Cicek Cavdar is an Associate Professor at the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) at KTH Royal Institute of Technology , Sweden. She leads the Intelligent Network Systems research group and specializes in Telecommunication Networks , with a focus on Beyond 5G/6G Mobile Networks , Energy Efficiency , and AI-Assisted Network Management . PhD in Computer Science (2009) from University of California, Davis and Istanbul Technical University Her research spans Cell-Free Massive MIMO , Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces (RIS) , UAV Communication Systems , and Green Network Technologies . She actively contributes to 6G Network Architecture and Non-Terrestrial Networks , including satellite and aerial systems. Recent publications highlight AI-driven network optimization for handover management, energy-aware resource allocation , and multi-agent reinforcement learning in complex communication environments. She teaches advanced courses in Communication Systems , Machine Learning , and Software Engineering at KTH.
Aarti Singh is a Professor in the Machine Learning Department at Carnegie Mellon University and Director of the NSF AI Institute for Societal Decision Making. She leads research at the intersection of machine learning, statistics, and decision making, with applications to scientific and societal domains. Her work focuses on designing principled interactive algorithms for learning and decision making under uncertainty. Education: Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison (2008) M.S. in Electrical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison (2003) B.E. in Electronics and Communication Engineering, University of Delhi (2001) Research Interests: Professor Singh's research centers on developing interactive machine learning algorithms that go beyond finding input-output associations to make higher-level decisions about the most informative data and actions. Her work spans autonomous decision making, including active sampling, stochastic optimization, bandits, and reinforcement learning that are statistically optimal, computationally tractable, and robust. She also investigates human factors in decision making, designing algorithms that model and leverage human feedback while accounting for bias, memory effects, and calibration. Her research has applications in material science, cosmology, and peer review systems. Research Trends: Professor Singh's recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on reinforcement learning, particularly in developing more efficient and robust algorithms for decision making under uncertainty. Her work bridges theoretical foundations with practical applications, spanning from fundamental algorithm development to real-world implementation in scientific domains. There's a clear trajectory toward integrating human factors into decision-making algorithms, with significant contributions to peer review systems and preference learning. Scientific Awards: NSF Career Award United States Air Force Young Investigator Award A. Nico Habermann Faculty Chair Award Harold A. Peterson Best Dissertation Award Multiple paper awards Advising and Grants: Professor Singh has advised numerous PhD and master's students, many of whom have gone on to faculty positions or research roles at leading institutions. Her research is supported by prestigious grants from ONR, Simons Foundation, AFRL, ARL, and NSF. She serves as General Chair (2025) and Program Chair (2020) for the International Conference on Machine Learning (ICML) and has held leadership roles in multiple professional organizations. Research Team: Professor Singh leads a vibrant research group within the Machine Learning Department at CMU, with current PhD students working on topics including reinforcement learning, human-AI collaboration, and decision making under uncertainty. She also directs the NSF AI Institute for Societal Decision Making, which brings together researchers from multiple disciplines to develop AI systems that support human decision making in societal contexts.
Professor Omar A. Saleh is a distinguished physicist and materials scientist at the University of California, Santa Barbara, holding appointments in both the Materials and Physics Departments. Since summer 2023, he has served as Chair of the Materials Department and maintains a minority appointment in the Biomolecular Science and Engineering (BMSE) Program, where he previously served as Director from 2013-2017. His educational background includes a B.S. in Physics from MIT (1997) and a Ph.D. in Physics from Princeton (2003), supported by a Hertz Fellowship. Following postdoctoral work at École Normale Supérieure in Paris developing single-molecule techniques for motor protein/DNA studies, he joined UCSB in 2005. Saleh's research centers on fundamental principles of biomolecular behavior through experimental investigation of biopolymer elasticity and biomimetic organelles. His lab pioneers precision single-molecule stretching experiments to study entropic/energetic contributions in soft systems and creates life-like behaviors using reconstituted nucleic acid/protein assemblies. Key focus areas include DNA nanostar phase separation, liquid-liquid phase behavior, intrinsically disordered proteins, and non-equilibrium biomolecular systems. His publication trends reveal a strong emphasis on biomolecular condensates (2023-2025), with recurring themes in DNA nanotechnology, polyelectrolyte physics, and single-molecule mechanics. Recent work explores tension-mediated control of phase separation, transcriptional regulation of biomolecular liquids, and active matter principles in DNA systems. NSF CAREER Award (2008) Bessel Research Award from Alexander von Humboldt Society (2017) Fellow of the American Physical Society (2019) Saleh actively mentors graduate students and postdocs including Sam Wilken, Gabrielle Abraham, Anna Nguyen, and Aria Chaderjian, whose research spans DNA nanostar liquids, active droplets, and complex coacervation. His lab develops innovative instrumentation including high-speed magnetic tweezers and GPU-based tracking systems, supported by grants such as NSF/MCB-BSF: Direct force measurements of intrinsically disordered proteins. The Saleh Group operates at BioE 3006, focusing on creating quantitative models of biological function through physical reconstitution.
David Williamson Shaffer is the Sears Bascom Professor of Learning Analytics and Vilas Distinguished Achievement Professor of Learning Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Department of Educational Psychology. He is also a Data Philosopher at the Wisconsin Center for Education Research. His work focuses on merging statistical and qualitative methods to model complex human collaboration. Shaffer holds an AB in History and East Asian Studies from Harvard University (1987), and MS/PhD in Media Arts and Sciences from MIT (1996/1998). Before academia, he was a teacher, curriculum developer, and game designer. His research emphasizes Quantitative Ethnography —a methodology combining big data analysis with cultural interpretation. Key contributions include Epistemic Network Analysis (ENA) and over 250 publications, including influential books like How Computer Games Help Children Learn (2006) and Quantitative Ethnography (2017). Awardees of the EU Marie Curie Fellowship (2008) and Spencer Foundation Fellowship (2003), Shaffer's work has been presented globally at conferences like Learning Analytics & Knowledge and Computer Supported Collaborative Learning. His interdisciplinary approach bridges education, data science, and humanities, addressing challenges in authentic STEM experiences, collaborative learning analytics, and culturally responsive pedagogy.
Prof. Niki Kilbertus is an Assistant Professor at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) in the Department of Informatics, and Group Leader at Helmholtz AI. His research focuses on causal machine learning, ethical AI systems, and applications in healthcare, climate science, and dynamical systems. He earned his PhD from the University of Cambridge (2020) and has held positions at DeepMind, Google, and Amazon during his studies. His research interests include causal discovery, fairness in AI, counterfactual reasoning, and integrating physics-based constraints into neural networks. Key contributions include foundational work on fair machine learning (e.g., avoiding discrimination through causal models) and developing methods for causal inference in complex systems like healthcare and climate modeling. Recent work emphasizes generative models for causal interventions, robust treatment effect estimation, and physically consistent neural differential equations. He leads a large interdisciplinary group with over 20 students and postdocs working on projects funded by Helmholtz Association, ERC, and industry collaborations. Notable awards include the Leopoldina Prize for Young Scientists (2024) and membership in the Junge Akademie. His lab maintains active partnerships with ELLIS, MCML, and the Zuse Institute Berlin.
Cheryl Gaimon holds the Esther and Edward J. Brown Chair and serves as a Regents' Professor at the Scheller College of Business, Georgia Institute of Technology. She is Faculty Director of the Management of Technology (MoT) Certificate Program, which she helped establish, and teaches across all academic levels including executive education. Professor Gaimon initiated the Operations Management Program and served as its first Area Coordinator for seven years. Her academic credentials include: Ph.D. in Operations Research from Carnegie Mellon University M.S. in Industrial Administration (Operations Management) from Carnegie Mellon University B.S. in Mathematics and Economics (Magna Cum Laude) from Brooklyn College, City University of New York Professor Gaimon's research centers on managing knowledge-based resources in technology-driven environments. Her work spans Innovation and Management of Technology , Knowledge Management and Outsourcing , New Product/Process Development , Alliances for Innovation , and Sustainability Research . She examines how firms navigate technological change through strategic resource allocation, knowledge transfer, and sustainable operations, with increasing emphasis on environmental strategies in recent years. Her publication trajectory reveals consistent focus on operations management within technological evolution—from foundational work on technology acquisition and capacity planning to contemporary studies on environmental strategies and multidisciplinary technology management. Key journals featuring her research include Management Science , Operations Research , and Production and Operations Management . Major recognitions include: Regents' Professor designation (2005) by the Georgia Board of Regents The 1999 Georgia Tech Research Award for doctoral student development Brady Family Award for Faculty Research Excellence (2014) Best Department Editor Award for POM (2024) POMS Fellow status and Distinguished Service Award (2009/2014) As an educator, she has mentored doctoral students and shaped curriculum through the MoT program. Her professional leadership includes serving as POMS President (2008-2009), founding co-President of the POMS College on Product Innovation and Technology Management, and editorial roles at top journals including Management Science and Production and Operations Management . Professor Gaimon directs the interdisciplinary Management of Technology Certificate Program, fostering cross-departmental collaboration for technology management research and education while advancing sustainability integration in operations.
Dr. Hassan Qudrat-Ullah is a Professor at the School of Administrative Studies, York University, and Coordinator of the Certificate in Logistics Management. He holds a PhD in Decision Sciences from NUS Business School and completed a post-doctoral fellowship at Carnegie Mellon University. His research focuses on dynamic decision making, system dynamics modeling, energy planning, and interactive learning environments. He teaches courses on quantitative methods, logistics, and decision analysis, informed by global industry experience across 20+ countries. Research interests include sustainability, climate change, systems thinking, and educational applications of decision sciences. He serves as Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Complexity in Applied Science and Technology and is a member of IEEE, DSI, and the International System Dynamics Society. His work has been published in Energy , Decision Support Systems , and others. Key projects include studies on 'structured-debriefing in dynamic decision making' and renewable energy policies in Africa. His recent articles (2023–2025) address AI integration in energy governance, system dynamics for supply chain resilience, and education for sustainability. Hassan advocates for systems thinking in K-12 education and enjoys traveling (visited 129 countries) and bird-watching.
Robin Jia is an Assistant Professor in the Thomas Lord Department of Computer Science at the University of Southern California (USC) , where he leads the AI, Language, Learning, Generalization, and Robustness (Allegro) Lab . His research focuses on enhancing the reliability and robustness of large language models (LLMs) through mechanistic understanding, benchmarking under distribution shifts, and neurosymbolic integration. Key affiliations include collaborations with the USC Keck School of Medicine and contributions to legal frameworks like the EU's Digital Services Act. Robin's research spans multiple domains, including: Scientific analysis of LLM capabilities in in-context learning , data memorization , and numerical reasoning Advancements in robust NLP systems , emphasizing uncertainty estimation and calibration Development of methods combining LLMs with symbolic solvers for complex reasoning tasks Interdisciplinary applications in medicine and law , such as privacy-preserving synthetic data generation and medical misconception evaluation . His recent publications (2024-2025) address Fourier-based numerical embeddings (NeurIPS), neurosymbolic planning (NAACL), and multimodal benchmarking (COLM), with a strong emphasis on privacy , fairness , and transparency . Scientific awards include the Google Research Scholar Award (2023) , SoCalNLP Symposium Best Paper Awards , and ACL/EMNLP outstanding papers . He advises PhD students like Johnny Wei and Ameya Godbole, and has secured grants from the NSF , USC-Capital One , and USC-Amazon .
Prof. Kai S. Exner is a Professor of Theoretical Inorganic Chemistry at the University of Duisburg-Essen's Faculty of Chemistry and a member of the Zentrum für Medizinische Biotechnologie (ZMB). His research focuses on electrocatalysis , particularly optimizing electrode materials for energy applications such as batteries, electrolyzers, and fuel cells. He employs computational methods like ab initio calculations and microkinetic modeling to bridge theoretical insights with experimental and industrial applications, emphasizing sustainable catalyst design without relying on noble metals. His work integrates basic research with applied medical biotechnology through ZMB collaborations, though his primary affiliation lies in the Faculty of Chemistry. Exner has pioneered concepts like the electrochemical-step asymmetry index and free-energy span model, which are critical for screening electrocatalysts. His research group, 'Theoretical Inorganic Chemistry,' actively explores mechanisms behind oxygen and chlorine evolution reactions, emphasizing selectivity control and reaction pathway complexity. Exner received the Gottschalk-Diederich-Baedeker-Preis (2024) for advancing the energy transition through foundational electrocatalysis research. He leads Aktuelles Projekt funded by third-party grants and collaborates with facilities like the Analytics Core Facility Essen (ACE) and Imaging Center Campus Essen (ICCE). His advisory role focuses on guiding theoretical and computational approaches in electrochemistry, and he has established a reputation for interdisciplinary research connecting computational chemistry with practical energy solutions.
Liza Rebrova is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Operations Research and Financial Engineering (ORFE) at Princeton University's School of Engineering and Applied Science. She is also an associated faculty member of the Program in Applied and Computational Mathematics (PACM) and the Center for Statistics and Machine Learning (CSML). Her research focuses on randomized numerical linear algebra and the mathematics of data science, with connections to high-dimensional probability and stochastic optimization. She develops mathematically justified randomized algorithms for large-scale data, particularly interested in settings where data exhibits mathematical structure such as spectral decay, multi-modality, or non-negativity. Her work addresses challenges in data compression, recovery, and optimization under structured noise conditions. Dr. Rebrova's recent publications show a strong trend toward developing robust algorithms for linear systems, tensor data compression, and nonnegative matrix factorization. Her work bridges theoretical foundations with practical applications in machine learning and data science, with emphasis on memory efficiency and handling corrupted or incomplete data. NSF DMS-2309685 (Single PI, 2024-2026): "Outliers are not what they seem: data-aware, flexible, and robust randomized iterative methods" NSF DMS-2108479 (Collaborative, 2022-2024): "Fast, Low-Memory Embeddings for Tensor Data with Applications" (co-PIs Mark Iwen and Deanna Needell) She currently advises three PhD students (Jackie Lok, Shambhavi Suryanarayanan, and Sofiia Shvaiko) and has previously advised Abraar Chaudhry (PhD 2024) and Nicolo Grometto (Masters thesis 2023). At Princeton, she teaches graduate courses including ORF526 (Graduate Probability), ORF387 (Networks), and ORF523 (Convex and Conic Optimization).
Tommi Jaakkola is the Thomas Siebel Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and the Institute for Data, Systems, and Society at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He received his MSc in theoretical physics from Helsinki University of Technology in 1992 and his PhD from MIT in computational neuroscience in 1997. After completing a postdoctoral position in computational molecular biology as a DOE/Sloan fellow at UCSC, he joined the MIT EECS faculty in 1998. His research advances how machines can learn, predict or control, and do so at scale in an efficient, principled, and interpretable manner. His work in machine learning extends from foundational theory to modern applications, focusing especially on statistical inference and estimation tasks that lie at the heart of complex learning problems. He designs new methods, theory and algorithms to automate the use and generation of semi-structured data such as natural language text, images, molecules, or strategies. Jaakkola applies and develops algorithms to solve multi-faceted recommender, retrieval, or inferential tasks (particularly in biomedical contexts), design and optimize molecules or reactions for drug design, and model strategic, game theoretic interactions. His recent work heavily focuses on diffusion models, protein structure prediction, molecular design, and generative AI, with significant publications in top conferences including ICML, NeurIPS, and ICLR. His scientific contributions span multiple disciplines with significant impact in both theoretical machine learning and practical applications in computational biology and chemistry, including notable work on antibiotic discovery published in Cell. Current advisees: Julia Balla, Bowen Jing, Hannes Stärk, Peter Holderrieth, Chenyu Wang Recent graduates: Gabriele Corso (Boltz PBC), Ezra Erives (DE Shaw), Jason Yim (Xaira) Jaakkola maintains an active research program through MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) and the Institute for Data, Systems, and Society (IDSS), with his office located in the Stata Center (32-G470). His work bridges theoretical machine learning with practical applications, making significant contributions to both the academic field and potential real-world impact in healthcare and drug discovery.
Dr. Daniel J. Hsu is a Professor of Computer Science at Columbia University, affiliated with the Foundations of Data Science Center and TRIPODS Institute. His research focuses on algorithmic statistics, machine learning theory, and their applications in public health informatics. He has advised numerous students and postdocs, and his work bridges foundational theory with practical systems like foodborne illness detection via social media analysis. Key roles: Associate Editor (ACM Transactions on Algorithms), Program Chair (ICML 2025, COLT 2019) Research areas: Foundations of Data Science, Machine Learning Theory, Fairness, and High-dimensional Statistics His work on detecting foodborne illnesses using Yelp reviews has been deployed by NYC Health departments. Recent contributions include advancements in transformer architectures, group fairness algorithms, and multi-group learning frameworks. Scientific awards include the Sloan Fellowship and multiple NSF grants. He has pioneered interactive machine teaching methods and developed algorithms for robust parameter estimation in high-dimensional settings.
Professor Justin Chalker is the Matthew Flinders Professor and Research Leader at Flinders University 's College of Science and Engineering, affiliated with the Flinders Institute for NanoScale Science and Technology. He works at the intersection of organic chemistry, chemical biology, and materials science , focusing on sustainable chemistry solutions for environmental and technological challenges. Education: B.S. in Chemistry and B.A. in History/Philosophy of Science (University of Pittsburgh, 2006); D.Phil. in Chemistry (University of Oxford, supervised by Benjamin Davis) Career: Assistant Professor at University of Tulsa (2012-2015); Lecturer (2015) and Senior Lecturer (2017-present) at Flinders University His lab develops chemical tools for biological system interrogation and novel materials like sulfur-based polymers for mercury remediation, recyclable composites, and zinc-ion battery cathodes. Current projects include inverse vulcanization, waste valorization, and environmental applications of sustainable chemistry. His research aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goals for environmental protection and resource efficiency, particularly in material science (vulcanization, composite materials, polysulfides) and chemical biology (cysteine modification, protein chemistry). Key scientific recognitions: 2016 Tall Poppy Award, 2017 Dream Chemistry Award Finalist, Eureka Prize Finalist (2018), SA STEM Educator of the Year (2018), AMP Tomorrow Maker Award (2018) Prospective students can contact Dr. Chalker directly for Ph.D. and Honours opportunities. The lab website ( www.chalkerlab.com ) provides details on their research in sulfur chemistry, recyclable polymers, and chemical sustainability .
Ole Winther is Professor in High dimensional biological data analysis/Machine learning at the Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen and Professor in Data science and complexity at DTU Compute, Technical University of Denmark. He serves as CRO and co-founder of raffle.ai, CTO and co-founder of FindZebra, Head of ELLIS Unit Copenhagen, and co-PI of the Machine Learning for Life Science Center. His research spans Bioinformatics , Machine Learning , and AI for Science , focusing on applying deep learning to biological sequence analysis, latent variable models, and medical NLP. Winther's work develops predictive and generative models for bioinformatics, with significant contributions to protein localization tools (SignalP, DeepLoc, DeepTMHMM), single-cell genomics, and novel deep learning architectures like variational autoencoders and diffusion models. Analysis of Winther's recent publications (2023-2025) reveals a strong trend toward integrating protein language models with traditional bioinformatics approaches and applying diffusion models to scientific problems. His work bridges theoretical machine learning advancements with practical applications in biology and medicine, particularly in protein sequence analysis, medical search engines, and scientific simulation acceleration. Winther currently supervises a diverse research group including Panagiotis Antoniadis, Rachael M. DeVries, Jun Wang, Beatrix M. G. Nielsen, Felix G. Teufel, Irene R. Rodriguez, Anders Christensen, and Christopher Heje Grønbech. His former students have established successful careers at institutions including Google, Apple, and various startups, with notable alumni like Casper Sønderby (Google Brain) and Søren Sønderby (Apple). He leads significant research initiatives including the ELLIS Unit Copenhagen and the Machine Learning for Life Science Center, while maintaining active industry partnerships through his co-founded companies raffle.ai (enterprise search using NLP) and FindZebra (search engine for rare diseases). His teaching includes Deep Learning courses at both DTU (02456) and University of Copenhagen (NDAK24002U).
Farzad Mashayek is a Professor and Department Head of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering at the University of Arizona, College of Engineering. He is a member of the Graduate Faculty and leads the Computational Multiphase Transport Laboratory. His research integrates high-fidelity simulations, machine learning, and experimental validation across diverse domains in fluid dynamics and energy systems. Educational Background: PhD in Mechanical Engineering, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY MS in Mechanical Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran BS in Mechanical Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran His research interests include turbulent reacting flows, plasma dynamics, electrostatic atomization, solid-ion and lithium batteries, computational fluid dynamics, and machine learning applications in engineering. He employs high-order spectral element methods, phase-field modeling, and deep neural networks to study complex multiphysics phenomena such as drop impact, battery degradation, and turbulence modeling. The recent publications reflect a strong trend toward integrating machine learning with multiphysics simulations, particularly in battery safety (thermal runaway prediction), materials characterization (STEM image analysis), and fluid dynamics (modal analysis of turbulence). His work often involves collaboration with experimental groups to validate models, especially in dental aerosol suppression and electrohydrodynamics. Scientific Awards: Sustained Service Award, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), Spring 2022 Best Presentation Award, The 20th International Conference on Computational Mathematics, Parallel and Distributed Computing, Summer I 2018 Dr. Mashayek has secured funding from NSF (GOALI program) for controlled coating via charged droplet deposition. He advises graduate students and postdoctoral researchers in computational mechanics and energy systems, fostering interdisciplinary research. He has contributed to engineering education, particularly during the pandemic, with active learning strategies in online instruction. He leads a dynamic research team focused on advancing simulation tools and applying them to real-world challenges in energy, manufacturing, and public health.
