2023): The Training Center Concept - A Gamified Interactive Learning Platform In Engineering Education. In: ICERI2023 Proceedings. 16th annual International Conference of Education, Research and Innovation: Seville, Spain; 13-15 November, 2023., S. 4802 - 4809. (peer-reviewed)https://doi.org/10.21125/iceri.2023https://doi.org/10.21125/iceri.2023.1197
• Mai, Vanessa; Neef, Caterina; Richert, Anja (2022): “Clicking vs. Writing” : The Impact of a Chatbot’s Interaction Method on the Working Alliance in AI-based Coaching, „Klicken vs. Schreiben“ : Einfluss der Interaktionsmethode eines Chatbots auf die Arbeitsbeziehung im KI-basierten Coaching. In: Coaching : Theorie & Praxis. Vol. 8, S. 1 - 17. (peer-reviewed/Open Access)https://doi.org/10.1365/s40896-021-00063-3
• Mai, Vanessa; Neef, Caterina; Richert, Anja (2022): Developing an AI-based Coaching Chatbot : A Study on Disclosure as Effectiveness Factor in Human-Machine-Coaching. In: Human Interaction and Emerging Technologies (IHIET-AI 2022): Artificial Intelligence and Future Applications : Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Human Interaction & Emerging Technologies: Artifical Intelligence & Future Applications April 21-23. 2022, Virtual Conference, Lausanne, Switzerland. 7th International Conference on Human Interaction & Emerging Technologies: Artifical Intelligence & Future Applications; Virtual Conference, Lausanne, Switzerland; 21.04.-23.04.2022. (peer-reviewed/Open Access)https://doi.org/10.54941/ahfe100836https://doi.org/10.54941/ahfe100917
• Mai, Vanessa; Bauer, Alexander Christoph; Deggelmann, Christian Michael; Neef, Caterina; Richert, Anja (2022): AI-Based Coaching : Impact of a Chatbot’s Disclosure Behavior on the Working Alliance and Acceptance. In: HCI International 2022 – Late Breaking Papers : Interacting with eXtended Reality and Artificial Intelligence. 24th International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction, HCII 2022; Virtual Event; 26.06.-01.07.2022., S. 391 - 406. (peer-reviewed)https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-21707-4https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-21707-4_28
• Neef, Caterina; Mai, Vanessa; Richert, Anja (2022): “I Am Scared of Viruses, Too” : Studying the Impact of Self-disclosure in Chatbots for Health-Related Applications. In: Human-Computer Interaction. User Experience and Behavior : Thematic Area, HCI 2022, Held as Part of the 24th HCI International Conference, HCII 2022, Virtual Event, June 26 – July 1, 2022, Proceedings, Part III. 24th HCI International Conference, HCII 2022; Virtual Event; 26.06.-01.07.2022., S. 515 - 530. (peer-reviewed)https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-05412-9https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-05412-9_35
• Mai, Vanessa; Wolf, Susanne; Varney, Paul; Bonnet, Martin; Richert, Anja (2021): Digital Engineering: Competence Acquisition and Program Development as an Open Co-Creation Process. In: Carmo, Mafalda (Hrsg.): Education and New Developments 2021. Lissabon, Portugal: Science Press, S. 424 - 428. (Open Access)
• Mai, Vanessa; Richert, Anja (2021): StudiCoachBot an der TH Köln - Reflexionsprozesse KI-basiert begleiten. In: fnma Magazin - Forum neue Medien in der Lehre Austria. Vol. 2021, S. 21 - 24. (Open Access)https://bibliografie.th-koeln.de/servlets/DozBibEntryServlet?mode=show&id=bibthk_mods_00006017
• Mai, Vanessa; Wolff, Annika; Richert, Anja; Preusser, Ivonne (2021): Accompanying Reflection Processes by an AI-Based StudiCoachBot : A Study on Rapport Building in Human-Machine Coaching Using Self Disclosure. In: Stephanidis, Constantine; Harris, Don; Li, Wen-Chin; Schmorrow, Dylan D.; Fidopiastis, Cali M.; Antona, Margherita; Gao, Qin; Zhou, Jia; Zaphiris, Panayiotis; Ioannou, Andri; Sottilare, Robert A.; Schwarz, Jessica; Rauterberg, Matthias (Hrsg.): HCI International 2021 - Late Breaking Papers : Cognition, Inclusion, Learning, and Culture. Cham: Springer (Lecture Notes in Computer Science), S. 439 - 457. (peer-reviewed) https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-90328-2_29
• Mai, Vanessa; Mengen, Hanna (2020): Vom Umgang mit Komplexität : Supervision mit Tutorinnen und Tutoren der Ingenieurwissenschaften. In: DUZ : Magazin für Wissenschaft und Gesellschaft. Vol. 76, S. 31 - 34. (peer-reviewed)https://bibliografie.th-koeln.de/servlets/DozBibEntryServlet?mode=show&id=bibthk_mods_00005597
• Mai, Vanessa (2020): Projektcoaching und Leadership-Coaching als integrative Elemente in der Ingenieurausbildung : Eine Wirksamkeitsstudie zur Entwicklung von Metakompetenzen. Köln: Technische Hochschule Köln (Forschung und Innovation in der Hochschulbildung). (peer-reviewed/Open Access)https://bibliografie.th-koeln.de/servlets/DozBibEntryServlet?mode=show&id=bibthk_mods_00005593
• Mai, Vanessa; Knobloch, Martina; Haerst, Josef Ferdinand; Mengen, Hanna; Wolf, Susanne (2020): Coaching als curricular-integratives Element in der Ingenieurausbildung. Kompetenzerwerb im digitalen Zeitalter. In: Petersen, Maren; Kammasch, Gudrun (Hrsg.): Technische Bildung im Kontext von 'Digitalisierung'/ 'Automatisierung' - Tendenzen, Möglichkeiten, Perspektiven : Wege zu technischer Bildung. Berlin: IPW, S. 181 - 186. (peer-reviewed)
• Burger, Claudia (2020): Das Miteinander lernen : An der TH Köln werden methodische Kompetenzentwicklung und Fachwissen im Studium verzahnt : Vanessa Mai hat das mitentwickelt. https://bibliografie.th-koeln.de/servlets/DozBibEntryServlet?mode=show&id=bibthk_mods_00005607
• Mai, Vanessa; Richert, Anja (2020): AI Coaching: Effectiveness Factors of the Working Alliance in the Coaching Process between Coachbot and Human Coachee – An Explorative Study. In: Gómez Chova, Luis; López Martínez, A.; Candel Torres, I. (Hrsg.): EDULEARN20. Valencia: IATED Academy, S. 1239 - 1248. (peer-reviewed) https://doi.org/10.21125/edulearn.2020.0411
• Mai, Vanessa; Meinhardt, Daniela (2019): Schreibprozesse visualisieren mit der "Insel der Forschung". In: Wymann, Christian (Hrsg.): Praxishandbuch Schreibdidaktik : Übungen zur Vermittlung wissenschaftlicher Schreibkompetenzen. Opladen, Toronto: Verlag Barbara Budrich, S. 39 - 44. (peer-reviewed)
• Richert, Anja; Mai, Vanessa; Mengen, Hanna; Wolf, Susanne (2019): Mixed Reality Games in Engineering Education. In: Cardosa, Alberto; Restivo, Maria Teresa (Hrsg.): Proceedings of the 2019 5th Experiment@ International Conference (exp.at'19) : Online Experimentation. IEEE, S. 365 - 370. (peer-reviewed) https://doi.org/10.1109/EXPAT.2019.8876572https://doi.org/10.1109/exp.at1946589.2019
• Meinhardt, Daniela; Mai, Vanessa (2018): Schreiben im Design : Gestaltend schreiben und schreibend gestalten mit dem Writing Lab. In: Bauer, Birgit; Hensel, Daniela (Hrsg.): Designlernen : Diskurs, Praxis und Innovation in der Designlehre. München: kopaed (Werkstattbericht Edulab), S. 31 - 40.
• Meinhardt, Daniela; Mai, Vanessa (2017): "I‘m not a pencil, I‘m a lab" : Forschend schreiben lernen im Schreiblabor. In: Neues Handbuch Hochschullehre., S. 1 - 18.https://bibliografie.th-koeln.de/servlets/DozBibEntryServlet?mode=show&id=bibthk_mods_00005976

• AI taking over? Opportunities, limitations, and prospects for coaching
  Impulse workshop at the DCV – German Coaching Association
  December, 3 2025
• Navigating the Future: Exploring the Potential and Challenges of AI-based Coaching and Supervision
  Keynote at the XI. ANSE International Summer University for Supervision & Coaching (Munich)
  August, 18-22 2025
• Virtual process companion for interdisciplinary teamwork: Development of a chatbot prototype
  with Anna Gähl; TURN Conference: Protoype Future, 13th-15th September 2023 (Cologne)
  14th September 2023
  TURN 23 Conference
• Relationship Design in Chatbot Coaching: Insights into Current Research Designs on the StudiCoachBot of TH Köln
  Doctoral Colloquium of the Promotionskollegs NRW - Abteilung Medien und Interaktion
  3rd March 2023
  Promotionskollegs NRW - Abteilung Medien und Interaktion
• Coaching with Chatbots - Potentials and Challenges for Use in Higher Education
  with Anja Richert, LEARNTEC xChange
  01.02.2023
  LEARNTEC xChange
• New chatbot against exam anxiety
  Radio Interview Kölncampus with Max Laumann
  07th February 2023
  Listen to the interview
• No-code Chatbots: Potentials for Teaching and Learning
  Workshop within the "Competencies Week" of the Center for Teaching Development at TH Köln
  22th November 2022
• Motivated and Successful - Competency Orientation at Universites
  Workshop Moderation at the "Day for Excellent Teaching 2022 at TH Köln/University of Applied Sciences"
  1st July 2022
  Day for Excellent Teaching 2022
• Conversational Agents in (Student)Coaching
  Lecture Series on Joint Perspectives of Professors and Doctoral Students: Promotionskollegs NRW - Abteilung Medien und Interaktion
  19th May 2022
  Lecture Series
• No-code Chatbots in Teaching and Learning
  Workshop within the Online Conference "FacING Digitalization - Innovative and Contemporary Education in Engineering Sciences", TH Cologne 09th/10th May 2022
  09th May 2022
  FacING Digitalization Konferenz
• StudiCoachBot an der TH Köln - Reflexionsprozesse KI-basiert begleiten
  Participation in the panel discussion fnma-Talk "Artificial Interaction Partners at Universities"
  14th April 2021
  fnma-Talk "Artificial Interaction Partners at Universities"
• Accompanying Digital Learning Processes
  Moderation of the session "Accompanying Digital Learning Processes"; Online Conference "FacING Digitalization - Innovative and Contemporary Education in Engineering Sciences", TH Cologne
  17th/18th/20th May 2021
  Online Conference FacING Digitalization
• Kompetenzvernetzung durch Coaching – Instrumente und Werkzeuge für eine zukunftsfähige Ingenieurausbildung
  Round Table Engineering Sciences - HRK project nexus on "Competence orientation in engineering sciences", Bonn
  19th June 2019
  Press Release
• Diversity by Design – Mixed Reality Games in Engineering Education
  Keynote, with Anja Richert; "Engineering Diversity", RWTH Aachen, VDI, Stiftung Mercator
  14th May 2019
  Press Release

• Leveraging Hybrid Architectures for Deeper Context Awareness
  with Alexander Bauer, Caterina Neef, Anja Richert; HCII 2025 - Human Computer Interaction Conference (Gothenburg, Schweden)
  June 22–27, 2025
  27th International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction
• Evaluating Acceptance of an AI-based Coaching Chatbot for Virtual Reflection in Interdisciplinary Project Teams
  with Maximilian Koch, Haadi Maloko, Rebecca Rutschmann, Anja Richert; HCII 2025 - Human Computer Interaction Conference (Gothenburg, Schweden)
  June 22–27, 2025
  27th International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction
• Advancing Game-Based Learning in Engineering Education: Integrating Dashboards, AI-Coaching, and Competition
  with Caroline Dick und Valerie Varney; 28th International Conference on Interactive Collaborative Learning (Budapest, Hungary)
  October, 1-3, 2025
  28th International Conference on Interactive Collaborative Learning
• AI-based Chatbot Coaching for Interdisciplinary Project Teams: The Acceptance of AI-based in Comparison to Rule-based Chatbot Coaching
  with Johanna Nickel, Anna Gähl, Rebecca Rutschmann, Anja Richert; 12th International Conference on Human Interaction and Emerging Technologies, IHIET 2024 2024 (Venice, Italy)
  August 26-28, 2024
• MIA – Development and Acceptance of an AI-Based Chatbot for Study Orientation
  with Alexander Bauer, Anja Richert; 17th annual International Conference of Education, Research and Innovation (Seville, Spain)
  11-13 November, 2024
• Investigating the Impact of a Chatbot’s Disclosure Behavior on Rapport Building in Student Coaching
  with Haadi Maloko, Anja Richert; EDULEARN23 - 15th annual International Conference on Education and New Learning Technologies (virtual)
  July, 3-5, 2023
• Acceptance and User Needs of Coaching Chatbots: An Empirical Analysis of a StudiCoachBot`s Conversation Histories
  with Alexander Bauer, Christian Deggelmann, Anja Richert; HCII 2023 - Human Computer Interaction Conference (Copenhagen, Denmark)
  July, 23-28 2023
• Developing an AI-based Coaching Chatbot: A Study on Disclosure as Effectiveness Factor in Human-Machine-Coaching
  with Caterina Neef, Anja Richert; 7th International Conference on Human Interaction & Emerging Technologies: Artifical Intelli-gence & Future Applications (online)
  April 21-23. 2022
• AI-based Coaching: Impact of a Chatbot’s Disclosure Behavior on the Working Alliance and Acceptance
  with Alexander Bauer, Christian Deggelmann, Caterina Neef, Anja Richert; HCII 2022 - Human Computer Interaction Conference 2022 (online)
  June, 27 2022
• AI-based StudiCoachBot: A Study on Disclosure as Effectiveness Factor in Chatbot-Coaching
  with Anja Richert; International Coaching Congress - Coaching meets Research
  November 18-19, 2021
  International Coaching Congress
• Relationship Design in Chatbot Coaching: Insights into Current Research Designs on the StudiCoachBot of TH Köln
  Doctoral Colloquium of the Promotionskollegs NRW - Abteilung Medien und Interaktion
  3rd March 2023
  Promotionskollegs NRW - Abteilung Medien und Interaktion
• Accompanying Reflection Processes by an AI-based StudiCoachBot: A Study on Rapport Building in Human-Machine Coaching using Self Disclosure
  with Annika Wolff, Anja Richert, Ivonne Preusser; HCII 2021 - Human Comupter Interaction Conference 2021 (online)
  July, 24-29 2021
• AI-Coaching: Effectiveness factors of the working alliance in the coaching process between coachbot and human coachee - an explorative study
  with Anja Richert; EDULEARN20 - 12th annual International Conference on Education and New Learning Technologies (online)
  July, 6-7 2020
• Mixed-Reality-Games in Engineering Education – Concept and Design of FutureIng
  with Anja Richert, 5th Experiment@International Conference (exp.at’19) (Madeira, Funchal)
  June, 11-14 2019

• German Association for Supervision and Coaching (DGSv)
  
  DGSv

• Award for the best HAW doctoral thesis 2025
  Presented by the German Institute for Higher Education Development (DIfHE) and the Association of University Teachers (hlb)
  Press release
• Teaching award winner
  TH Köln teaching award as part of the team for the "MPEC Mechanical Engineering – Product Engineering and Context" degree program in the field of "Organizing transformative learning"
  Press release
• delina Award 2023
  2nd Place in the Category "University" - Innovation Award for Digital Education "StudiCoachBot: AI-based coaching chatbot"
  press release
• Teaching Award Winner 2015
  TH Köln / University of Applied Sciences

First graduate of the NRW Doctoral College

Systemic Coach & Supervisor (DGSv)