Valentin L. Popov, full professor at the Berlin University of Technology, studied physics (1976-1982) and obtained his doctorate in 1985 from the Moscow State Lomonosov University. He worked at the Institute of Strength Physics of the Russian Academy of Sciences. After a guest-professorship in the field of theoretical physics at the University of Paderborn (Germany) from 1999 to 2002, he has headed the department of System  Dynamics and the Physics of Friction in the Institute of Mechanics at the Berlin University of Technology. His areas of interest include tribology, nanotribology, tribology at low temperatures, biotribology, the influence of friction through ultrasound, numerical simulation of frictional processes, research regarding earthquakes, as well as themes relating to materials sciences such as the mechanics of elastoplastic media with microstructures, strength of metals and alloys, and shape memory alloys. He has published 30 papers in leading international journals during the past 5 years. He is the author of the book "Contact Mechanics and Friction: Physical principles and applications" which appeared in German, English, Chinese, and Russian editions. He is the joint editor of international journals and regularly organizes international conferences and workshops over diverse tribological themes. He is a member of the Scientific Council of the German Tribological Society. He has intensively collaborated with many industrial corporations and possesses experience in implementing the results of scientific research in industrial applications.Dr. Markus Heß, studied physical engineering sciences at the Berlin University of Technology. He obtained his doctorate in 2011, receiving in the same year the Research Prize from the German Tribological Society for his dissertation. From 2011 to 2015 he headed the department of physics at the Studienkolleg of the Berlin University of Technology and taught engineering mathematics and physics. Since 2015, he has been a research associate and lecturer at the department of System Dynamics and the Physics of Friction in the Institute of Mechanics at the Berlin University of Technology. He is the co-author of the book "Method of Dimensionality Reduction in Contact Mechanics and Friction" which appeared in German and English editions.M. Sc. Emanuel Willert, studied physical engineering sciences at the Berlin University of Technology and the Polytechnic University of Tomsk. Since 2015, he has been a teaching and research assistant at the department of System Dynamics and the Physics of Friction in the Institute of Mechanics at the Berlin University of Technology