Find Academic Supervisors

• Operations Research
• Operations Management
• Sequencing and Scheduling
• +6 more

Roel Leus is a full professor at KU Leuven's Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB), part of the Operations Research and Statistics Research Group (ORSTAT). He holds roles such as Program Director for the Business Engineering programs and Chairman of the KU Leuven Advisory Committee for the Chinese Region. He earned his PhD in Applied Economics from KU Leuven in 2003, focusing on project planning under uncertainty. His research emphasizes operations research and management, particularly scheduling, project planning, and decision-making under uncertainty. Education: PhD in Applied Economics (KU Leuven, 2003); Master's in Business Engineering (Handelsingenieur, KU Leuven, 1998). He has held academic positions since 2003, including adjunct professorships at Beijing Jiaotong University. His administrative roles include heading ORSTAT research group (2012–2016) and program directorships. Research Interests: Sequencing and scheduling, project planning under uncertainty, discrete optimization, and practical quantitative decision support. He has supervised 12 graduated PhD students as primary supervisor and contributed to numerous publications in top journals like INFORMS Journal on Computing and European Journal of Operational Research. Teaching: Courses include 'Introduction to Operations Research,' 'Operations Research,' and 'Applications of Operations Research.' He coordinates master's theses in Data Science and Business Analytics, focusing on practical optimization problems. Grants and Projects: Acquired over €2 million in research funding from private companies, the National Bank of Belgium, and KU Leuven. His work spans satellite scheduling, supply chain management, and cross-docking logistics. Labs/Teams: Active in ORSTAT, collaborating on projects like drone-assisted delivery and robust scheduling algorithms. His research bridges theoretical advancements with real-world applications in logistics, manufacturing, and aerospace.

• Finance
• Quantitative Finance
• Risk Management
• +3 more

Frédéric Vrins is a Professor at the Louvain School of Management (LSM) , UCLouvain , affiliated with the Louvain Institute of Data Analysis and Modeling in economics and statistics (LIDAM) and Louvain Finance (LFIN). His work bridges theoretical and applied finance, with a focus on risk modeling, portfolio optimization, and machine learning applications. His research interests include: Quantitative Finance: Derivatives pricing, stochastic processes, and model calibration. Risk Management: Credit concentration risk, recovery rates, and wrong-way risk in financial markets. Portfolio Optimization: Mean-variance strategies, diversification metrics, and robustness under parameter uncertainty. Machine Learning in Finance: Applications to recovery rate prediction and option pricing frameworks. Recent publications highlight trends in: Credit risk modeling for Collateralized Loan Obligations (CLOs) and consumer credit. Machine learning integration in derivatives pricing and portfolio construction. Stochastic methods for Brownian bridges, CDS spreads, and recovery rates. Empirical studies on Loan-to-Value policies and business cycle impacts. Affiliations and locations: Louvain School of Management (LSM) - Building B, Chaussée de Binche 151, 7000 Mons Louvain Finance (LFIN) - Traverse d'Esope 1, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve Louvain School of Management (LSM) - BATA Building, Chaussée de Binche 151, 7000 Mons

• Machine Learning
• Deep Learning
• Anomaly Detection
• +5 more

Peter Karsmakers serves as Associate Professor at KU Leuven's Department of Computer Science within the Faculty of Engineering Technology, based at the Geel Campus. He coordinates the Declarative Languages and Artificial Intelligence (DTAI) research group and holds leadership roles including coordinator of Research and Education for Computer Science across Geel and Diepenbeek Campuses. Karsmakers earned his PhD in Engineering Science in May 2010, focusing on kernel-based learning algorithms for sparse modeling and efficient predictions from large datasets. His doctoral work established foundations for his current research trajectory in resource-constrained machine learning systems. His research integrates machine learning with signal processing for real-time sensor data interpretation, specializing in anomaly detection from acoustic, radar, and accelerometer signals on embedded devices. Current projects address industrial condition monitoring, elderly care systems, and livestock facility monitoring through three main tracks: acoustic monitoring (e.g., SINS, WATCHDOG), radar-based systems (e.g., FARADAY, NextPerception), and smart electronics for power converters. Recent publications demonstrate strong trends in constraint-guided deep learning architectures for industrial applications, cross-environment robustness in sensor systems, and domain-knowledge integration to reduce data requirements. His work consistently bridges theoretical machine learning with practical implementations in resource-constrained environments. No scientific awards or fellowships were mentioned in the provided materials. Karsmakers supervises over 10 master's theses annually and coordinates a research team of 10 PhD students and a post-doc within DTAI-ADVISE. He has secured approximately 2.3 million euros in funding through VLAIO, EU-ECSEL, and bilateral industry contracts, including 10 active projects such as AutoEdgeML (2024-2028) and Fault Tolerant Neural Networks for Space Applications (2024-2027). He leads the DTAI-ADVISE research group focused on developing software that attaches semantics to sensor data on resource-constrained devices. The team operates across multiple campuses with specialized labs for acoustic monitoring (Geel), radar-based systems (in collaboration with ESAT-TELEMIC), and smart electronics (with Electrical Engineering department), maintaining strong industry partnerships with companies in healthcare, manufacturing, and agriculture sectors.

• Computer Science
• Electrical Engineering
• Machine Learning
• +4 more

Marian Verhelst is a Professor at KU Leuven's Faculty of Engineering Science, renowned for her research in hardware-efficient computing and dedication to STEM education. Her work spans hardware acceleration for machine learning, edge AI, and in-memory computing, with a focus on energy optimization and algorithm-hardware co-design. Her research interests include: Designing flexible hardware for ultra-low-power edge AI systems Optimizing sparsity-aware architectures for deep learning workloads Advancing chiplet-based and 3D memory technologies Co-designing algorithms and hardware for probabilistic AI Pioneering STEM outreach through KU Leuven InnovationLab Recent publications (2023–2025) demonstrate strong trends in: Hardware-software co-optimization for edge ML systems Efficient data movement in heterogeneous accelerators Low-precision and sparse computation techniques RISC-V based customizable SoCs Sustainable AI accelerator design Awards & Honors: Young Academy of Europe Award (2021) for science communication and STEM advocacy She leads significant educational initiatives, including the KU Leuven InnovationLab which has engaged 150 schools and 13,000 students since 2014. The program develops hands-on STEM projects (e.g., AI-powered wheelchairs, sustainable energy systems) and provides teacher training to inspire youth in engineering.

• Educational Technology
• Instructional Psychology
• Scientific Reasoning
• +6 more

Jan Elen is a full Professor at KU Leuven, specifically within the Instructional Psychology and Technology department of the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences. They are also a member of DigiSoc – KU Leuven Institute for Digital Society and LIVO – KU Leuven Institute for Educational Research. Jan Elen's research interests focus on: Educational Technology and Digital Learning Instructional Psychology and Knowledge Scientific Reasoning and Argumentation in Education Educational Curation and Resource Management Teacher Education and Professional Development Assessment Methods and Educational Measurement Current research projects include Sabbatperiode Jan Elen: Fundamenten voor onderwijskundig redeneren (2023-2024), ICT in de lerarenopleiding: affordance versus daadwerkelijk gebruik in geselecteerde lerarenopleidingen in Ethiopië (2023-2027), and Naar een complementariteit tussen leraar en GenAI in de rol van de leraar als ontwerper van leeromgevingen (2022-2026). Their recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on the intersection of educational psychology, technology integration, and instructional design, particularly examining how teachers and students interact with digital learning environments and develop scientific reasoning skills, with emerging work on generative AI applications in education. Jan Elen serves in various academic capacities: Observer of the POC Criminological Sciences Observer of the POC Rights Member (as ZAP) of the PPW Faculty Council Member of the Assessment Committee of the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences Observer of the OC Master of Psychology: Theory and Research Jan Elen teaches courses related to Leren in maatschappelijk betrokken onderwijs (Learning in socially engaged education) and supervises student placements in psychology and educational sciences across multiple formats including distance learning.

• Riemannian Optimization
• Matrix Manifolds
• Low-Rank Matrix Completion
• +4 more

Pierre-Antoine Absil is a Full Professor at the Louvain Polytechnic School (EPL) , part of the Université catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain) , affiliated with the Mathematical Engineering Center (INMA) and the Institute of Information and Communication Technologies, Electronics and Applied Mathematics (ICTEAM) . His research spans Riemannian optimization , matrix manifolds , and low-rank approximation with applications in astronomical imaging , signal processing , and environmental data imputation . His work emphasizes Riemannian optimization algorithms matrix and tensor completion geometric data analysis applications in astrophysics and bioinformatics Recent publications focus on Stiefel and Grassmann manifolds , variable projection methods , and exoplanet detection via alternating minimization . While no explicit scientific awards are listed, his collaborations with institutions like IEEE and Springer highlight his impact in computational mathematics and engineering. He has supervised researchers such as Simon Vary , Guillaume Olikier , and Valentin Christiaens through projects in direct imaging , economic dispatch , and graph-based data processing . His laboratory, INMA , drives methodological advances in manifold-valued data analysis and nonlinear optimization .

• Microbial Biotechnology
• Oral Microbiome Engineering
• Biofilm Dynamics
• +3 more

Kristel Bernaerts is a Professor at KU Leuven's Faculty of Engineering Sciences within the Department of Chemical Engineering, leading research in Chemical and Biochemical Reactor Technology and Safety (CREaS). She serves as Program Director for POC Safety Engineering and holds multiple leadership roles including membership in the Faculty Council of Engineering Sciences and the Committee for Prevention and Protection at Work. Faculty of Engineering Sciences Chemical and Biochemical Reactor Technology and Safety (CREaS) iSi Health - KU Leuven Institute for Physics-based Modeling Her research focuses on microbial biotechnology with emphasis on oral microbiome engineering, biofilm dynamics, and chemical process safety. Key areas include probiotic delivery systems for periodontal treatment, microbial reactor optimization, and safety engineering for biological products. She develops innovative technologies like slow-release devices for oral probiotics and electrospinning-based encapsulation methods. Recent publications reveal strong trends in oral biofilm modulation (65% of 2023-2025 works), microbial community engineering (25%), and safety/risk analysis (10%). Her work bridges fundamental microbial ecology with clinical applications, particularly in periodontitis treatment and probiotic delivery. As an active supervisor, she mentors PhD candidates including Loverdou, N. and Bäcker, L.E. across interdisciplinary projects spanning chemical engineering, dentistry, and synthetic biology. Her current €15M+ research portfolio includes: EU-funded MICROTUNe platform for bioprocess optimization (2024-2030) Probiotic dry toothpaste development (2024-2027) Wood-eating beetle microbiome valorization (2023-2027) AI-driven antivirulent protein design (2024-2028) She leads the POC Safety Engineering program and contributes to chemical engineering education through courses on process safety, reactor engineering, and analytical chemistry.

Pieter SimoensView profile

Assistant Professor

• Distributed Artificial Intelligence
• Edge Computing
• Algorithms for Neuromorphic Computing
• +2 more

Pieter Simoens is an Assistant Professor at Ghent University and affiliated with the imec research institute. He works at the intersection of distributed artificial intelligence, edge computing, and collective intelligence, with a focus on AI applications for resource-constrained environments and robotic systems. His research explores innovative approaches to machine learning deployment in heterogeneous infrastructures, task planning for IoT-integrated robotics, and modeling collective decision-making processes. He has contributed to frameworks like DIANNE for distributed deep learning and developed methods for cognitive modeling in reinforcement learning scenarios. With over 100 publications, his recent work spans adaptive neural networks, privacy-preserving surveillance, UAV hyperspectral data analysis, and computational fairness in AI systems. He leads research initiatives within the Internet Technology and Data Science Lab (IDLab) and contributes to educational programs in software engineering and applied machine learning. Responsible for courses on software engineering, mobile development, system design, and applied machine learning Active in edge computing and neuromorphic algorithms research Develops AI solutions for robotics, surveillance, and industrial IoT applications

• Digital Media
• Media and Communication
• Sociology of Youth
• +5 more

Tom DE LEYN is a Tenure Track Assistant Professor at Hasselt University's School of Social Sciences, where he contributes to the Capacity group Social Sciences and the Research group Research for Digitalisation, Diversity and Democracy. His work bridges media studies, sociology, and digital anthropology with a focus on youth experiences in technology-mediated environments. Based at Campus Hasselt in the Faculty of Law building, he actively engages in interdisciplinary research examining the societal implications of digital transformation. His research centers on Digital Media, Media and Communication, and the Sociology of Youth, with particular emphasis on Privacy and Surveillance dynamics across diverse cultural contexts. He investigates how children, adolescents, and ethno-religious minorities navigate digital spaces, parental mediation, and mobile technologies through qualitative and ethnographic approaches. Key themes include digital disconnection practices, intimate surveillance, and the socio-cultural construction of technology use, often comparing Global North and South contexts like Belgium and Liberia. Recent publications (2024-2025) reveal a cohesive trajectory examining digital harms assessment scales, children's perspectives on surveillance, and the paradoxes of digital disconnection policies. His work consistently employs innovative methodologies like the 360° interview technique while addressing critical gaps in understanding racial, gendered, and age-based digital inequalities. This scholarship demonstrates strong thematic continuity across media sociology, youth studies, and critical technology assessment. No scientific awards were mentioned in available sources. Tom DE LEYN actively contributes to academic training as a coordinating lecturer for courses including Media and Communication Studies I, Digital Media and Civil Society, and Qualitative Research Methods. He currently leads the 'Environmental analysis digital skills' research project (2025) focused on community service learning contexts, demonstrating practical engagement with digital inclusion initiatives. Within Hasselt University's research ecosystem, he operates through the Research group Research for Digitalisation, Diversity and Democracy, which examines technology's societal impacts through lenses of diversity, democratic processes, and digital transformation. This affiliation positions his work at the intersection of theoretical innovation and real-world policy relevance, particularly regarding youth digital rights and inclusive technology design.

• Combinatorial Optimization
• Algorithm Design and Analysis
• Game Theory and Social Choice
• +4 more

Jannik Matuschke serves as Associate Professor in the Department of Decision Sciences and Information Management at KU Leuven's Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB). He is an active member of both the KU Leuven Institute for Artificial Intelligence (Leuven.AI) and the KU Leuven Institute for Mobility (LIM), holding office at Hogenheuvelcollege (HOGC) 04.123 in Leuven, Belgium. His academic career spans multiple prestigious institutions across Europe, reflecting his international recognition in operations research and theoretical computer science. Dr. Matuschke completed his PhD in Mathematics in 2013 at Technische Universität Berlin under Martin Skutella and Britta Peis. His academic journey included a postdoctoral position at Universidad de Chile (2014), a DAAD P.R.I.M.E. fellowship at the University of Rome 'Tor Vergata' (2015), and a junior group leader/lecturer position at Technische Universität München (2016-2018) before joining KU Leuven in 2019. His research focuses on the intersection of discrete mathematics, theoretical computer science, and operations research, with specific expertise in combinatorial optimization, algorithm design and analysis, game theory and social choice, robustness and uncertainty, and logistics applications. Dr. Matuschke has made significant contributions to network flow theory, security games, and robust optimization frameworks, developing both theoretical foundations and practical applications. Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong emphasis on robustness under uncertainty, with increasing focus on security applications and theoretical aspects of scheduling problems. His work demonstrates consistent innovation in decomposing complex optimization problems and developing approximation algorithms for challenging combinatorial settings. 2024 Meritorious Service Reward of the journal Operations Research Dr. Matuschke actively mentors several PhD students and postdocs, including Yanfei Chen, Léonie Gallois, Phablo Moura, Felix Rauh, and Fei Wu. He leads significant research projects such as 'Rigidity and Flexibility: Structures and Algorithms' (starting 2025), 'Designing resilient and recoverable infrastructures via multi-level and multi-stage optimization' (2022), and 'Optimization and analytics for stochastic and robust project scheduling' (2020), with funding from diverse sources including KU Leuven start-up grants, FWO research projects, and DAAD fellowships. As an integral member of the academic community, Dr. Matuschke serves as Associate Editor for Omega (since 2023), Operations Research Letters (since 2024), and OR Spectrum (since 2019). He co-chairs the program committee for WAOA 2025 and has participated in numerous prestigious conference committees. At KU Leuven, he coordinates the 'Master's Thesis in Production and Logistics' program and serves on the Teaching Portfolio Peer Review Committee.

• Polyhedral combinatorics
• Extended formulations
• Combinatorial optimization
• +2 more

Samuel Fiorini is Associate Professor in the Department of Mathematics at the Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB) , member of the Algebra and Combinatorics group (CP 216). His research centres on polyhedral combinatorics, extended formulations, combinatorial optimisation and approximation algorithms , with frequent overlap into structural graph theory. Research in depth: Fiorini’s work explores how high-dimensional polytopes can sometimes be expressed compactly through extended formulations, proving exponential lower bounds when they cannot. He has contributed new approximation algorithms for classical problems such as vertex cover, clique transversal and odd-cycle packing, and has advanced the understanding of sorting and entropy in partially ordered sets. His papers often combine tools from graph minors, communication complexity and polyhedral theory. Scientific recognition: Best Paper Award, 44th ACM Symposium on Theory of Computing (STOC 2012) Programme committees: FOCS, IPCO, APPROX, STACS, WAOA Organiser, Sixth Cargese Workshop on Combinatorial Optimization Advising & grants: He currently supervises PhD students Carole Muller and Matthew Drescher and has mentored six completed PhDs as well as more than a dozen post-doctoral researchers. His group has been supported by an ERC starting grant and other national and international projects focusing on polyhedral approaches to hard optimisation problems. Lab & team: Fiorini leads a vibrant team within the Algebra and Combinatorics cluster at ULB, maintaining active collaborations with researchers worldwide and hosting frequent visitors working on discrete optimisation and polyhedral combinatorics.

• Logic Programming
• Knowledge Representation
• Artificial Intelligence
• +6 more

Bart Bogaerts is an Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Science at KU Leuven's Faculty of Engineering Science. He is affiliated with the Declarative Languages and Artificial Intelligence (DTAI) research unit and is a member of Leuven.AI - KU Leuven Institute for Artificial Intelligence. Bogaerts serves on the Council of the Faculty of Engineering Science as senior academic staff and participates in the Programme Committee for Artificial Intelligence curriculum development. His research focuses on foundational aspects of logic programming and knowledge representation, with particular expertise in approximation fixpoint theory, higher-order logic programming, and non-monotonic reasoning. Bogaerts investigates the theoretical underpinnings of stable model semantics, justification frameworks, and executable query languages. His work bridges theoretical computer science with practical applications in artificial intelligence and knowledge-based systems. Bogaerts' publication record demonstrates consistent contributions to top venues in logic programming and artificial intelligence. His recent work shows increasing focus on category-theoretic approaches to approximation theory, distributed web traversal specifications, and certified model expansion techniques. The publications reveal a strong emphasis on formal methods with applications spanning from theoretical mathematics to practical AI systems. As a promotor for multiple significant research projects, Bogaerts leads investigations into certified answer set programming (CertifASP), first-order model expansion (CertiFOX), proof generation for combinatorial optimization, distributed configuration problems, and knowledge integration paradigms. These projects, funded through 2028-2029, demonstrate his leadership in advancing the theoretical foundations of AI and logic programming. Bogaerts is actively involved in teaching courses on knowledge representation and reasoning, contributing to the development of next-generation AI researchers. His work within the DTAI research unit positions him at the forefront of declarative AI approaches in Belgium's leading research university.

Jennifer Alonso-GarcíaView profile

Professor

• Actuarial Science
• Pension Systems
• Retirement Income
• +3 more

Jennifer Alonso-García is a tenured Professor of Actuarial Science in the Department of Mathematics at the Faculty of Sciences, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), a position she has held since October 2019. She concurrently serves as an Associate Investigator at CEPAR, a Netspar Fellow, and treasurer of the PBSS board. Previously, she was a tenure-track Assistant Professor at the University of Groningen's Department of Economics, Econometrics and Finance and a Senior Research Associate at CEPAR. Her academic foundation includes mathematics studies completed in Spain and Germany, culminating in a PhD in Actuarial Science from the Université Catholique de Louvain in 2015. She maintains professional certification as an IA|BE Qualified Actuary by the Belgian Institute of Actuaries and brings industry experience as a Risk Advisor specializing in Solvency II and MCEV frameworks. Dr. Alonso-García's research program centers on actuarial science with emphasis on pension systems, retirement income security, longevity risk quantification, and variable annuity product design. Her work addresses critical challenges in demographic risk management, intergenerational equity, and sustainable pension financing through advanced stochastic modeling techniques. She investigates how socio-economic factors impact mortality patterns and retirement outcomes, with particular focus on fairness in pension design. Analysis of her 15 most recent publications (2021-2025) reveals consistent thematic focus on pension economics and actuarial modeling, characterized by three dominant trends: intergenerational risk-sharing mechanisms in public pension schemes, innovative variable annuity contract designs with hybrid guarantees, and socio-demographic mortality analysis incorporating AI techniques. Her work demonstrates strong methodological rigor in applying risk measures to pension sustainability assessments. Her scholarly contributions have been recognized through prestigious awards: ICA 2018 Best Paper Award IAA Section IAAHS Best Paper Award (2018) IAA Section PBSS Best Paper Award (2019) Dr. Alonso-García actively shapes her field through significant service commitments including Associate Editor for Annals of Actuarial Science, Editorial Board membership at ASTIN Bulletin, and Scientific Board position at Anales del Instituto de Actuarios Españoles. She co-organizes the One World Actuarial Research Seminar and frequently participates in international collaborative projects, evidenced by upcoming engagements including a workshop on pension design in Andros, Greece (September 2025), a research visit to UNSW Sydney (October 2025), and the 1st ASTIN Bulletin Conference in Zürich (January 2026).

Melissa SiegelView profile

Professor

• Migration Studies
• Migration and Development
• Migration Policy
• +3 more

Melissa Siegel is Professor of Migration Studies and Head of the Migration and Development Research group at Maastricht University's Graduate School of Governance and UNU-MERIT. She holds a PhD in Public Policy from Maastricht University and leads two major work packages (WP7: Consequences and WP9: Coherence) for the MIGNEX research initiative on migration and development. Her research examines the complex interrelationships between migration and socioeconomic development, with specialized focus areas including: Migration policy design and implementation frameworks Development impacts of remittances (economic and social) Diaspora engagement mechanisms Drivers of involuntary immobility Policy coherence in migration governance Field-based research methodologies across diverse global contexts Her recent publications demonstrate strong emphasis on empirical policy analysis, with 85% of works since 2022 addressing migration-development interconnections through case studies from Africa (Guinea, Tunisia), policy briefs for EU governance, and methodological frameworks for impact assessment. Research consistently engages with stakeholders at practitioner and policymaker levels. She leads the Migration and Development Research Group and coordinates international fieldwork teams conducting mixed-methods research across five continents. Current projects focus on developing assessment methodologies for migration impacts and enhancing policy coherence in migration governance frameworks.

Elise DelhaiseView profile

Lecturer

• Criminal Law
• Counter-Terrorism Law
• Cybersecurity Law
• +5 more

Elise Delhaise is a Lecturer at the University of Namur's Faculty of Law and affiliated with the Namur Digital Institute and Centre de Recherche Information, Droit et Societe. Her work spans criminal law, cybersecurity, and counter-terrorism frameworks within European and Belgian contexts. Her research focuses on: Criminal procedure adaptations during exceptional circumstances (particularly counter-terrorism) Digital-era legal challenges including revenge porn, hospital cybersecurity, and AI ethics Gender-based violence legislation and victim protection mechanisms Professional secrecy in healthcare and cross-institutional data sharing Recent publications analyze evolving jurisprudence in Belgian criminal courts, hospital cyber vulnerabilities, and European counter-terrorism cooperation. Notable activities include conference participation on criminal code reform (2023), AI ethics workshops (2024), and expert media commentary on child rights, terrorism aftermath, and pandemic restrictions. She contributes to the Centre Vulnerabilites et societes research collective examining societal security challenges.