Gerrit Großmann

Universität des Saarlandes

Campus D3 2 (DFKI), Room 2.24

66123 Saarbrücken

Germany

About Me

Note: This profile is no longer maintained. Please visit my updated personal academic website at gerritgrossmann.de.

Research

I am working on numerical methods (like fast simulations or model reduction techniques) for the analysis of stochastic dynamical processes unfolding on complex networks. My research aims at understanding how stochastic interactions, that are constrained by a network topology, shape collective emerging phenomena such as epidemics, rumors, blackouts in power grids, or burst in biological neural networks. The image shows a continuous-time SIS contagion process (infected nodes in red, healthy nodes in blue) on a geometric network.

Tutorials

Tools

Opinion Pieces

Publications

Education

PhD Dissertation: review version available on GitHub. Master’s and Bachelor’s theses: available upon request or at the Campus-Bibliothek.
  • PhD, 2022

    Saarland University

    Stochastic Spreading on Complex Networks

  • Master

    Saarland University

    Lumping the Approximate Master Equation for Stochastic Processes on Complex Networks

  • Bachelor

    Saarland University

    Efficient Computation of Likelihoods in Large Markov Models

Publications (15)

2026

1 paper

Chaotic and complex dynamics expose the limits of counterfactual reasoning

2026 — Scientific Reports (Sci Rep)

@article{aalailaChaoticAndComplexDynamics2026,
 author = {Yahya Aalaila and Gerrit Großmann and Sumantrak Mukherjee and Jonas Wahl and Sebastian Vollmer},
 doi = {10.1038/s41598-026-52349-2},
 journal = {Scientific Reports (Sci Rep)},
 month = {6},
 number = {1},
 pages = {1-14},
 publisher = {Springer Nature},
 title = {Chaotic and complex dynamics expose the limits of counterfactual reasoning},
 url = {https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-026-52349-2},
 volume = {16},
 year = {2026}
}
DOI URL

2024

1 paper

Enhancing GNNs with Architecture-Agnostic Graph Transformations: A Systematic Analysis

2024 — Hocine Cherifi; Murat Donduran; Luis M. Rocha; Chantal Cherifi; Onur Varol;: International Conference on Complex Networks and Their Applications

PDF
@inbook{liEnhancingGNNsWithArchitectureAgnostic2024,
 author = {Zhifei Li and Gerrit Großmann and Verena Wolf},
 booktitle = {Hocine Cherifi; Murat Donduran; Luis M. Rocha; Chantal Cherifi; Onur Varol;: International Conference on Complex Networks and Their Applications},
 pages = {183-194},
 publisher = {Springer Nature Switzerland},
 title = {Enhancing GNNs with Architecture-Agnostic Graph Transformations: A Systematic Analysis},
 url = {https://arxiv.org/pdf/2410.08759},
 year = {2024}
}
URL

2023

2 papers

TeachOpenCADD goes Deep Learning: Open-source Teaching Platform Exploring Molecular DL Applications

2023 — ChemRxiv

PDF
@article{backenkohlerTeachOpenCADDGoesDeepLearning2023,
 author = {Michael Backenköhler and Paula Linh Kramer and Joschka Groß and Gerrit Großmann and Roman Joeres and Azat Tagirdzhanov and Dominique Sydow and Hamza Ibrahim and Floriane Odje and Verena Wolf and Andrea Volkamer},
 doi = {10.26434/chemrxiv-2023-kz1pb},
 journal = {ChemRxiv},
 month = {5},
 pages = {---},
 publisher = {ChemRxiv.org},
 title = {TeachOpenCADD goes Deep Learning: Open-source Teaching Platform Exploring Molecular DL Applications},
 url = {https://doi.org/10.26434/chemrxiv-2023-kz1pb},
 volume = {ChemRxiv Online},
 year = {2023}
}
DOI URL

Unsupervised relational inference using masked reconstruction

2023 — Applied Network Science

PDF
@article{grossmannUnsupervisedRelationalInferenceUsing2023,
 author = {Gerrit Großmann and Julian Zimmerlin and Michael Backenköhler and Verena Wolf},
 doi = {10.1007/s41109-023-00542-x},
 journal = {Applied Network Science},
 month = {4},
 number = {18},
 pages = {1-21},
 publisher = {Springer},
 title = {Unsupervised relational inference using masked reconstruction},
 url = {https://appliednetsci.springeropen.com/articles/10.1007/s41109-023-00542-x},
 volume = {8},
 year = {2023}
}
DOI URL

2021

4 papers

Heterogeneity matters: Contact structure and individual variation shape epidemic dynamics

2021 — PLOS One

@article{grossmannHeterogeneityMattersContactStructure2021,
 author = {Gerrit Großmann and Michael Backenköhler and Verena Wolf},
 doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0250050},
 editor = {Vygintas Gontis},
 journal = {PLOS One},
 month = {7},
 number = {7},
 pages = {1-19},
 publisher = {Public Library of Science},
 title = {Heterogeneity matters: Contact structure and individual variation shape epidemic dynamics},
 volume = {16},
 year = {2021}
}
DOI

Epidemic overdispersion strengthens the effectiveness of mobility restrictions

2021 — HSCC ‘21: Proceedings of the 24th International Conference on Hybrid Systems: Computation and Control. ACM International Conference on Hybrid Systems: Computation and Control (HSCC-2021), May 19-21, Nashville,, Tennesse, USA

@inproceedings{grossmannEpidemicOverdispersionStrengthensThe2021,
 author = {Gerrit Großmann and Michael Backenköhler and Verena Wolf},
 booktitle = {HSCC '21: Proceedings of the 24th International Conference on Hybrid Systems: Computation and Control. ACM International Conference on Hybrid Systems: Computation and Control (HSCC-2021), May 19-21, Nashville,, Tennesse, USA},
 doi = {10.1145/3447928.3457209},
 isbn = {978-1-4503-8339-4},
 month = {5},
 pages = {1-3},
 publisher = {ACM, New York, NY},
 title = {Epidemic overdispersion strengthens the effectiveness of mobility restrictions},
 year = {2021}
}
DOI

Analysis of Markov jump processes under terminal constraints

2021 — Tools and Algorithms for the Construction and Analysis of Systems. International Conference on Tools and Algorithms for the Construction and Analysis of Systems (TACAS-2021), 27th International Conference, TACAS 2021, Held as Part of the European Joint Conferences on Theory and Practice of Software, ETAPS 2021, March 27 - April 1, Luxembourg City, Luxembourg

@inproceedings{backenkohlerAnalysisOfMarkovJump2021,
 author = {Michael Backenköhler and Luca Bortolussi and Gerrit Großmann and Verena Wolf},
 booktitle = {Tools and Algorithms for the Construction and Analysis of Systems. International Conference on Tools and Algorithms for the Construction and Analysis of Systems (TACAS-2021), 27th International Conference, TACAS 2021, Held as Part of the European Joint Conferences on Theory and Practice of Software, ETAPS 2021, March 27 - April 1, Luxembourg City, Luxembourg},
 doi = {10.1007/978-3-030-72016-2_12},
 edition = {1st},
 editor = {Jan Friso Groote and Kim Guldstrand Larsen and },
 isbn = {978-3-030-72016-2},
 month = {3},
 pages = {210-229},
 publisher = {Springer, Switzerland},
 title = {Analysis of Markov jump processes under terminal constraints},
 volume = {12651},
 year = {2021}
}
DOI

Abstraction-Guided Truncations for Stationary Distributions of Markov Population Models

2021 — Quantitative Evaluation of Systems

@inproceedings{backenkohlerAbstractionGuidedTruncationsForStationary2021,
 address = {Cham},
 author = {Backenköhler, Michael and Bortolussi, Luca and Großmann, Gerrit and Wolf, Verena},
 booktitle = {Quantitative Evaluation of Systems},
 editor = {Abate, Alessandro and Marin, Andrea},
 isbn = {978-3-030-85172-9},
 pages = {351--371},
 publisher = {Springer International Publishing},
 title = {Abstraction-Guided Truncations for Stationary Distributions of Markov Population Models},
 year = {2021}
}

2020

4 papers

Learning Vaccine Allocation from Simulations

2020 — Complex Networks & Their Applications IX. International Conference on Complex Networks and their Applications (COMPLEX NETWORKS-2020), Proceedings of the Ninth International Conference on Complex Networks and Their Applications, December 1-3, Madrid, Spain

@inproceedings{grossmannLearningVaccineAllocationFrom2020,
 author = {Gerrit Großmann and Michael Backenköhler and Jonas Klesen and Verena Wolf},
 booktitle = {Complex Networks & Their Applications IX. International Conference on Complex Networks and their Applications (COMPLEX NETWORKS-2020), Proceedings of the Ninth International Conference on Complex Networks and Their Applications, December 1-3, Madrid, Spain},
 doi = {10.1007/978-3-030-65347-7_36},
 editor = {Rosa M. Benito and Chantal Cherifi and Hocine Cherifi and Esteban Moro and Luis Aurelio Rocha and Marta Sales-Pardo},
 isbn = {9783030653477},
 month = {12},
 pages = {432-443},
 publisher = {Springer International Publishing, Switzerland},
 title = {Learning Vaccine Allocation from Simulations},
 volume = {1},
 year = {2020}
}
DOI

Efficient simulation of non-Markovian dynamics on complex networks

2020 — PLOS ONE

@article{grossmannEfficientSimulationOfNonMarkovian2020,
 author = {Gerrit Großmann and Luca Bortolussi and Verena Wolf},
 doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0241394},
 editor = {Hocine Cherifi},
 journal = {PLOS ONE},
 month = {10},
 number = {10},
 pages = {1-18},
 publisher = {PLOS ONE},
 title = {Efficient simulation of non-Markovian dynamics on complex networks},
 volume = {15},
 year = {2020}
}
DOI

Importance of Interaction Structure and Stochasticity for Epidemic Spreading: A COVID-19 Case Study

2020 — Quantitative Evaluation of Systems. International Conference on Quantitative Evaluation of Systems (QEST-2020), 17th International Conference, QEST 2020, October 31 - September 1, Vienna, Austria

@inproceedings{grossmannImportanceOfInteractionStructure2020,
 author = {Gerrit Großmann and Michael Backenköhler and Verena Wolf},
 booktitle = {Quantitative Evaluation of Systems. International Conference on Quantitative Evaluation of Systems (QEST-2020), 17th International Conference, QEST 2020, October 31 - September 1, Vienna, Austria},
 doi = {10.1007/978-3-030-59854-9_16},
 edition = {1st},
 editor = {Marco Gribaudo and David N. Jansen and Anne Remke},
 isbn = {9783030598549},
 month = {9},
 pages = {211-229},
 publisher = {Springer International Publishing, Switzerland},
 title = {Importance of Interaction Structure and Stochasticity for Epidemic Spreading: A COVID-19 Case Study},
 volume = {12289},
 year = {2020}
}
DOI

Rejection-Based Simulation of Non-Markovian Agents on Complex Networks

2020 — Complex Networks and Their Applications VIII

@inproceedings{grossmannRejectionBasedSimulationOfNonMarkovian2020,
 address = {Cham},
 author = {Großmann, Gerrit and Bortolussi, Luca and Wolf, Verena},
 booktitle = {Complex Networks and Their Applications VIII},
 editor = {Cherifi, Hocine and Gaito, Sabrina and Mendes, José Fernendo and Moro, Esteban and Rocha, Luis Mateus},
 isbn = {978-3-030-36687-2},
 pages = {349--361},
 publisher = {Springer International Publishing},
 title = {Rejection-Based Simulation of Non-Markovian Agents on Complex Networks},
 year = {2020}
}

2019

2 papers

Rejection-Based Simulation of Stochastic Spreading Processes on Complex

2019 — Hybrid Systems Biology - 6th International Workshop, Revised Selected Papers. International Workshop on Hybrid Systems Biology (HSB-2019), April 6-7, Prague, Czech Republic

@inproceedings{grossmannRejectionBasedSimulationOfStochastic2019,
 author = {Gerrit Großmann and Verena Wolf},
 booktitle = {Hybrid Systems Biology - 6th International Workshop, Revised Selected Papers. International Workshop on Hybrid Systems Biology (HSB-2019), April 6-7, Prague, Czech Republic},
 doi = {10.1007/978-3-030-28042-0_5},
 editor = {Milan Češka and Nicola Paoletti},
 isbn = {978-3-030-28041-3},
 month = {8},
 pages = {63-79},
 publisher = {Springer Nature},
 series = {Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics, LNBI},
 title = {Rejection-Based Simulation of Stochastic Spreading Processes on Complex},
 volume = {11705},
 year = {2019}
}
DOI

Reducing Spreading Processes on Networks to Markov Population Models

2019 — Quantitative Evaluation of Systems

@inproceedings{grossmannReducingSpreadingProcessesOn2019,
 address = {Cham},
 author = {Großmann, Gerrit and Bortolussi, Luca},
 booktitle = {Quantitative Evaluation of Systems},
 editor = {Parker, David and Wolf, Verena},
 isbn = {978-3-030-30281-8},
 pages = {292--309},
 publisher = {Springer International Publishing},
 title = {Reducing Spreading Processes on Networks to Markov Population Models},
 year = {2019}
}

2018

1 paper

Lumping the Approximate Master Equation for Multistate Processes on Complex Networks

2018 — Quantitative Evaluation of Systems

@inproceedings{grossmannLumpingTheApproximateMaster2018,
 address = {Cham},
 author = {Großmann, Gerrit and Kyriakopoulos, Charalampos and Bortolussi, Luca and Wolf, Verena},
 booktitle = {Quantitative Evaluation of Systems},
 editor = {McIver, Annabelle and Horvath, Andras},
 isbn = {978-3-319-99154-2},
 pages = {157--172},
 publisher = {Springer International Publishing},
 title = {Lumping the Approximate Master Equation for Multistate Processes on Complex Networks},
 year = {2018}
}

Teaching (13)

Supervised Students (8)

Co-supervised students. If you are interested in a Bachelor’s or Master’s thesis, have a look at our suggested topics.
  • Nesara Belakere Lingarajaiah

    Small Molecule Generation and Optimization: A GNN-VAE Appraoch

    Master's Thesis, 2024

  • Magnus Cunow

    Computer-Aided Molecular Generation Using Optimal Transport and Variational Autoencoders

    Bachelor's Thesis, 2024

  • Joshgun Guliyev

    Network Reconstruction Using Deep Learning and Sensitivity Analysis

    Master's Thesis, 2023

  • Janine Lohse

    Learning the Function of Neural Networks in Deep Weight Spaces

    Research Immersion Lab, 2023

  • Yan Yan Lau

    Adapting the Approximate Master Equations for Realistic Epidemic and Network Dynamics

    Bachelor's Thesis, 2022

  • Julian Zimmerlin

    Learning Dynamical Processes to Infer the Underlying Network Structure

    Bachelor's Thesis, 2021

  • Jonas Klesen

    Learning vaccine allocation strategies to control epidemic outbreaks on networks

    Research Immersion Lab, 2020

  • Lisa Heidmann

    Effects of Interventions on the COVID-19 Outbreak: A Network-based Approach

    Bachelor's Thesis, 2020