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Tim Van de CruysView profile

Senior Lecturer

• Computational Linguistics
• Natural Language Processing
• Computational Semantics
• +5 more

Tim Van de Cruys is a Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Arts, KU Leuven, serving as Head of the Centre for Computational Linguistics (CCL). He maintains significant affiliations with LECTIO (KU Leuven Institute for the Study of the Transmission of Texts, Ideas and Images), Leuven.AI (KU Leuven Institute for Artificial Intelligence), and LILI (KU Leuven Interdisciplinary Language Institute). His work bridges computational linguistics, artificial intelligence, and humanities research with practical applications across multiple disciplines. Dr. Van de Cruys specializes in computational semantics and creative language generation, with particular expertise in applying NLP techniques to historical and classical texts. His research spans multiple domains including: Natural Language Processing for ancient languages (Latin, Ancient Greek) Computational approaches to lexical and compositional semantics Large language models and their applications in humanities research Creative language generation and human-AI collaboration Named entity recognition and disambiguation in historical contexts Non-autoregressive modeling for sequential generation tasks His recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on applying cutting-edge NLP techniques to humanities challenges, particularly in processing ancient languages. He frequently employs transformer models to address named entity recognition, word sense discrimination, and semantic analysis in low-resource language contexts. His work consistently bridges formal linguistic theory with practical computational applications, creating valuable tools for digital humanities scholars. As promotor and co-promotor on numerous research projects extending through 2029, Dr. Van de Cruys supervises PhD students working at the AI-humanities intersection. His current major projects include "Living Corpora" (exploring human-AI collaboration in digital humanities), "Stochastic processes and non-autoregressive models for sequential generation," and "NIKAW" (exploring knowledge networks from classical antiquity). These projects demonstrate his commitment to advancing both theoretical understanding and practical applications of computational linguistics. He teaches various courses including Computational Linguistics, Scripting Languages, Programming for Humanities, Computational Creativity, and AI for Humanities, training students to work at this critical interdisciplinary crossroads. His leadership of the Centre for Computational Linguistics positions him at the forefront of computational linguistics research in Belgium, where he continues to expand the boundaries of what's possible at the intersection of language, computation, and humanistic inquiry.

Maxime GobertView profile

Researcher

• Database Systems
• Hybrid Polystores
• Database Schema Evolution
• +4 more

Maxime Gobert is a researcher at the University of Namur's Faculty of Computer Science, specializing in database systems and software engineering. Having completed his PhD in March 2023 titled 'Design, Manipulation and Evolution of Hybrid Polystores,' Gobert has established himself as an expert in hybrid database systems, particularly focusing on the HyDRa framework for modeling and evolving polystores. His research interests span database systems, hybrid polystores, database schema evolution, software engineering, data-intensive systems, and static program analysis. Gobert's work bridges theoretical database concepts with practical applications, particularly in NoSQL databases like MongoDB and complex hybrid data storage environments. His publication record demonstrates a clear trajectory from his 2013 Master's thesis on database reverse engineering through to his recent work on database testing best practices and sign language processing applications. His research shows strong collaboration with colleagues at the University of Namur, particularly with Professor Cleve A., and extends to international collaborations as evidenced by his 2016 guest researcher position at the University of Geneva. Best New Idea and Emerging Results (NIER) Paper Award at the 20th IEEE Working Conference on Source Code Analysis and Manipulation (SCAM 2020) Jean Fichefet 2013 award Gobert has contributed significantly to the development of the HyDRa framework for hybrid polystore management and has extended his research into sign language processing through collaborative projects creating bilingual sign language dictionaries and parallel corpora. His work demonstrates both technical depth in database systems and a commitment to applying this expertise to accessibility-focused applications.

Florentin RochetView profile

Assistant Professor

• Anonymous Communication
• Network Security
• Transport Protocols
• +5 more

Florentin Rochet is an Assistant Professor at the University of Namur's Faculty of Computer Science. His research focuses on anonymous communication , network security , and encrypted transport protocols , with a particular emphasis on improving privacy-enhancing technologies and protocol design. He holds a PhD in Applied Cryptography and has contributed to projects like TCPLS (TCP/TLS integration) and CLAPS (Tor path selection). Key academic milestones include joining UNamur in 2022 as an Assistant Professor, completing a postdoc at the University of Edinburgh (2021), and serving on program committees for Usenix Security, ACM CCS, and PoPETs. He has received the Usenix Security Noteworthy Reviewer Award (2023) and the 2020 Alan Berman Research Publication Award. His research spans flexible anonymous networks , secure transport protocols , and authentication technologies , with notable work on improving Tor's resilience against attacks through location-aware path selection and enhancing TLS/TCP integration for modern networks. He also leads a research group exploring eBPF security and WebAssembly runtime protections. Teaching responsibilities include computer security and privacy courses, with a 6-year teaching assistant position involving bachelor's/master's instruction and PhD supervision. His lab focuses on applied cybersecurity, network protocol innovation, and privacy-preserving systems design.

• Information Systems Engineering
• Privacy Threat Modeling
• IoT Security
• +4 more

Dimitri Van Landuyt serves as an Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Science at KU Leuven , affiliated with the Information Systems Engineering Research Group (LIRIS) . He leads and co-promotes multiple high-impact research projects focused on security and privacy engineering, including initiatives on model-driven security risk analysis , privacy by design , and IoT security . His work spans GDPR compliance, synthetic data management, and threat modeling innovations. Academic Leadership : Member of the Council of FEB and Campus Council Leuven/Kortrijk Research Pillars : Privacy threat modeling, security automation, IoT systems, GDPR technical implementation His publications demonstrate expertise in privacy-enhancing technologies, with recent work analyzing LLM applications in threat modeling, developing tree-based privacy analysis frameworks, and creating adaptive trust management architectures. He explores serious games for security training, synthetic data quantification standards, and runtime threat assessment mechanisms. Dimitri contributes to educational programs through courses in ICT Service Management , Security & Privacy by Design , and Research Methodologies . He supervises student research while collaborating with industry and academia on data protection challenges.

Coen De RooverView profile

Professor

• Program Analysis
• Software Quality
• Static and Dynamic Analysis
• +7 more

Coen De Roover is a Professor at the Software Languages Lab of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel , actively leading research in program analysis, software quality, and security. He chairs the Bachelor in Computer Science program and supervises a dynamic research group. Research Focus: Static/dynamic analysis, automated testing, software maintenance, AI for SE, infrastructure as code security. Projects: Bugatti (2025-2028), Cracy (2024-2027), CRPF (2024-2028), BaseCamp Zero (2022-2026), EcoPipe (2023-2025), APAX (2022-2024). Scientific Awards: MSR 2025 Distinguished Dataset Award IEEE TCSE Distinguished Paper Award (SANER 2022) ICSE 2022 Best Artifact Award SCAM 2022 Best Artifact Award Conference Leadership: General Chair of SCAM 2024, Program Co-Chair for GPCE 2024, and active in organizing summer schools on security testing.

• Standardization
• Digital Media
• Image Retrieval
• +5 more

Frederik Temmermans is a Paid Visiting Professor in the Electronics and Computer Science department at Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium. His research focuses on digital media standards, image processing, and trustworthiness assessment of digital content. He actively participates in various research projects related to health technologies and signal processing systems. Dr. Temmermans' research expertise spans multiple interconnected domains: Standardization of digital media formats (100% focus) Metadata management for digital assets (90% focus) Medical imaging applications including tissue engineering (72%) and biopsy analysis (71%) Application programming interfaces and system interoperability (60% and 56% respectively) Image retrieval systems for medical diagnostics His recent work centers on developing standards and methodologies for assessing the trustworthiness of digital media, particularly focusing on fake media detection and verification frameworks. Temmermans has been instrumental in the JPEG committee's efforts to establish standards for media trust and provenance tracking, with multiple publications in 2024 addressing these critical issues in the era of deepfakes and digital misinformation. He is actively involved in multiple research projects including SRP74 on self-learning signal processing systems (2022-2027), GEAR for future health technologies (2021-2025), and Tech4Health initiatives (2024-2025). His work bridges theoretical research with practical applications in medical imaging, digital media verification, and next-generation communication technologies including 6G standardization efforts.

Jean-Luc HainautView profile

Professor

• Reverse Engineering
• Database Application Engineering
• Information Systems Modelling
• +7 more

Jean-Luc Hainaut is a Professor at the Faculty of Computer Science , specializing in Database Application Engineering , Reverse Engineering , and Information Systems Modelling . His work spans theoretical and applied research in software engineering, with a focus on SQL symbolic execution , unit testing , and engineering tools . His research projects include: DB-MAIN : Database Application Engineering (1993–present) RetroWeb : Web Sites Reverse-Engineering Methodologies and Tools (2001–present) ReQuest : Research Program Schemas (2003–present) MIRROR : MedIcal Resource Real Time Optimizer (2012–2015) Key research areas: Reverse Engineering Database Evolution Symbolic Execution Healthcare Systems Modelling Automated Generation of Systems Selected publications highlight his contributions to SQL testing , data-oriented applications , and healthcare information systems . He has supervised numerous students and contributed to the Sustainable Development Goals related to Good Health and Well-being through medical resource optimization projects.

• Cryptography
• Computer Architecture
• Privacy-Preserving Systems
• +3 more

Tom Godden is a Researcher at Vrije Universiteit Brussel's Faculty of Engineering specializing in cryptography and computer architecture, with expertise in zero-knowledge proofs and ARM processor optimization for privacy-preserving systems. His work bridges theoretical cryptography with practical embedded systems implementation. His research focuses on cryptographic optimization for resource-constrained devices, zero-knowledge proof systems, and decentralized access control frameworks. Key contributions include ARM-specific elliptic curve cryptography enhancements and zero-knowledge-based permission management architectures for peer-to-peer applications. Recent publications demonstrate a strong trend toward practical zero-knowledge applications in privacy engineering, particularly for mobile and embedded environments where computational resources are limited. Scientific recognition includes: 2nd prize at IACR RWC'21 Cryptohackathon on Functional Encryption Godden actively collaborates within VUB's cryptography research group led by Prof. An Braeken, presenting at major venues including Real World Crypto Symposium and CPDP. His conference participation spans implementation workshops and academic presentations on Rust programming for cryptographic systems.

• Hardware Security
• Internet of Things
• Embedded Systems
• +5 more

Thibaut Vandervelden is a Researcher at Vrije Universiteit Brussel's Faculty of Engineering, Department of Electronics and Informatics. His work focuses on hardware security, embedded systems, and cryptographic implementations for resource-constrained environments. With an h-index of 4, he has produced significant research output since 2019, primarily in Sensors, IEEE Access, and Future Generation Computer Systems. His research interests center on practical security implementations for IoT devices and embedded systems, with particular expertise in Rust programming for secure embedded development, cryptographic protocol optimization, and network security for low-power wireless networks. His work bridges theoretical security concepts with practical implementation challenges in constrained environments. Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong trend toward secure embedded systems development, with increasing focus on Rust programming language applications, zero-knowledge proofs for privacy-preserving systems, and optimization of cryptographic operations for IoT devices. His research demonstrates consistent collaboration with colleagues including Ruben De Smet, An Braeken, and Kris Steenhaut. Scientific recognition includes: IACR RWC'21 Cryptohackathon on Functional Encryption: 2nd prize (2021) Vandervelden actively participates in research community building through organizing workshops like RustIEC and presenting at events focused on embedded systems security. His work has been referenced in Wikipedia pages and garnered attention across academic and professional platforms, with media contributions on cybersecurity research in Flanders. He leads and participates in research teams focused on wireless community development and the Internet of Batteryless Things, contributing to both theoretical frameworks and practical implementations in hardware security.

• Reinforcement Learning
• Artificial Intelligence
• Robotics
• +3 more

Ann Nowe is a Professor at the Department of Electronics and Informatics (ETRO) at Vrije Universiteit Brussel. Her research focuses on reinforcement learning, multi-agent systems, robotics, and energy management. She leads the Federated labs AI and Robotics, emphasizing interdisciplinary collaboration in artificial intelligence and sustainable robotics. With a prolific publication record (555+ outputs) and 152 active projects, her work spans theoretical advancements and applied solutions in AI ethics, explainability, and energy systems. Her research interests include AI security, neuro-symbolic integration, and federated robotics. Notable contributions include frameworks for explainable AI in multi-agent environments and predictive maintenance algorithms for wind turbines. She has received multiple awards, including the ALA Best Paper Award (2018) and Best Demonstration Award (2019). Dr. Nowe actively participates in conferences and workshops on trustworthy AI, co-organizing events like the World Conference on eXplainable AI (2025). Her work integrates ethical considerations and human-centric design principles across robotics, energy systems, and collective decision-making.

Douglas StebilaView profile

Associate Professor

• Applied Cryptography
• Post-Quantum Cryptography
• Internet Security
• +3 more

Roles & Affiliations : Associate Professor (2018–present) in the Department of Combinatorics & Optimization at the University of Waterloo. Scientific Advisor to SandboxAQ (2022–present). Former roles include Senior Lecturer at Queensland University of Technology (2013–2016) and Assistant Professor at McMaster University (2016–2018). Education : PhD in Combinatorics & Optimization (2004–2009), University of Waterloo. MSc in Mathematics (2003–2004), University of Oxford. Bachelor's degree (not specified), University of Waterloo (undergraduate research assistant, 2001–2003). Research Interests : Focuses on applied cryptography, including post-quantum key exchange, elliptic curve cryptography, and internet security protocols (TLS, SSH, Tor). Specializes in transitioning quantum-resistant cryptography into real-world standards. His work emphasizes practical implementations and performance optimization for secure communication systems. Grants & Funding : NSERC Alliance Consortia Quantum Grant ($4.15M, 2023–2027). NSERC Discovery Grant ($240K, 2022–2027). NSERC Alliance Grant ($400K, 2021–2022) for quantum-safe networking. Conference Roles : Served as Program Committee Co-Chair for Crypto 2024 and General Chair for Real World Cryptography 2024. Active on editorial boards of IACR Communications in Cryptography and Designs, Codes and Cryptography. Co-founder of Ontario Cryptography Day. Software Contributions : Co-founder of the Open Quantum Safe project. Contributed to OpenSSL and NSS toolkits during his tenure at Sun Microsystems (2001–2003).

• Approximation Theory
• Semantics
• Constraint Satisfaction Problems
• +4 more

Bart Bogaerts is a Professor at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel , affiliated with the Federated Labs AI and Robotics and the Department of Informatics and Applied Informatics . His research centers on Approximation Theory , Logic Programming , Knowledge Representation , and Constraint Satisfaction Problems , with a focus on formalizing reasoning methods and optimizing computational systems. His recent publications emphasize certified algorithms, semantic web traversal, and formal verification, reflecting collaborations with institutions like KU Leuven and Maastricht University. Key themes include: Algorithm Certification : Integrating Coq for verified logic programming and optimization techniques. Web Technologies : Distributed subweb specifications and query processing frameworks. Nonmonotonic Reasoning : Advancing approximation fixpoint theory in knowledge representation. Scientific recognitions include the AAAI 2022 Distinguished Paper Award and the IJCAI 2021 Distinguished Paper Award . Dr. Bogaerts supervises PhD students such as Samuele Pollaci, Robbe Van Den Eede, and Dirk Vandesande in joint programs with VUB and KU Leuven.

• Privacy Technologies
• Anonymity
• Cybersecurity
• +7 more

Maria Claudia Diaz Martinez is a part-time Associate Professor at KU Leuven's Department of Electrical Engineering (ESAT) , affiliated with the Computer Security and Industrial Cryptography (COSIC) research group and the DigiSoc – KU Leuven Institute for Digital Society . She also serves as Chief Scientist at Nym Technologies SA since 2019. Education: Master's in Telecommunications Engineering (University of Vigo, 2000), Ph.D. in Engineering (KU Leuven, 2005) Honors: FWO Postdoctoral Fellowship (2009-2012) Her research focuses on privacy technologies and anonymity systems , particularly metadata protection against surveillance, traffic analysis, tracking, and profiling. Current work includes Mixnet design , encrypted DNS analysis , and privacy-preserving federated learning . Recent publications address Mixnet latency optimization , traffic correlation attacks , and decentralized localization . Over 150 peer-reviewed papers span topics like browser fingerprinting, Tor onion services analysis, and k-anonymity frameworks. Key awards include the Andreas Pfitzmann Best Student Paper Award (2024) and the CNIL-INRIA Privacy Protection Award (2018) . She served as Program Chair for FC 2021 and PETS 2017 , and maintains editorial/advisory roles in major privacy conferences. She leads the DigiSoc research group and collaborates with Nym Technologies SA , while advising against new student supervision due to reduced academic duties.

Dirk Van den PoelView profile

Professor

• Data Analytics
• Streaming Processing Frameworks & Analytics
• Internet of Things (IoT) & Industry 4.0
• +2 more

Dirk Van den Poel is a Professor of Data Analytics/Big Data at Ghent University, Belgium, specializing in statistical computing, social media analytics, and predictive modeling. He has co-founded pioneering academic programs including the first predictive analytics master’s program globally, the Master of Science in Statistical Data Analysis, and the Master of Science in Business Engineering/Data Analytics. Teaches courses: Statistical Computing, Big Data, Social Media Analytics Research focus: Analytical CRM, ensemble classification methods, big data 110+ ISI-indexed publications in journals like IEEE Transactions on Power Systems and Decision Support Systems His recent work explores topics such as rumor detection in social media, predictive maintenance using sensor data, and crisis response through service adaptation. He leverages machine learning and deep learning for applications in agriculture, healthcare, and energy sectors. Current projects involve topic modeling (BERTopic), credit scoring with interpretable models, and spatiotemporal crime prediction using mobile phone data. Dirk’s methodology integrates stream processing frameworks , reinforcement learning , and ensemble techniques .

• Trusted Execution Environments
• Hardware-Software Boundary Security
• Microarchitectural Side-Channel Attacks
• +5 more

Jo Van Bulck is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science at KU Leuven's Faculty of Engineering Science, where he leads research in the Distributed and Secure Software (DistriNet) lab. His work focuses on security at the hardware-software boundary, particularly examining trusted execution environments and microarchitectural side-channel vulnerabilities. Dr. Van Bulck completed his Master's thesis on 'Secure Resource Sharing for Embedded Protected Module Architectures' at KU Leuven in 2015, receiving both the VASCO and BELCLIV thesis awards. He earned his PhD in 2020 with the dissertation 'Microarchitectural Side-Channel Attacks for Privileged Software Adversaries,' which received multiple prestigious awards including the ACM SIGSAC Doctoral Dissertation Award, ERCIM STM PhD Award, and FWO/IBM Innovation Award. His research primarily investigates vulnerabilities in trusted execution environments like Intel SGX, with seminal work on attacks such as Foreshadow, LVI, and ZombieLoad. His publications consistently appear in top security venues including IEEE S&P, USENIX Security, and ACM CCS. His research group has made significant contributions to understanding memory isolation failures, interrupt handling vulnerabilities, and developing principled approaches to validate enclave security properties. Dr. Van Bulck's work has profoundly impacted both academia and industry, with multiple CVE assignments for discovered vulnerabilities and direct influence on hardware and software security practices. His recent research focuses on extending security principles to low-end microcontrollers and developing automated validation frameworks for trusted execution environments. ACM SIGSAC Doctoral Dissertation Award (2021) FWO/IBM Innovation Award (2021) ERCIM WG STM Best Ph.D. Thesis Award (2021) Best Paper with Artifacts Award (SysTEX 2025) Distinguished Paper Award (EuroS&P 2025) Cybersecurity Artifacts Competition and Impact Award (ACSAC 2023) Dr. Van Bulck advises multiple PhD students including Márton Bognár (completed 2025) and Fritz Alder (completed 2023), and regularly supervises numerous master's theses. He leads several major research projects including 'Cross-Layer Systems Security for Trusted Execution Environments' (2025-2029) and 'Trustworthy Execution Environments for Secure Computing' (2024-2029). His research has been supported by competitive funding from KU Leuven and collaborative industry partnerships. As a member of the Council of the Faculty of Engineering Science, Dr. Van Bulck actively contributes to academic governance. He maintains the DistriNet research group's focus on practical security research with real-world impact, evidenced by numerous open-source contributions including the influential SGX-Step framework. His work bridges theoretical security principles with practical implementation challenges in modern computing systems.