Rajesh Karki is a Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Saskatchewan’s College of Engineering. He holds a B.E., M.Sc., and Ph.D. in related fields. His research focuses on power system reliability, renewable energy integration, and microgrid resilience, with particular emphasis on addressing challenges posed by extreme weather, cyber threats, and decarbonization targets. Dr. Karki’s work spans theoretical modeling, probabilistic analysis, and practical implementation strategies for smart grids, energy storage systems, and distributed generation. His educational background includes advanced degrees in electrical engineering, complemented by professional engineering licensure (P.Eng.). His research has explored diverse topics such as wind energy curtailment mitigation, energy storage optimization, and demand response mechanisms in developing economies like Nepal. He has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications on grid resilience, reliability economics, and cyber-physical system security. Key themes in his work include: (1) quantifying the reliability value of energy storage in active distribution systems, (2) modeling cyber-physical threats to microgrids, and (3) developing frameworks for extreme weather-resilient infrastructure. Despite the volume of his publications (over 50 articles), no specific awards or grants are explicitly listed in the provided materials. His research often intersects technical, economic, and policy dimensions of sustainable energy systems.
Dr. Saman Razavi is an Associate Professor at the University of Saskatchewan, holding dual appointments in the School of Environment and Sustainability (SENS) and the Department of Civil, Geological and Environmental Engineering in the College of Engineering. He is a member of the Global Institute for Water Security and leads the Razavi EnviroFutures Lab. His research focuses on hydrological modeling, water resources management, climate change impacts, and the integration of machine learning with environmental science. Dr. Razavi has earned a PhD in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of Waterloo. Education: PhD in Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Waterloo MS in Civil and Environmental Engineering, Amirkabir University, Iran BS in Civil Engineering, Iran University of Science and Technology Research interests include hydrologic model development, optimization, uncertainty quantification, climate change analysis, and socio-hydrological modeling. He emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches to address water challenges through integrated frameworks that bridge natural science, engineering, and socio-economic factors. Award: Walter L. Huber Civil Engineering Research Prize from ASCE (2024) Advising & Grants: Dr. Razavi leads the Integrated Modelling Program for Canada under Global Water Futures, focusing on transboundary water systems. His work involves developing decision-support tools for flood/drought management and climate adaptation. Labs/Teams: The Razavi EnviroFutures Lab advances research on water-human systems, leveraging AI and big data to enhance resilience against water-related hazards. Current projects include flood-prone area mapping, drought prediction, and socio-hydrological modeling in transboundary basins.
Christopher Walters is a Professor at the Kenneth C. Griffin Department of Economics, University of Chicago, and previously served as an Assistant Professor at UC Berkeley (2013-2025). He is a Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research, Research Fellow at IZA, and Faculty Affiliate at MIT's School Effectiveness and Inequality Initiative (SEII). PhD in Economics, MIT (2013) B.A. in Economics and Philosophy, University of Virginia (2008) Walters specializes in Labor Economics and the Economics of Education , focusing on school choice, early childhood interventions, and program evaluation. His work combines applied econometric methods with discrete choice modeling to analyze educational investments and labor market outcomes. Walters' recent publications examine class size effects, teacher quality impacts, and school finance policies, reflecting his interest in improving educational equity through rigorous empirical analysis. Research Fellow at IZA He collaborates with institutions like J-PAL North America and MIT Blueprint Labs, contributing to evidence-based policy design in education and labor economics.
Carl Henrik Ek is a Professor of Statistical Learning at the Department of Computer Science and Technology (Computer Laboratory) at the University of Cambridge. He is also a fellow and Director of Studies at Pembroke College, and holds visiting positions at Karolinska Institute in Stockholm and the Royal Institute of Technology. He serves as co-Director for the UKRI AI Centre for Doctoral Training in Decision Making for Complex Systems, a collaboration between Cambridge and Manchester universities, and is involved with the Accelerate Program in the Computer Laboratory. Dr. Ek's educational background includes a MEng degree in Vehicle Engineering from the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, followed by a PhD from Oxford Brookes University. During his PhD, he spent time at the University of Manchester and the University of Sheffield. His PhD supervisors were Professor Neil Lawrence and Professor Phil Torr, and his postdoctoral research was conducted at UC Berkeley with Professor Trevor Darrell and Professor Raquel Urtasun. Professor Ek's research focuses on statistical learning, particularly on developing data-efficient and interpretable machine learning methods. His work spans modeling and inference in machine learning, with special emphasis on Bayesian non-parametric methods and Gaussian processes. He explores how to specify assumptions that allow learning from small amounts of data, bridging theoretical foundations with practical applications in various domains. His recent publications demonstrate a strong trend toward applying machine learning to healthcare, drug discovery, and engineering design. There's significant work on Gaussian processes, reinforcement learning, and generative models, with applications ranging from medical diagnostics to structural engineering. His research shows an increasing interdisciplinary focus, connecting machine learning with fields like cardiology, pharmacology, and computational geometry. Professor Ek has received numerous teaching awards throughout his career: Pilkington Price for Teaching Excellence (2024) Teacher of the year in Computer Science at University of Bristol (2016) Docent in Machine Learning at Royal Institute of Technology (2016) Teacher of the year at Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden (2015) Teacher of the year from Student chapter in Industrial Economics at Royal Institute of Technology (2015) Teacher of the year in Computer Science at Royal Institute of Technology (2012) Professor Ek teaches Advanced Data Science, Advanced topics in machine learning, and Machine Learning and the Physical World. He has supervised PhD students throughout his career but is not currently accepting new PhD students for 2025/26 or 2026/27. His research is supported by various grants, including his role as co-Director of the UKRI AI Centre for Doctoral Training. He is an active member of the ml@cl research group at Cambridge and has previously been involved with research groups at University of Bristol and Royal Institute of Technology. His work connects with several interdisciplinary initiatives, particularly in healthcare AI and engineering applications of machine learning.
Prof. Tammo H.A. Bijmolt is a Full Professor of Marketing Research and Chairman of the Department of Marketing at the University of Groningen's Faculty of Economics and Business. He holds additional roles such as Director of the Groningen Digital Business Center and former Director of the SOM Research Institute. His expertise spans consumer decision making, e-commerce, advertising, retailing, loyalty programs, and meta-analysis. Education: PhD in Marketing (cum laude, 1996) and MSc in Quantitative Business Economics (cum laude, 1991), both from the University of Groningen. Research focuses on marketing methodology, consumer behavior in digital contexts, and loyalty programs. Notable awards include the 2022 Best Paper Award (Journal of Interactive Marketing) and the 2017 Emerald Literati Award. Advising over 20 PhD students and overseeing grants such as NPG funding for digitalization projects. Active in leadership roles with EMAC and EIASM, and consulting with firms like DVJ Insights and Unilever. Labs/Teams: Leads the Groningen Digital Business Center and collaborates with the SOM Research Institute.
Prof. Koert van Ittersum is a Professor of Marketing and Consumer Well-Being at the Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Groningen (since 2013). He holds a PhD from Wageningen University (2001) and previously worked at the University of Illinois and Georgia Institute of Technology. His research focuses on consumer behavior, particularly linking marketing strategies to consumer well-being through healthier and sustainable diets. Key collaborations include the Centre for Public Health in Economics and Business and the Aletta Jacobs School of Public Health (RUG). Research interests center on consumer psychology, health, sustainability, and spending behaviors. Notable projects involve interventions with Dutch retailers to reduce food waste via transparency tools and studying decision-making dynamics in grocery shopping. Recent work explores self-control mechanisms, pride/guilt effects, and health-promoting digital interventions. Publications span journals like Journal of Consumer Research , Annals of Internal Medicine , and Preventive Medicine , addressing topics from food waste to mHealth adoption. His work bridges academic research with real-world applications in public health and retail strategy.
Tamon Stephen is a Professor in the Department of Mathematics at Simon Fraser University (SFU), part of the Faculty of Science. His research focuses on operations research, with an emphasis on combinatorial optimization, algorithms, discrete geometry, and computational biology. He holds a Ph.D. in Mathematics from the University of Michigan (2002). His work often bridges theoretical and computational aspects, addressing interdisciplinary applications. Stephen is affiliated with the Centre for Operations Research and Decision Sciences (CORDS) and has contributed to software tools for hypergraph transversals and colorful linear programming. He has taught courses such as Math 208W (Introduction to Operations Research) and has advised projects in metabolic network analysis and scheduling optimization. His office is located at the Surrey campus (SRYC 2886). Key research collaborations include studies on firefighter scheduling, nurse rostering, and metabolic pathway analysis. His methodologies often leverage algorithm design, polytope theory, and discrete mathematics. Stephen actively participates in academic service, organizing seminars and contributing to conferences such as the West Coast Optimization Meeting. His work emphasizes practical applications of theoretical results, with a focus on solving real-world optimization challenges.
Lawton Robert Burns is the James Joo-Jin Kim Professor and Professor of Healthcare Management at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania . He serves as Co-Director of the Roy and Diana Vagelos Program in Life Sciences and Management and Chairperson of the Health Care Systems Department since 2008. His career spans academic roles at the University of Chicago, University of Arizona, and University of Wisconsin. Education: PhD in Sociology, University of Chicago (1981) MBA in Health Administration, University of Chicago (1984) MA, University of Chicago (1976) BA, Haverford College (1973) Dr. Burns specializes in healthcare organization design , strategic change , and supply chain dynamics . His work examines hospital-physician relationships , integrated delivery systems , and market forces in healthcare. His recent publications analyze Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) , Group Purchasing Organizations (GPOs) , and strategic implementation failures. Notable awards include the Arthur Anderson Distinguished Visitor (2001), Edwin Crosby Memorial Fellowship (1992-93), and Udall Fellowship (1990-91). His research has been featured in Knowledge at Wharton , LDI News , and American Political Science Review . Dr. Burns co-authors works with experts like David Dranove and Stephen Shortell , focusing on clinical integration , retail supply chains , and global healthcare models (India, China).
Marshall L. Fisher is the UPS Professor of Operations, Information and Decisions at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. His research focuses on retailing and supply chain management, with notable work in dynamic pricing, omnichannel operations, and workforce optimization. Academic Affiliation: Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania Research Themes: Retail innovation, supply chain responsiveness, labor economics Recent Trends: Real-time pricing algorithms, inventory-demand interactions, digital transformation Scientific Recognition: INFORMS Kimball Medal (2007) POMS Fellow (2005) INFORMS Fellow (2002) NAE Election (1994) Academic Contributions: Pioneering work on Lagrangian relaxation in integer programming (1981), Edelman Prize-winning liquid gas optimization, and groundbreaking research on retail staffing and training effectiveness. His teaching includes courses on global supply chain management and AI in business.
Leandro "Leo" Pongeluppe serves as an Assistant Professor of Management at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, holding the distinguished position of Leonard J. Horwitz Faculty Scholar. His academic journey culminated with a PhD from the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto, positioning him at the forefront of research at the intersection of business and societal challenges. Pongeluppe's research program centers on understanding how organizational design and governance mechanisms influence the achievement of United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. His work spans multiple continents and contexts, with field research conducted in Brazilian favelas, the Amazon rainforest, worldwide desalination plants, and African HIV/AIDS treatment clinics. Methodologically, he employs innovative mixed-methods approaches that combine econometric causal inference with ethnographic techniques to tackle complex socio-environmental challenges. His publication portfolio reveals a consistent focus on stakeholder management within contexts of socioeconomic development and environmental sustainability. The research demonstrates how businesses can effectively address global challenges through strategic stakeholder engagement, showing particular promise in environmental conservation efforts and inclusive business models. His work on the Amazon rainforest reveals how companies like Natura have successfully preserved forests through stakeholder alignment, while his favela research exposes the complex social consequences of economic mobility. Wharton AI & Analytics Initiative Research Funding (2024) Wharton Teaching Excellence Awards (2023-24) Wiley Blackwell Outstanding Dissertation Award (Academy of Management, 2023) Multiple Best Paper Awards from Strategic Management Society and Academy of Management conferences Wharton Global Initiatives and ESG Initiative Funding (2023) Prior to his academic career, Pongeluppe co-founded Insper Metricis, a research group focused on socio-environmental impact evaluation, where he contributed to Brazil's first Social Impact Bond in partnership with São Paulo State Government and international development institutions. His professional experience also includes three years as an associate researcher at the Accenture Institute for High Performance, working on inclusive innovation projects across Brazil, China, Ghana, India, Mozambique, Nigeria, and South Africa. This practical experience deeply informs his scholarly work and teaching approach, particularly in his course on Managing Established Enterprises which addresses strategic challenges facing incumbent firms.
Cesla Amarelle serves as Full Professor and Chairholder of Public Law and Migration Law at the University of Neuchâtel's Faculty of Law. Her academic leadership extends to co-directing the Swiss Center for Migration Law (CDM) and contributing to national research initiatives including the National Center of Competence in Research (NCCR) 'On the Move'. She concurrently holds significant public appointments as Chair of the Institute of European Law at the University of Fribourg and Federal Commissioner for Women's Issues, with recent expert designation to the Federal Round Table on signature collection integrity for 2024. Her academic foundation includes a law degree from the University of Lausanne (1996), LL.M. in European and International Economic Law from the University of Fribourg, and doctoral thesis from the University of Lausanne (2004). Her career progression at the University of Neuchâtel spans assistant professor (2009-2014), extraordinary professor (2015-2016), and full professor positions since 2016, complemented by earlier research roles at Swiss National Science Foundation and University of Fribourg. Professor Amarelle's research centers on migration law frameworks, human rights protections in asylum systems, and constitutional dimensions of European integration. Her work critically examines the intersection of migration governance with digital technologies, climate change impacts, and gender equality. Current projects analyze temporary protection regimes, non-refoulement principles in technological contexts, and the evolving relationship between Swiss migration law and European legal frameworks. Her scholarship consistently bridges theoretical legal analysis with practical policy implementation challenges. Her extensive publication record demonstrates evolving focus from foundational migration law codification toward contemporary challenges including digital discrimination, child rights in emergency contexts, and sustainable finance frameworks. Recent scholarship reflects increasing engagement with technological impacts on migration governance and the humanitarian dimensions of temporary protection systems, while maintaining rigorous analysis of constitutional and European law interfaces. Professor Amarelle actively contributes to academic and public discourse through leadership in the Swiss Center for Migration Law and participation in the NCCR 'On the Move' consortium. Her public service includes significant political roles as Vaud State Councilor for Education (2017-2022) and National Councilor (2011-2017), where she chaired key committees on political institutions and finance while representing Swiss higher education interests nationally. She maintains active engagement with professional associations including the Swiss Conference of Higher Education Institutions and Conference of Directors of Public Education.
Jiawei Zhang is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Sciences at the University of Wisconsin–Madison since May 2025. His research focuses on optimization algorithms for machine learning, adversarial training, reinforcement learning, and distributed systems. Ph.D. in Computer and Information Engineering, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen (2021) B.Sc. in Mathematics (Hua Loo-Keng Talent Program), University of Science and Technology of China His work spans nonconvex optimization , robust machine learning , and data-driven decision-making , with applications to AI and sustainable energy systems. Recent publications at ICML 2025 address stochastic primal-dual methods and contextual optimization robustness, while earlier works explore bilevel optimization, reward learning, and distributed consensus algorithms. Scientific awards include: MIT Postdoctoral Fellowship For Engineering Excellence (2023) CUHK-Shenzhen Presidential Award for Outstanding Doctoral Students (2021) SRIBD PhD Fellowship (2020-2021) CUHK-Shenzhen Outstanding Teaching Assistant (2023) He supervises undergraduate researchers and seeks graduate students with strong mathematical or algorithmic backgrounds for 2025 admission, emphasizing optimization and AI-driven applications.
Mehrdad Nojoumian is an Associate Professor at Florida Atlantic University's College of Engineering and Computer Science, specializing in Security, Privacy, Trust, and Human-Autonomy Interaction. His research bridges computer science with FinTech and autonomous systems, focusing on cryptographic protocols, blockchain, and IoT security. PhD, University of Waterloo (Computer Science, 2012) MSc, University of Ottawa (Computer Science, 2007) BSc, Islamic Azad University (Computer Engineering, 2002) His research explores privacy-preserving mechanisms in autonomous systems, trust modeling in blockchain, and cross-disciplinary applications of cryptography. Recent work includes patents on adaptive driving modes and ongoing studies on IoT vulnerabilities and autonomous coordination. Notable awards include the Excellence and Innovation in Undergraduate Teaching Award (2023), NAI Induction (2022), and multiple Best Paper Awards . His publications span journals like Information and Computation and conferences such as GameSec and IEEE Blockchain . He mentors graduate students in cybersecurity bootcamps, high school outreach programs, and collaborative research projects funded by NSF , ARO-AFOSR , and AFRL . His lab emphasizes diversity and inclusion, particularly supporting underrepresented groups in STEM.
Dr. Paul Melendez serves as a University Distinguished Outreach Professor at the University of Arizona's Eller College of Management within the Department of Management and Organizations. He has held this position since 1996 and currently leads the Center for Leadership Ethics as its Founder, while also serving as Lead Faculty for Academic Programs and Interim Director of Executive Education. His educational background includes an EdD from the University of Arizona with a specialization in privatization. Dr. Melendez specializes in organizational ethics , business ethics , and international business , with significant contributions to ethical decision-making frameworks and transformational leadership. His research emphasizes practical applications in global corporate environments, as evidenced by his consulting work with multinational entities including DP World, BHP Billiton, and Grupo Bal. His distinguished recognition includes: University Distinguished Outreach Professor Eller College Outstanding Business Management Faculty Award Undergraduate Faculty Member of the Year Departmental Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award Neville Cramer Faculty Award Dean's Course Innovation Grant University Team Award for Excellence Dr. Melendez secured the Dean's Undergraduate Course Innovation Grant and contributed to the University Team Award for Excellence through curriculum development. His extensive consulting practice demonstrates significant real-world impact, advising executive leadership at major international corporations on ethical transformation and innovative strategy. Previously, he served as Assistant Dean for Executive Education and Assistant Department Head. The Center for Leadership Ethics operates as his primary research hub, driving initiatives that integrate cutting-edge ethics education with corporate outreach programs to reshape organizational culture globally.
Prof. Dr. Frank T. Piller is a University Professor and Co-Leader of the Institute for Technology and Innovation Management (TIM) at RWTH Aachen University, where he also serves as Academic Director of the Executive MBA program at RWTH Business School. He leads a research team of approximately 30 doctoral students, 5 postdocs, and over 20 student researchers within the TIME Research Area of the School of Business and Economics. His educational background includes a doctoral degree in Operations Management from the University of Würzburg (1999) and a Habilitation degree from TUM Business School (2004) on "Innovation and Value Co-Creation." Prior to joining RWTH Aachen in 2007, he was a Research Fellow at MIT Sloan School of Management and faculty at TUM Business School. Prof. Piller is recognized as one of the world's leading experts in customer-centered value creation, specializing in mass customization, personalization, and customer co-creation. His current research focuses on how established companies can transform in response to disruptive business model innovations, with particular emphasis on digital transformation (Industry 4.0), AI-augmented innovation, and sustainable business models. He is particularly known for his work on innovation ecosystems, platform-based business models, and stakeholder-oriented technology development. His recent publications demonstrate a clear trajectory toward integrating artificial intelligence with traditional innovation management frameworks, exploring how AI transforms manufacturing systems, innovation processes, and business models. His work increasingly addresses the challenges of digital transformation in established industries while maintaining focus on customer co-creation and mass customization principles. His scientific achievements have been recognized with numerous awards: Co-Creation Award of the PDMA Nomination for "Innovating Innovation" Prize by Harvard Business Review and McKinsey "Lecturer of the Year" by Executive MBA students at TU Munich RWTH Aachen Rector's Prize for Excellent Teaching (since 2010) Grant for innovative "Flipping the Classroom" teaching concept ERC Synergy Grant for SAFER Grid project (2025-2031) Prof. Piller maintains an extensive research network spanning academia and industry. He collaborates with numerous corporations including 3M, Adidas, BASF, EON, J&J, P&G, Siemens, and Vodafone, as well as many technology startups across Europe and North America. As a co-founder, supervisory board member, and investor in innovative startups, he actively transfers research into practice. His research has received significant funding, most notably the prestigious ERC Synergy Grant for the SAFER Grid project. He leads the Technology and Innovation Management Group (TIM) within the TIME Research Area at RWTH Aachen, which comprises over 100 senior and junior researchers working at the intersection of innovation, technology management, marketing, and entrepreneurship. The institute is a leading European research institution for strategic, behavioral, and computer-supported technology and innovation management.
