Salma M. Thalji

SSI fellow

Technical University of Munich

I’m a doctoral researcher in the Translational Sensory and Circadian Neuroscience Unit at the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics in Tübingen, Germany, and a research software engineer at the Technical University of Munich.

My research focuses on the non-visual effects of light on health and, in particular, investigating the influence of the inner clock and sleep–wake behavior on human physiology. As a research software engineer in the Global Light Exposure Engine initiative, I develop open, FAIR, and interoperable tools that harmonize light-exposure data across devices and study sites and help broaden global participation in light-exposure research.

Drawing on training in electrical engineering, neuroinformatics, and circadian neuroscience, my vision is to shape a world where people understand how their environments -- light, air, noise, and daily habits -- collectively sculpt their wellbeing. I’m committed to creating health tools that reflect the realities of those too often left out of research and technology, whether due to gender, culture, or geography.

I believe that open ways of working aren’t just a workflow choice but a mindset. When data, code, and decisions are shared openly, ideas move freely, people learn from one another, and good work scales beyond a single lab or project.

Shaped by a multinational upbringing spanning the Middle East, the US, and Central Europe, I’m at ease moving across contexts and disciplines and thrive in heterogeneous environments.

Outside the lab, I recharge through art, architecture, and interior design, and I hike whenever I can, where the trail often doubles as excellent design inspiration.