Dr J. M. Diederik Kruijssen

Researcher in AI/ML & Astrophysics

Origin & Evolution of Intelligence

Chief Scientist at Allora Labs

Co-founder of Cosmic Origins Of Life (COOL) Research DAO

© T. Schwerdt

— Positions & education —

2026 — … // Chief Scientist at Allora Labs, building self-improving decentralized AI

2022 — … // Co-founder & Advisor, Cosmic Origins Of Life (COOL) Research DAO, coolresearch.io

2023 — 2025 // Head of Research at Allora Labs, building self-improving decentralized AI

2022 — 2025 // Chair & Spokesperson, Young Academy, Heidelberg Academy of Humanities and Sciences

2023 — 2024 // Research Group Leader, Technical University of Munich

2017 — 2024 // ERC Starting Grant Research Group Leader, European Research Council

2022 — 2023 // Chief Data Officer at an AI-oriented enterprise

2016 — 2022 // Emmy Noether Research Group Leader, German Research Foundation

2016 — 2022 // Visiting Scientist, Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, Germany

2015 — 2016 // Gliese Fellow & Research Group Leader, Heidelberg University, Germany

2011 — 2015 // MPA Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics, Germany

2012 // Visiting Scientist, Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom

2011 // PhD in Astrophysics, Utrecht University, Netherlands

2007 — 2011 // NWO Toptalent PhD Fellow, Utrecht University, The Netherlands

2009 // Visiting PhD Student, Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom

2007 — 2011 // Visiting PhD Student, Leiden University, The Netherlands

2005 — 2007 // MSc in Astrophysics, Utrecht University, Netherlands

2002 — 2005 // BSc in Physics, Utrecht University, Netherlands

— Interests & activities // Applied research —

origin and nature of machine intelligence // data science & machine learning // quantitative time series analysis //

developing functional economic and social systems // real-world applications of web3 technology


— Interests & activities // Astrophysics —

emergence in complex systems // population dynamics // cosmic origins of life // star formation //

interstellar medium // stellar feedback // galaxy formation // globular clusters // planetary systems

— Selected grants, fellowships & awards —

2022 // Pastoor Schmeits Prize, Royal Netherlands Astronomical Society

2020 // Emmy Noether Extension Grant, German Research Foundation

2020 // Academy Prize, Heidelberg Academy of Humanities and Sciences

2018 // Individual Research Grant, German Research Foundation

2017 // Hengstberger Prize, Heidelberg University

2017 // Ludwig Biermann Prize, German Astronomical Society

2016 // ERC Starting Grant, European Research Council

2016 // Emmy Noether Research Grant, German Research Foundation

2015 // Gliese Fellowship, Heidelberg University

2013 // Christiaan Huygens Prize, Dutch Royal Academy of Arts & Sciences

2011 // Postdoctoral Research Fellowship, Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics

2007 // Toptalent PhD Fellowship, Dutch Research Foundation

— Publication summary —

Total of >280 peer-reviewed publications

(4 in Nature // 29 as first author // >50 as second author // >20 as third author)

Total of >20,000 citations // >300,000 reads // h-index of 81

(taken from the NASA Astrophysics Data System // full publication list // metrics)

— Communication summary —

Total of >80 media & public outreach appearances (TV, radio, lectures, podcasts)

16 press releases // >170 scientific talks in 20 countries (>75 invited)

— Highlight publications —

— Contact —

If you would like to drop me a line, please fill out the contact form

on the right or send me an email using the button below, and I will get back to you as soon as possible. Data sets belonging to any of my publications are available on request.