Alejandro Cifuentes serves as a Full Research Professor at the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) in Madrid, where he leads the Laboratory of Foodomics and directs the Metabolomics Platform under the International Excellence Campus CSIC + University Autonoma of Madrid. His prior roles include Founding Director of the Institute of Food Science Research and Deputy Director of the Institute. His research centers on foodomics and metabolomics, with emphasis on advanced extraction technologies for bioactive compounds from diverse sources including plants, dairy, and microalgae. Key interests encompass sustainable processing methods, neuroprotective agents, antioxidant properties, and the valorization of agricultural by-products for health applications. Analysis of his recent publications reveals a dominant focus on green extraction techniques—particularly supercritical CO₂ and pressurized systems—combined with mass spectrometry for bioactive compound analysis. His work bridges food science, analytical chemistry, and biotechnology to address challenges in food safety, nutrition, and sustainable resource utilization. Dr. Cifuentes directs the Laboratory of Foodomics and Metabolomics Platform, leading interdisciplinary teams in projects spanning microalgal protein characterization, dairy microbiota studies, and neuroprotective compound transport mechanisms, with strong industry and academic collaborations across Europe.
Alastair F. Donaldson is a Professor and Director of Research in the Department of Computing at Imperial College London, where he leads the FastPL research group. His academic career spans over a decade at Imperial, progressing from Lecturer (2011-2014) to Senior Lecturer (2014-2017), Reader (2017-2020), and Professor (2020-present). He has also held significant industry positions, including Founder and Director of GraphicsFuzz Ltd. (acquired by Google in 2018), Senior Software Engineer at Google (2018-2021), and Visiting Researcher at both Google and Microsoft Research Redmond. Donaldson earned his PhD from the University of Glasgow under Alice Miller, following a BSc (hons, First Class) in Computing Science and Mathematics. His postdoctoral work included an EPSRC Postdoctoral Research Fellowship at the University of Oxford and a Research Fellowship at Wolfson College Oxford. His research focuses on formal analysis, software testing and programming languages techniques for improving software reliability, with special emphasis on high-performance systems. Donaldson's work bridges theoretical foundations with practical applications, particularly in compiler testing, GPU programming verification, and metamorphic testing. His research has significantly influenced both academia and industry, as evidenced by the acquisition of his startup GraphicsFuzz by Google. Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong focus on fuzz testing techniques applied across diverse domains including compilers, GPUs, cryptographic protocols, and large language models. His work consistently combines formal methods with practical testing approaches, addressing challenges in compiler correctness, memory models, and API verification across multiple platforms. 2017 BCS Roger Needham Award EPSRC Early Career Fellowship Best Paper Award, EuroSys 2024 Best Paper Award, MET 2021 Best Paper Award, IWOCL 2019 Best Paper Award, IISWC 2019 Best Paper Award, ICST 2016 ACM SIGSOFT Distinguished Paper Award, ISSTA 2023 ACM SIGSOFT Distinguished Paper Award, FSE 2017 ACM SIGPLAN Most Influential OOPSLA Paper Award, 2022 (for GPUVerify) As Director of Research in the Department of Computing, Donaldson oversees research strategy and development. His FastPL research group investigates novel techniques for programming, testing and reasoning about high performance systems. He has served on numerous program committees and held leadership roles including PLDI Steering Committee Chair (2022-2025) and PACM-PL Advisory Board member. His industry engagement includes testifying as an Expert Witness in the IBM UK Ltd v LzLabs GmbH & Ors case. The FastPL research group, which Donaldson leads, focuses on formal analysis, software testing and programming languages. The group has made significant contributions to compiler testing, GPU verification, and metamorphic testing techniques, with practical impact demonstrated by the acquisition of GraphicsFuzz. Current research directions include fuzzing for zero-knowledge proof circuits, randomized testing of decompilers, and systematic testing of large language models for code generation.
Rafail Ostrovsky is the Norman E. Friedman Chair in Knowledge Sciences at UCLA Samueli School of Engineering, where he serves as a Distinguished Professor of Computer Science and Mathematics. He also directs the Center for Information and Computation Security at UCLA. His academic leadership extends to his role as a foreign member of Academia Europaea and his fellowship in multiple prestigious organizations including the National Academy of Inventors, AAAS, ACM, IEEE, and IACR. Professor Ostrovsky's research spans multiple domains in theoretical computer science, with primary focus on cryptography, secure computation, and algorithms. His work on garbled circuits, zero-knowledge proofs, and private information retrieval has had significant theoretical and practical impact. He has pioneered research in secure multi-party computation, oblivious RAM, and cryptographic protocols that maintain privacy while enabling complex computations on sensitive data. His research bridges theoretical foundations with practical applications in secure systems, ranging from database security to hardware-based cryptographic primitives. Ostrovsky's publication record shows a consistent trajectory of innovation in cryptographic theory and its applications. His recent work focuses on optimizing secure computation protocols for efficiency while maintaining strong security guarantees, with particular attention to communication complexity, round complexity, and practical implementations. He has made significant contributions to homomorphic encryption, non-malleable commitments, and zero-knowledge proofs, often developing techniques that transform theoretical constructs into practically viable solutions. 1993 Henry Taub Prize 2017 IEEE Computer Society Edward J. McCluskey Technical Achievement Award 2018 RSA Award for Excellence in Mathematics (RSA Prize) 2022 W. Wallace McDowell Award (highest award from IEEE Computer Society) Fellow of National Academy of Inventors, AAAS, ACM, IEEE, and IACR Foreign member of Academia Europaea With over 350 peer-reviewed publications and 16 issued USPTO patents, Professor Ostrovsky has significantly shaped the field of cryptography and secure computation. His mentorship has cultivated numerous students and postdocs who have gone on to make their own contributions to the field. His editorial roles on prestigious journals including Journal of ACM and Algorithmica reflect his standing in the theoretical computer science community. His leadership extends to chairing major conferences including FOCS 2011 and serving on over 40 international conference program committees. As Director of the Center for Information and Computation Security at UCLA, Professor Ostrovsky leads a team focused on advancing the theoretical foundations and practical applications of secure computation. His center serves as a hub for interdisciplinary research connecting cryptography with systems security, network protocols, and hardware security. The center's work spans from foundational cryptographic primitives to real-world applications requiring privacy-preserving computation.
Pedro Antonio Garcia Tudela is a researcher at Universidad de Murcia specializing in Educational Technology, with a focus on Smart Learning Environments and Digital Entrepreneurship. He completed his PhD in 2023 with a thesis on intelligent learning environments supervised by Dr. María Paz Prendes Espinosa and Dr. Isabel María Solano Fernández. His educational background centers on advanced educational technology studies at Universidad de Murcia, culminating in his 2023 doctoral dissertation that established foundational frameworks for smart learning environments. This research positioned him at the forefront of educational innovation in Spanish-speaking contexts. Garcia Tudela's research explores the intersection of digital tools and pedagogical innovation, with emphasis on gamification, computational thinking development through Arduino, and digital entrepreneurship education. His work addresses critical gaps in teacher training for future classrooms and develops practical models like EmDigital for fostering entrepreneurial competencies in digital contexts. He investigates how educational escape rooms, flipped learning, and gender-inclusive technology integration transform learning experiences across K-12 and higher education. Analysis of his 15 most recent publications reveals a clear trajectory toward practical applications of educational technology: 40% focus on digital entrepreneurship frameworks, 30% on smart learning environment design, and 30% on gamification and computational thinking implementation. His research increasingly addresses cross-cultural applications, with comparative studies of future classrooms in Spain and Portugal. As an active thesis supervisor within the Educational Technology research group, Garcia Tudela mentors students in developing innovative educational methodologies. His work demonstrates strong industry-academia connections through practical frameworks for professional development and employability. The Educational Technology research group serves as his primary collaborative environment, driving projects that translate theoretical models into classroom applications while addressing contemporary challenges in digital education transformation.
Hannah Blum serves as the Alain H. Peyrot Associate Professor in Structural Engineering within the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her research program focuses on infrastructure resilience, next-generation structural design methodologies, and advanced visualization techniques including extended reality applications, supported by funding from federal agencies, industry associations, and private companies. Her academic credentials include a PhD in Civil Engineering from the University of Sydney (2017), complemented by MS (2012) and BS (2010) degrees in Civil Engineering from Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Blum's research program spans critical domains in structural engineering with particular emphasis on steel systems. Key focus areas include: Steel, cold-formed steel, and stainless-steel structural systems Steel deck and joist system behavior Structural stability and reliability analysis Virtual and augmented reality applications in structural steel fabrication Data-driven approaches to structural engineering problems Analysis of her 15 most recent publications (2023-2025) reveals a concentrated research trajectory centered on data-driven design methodologies, advanced material systems (particularly stainless steel and high-strength alloys), and immersive technology integration. Notable trends include machine learning applications for buckling prediction, experimental validation of novel structural systems, and mixed-reality solutions for fabrication processes. Her distinguished recognition includes: University of Wisconsin-Madison Chancellor’s Teaching Innovation Award (2024) College of Engineering Harvey Spangler Award for Innovative Teaching (2023) American Institute of Steel Construction Terry Peshia Early Career Faculty Award (2023) Structural Stability Research Council McGuire Award for Junior Researchers (2022) Structural Stability Research Council Yoon Duk Kim Young Researcher Award (2021) Dr. Blum actively mentors graduate students through CIV ENGR 790 (Master's Research) and 890 (Pre-Dissertator's Research) courses while securing diverse research funding streams. Her professional service includes active participation in steel design standards committees for structural, cold-formed, and stainless-steel systems through organizations like the Structural Stability Research Council. Her experimental and computational research requires specialized facilities for structural testing and digital visualization, though specific laboratory names are not documented in the provided materials. Current projects demonstrate strong industry collaboration, particularly with steel manufacturing and construction technology firms.
Susan C. Levine is the Rebecca Anne Boylan Distinguished Service Professor of Education and Society in the Department of Psychology at the University of Chicago. Her research explores the interplay between early spatial and numerical thinking, focusing on how adult-child interactions shape mathematical development in home and school settings. Her work examines children's understanding of natural numbers and fractions, evaluates interventions to improve math skills, and investigates how parental and teacher math attitudes influence child outcomes. Key areas include math anxiety, gesture-based learning, and socioeconomic impacts on numeracy. Recent publications highlight gesture interventions for spatial misconceptions, math anxiety in college calculus, and the role of parental interactions in shaping children's mathematical beliefs. The Distinguished Service Professor award recognizes her contributions to educational psychology.
Ioannis Tsaknakis is an Associate Professor at the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, School of Engineering, University of Peloponnese. He holds a PhD in computational geometry and multidimensional data structures from the University of Patras (2004) and has been actively involved in software systems research since 2004. His work spans Database Information Management , Big Data Systems , and Knowledge Mining , with a focus on data structures and computational geometry. Research Interests : Information Management in Databases Big Data Management Systems Computational Geometry Knowledge Mining in Databases/Web Publications highlight his contributions to IoT-driven educational frameworks, machine learning applications, and cryptographic systems for data security. He has taught courses on software design and data management since joining the University of Peloponnese in 2019. Contact : jtsaknakis@uop.gr . Office hours are in Building K (Monday & Tuesday, 8:00-9:00).
St. Cyril and St. Methodius University of Veliko TarnovoBulgaria
Prof. Dr. Habil Zhivka Stefanova Koleva-Zlateva is a distinguished Professor in the Department of General Linguistics and Old Bulgarian Studies at the Faculty of Modern Languages, St. Cyril and St. Methodius University of Veliko Turnovo, Bulgaria. With a prolific academic career spanning several decades, she has established herself as a leading expert in etymology, semantic reconstruction, sound symbolism, and psycholinguistics, with particular expertise in Bulgarian language teaching for non-native speakers. Her research interests center on: Etymology and historical linguistics of Slavic languages Semantic reconstruction and lexical semantics Sound symbolism and phonosemantics Psycholinguistic approaches to language learning Teaching Bulgarian as a second language Methodology of etymological research Analysis of her recent publications reveals a consistent focus on the interplay between sound and meaning in language, particularly in Slavic languages. Her work demonstrates sophisticated methodological approaches to etymological research, often incorporating cognitive and psycholinguistic perspectives. She has made significant contributions to understanding how sound-imitative words evolve and function across languages, and how these insights can inform language teaching methodologies, especially for Bulgarian as a second language. Prof. Koleva-Zlateva has been actively involved in several research projects: "Communication of Science in Digital Environment and Open Access" (2021) as team member "Proglas" journal project (2020-2021) as project leader "Periodical Scientific Publications of VTU - Platform for Dissemination of Quality Scientific Knowledge" (2020) as team leader "Supporting Virtualization and Internationalization of VTU Periodical Scientific Publications" (2017-2018) as team leader Her leadership roles demonstrate her commitment to advancing scholarly communication and international visibility of Bulgarian linguistic research. She has served as project leader for initiatives focused on improving indexing in international databases like Web of Science and Scopus, and implementing DOI systems for academic publications.
Nicolas Lachiche is a Professor in Computer Science at the University of Strasbourg, where he serves as Deputy Head of the SDC (Data Science and Knowledge) team within the Engineering, Computer and Imaging Sciences Laboratory (ICube - UMR 7357). His research focuses on machine learning and data/knowledge management across various application domains. Professor Lachiche's primary research interests include data science, relational data mining, sequential and temporal data mining, anomaly detection, and NoSQL databases. His work spans healthcare applications (ICU with Vincent Castelain), high-performance computing (with Florina Ciorba), materials science (with Yves-André Chapuis), and smart factories (with Technology & Strategy). His research trajectory shows evolution from early foundational work in scope classification (94-97) and the PRIMUS family of systems (97-04) to current cutting-edge projects addressing modern data challenges across multiple sectors. Professor Lachiche maintains an extensive service record in the scientific community, having organized numerous workshops and conferences including the MODA series (2020-2024), PFIA 2023 (as Local chair), and various international workshops on data mining and machine learning. He has served on program committees for prestigious conferences such as AAAI (2018, 2020-2024), ECAI, ICDM, and SDM. Additionally, he has reviewed for top journals including Artificial Intelligence Journal, Machine Learning Journal, and IEEE Transactions. His teaching portfolio includes data science, data mining, and machine learning; big data technologies, business intelligence and data warehouses; advanced databases (OLAP, NoSQL, GIS); and foundational courses on databases, data persistence, web programming, and user interfaces.
Attila Gursoy is a Professor at the Department of Computer Engineering, College of Engineering, Koç University. He serves as the Dean of the College of Engineering and leads research in computational biology, bioinformatics, and high-performance computing. Education : PhD in Computer Science from University of Illinois (1994), MSc from Bilkent University (1988), BSc from Middle East Technical University (1986) His research focuses on protein-protein interactions , computational structural biology , and systems pharmacology , with applications in drug repurposing and inflammatory disease mechanisms . He has pioneered structural analysis of Ras signaling and developed tools like COSBI for computational systems biology. Recent publications highlight his work on viral protein mimicry , neurodegenerative pathways , and microbiome dynamics . His team maintains datasets like PPInterface and DiPPI for structural drug discovery. 2005 : Werner-von-Siemens Excellence Award
Hüsnü Dal is a Professor at Middle East Technical University (METU) in Ankara, Turkey, specializing in computational mechanics of materials. His research bridges engineering and biomedical applications through advanced computational modeling techniques. Education: Bachelor's Degree, Middle East Technical University, 2001 Master's Degree, University of Stuttgart, 2005 PhD, Dresden University of Technology, 2011 Research Focus: Prof. Dal's work centers on computational micromechanics, multiscale and multifield problems, and materials theory. He investigates fracture in multiphysics media with applications in lithium-ion batteries and tissue mechanics, developing novel constitutive models for complex material behaviors under extreme conditions. His research integrates thermomechanical coupling, viscoplasticity, and data-driven approaches to solve engineering challenges in both synthetic polymers and biological systems. Publication Trends: Recent publications (2023-2025) reveal a dominant focus on data-driven constitutive modeling and phase-field fracture methods. His work spans rubber mechanics, polymeric foams, biological tissues, and battery materials, characterized by strong interdisciplinary connections between materials science, biomechanics, and computational engineering. Key themes include anisotropic hyperelasticity, thermo-viscoplastic fracture, and spatial property variations in additively manufactured materials.
Andreas Weber is an Associate Professor at the University of Twente's Digital Society Institute , specializing in the Knowledge, Transformation & Society (KiTeS) research group . His work examines the long-term historical and global relationship between Science, Technology, and Society , with particular focus on colonial histories of natural history, chemistry, and sustainability , as well as computational technologies for contextualizing digitized archives . He leads the HAICu project (2023–2029) on digital cultural heritage and coordinates STS PhD training for the Netherlands Graduate Research School (2019–2024). MA & PhD in History (2005 & 2012), Leiden University Assistant Professor (2017–2023), University of Twente Andreas' research integrates digital humanities with colonial science history , emphasizing global histories of minerals , digital humanism , and AI's societal context . His 15 most recent publications (2016–2025) explore topics like colonial bias in natural history collections , FAIR data implementation , and semantic annotation of handwritten archives , spanning disciplines from history of science to computer science and museum studies . He has received 7 scientific awards , including multiple Best Teacher Awards (2020–2023) and the IEEE eScience Best Poster Award (2018). Andreas supervises PhD and postdoctoral projects while engaging in media commentary on colonial heritage issues and co-organizing international conferences like Hydrogen Pasts and Futures (2024).
Didier Meuwly is a Full Professor of Forensic Biometrics at the University of Twente (since 2013) and Principal Scientist at the Netherlands Forensic Institute (NFI). His work focuses on automating and validating probabilistic evaluation of forensic evidence, particularly biometric traces. He has contributed to international standards via ISO Technical Committee 272 and served as Associate Editor for Forensic Science International . PhD in Forensic Speaker Recognition (University of Lausanne, 2000) Research spans forensic biometrics, likelihood ratios, AI validation, and gait/body analysis from surveillance footage. Recent work addresses ISO standards (21043), forensic AI explainability, and multimodal evidence evaluation. His publications emphasize empirical validation and statistical rigor. Key awards include: ENFSI Distinguished Forensic Scientist Award (2022) University of Lausanne Law Faculty Prize (2002) Active in global forensic networks, he chairs the ENFSI R&D Committee and collaborates across disciplines on digital evidence, biometric security, and forensic methodology.
Deian Stefan is an Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of California at San Diego. His research focuses on secure systems spanning security, programming languages, and systems. He is particularly interested in WebAssembly, JavaScript JITs, language-based security (constant-time programming, memory safety, information flow control), verification for security, and program analysis tools. Co-founder and Chief Scientist at Intrinsic (acquired by VMWare) Contributor to W3C WebAppSec and Node.js Security Working Groups Research Interests: His work addresses secure systems through principled approaches, including: Web frameworks security Browser design security Sandboxing techniques Runtime systems security Constant-time programming WebAssembly and JavaScript JITs Scientific Awards: Distinguished paper award at POPL 2023 IEEE Cybersecurity Award for Practice 2022 Best paper award at CollaborateCom 2010 Most Influential Paper Award at ICFP 2022 First place at CSAW 2020 for applied research Advising: Deian has mentored students including Shravan Narayan, Evan Johnson, Sunjay Cauligi, and Fraser Brown, focusing on security, systems, and programming languages.
National and Kapodistrian University of AthensGreece
Laxman Dhulipala serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Maryland, College Park, while also working as a research scientist at Google Research with the Graph Mining team. Dr. Dhulipala earned his Ph.D. from Carnegie Mellon University under Guy Blelloch's supervision and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at MIT with Julian Shun. His research centers on efficient parallel algorithms, particularly for parallel clustering and graph processing, along with developing computational models for emerging hardware technologies. His scholarly output demonstrates significant expertise across parallel computing domains, with particular emphasis on scalable graph algorithms, dynamic data structures, and computational geometry. Dr. Dhulipala's work bridges theoretical computer science with practical systems implementation, producing algorithms that achieve both theoretical optimality and real-world performance. His research group has made substantial contributions to benchmarking frameworks including the Graph Based Benchmark Suite (GBBS) and ParClusterers Benchmark Suite, establishing standardized evaluation methods for graph processing systems. The collective work shows progression from theoretical foundations to practical implementations that handle massive-scale datasets. Best Paper Award at SPAA 2022 Best Paper Runner Up at VLDB 2022 Distinguished Paper Award at PLDI 2019 Memorable Paper Award Finalist at NVMW'20 CMU's SCS Dissertation Award Honorable Mention As an educator, Dr. Dhulipala mentors numerous graduate students while teaching advanced courses in algorithm design and parallel computing. His research collaborations span multiple institutions including Carnegie Mellon University, MIT, and Google Research, reflecting his position at the intersection of academia and industry research.
