Benjamin J. Keys is a Research Associate at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School within the Public Economics program. His work focuses on public economics, environmental economics, and financial risk management with particular emphasis on housing markets and climate change impacts. University of Pennsylvania - The Wharton School Public Economics Department His research explores: Climate risk capitalization in housing markets Mortgage insurance moral hazard Consumer credit card payment behaviors Emergency credit systems Regional economic redistribution through mortgages Email: benkeys@wharton.upenn.edu Scientific awards include: Fellowships on Consumer Financial Management
Matthew Dunbabin is a Professor at Queensland University of Technology (QUT) and Chief Investigator at the Australian Centre for Robotic Vision (ACRV). His expertise spans environmental robotics, with a focus on vision-based autonomous systems for marine conservation, water quality monitoring, and greenhouse gas management. He holds a PhD from QUT and a BEng (Aerospace) from RMIT. Dunbabin has led projects at CSIRO and QUT, developing robots like COTSBot and RangerBot to combat marine pests and promote reef restoration. His work has earned national and international awards, including the 2019 Australian Water Association Award and 2016 Google Impact Challenge. Education: PhD in Engineering, Queensland University of Technology (Queensland, Australia) BEng (Hons) in Aerospace Engineering, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (Melbourne, Australia) Research Interests: Environmental robotics and autonomous systems Vision-based perception and classification Marine habitat restoration and pest control Greenhouse gas monitoring via autonomous vehicles Cooperative robotics and sensor networks Awards & Recognition: 2019 Australian Water Association Award (SAMMI Project) 2019 Good Design Award - Sustainability (RangerBot) 2016 Google Impact Challenge People’s Choice Award (RangerBot AUV) 2010 Australian ICT Industry Association National iAward (iSnet) 2006 Queensland Engineering Excellence Innovation Award (Starbug Project) Grants & Projects: ARC Centre of Excellence for Robotic Vision (ACRV): Leading robotic vision research (2014–present) Revolutionising Protection Against Air Pollution: Air quality monitoring networks (2015–present) Establishing Advanced Networks for Air Quality Sensing: Sensor development for urban environments (2017–present) Labs & Collaborations: ACRV at QUT Institute for Future Environments (QUT) CSIRO Autonomous Systems Laboratory (2001–2013)
Mariana Resener is an Assistant Professor in the School of Sustainable Energy Engineering at Simon Fraser University (SFU). She holds a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering (2016) from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, alongside M.Sc. (2011) and B.Sc. (2008) degrees in the same field. Her research focuses on optimizing power systems, particularly in distributed energy resources, energy storage, and volt/var control. She teaches courses like Power Electronics and Power Systems Analysis & Design. Her work emphasizes sustainable development in grid planning and energy infrastructure. As a Senior Member of IEEE and an Associate Editor for the Energy Systems Journal (Springer), she contributes to advancing smart grid technologies and renewable integration. Her research spans metaheuristic optimization, stochastic modeling, and grid resilience strategies for distributed systems. Recent projects include hybrid renewable energy systems for substations, EV charging station optimization, and fault analysis in unbalanced grids. She collaborates with industry on practical solutions for grid modernization and reliability enhancement.
Sibel Pamukcu is a Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Lehigh University, affiliated with the P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science. Her research focuses on electroremediation of soils and groundwater, advanced geo-materials, and sensor systems for subsurface monitoring. She has held leadership roles including interim Chair of Civil and Environmental Engineering and co-director of Lehigh’s ADVANCE grant. Pamukcu teaches courses in geotechnical and environmental engineering at both undergraduate and graduate levels. Education: Ph.D. in Civil Engineering, Louisiana State University M.S. in Civil Engineering, Louisiana State University B.S. in Civil Engineering, Bogazici University, Turkey Research Interests: Her work spans electrochemical methods for environmental detoxification, development of polymer-enhanced sands, and distributed sensor networks for real-time subsurface monitoring. Key focus areas include: In-situ destruction of contaminants in clay-rich soils Enhanced oil recovery via electric fields Wireless and fiber-optic sensor systems for hazard mitigation Grants & Awards: Principal investigator on over 60 grants from NSF, DOE, DOD, and others. Notable awards include the Alfred Noble Robinson Award (Lehigh University) and the ASCE Civil Engineering Foundation Grant Award. Her lab holds multiple patents on soil remediation techniques and polymer-coated sands. Advising & Service: Supervised 9 Ph.D. and 25+ M.S. students Appointed to Martindale Center faculty and Sigma Xi leadership Contributed to 50+ peer-reviewed articles and 100+ technical publications Labs & Teams: Leads interdisciplinary initiatives in electrokinetic remediation and underground sensing, collaborating with industry partners like Electric Power Research Institute and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.
Prof. Dr. Johannes Sauer is a Professor at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), holding dual affiliations with the TUM School of Management and the TUM School of Life Sciences . His academic focus is on production and resource economics, with expertise in agricultural sustainability, policy evaluation, and circular economy strategies in Asia-Pacific and Latin America. Education: Bachelor’s/Master’s in Agricultural Economics from Universities of Tübingen, Hamburg, and Imperial College London. Doctorate (summa cum laude) in Agricultural Economics from the University of Bonn (2004). Research Interests: Prof. Sauer’s work spans productivity and resilience in agricultural systems, adoption of sustainable technologies, water resource valuation, and bioeconomic trends. He emphasizes smart technologies and circular economy applications in developing regions. His research employs econometric methods to analyze policy impacts and environmental-economic trade-offs. Key Trends in Publications: Recent articles highlight climate-smart agriculture, ICT adoption in rural China, and agroforestry’s role in reducing ecological-economic trade-offs. He explores behavioral drivers of policy participation and innovative tools like the IoFarm decision support system. Awards: 2021 Honorary Professorship at ANU OECD Fellow Awards (2010, 2016) Best Paper Awards (2008–2015) Consulting & Roles: OECD and Asian Development Bank consultant, ESRC Peer Review College member, and liaison lecturer for the German National Academic Foundation. He advises on agri-environmental policies and international development. Labs/Teams: Active in collaborative projects such as PONDERFUL Framework and IPM Popilia , focusing on nexus research and pest management strategies.
Chee-Wooi Ten is a tenured Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Michigan Technological University, where he has served since 2010 and achieved tenure in 2016. He concurrently holds an Affiliated Professor appointment in Applied Computing and directs both the PSERC Site and ICC CPS Center. His institutional roles emphasize cyber-physical security integration within power infrastructure. His educational background includes: PhD in Electrical Engineering from University College Dublin (2009) MSc in Electrical Engineering from Iowa State University (2001) BSc in Electrical Engineering from Iowa State University (1999) Ten's research pioneers cyber-informed security engineering strategies for bulk power systems, focusing on quantifying rare events through system risk models and data science. His work bridges power grid interactions with robotics and transportation systems to advance decarbonization and electrification. Key methodologies include validating cyber-physical security frameworks against steady-state and dynamic grid approaches, with emphasis on attack/defense combinatorics and smart home technologies. This transdisciplinary approach supports the fourth industrial revolution's resilience requirements. His publication trends reveal strong focus on risk-aggregated substation testbeds using generative adversarial networks, cyber insurance models for power systems, and cascading failure analysis from switching attacks. Recent works increasingly integrate machine learning with physics-based modeling to address cybersecurity threats in inverter-based resource integration and distribution emergency operations. Ten has secured over $6.5M in active funding including: $2M DOE grant (MTU portion $105,000) for CyDERMS Center on DERs/Microgrids cybersecurity $704,409 CyManII award for secure digitalization in smart manufacturing $1.05M DOE ARPA-E grant for decarbonized freight transportation modeling NSF CyberCorps Scholarship for Service program ($3.38M) His grants consistently address risk management through data-driven and physics-based modeling, with industry partnerships through PSERC and utility collaborations. As ICC CPS Center Director, he leads research on cyber-physical security testbeds and coordinates the PSERC Summer Transformation School. His team develops validation frameworks for NERC CIP compliance while addressing practical pain points in OT cybersecurity for grid operators.
Dr. Alister Smith is a Reader (Associate Professor) in Geotechnics at Loughborough University, where he directs the £1M National Engineered Slope Simulator (NESS) – the world’s first climate-controlled facility testing clay slope deterioration. His £6.7M research portfolio addresses geotechnical infrastructure resilience under climate change. Innovations include acoustic emission (AE) landslide early warning systems deployed across five continents, with the Community Slope SAFE project recognized in REF2021. Current work includes the RAINDROP doctoral training cluster on infrastructure prognosis and the £4.9M EPSRC ACHILLES programme on climate impacts. Awards: Philip Leverhulme Prize, ICE Thomas Telford Premium (twice), and Hawley Award for Engineering Innovation. He serves on the Lilly Fellows Program Board and edits for the International Journal of Christianity and Education.
Jon Miller is a Research Associate Professor in the Department of Civil, Environmental and Ocean Engineering at Stevens Institute of Technology. He holds dual roles as Director of the NJ Coastal Protection Technical Assistance Service and NJ Sea Grant Coastal Processes Specialist. Miller earned a B.E. in Civil Engineering from Stevens (1999), followed by M.S. and Ph.D. in Coastal Engineering from the University of Florida (2001, 2004). His research focuses on coastal hazard mitigation, nature-based solutions, and numerical modeling of coastal systems. Education: - Ph.D. Coastal Engineering, University of Florida (2004) - M.S. Coastal Engineering, University of Florida (2001) - B.E. Civil Engineering, Stevens Institute of Technology (1999) Research Interests: Miller's work emphasizes coastal resilience through innovative engineering approaches. Key areas include: - Wave attenuation mechanisms of natural/nature-based features - Climate change impacts on coastal erosion - Living shoreline design and implementation - Sediment management strategies for inlets and beaches - Dune system vulnerability analysis Grants & Awards: - $1M+ funding from NOAA, NSF, and state agencies - 2024 ASCE Educator of the Year Award - 2023 Robert G. Dean Coastal Award - Over 20+ technical reports guiding coastal policy Professional Leadership: - Editorial roles in Shore & Beach and Journal of Coastal Research - Leadership in NJ Coastal Resilience Collaborative - Advisor for 3 Technogenesis Summer Scholars Labs & Projects: - Principal Investigator for SEECPRS disaster response system - Co-developed NJ Living Shorelines Engineering Guidelines - Conducts fieldwork on Hudson River shoreline restoration
Brett Sanders is a Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the Samueli School of Engineering, University of California, Irvine. His research focuses on developing innovative algorithms for flow and transport in river and coastal systems and integrating information technologies to create more accurate and efficient simulation tools for flood hazard assessment. His primary research interests include: Flooding and erosion hazards, particularly coastal flooding and urban flooding Surface water quality Low impact development impacts on hydrology Dam-break flooding Aerial and terrestrial lidar scanning Geographical information systems High performance computing for simulation tools Social dimensions of flood risk and adaptation behaviors Dr. Sanders' recent publications (2024-2025) reveal a comprehensive research program addressing both technical and social aspects of flood risk. His work spans computational hydrodynamics, flood hazard mapping, infrastructure vulnerability assessment, and the socioeconomic dimensions of flood risk. He has made significant contributions to understanding multi-grid modeling of urban flooding, post-fire flood hazards, satellite-based monitoring of land motion, and social inequalities in flood exposure. His research demonstrates how flood dynamics are more complex than simple bath-tub filling models suggest, with important implications for urban planning and climate adaptation. Dr. Sanders has received recognition as a Chancellor's Professor at UC Irvine, indicating distinguished scholarly achievement. His educational background includes: Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from the University of Michigan (1997) M.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of Michigan (1994) B.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley (1993)
Professor Dylan Jones is a Professor of Operational Research at the University of Portsmouth within the School of Mathematics and Physics. He holds dual affiliations with the Centre for Operational Research and Logistics and the Centre of Excellence in Defence, Risk & Resilience. His academic journey includes a BSc (Hons) in Mathematics with Operational Research from the University of Southampton and a PhD in Operational Research from the University of Portsmouth. Specializing in Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM), his research spans logistics, healthcare, renewable energy, and defense applications. He has led over 18 PhD theses and secured EU funding for projects focused on offshore wind energy and sustainable logistics. Professor Jones is also the Director of the Centre for Operational Research and Logistics, emphasizing strategic port development and disaster risk reduction. His work integrates advanced methodologies like goal programming and mixed modeling to address complex real-world challenges. Recent contributions include frameworks for offshore wind farm logistics, sustainable port selection, and resilience-based maintenance strategies. Education: BSc (Hons) in Mathematics with Operational Research, University of Southampton PhD in Operational Research, University of Portsmouth Research interests revolve around applying operational research principles to solve multi-objective problems in logistics, healthcare systems, and renewable energy sectors. His work emphasizes sustainability, decision-making under uncertainty, and optimizing resource allocation. Key projects include developing methodologies for offshore wind energy infrastructure and analyzing risk in maritime logistics. His research outputs (109+ publications) focus on advancing operational research techniques, with notable contributions to goal programming, logistics optimization, and multi-criteria decision analysis. He collaborates internationally, particularly in Brazil, France, Spain, and Portugal, to address global challenges in sustainable energy and infrastructure. Labs/Teams: Centre for Operational Research and Logistics Centre of Excellence in Defence, Risk & Resilience
Laura Albert is a Professor of Industrial & Systems Engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and former David H. Gustafson Department Chair (2021-24). She serves as a Fellow of AAAS and IISE, and previously held the INFORMS presidency. Her research focuses on optimizing public-sector systems, with applications in critical infrastructure protection, emergency response, and cybersecurity. She advocates for public engagement through op-eds and blogs like 'Punk Rock Operations Research.' Education: PhD in Industrial Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (2006) MS in Industrial Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (2001) BS in Industrial Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (2000) Research Interests: Dr. Albert’s work bridges operations research and public policy, addressing challenges in emergency medical services, voting system security, law enforcement strategies, and opioid treatment diversion programs. She employs mathematical optimization, game theory, and stochastic modeling to design resilient systems. Awards: INFORMS Impact Prize (2018) NSF CAREER Award (2011) Fulbright Award (2020) AAAS Fellow (2020) Advising & Grants: While explicit student names aren’t listed, her research has been supported by grants from the NSF, Army Research Office, and other agencies. She advises on interdisciplinary projects involving public health, cybersecurity, and disaster management. Labs/Teams: Engaged in collaborative efforts across the College of Engineering, including affiliations with the Electrical & Computer Engineering department. Leads initiatives on resilient infrastructure and emergency response systems.
Prof. Jack van der Vorst is the Personal Professor of AgriFood Supply Chain Logistics at Wageningen University's Operations Research and Logistics Group. Previously serving as a member of the Board of Directors of Wageningen University & Research (until 2024) and General Director of the Social Sciences Group, he leads over 1000 personnel across three institutes. His advisory roles include the Topteam AgriFood (Science Captain), Top consortium for Knowledge and Innovation (TKI), The Sustainability Consortium (TSC), and Florensis BV's Supervisory Board. With 20+ PhD supervisions and 200+ publications, his research focuses on innovative logistics concepts in AgriFood systems, including supply chain resilience, sustainability, and system innovation. His work integrates modeling frameworks with practical industry applications, emphasizing perishable products, horizontal collaboration, and environmental efficiency. Research interests span AgriFood System Design, Supply Chain Strategy, and Performance Management. His recent studies address challenges like postharvest loss reduction in developing countries, CO2 emission minimization in cold chains, and circular economy implementation in mushroom supply chains. Methodologically, he employs multi-criteria decision models, optimization techniques, and simulation to address complex logistics problems. Publications highlight themes such as horizontal collaboration success factors, vulnerability assessment frameworks, and green supply chain design. His work bridges academic rigor with industry needs, often collaborating with policymakers and international organizations to promote sustainable agri-food systems.
Wenrui Huang is a Professor in the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering at Florida A&M University-Florida State University (FAMU-FSU). He holds a Ph.D. (1993), M.S. (1986), and B.S. (1982) in Civil Engineering from the University of Rhode Island and Hohai University. His research focuses on Coastal & Estuarine Hydrodynamics, Surface Water Quality Modeling, and Neural Network Applications in Hydrology. Professional Affiliations: Licensed Professional Engineer (PE), Chair of the Professional Development Committee at FAMU-FSU. Key Contributions: Published in coastal hazards, hurricane modeling, and storm surge assessment. Edited the book Coastal Hazards (2010). Research emphasizes numerical modeling of extreme events, including tsunami propagation and hurricane-induced wave dynamics. His work integrates computational methods with environmental systems analysis.
Saurabh Amin is a Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he also serves as the Edmund K. Turner Professor and Undergraduate Officer. He is a Principal Investigator at the Laboratory of Information and Decision Systems and holds affiliations with the Operations Research Center and the Center for Computational Science and Engineering. His educational background includes: B.Tech. 2002, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee M.S. 2004, University of Texas (UT) Austin Ph.D. 2011, University of California (UC) Berkeley Saurabh Amin's research focuses on the design and control of infrastructure systems using game theory and optimization in networks. His work spans three main areas: resilient network control, information systems and incentive design, and optimal resource allocation in large-scale infrastructure systems. By concentrating on critical infrastructure domains including highway transportation, electric power distribution, and urban water networks, his research develops innovative theory and tools to enhance system performance against both stochastic and adversarial disruptions. His approach involves modeling cyber-physical interactions in infrastructures to assess vulnerabilities, developing detection and response tools for failures at various scales, and designing economic incentive schemes that improve aggregate public good while accounting for dependencies and private information among strategic entities. Amin's work bridges mathematical systems theory with practical civil engineering applications, creating a rigorous theoretical foundation for infrastructure resilience that addresses diverse failure mechanisms from natural disasters to deliberate malicious actions. His recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on decarbonization of energy systems, resilient infrastructure planning under climate uncertainty, optimization methods for complex networked systems, and game-theoretic approaches to sustainable infrastructure management. His work increasingly integrates artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques with traditional control theory to address contemporary challenges in infrastructure resilience and sustainability. The research shows a clear trajectory toward addressing climate change impacts on infrastructure systems while maintaining economic efficiency and operational reliability. Professor Amin has received numerous prestigious awards and honors: Common Ground Excellence in Teaching Award, 2025 HSCC Test-of-Time Award, 2024 MIT CEE, Distinguished Service and Leadership Award, 2023 Samuel M. Seegal Prize (SoE) – inspiring students in pursuing and achieving excellence, 2022 Earll M. Murman for Excellence in Undergraduate Advising, 2022 C3.ai Digital Transformation Institute Research Award, 2020 MIT, Ole Madsen Mentoring Award, 2020 MIT, Energy Initiative Research Award, 2020 National Academy of Engineering, China-America Frontiers of Engineering Symposium speaker, 2019 MIT, Robert N. Noyce Career Development Professor, 2015-2018 Google Faculty Research Award, 2015 National Science Foundation CAREER Award, 2015 Siebel Energy Institute Research Award, 2015 MIT, Solomon Buchsbaum AT&T Research Fund Award, 2012 Professor Amin has been actively involved in significant research projects including the C3.ai DTI project on Causal Reasoning for Real-Time Attack Identification in Cyber-Physical Systems and another on Learning in Routing Games for Sustainable Electromobility. He serves as the chief scientist on multi-institutional NSF grants, including the $9 million Foundations of Resilient Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) project. His teaching portfolio includes courses such as 1.008 Engineering for a Sustainable World, 1.104 Sensing and Intelligent Systems, 1.020 Engineering Sustainability: Analysis and Design, and 1.208 Resilient Networks. As Undergraduate Officer, he plays a key role in shaping the educational experience for civil and environmental engineering students at MIT. Professor Amin leads the Resilient Infrastructure Networks Lab at MIT, where his team develops theoretical foundations and practical tools for infrastructure resilience. The lab focuses on the intersection of control theory, game theory, and optimization applied to cyber-physical infrastructure systems. Current research directions include pandemic-resilient urban mobility and hurricane-resilient smart grid operations, reflecting the lab's commitment to addressing pressing societal challenges through rigorous systems engineering approaches.
Dr. Theresa Jedd is an Environmental Policy Specialist and Post-Doctoral Research Associate at the Department of Environmental and Climate Policy , Technische Universität München , since 2019. Previously, she worked at the National Drought Mitigation Center (University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2015-2019) and the Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory (Colorado State University, 2015). Her work spans drought policy analysis, transboundary conservation, and participatory governance methods across diverse regions including Montana, Nebraska, and the Middle East/North Africa. Current Affiliation: Technische Universität München (2019-present) Prior Roles: University of Nebraska-Lincoln (2015-2019), Colorado State University (2015) Research Focus: Combines qualitative methods (interviews, focus groups, workshops) with physical drought indicators to analyze policy frameworks at multiple governance levels (local, national, international). Key themes include: Climate risk governance Water allocation mechanisms Drought early warning systems Transboundary environmental policy Civil society engagement Ethics of environmental crises Publication Trends: Recent work highlights polycentric governance challenges, drought resilience limitations, and participatory monitoring approaches. Her research spans environmental policy, water resource management, and climate adaptation.
