As Professor and Head of the Machine Learning Group (Responsible AI) at Helmholtz (HZDR) in Germany and Visiting Full Professor at Lancaster University in the UK, I am a pioneer at the intersection of AI and Earth Observation (EO). I was the first to introduce three transformative ideas to geosciences: deep learning, responsible AI, and foundation models. My work is deeply hands-on, developing thousands of lines of code, open-source libraries, and scalable systems that have advanced both research and practical applications. I helped build the AI4EO research community and remain focused on connecting AI with domain expertise to drive meaningful societal and environmental impact. I have a strong record of leading high-performing interdisciplinary teams, including founding AI4RS at IARAI and co-founding the medical AI startup VasoGnosis. With an H-index of 78 and nearly 30,000 citations, I have repeatedly been named among Clarivate’s Top 1% Most Cited Researchers (2021–2024). Actively shaping responsible AI governance as Chair for Policy Briefs at AI4EO-GEO and Chair for Responsible AI within IEEE GRSS, I am committed to open science, inclusive collaboration, and mentoring the next generation of researchers.