M.A. graduate Kristina Malzahn, enrolled in the Philosophy of Science programme at Leibniz University Hannover, was selected in the Call for Posters at the international conference on Post-Photographic Images: Generative Bildgebungsverfahren at Bielefeld University of Applied Sciences (HSBI) in November 2025.
Malzahn's research examines how the epistemic role of scientific images changes when they no longer arise from indexical detection of the visible, but from algorithmic generation through artificial intelligence. Traditional scientific imaging has been tied to observation and physical trace, granting it epistemic authority. In contrast, AI-based methods such as convolutional neural networks and diffusion models produce visualisations as probabilistic reconstructions or generative outputs. The study combines philosophical analysis with case studies from astronomy and digital pathology to compare detection-based with AI-based imaging.
The presentation draws on her recently completed master’s thesis, supervised by PD Dr. Nicola Mößner and Prof. Dr. Catherine Herfeld. At the conference, Malzahn’s poster sparked discussions among researchers from media studies, philosophy, and art, highlighting the interdisciplinary relevance of her work and the growing interest in the transformation of image practices through generative technologies.