The Scientific Directorate (SD) is appointed by the Supervisory Board. It selects the appointees based on a recommendation by the Scientific Advisory Board (SAB). Altogether, the Scientific Directorate comprises fourteen personally appointed members. Associates nominate potential members according to the number of shares they are holding: four members from Gesellschaft für Informatik e.V. (GI German Informatics Society, two nominated by the GI Executive Board and two by the GI Advisory Board of University Professors GIBU), and one member each nominated from the other associates.

The recommendation for appointment by the SAB aims to ensure broadness and topical balance of scientific topics as they are represented by the members of the SD. Consequently, appointed members represent the informatics community rather than the associates by which they have been nominated.

The task of the Scientific Directorate is to implement the Center's designated purpose in a scientific and subject-matter capacity. It convenes twice a year, in so doing establishing the research and event program, ensuring the quality of the Center's offerings, and monitoring how the program is put into practice.

The honorary members of the Scientific Directorate are appointed by the Supervisory Board for a term of four years and can serve a second term. Members of the Scientific Directorate:

• Prof. Dr. Susanne Albers, representative of Gesellschaft für Informatik e.V. (GIBU)
• Prof. Dr. Bernd Becker, representative of Gesellschaft für Informatik e.V. (GIBU)
• Prof. Dr. Karsten Berns, representativ of Technical University of Kaiserslautern
• Prof. Dr. Stephan Diehl, representative of University of Trier
• Prof. Dr. Hannes Hartenstein, representative of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
• Prof. Dr. Han La Poutré, representative of CWI Amsterdam
• Prof. Dr.-Ing. Bernhard Mitschang, representative of University of Stuttgart
• Prof. Dr. Stephan Merz, representative of INRIA
• Prof. Dr. Bernhard Nebel, representative of Gesellschaft für Informatik e.V. (GI-Präsidium)
• Prof. Dr. Bernt Schiele, representative of  MPG
• Prof. Dr. Nicole Schweikardt, representative of University of Frankfurt
• Prof. Dr. Raimund Seidel,  representative of Gesellschaft für Informatik e.V. (GI-Präsidium)
• Prof. Dr. Michael Waidner, representative of Technical University of Darmstadt http://www.mpg.de/
• Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Reinhard Wilhelm, Scientific Director, representative of Saarland University
  

The following honorary members-at-large are proposed by the Scientific Advisory Board and appointed by the Supervisory Board for the purpose of rendering assistance and support to the Scientific Directorate in subject-matter areas not covered by it:

• Prof. Dr. Luca Benini, University of Bologna
• Prof. Dr. Jan-Olof Eklundh, Royal Inst. of Technology, Stockholm
• Prof. Dr. Friedemann Mattern, ETH Zürich
• Prof. Dr. David Notkin, University of Washington