Professor David Sims-Williams is a faculty member at the Department of Engineering within the Faculty of Science at Durham University . His research focuses on Aerodynamic Unsteadiness , Road and Racing Car Aerodynamics , and the Development of Advanced Wind Tunnel Instrumentation and Analyses . He is actively involved in experimental and computational studies of fluid dynamics, vehicle aerodynamics, and aeroacoustic noise. Academic Rank: Professor Research Keywords: Aerodynamics, Fluid Mechanics, Automotive Engineering, Computational Fluid Dynamics, Noise Control His recent work includes studies on flow-induced vibration of polygonal cylinders , piezoelectric actuator integration in wind turbines , and beamforming techniques for noise source localisation . He frequently publishes in journals like SAE International Journal of Passenger Vehicle Systems , Journal of Fluids and Structures , and Physics of Fluids . His collaborations span fluid-structure interactions, transient flow analysis, and automotive noise reduction strategies. He has presented at major conferences including the International Vehicle Aerodynamics Conference , UK Fluids Conference , and SAE World Congress . His methodologies combine large eddy simulations , wind tunnel experiments , and machine learning for flow visualisation .
Dr Charith Rathnayaka is a Senior Lecturer in Mechanical Engineering at the University of the Sunshine Coast (UniSC) and a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA). He also serves as an Adjunct Lecturer at Queensland University of Technology (QUT). His research focuses on computational mechanics, sustainable engineering, renewable energy, food drying, and physics-informed machine learning, with a particular emphasis on developing environmentally and economically sustainable processes. Dr Rathnayaka holds a PhD from QUT (2017) and a Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) from the University of Moratuwa (UOM). Education: PhD in Computational Mechanics, Queensland University of Technology (2017) BScEng(Hons) in Engineering, University of Moratuwa (First Class Honours) His research interests include computational modeling of plant cellular drying, green hydrogen systems, and machine learning applications in food science. He teaches thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, and heat transfer, integrating research into his teaching. Dr Rathnayaka has received awards such as the QUT Outstanding Doctoral Thesis Award and SFHEA recognition. He leads research grants focusing on renewable energy integration, advanced materials, and aquaculture monitoring. Current projects include small-scale green hydrogen systems for agriculture and machine learning-based food drying prediction. He supervises PhD students in areas like microscale morphological changes during drying. Awards: QUT Outstanding Doctoral Thesis Award (2017) Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA) Professional Memberships: Australasian Fluid Mechanics Society (AFMS) Australasian Association of Engineering Education (AAEE) Dr Rathnayaka’s work bridges computational modeling and real-world applications, with contributions to peer learning as Co-Editor of the Journal of Peer Learning and Guest Editor for Journal of Visualised Experiments (JoVE) .
Dr Saeed Sharif is an Associate Professor in the Computer Science department at the School of Architecture, Computing and Engineering , University of East London . He leads the Intelligent Technologies Research Group and serves as Course Leader for MSc Computer Science programs. With a PhD in artificial intelligence from Brunel University London , his work bridges Artificial Intelligence , Medical Technology , and Smart Infrastructure . His research interests span Medical Image Analysis , Intelligent Diagnosis Systems , Big Data Analysis , and IoT Security . Collaborations with NHS Trusts and global institutions focus on improving healthcare systems through machine learning and biomedical signal processing. 2018-2022: £268,000 KTP project with Innovate UK Multiple Research Internship Schemes at UEL (2017-2021) European Research Centre collaboration (2015) As a technical committee member for conferences like IEEE CIT and a journal Guest Editor , he drives academic discourse. He has supervised numerous PhD students and served on examination panels, while maintaining 53+ publications in venues including IEEE Access , Applied Soft Computing , and Computer Methods and Programs in Biomedicine .
Emma Vitikainen is a grant-funded researcher and docent in Evolution, Sociality & Behaviour at the University of Helsinki, affiliated with the Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Programme under the Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences. She serves as a supervisor for doctoral programmes in Wildlife Biology and Interdisciplinary Environmental Sciences and is actively involved in the Helsinki One Health (HOH) initiative. Her research focuses on evolutionary biology and behavioral ecology, particularly in wild mammal populations. Key interests include social behavior, cooperative breeding, reproductive strategies, prenatal and postnatal effects on fitness, and the physiological basis of animal emotions. She employs interdisciplinary methods, including thermal imaging, to study emotion recognition in species such as mongooses, rats, tigers, and goats. Her recent publications (2021–2025) reflect a strong trend in understanding the social and physiological determinants of fitness and emotion in animals. These works span high-impact journals and explore topics like prosocial behavior in rats, cognitive traits in caregivers, and the visualization of animal emotions, demonstrating a consistent focus on integrating ecology, evolution, and welfare science. She is actively involved in research supervision and doctoral examination, serving as supervisor, co-supervisor, and pre-examiner for several theses. Her current project, Visualising animal emotions using thermal imaging (2021–2025), underscores her innovative approach to animal welfare and cognition. Scientific Activities and Recognition: Invited speaker on evolutionary perspectives on puberty timing (2021) Featured in 39 press and media outlets for her work on mongoose reproductive behavior Active participation in doctoral thesis supervision and examination
Anne-Catherine A.M. Dieudonné, holding the title Dr.ir., is a faculty researcher at the Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Delft University of Technology , within the Section of Geo-Engineering . Her work bridges fundamental geomechanics with pressing energy and environmental challenges, focusing on clays, bentonites, bio-cemented sands, geothermal systems, nuclear waste disposal, and CO₂ geological storage. Education & Training: Doctor of Engineering (Dr.ir.) – advanced doctoral degree in civil engineering/geosciences, exact institution and dates not stated in the source. Research Interests: Anne-Catherine’s research is organised around four pillars: Energy Geotechnics: thermo-hydro-mechanical (THM) modelling of geothermal systems in deep mines, cold-water injection-induced fracturing, optimisation under uncertainty. Environmental Geotechnics: long-term performance of clay barriers for nuclear waste repositories, gas and fluid transport in saturated clays, self-healing of rock-salt fractures. Bio-mediated Ground Improvement: micro-scale mechanics of bio-cemented sands, influence of carbonate distribution on stiffness and strength, DEM and experimental characterisation. Advanced Experimental & Numerical Techniques: development of novel visualisation devices for fluid-driven cracks, constitutive modelling of expansive clays, zero-thickness interface elements for fracture simulation. Publication Trends: Since 2020 she has authored or co-authored more than 25 peer-reviewed articles and conference contributions. The 2025 corpus shows a strong emphasis on geothermal reservoir engineering , bio-cemented geomaterials , and deep geological disposal , with methodological advances in coupled THM modelling, discrete-element simulation, and experimental validation. Scientific Awards & Honours: ABTUS Scientific Prize – Belgian Association for Underground Techniques and Urbanism (2012) C.B.R. Heidelberg Prize (2011) Bright Spark Lecture Award (2025) Ioannis Vardoulakis PhD Prize (2017) NWO Veni Grant (2019) Supervision & Grants: Anne-Catherine has supervised at least one doctoral student, A. Zhang , on bio-cemented sands. She is principal investigator on the NWO Veni project focusing on clay fracture mechanics and participates in the European EURAD consortium for radioactive waste management research. Laboratory & Teams: She is affiliated with the Geo-Engineering Section laboratories at TU Delft, which host advanced triaxial, oedometer, and bespoke visualisation rigs for clay and sand testing. Collaborative networks span TU Delft, KU Leuven, University of Liège, and multiple European institutions within EURAD.
David Beynon is an Associate Professor in the School of Architecture and Design at the University of Tasmania, where he also serves as Associate Head of Learning and Teaching. His academic work is deeply intertwined with his professional experience as a registered architect and co-founder of alsoCAN Architects. He is a prominent researcher focusing on the cultural, social, and historical dimensions of architecture, particularly in relation to migration, urban renewal, and multiculturalism. Doctor of Philosophy, University of Melbourne (2002) Bachelor of Architecture with Honours, University of Melbourne (1990) Registered Architect, Victoria (1995) David Beynon's research centers on architectural history, theory, and criticism, with a strong emphasis on migration and architecture, Southeast Asian architecture, multicultural built environments, and industrial heritage. His work seeks to understand how architectural content and meaning adapt in response to cultural change, demographic shifts, and transnational connections. He explores both contemporary Australian suburban environments and ancient Asian temples, aiming to develop a more culturally reflective and socially sustainable architectural practice. His recent publications, spanning from 2020 to 2025, consistently explore themes of cultural adaptation and hybridity in the built environment. A significant trend is the investigation of immigrant contributions to Australian industrial and urban landscapes, as seen in his work on postwar immigrant recruitment, refugee enterprise, and migrant industries. Another major theme is the study of diasporic and hybrid religious architecture, particularly Chinese temples in Bali and Daoist temples in Australia. His work also incorporates digital methods for reconstructing and understanding ancient temples, and he has engaged with contemporary issues like the value of culture during the pandemic. Winner of John Grice Memorial Prize for best Postgraduate Thesis in the Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning, University of Melbourne in 2002. David Beynon is an active research supervisor, currently guiding several PhD students on topics such as cross-cultural temple architecture in Bali, ancient Buddhist monasteries, Tasmanian urban development, and campus design for wellbeing. He is the Chief Investigator on the ARC Discovery Project 'Architecture and industry: the migrant contribution to nation-building,' a major collaborative grant with researchers from the University of Melbourne, Deakin University, and the Australian National University. He has supervised numerous successful PhD and Masters theses on a wide range of topics, including Alvar Aalto's landscapes, Malaysian housing, and Bendigo's Chinese architecture. He is actively engaged in the academic and professional community, serving as the President of the Society of Architectural and Urban Historians Asia and as a member of the Society of Architectural Historians Australia New Zealand and the Australian Institute of Architects. He is also the University representative on the Launceston Heritage Advisory Committee.
German Valencia is a Professor at the School of Physics and Astronomy , Monash University. He is actively involved in research and accepts PhD students for projects focusing on Phenomenology of flavour anomalies in B physics, CP violation phenomenology, Extended scalar sectors, and Effective field theory for Beyond Standard Model (BSM) physics. Valencia holds a PhD in Particle Physics from the University of Massachusetts Amherst (1988), specializing in CP violation studies. His research interests span Particle Physics Phenomenology, Collider Physics at the LHC, Flavor Physics puzzles, and Effective Field Theories, including chiral perturbation theory and hadronic physics. His research outputs include over 167 publications, with recent work emphasizing studies of kaon and hyperon decays , dark matter models , and constraints on New Physics using collider data. Key projects include the CEPC Technical Design Report and collaborations on visualizing high-dimensional parameter spaces in particle physics data. Projects : Extracting subtle hints for new phenomena at the LHC (2023–2026) New Physics and the quark/lepton family replication puzzle (2020–2024) Visualisation of Multidimensional Physics Data (2017–2022) Valencia's work bridges theoretical and experimental particle physics, with a focus on flavor anomalies , BSM physics signals , and high-precision measurements at colliders like the LHC. His research contributes to advancing our understanding of fundamental particles and interactions.
Dr Kate Mintram serves as an Associate Lecturer in the Department of Computer Science at Brunel University London within the College of Engineering, Design and Physical Sciences, contributing to the Modelling and Simulation research group and teaching postgraduate data visualisation and undergraduate usability engineering courses. Her academic foundation includes: BSc in Environmental Biology (First Class Honours) with Industrial Placement from Plymouth University (2014) PhD in Agent-based Simulation from the University of Exeter (2019), funded by BBSRC iCASE with Syngenta Dr Mintram specializes in agent-based modeling of complex systems , with dual expertise in ecological applications (fisheries, ecotoxicology, climate change biology) and public health crises (pandemic modeling, supply chain resilience). Her methodology integrates data science and machine learning for big data analysis, addressing policy-relevant questions in environmental risk assessment and healthcare management through realistic simulation frameworks. Analysis of her 15 most recent publications (2018-2024) reveals a strategic evolution: pre-2020 work focused on environmental toxicology and fish population dynamics, while 2020-2022 saw intensive pandemic modeling (CALMS/STAMINA projects), and 2023-2024 expanded into supply chain resilience and forced migration. This trajectory demonstrates exceptional adaptability in applying simulation techniques to emergent global challenges while maintaining core environmental research. Her professional recognition includes: Fellow of the Higher Education Academy Dr Mintram actively supervises final-year undergraduate projects and MSc dissertations while teaching core modules. Her research funding includes Horizon2020 (STAMINA project) and industry-collaborative PhD support from Syngenta. She brings cross-sector experience from AstraZeneca (industrial placement) and NGO animal welfare consultancy. Embedded in Brunel's Modelling and Simulation group, she maintains an extensive co-author network spanning computational science, ecology, and public health domains, as evidenced by her ORCID profile (0000-0001-7180-9200).
Leonardo Ramondetti is a Research Fellow at the Interuniversity Department of Regional and Urban Studies and Planning (DIST) , Politecnico di Torino . His work focuses on Chinese urbanisation , infrastructure-led urbanisation , and sustainable planning , with empirical research in China and Europe. He has coordinated the China Room research group since 2016 and held visiting scholar positions at Tsinghua University and Laboratoire LATTS in Paris. Key Research Areas: Chinese urbanism, Critical cartography, Infrastructure-landscape design, Sustainable spatial planning Recent Projects: HyperSCAPES (2025-2028), Energy-Logistics Hubs in Mediterranean Ports (2025-2027) His recent publications examine infrastructure-urbanism intersections through GIS-ethnographic methodologies. Scientific recognitions include the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Seal of Excellence (2023) and TRAPEZIO Grant (2024). He teaches Urbanism modules at Università di Bologna and École Nationale Supérieure des Mines , integrating design research with policy analysis.
Dr. Ponnie Clark is a Multi-Discipline Adjunct Senior Lecturer at the University of Western Australia (UWA), affiliated with the School of Physics, Maths and Computing and the Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering. Prior to UWA, she held an academic position at Curtin University for two decades, focusing on research and teaching in Information Systems and Computer Science. She has supervised 12 PhD and 2 Master’s students, and published over 100 peer-reviewed articles. Education: PhD in Information Systems, Curtin University (Thesis: A methodology for multi-site distributed software development) Master of Computer Science (Visualisation Amortised Analysis) Bachelor of Mathematics Her research spans multidisciplinary areas including Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain technology, Data Science, and Ontology Engineering. Key projects include developing blockchain frameworks for financial systems, peer-to-peer energy trading, and flood risk management. She has contributed to UN Sustainable Development Goals related to environmental sustainability and digital solutions. Her recent articles focus on blockchain scalability, decentralized finance, flood risk modeling, and social politics analysis through knowledge graphs. She has led grants such as the Blockchain research group and projects funded by industry partners like I Synergy Group Limited and Alphabright Digital Pty Ltd. Dr. Clark has been involved in collaborative research across disciplines, including energy systems, disaster management, and social media analytics. Her work emphasizes practical applications of technology to solve real-world challenges in areas like energy trading, financial inclusion, and environmental resilience.
Prof. Ben Paechter is a leading academic at the School of Computing Engineering and the Built Environment , Edinburgh Napier University, specializing in evolutionary algorithms and swarm robotics. As a Professor , he has shaped research directions in computational optimization and adaptive systems for over two decades. Research Themes : Evolutionary Swarm Robotics, Multi-Objective Optimization, Hyper-heuristics, Neural Architecture Search Key Projects : FOCAS (European Commission), KTP: Intelligent Agents (Innovate UK), PerAda (Self-Aware Systems) Collaborations : CAVES Research Group, Centre for Algorithms, Visualisation and Evolving Systems His article trends demonstrate expertise in cross-domain hyper-heuristics, swarm behavior tree evolution, and neural network architecture optimization. Recent works (2023-2024) focus on GPU-accelerated evolutionary algorithms and hierarchical swarm control systems. Scientific Awards : Fellow of the British Computer Society (FBCS) Chartered IT Professional (CITP) GECCO Best Paper Nomination (2018) Advising & Grants : Supervised 5 PhD students including Paul Lapok (planar mechanisms) and Andreas Steyven (swarm diversity). Secured £2.2M+ in funding across 13 projects, including EU FOCAS (£639,999) and Innovate UK grants.
Professor Lamine Mahdjoubi is Professor of the Built Environment at the University of the West of England (UWE Bristol), Faculty of Environment and Technology, Department of Architecture and the Built Environment. An architect and urban designer by training, he has gained international recognition for integrating advanced ICT solutions into the design, management, and visualisation of the built environment. Education & Qualifications: Qualified in Architecture and Urban Design (specific institutions and dates not provided in the text). Research Interests: Professor Mahdjoubi’s research focuses on the intersection of digital technologies and sustainable urban environments. He develops innovative methodologies and tools for analysing human–environment interactions, with particular emphasis on: Building Information Modelling (BIM) for design, construction, and operations; Virtual and immersive environments for collaborative design and stakeholder engagement; Child-friendly outdoor environments, linking urban design to public health outcomes; Heritage Building Information Modelling (HBIM) for retrofitting and conservation; Blockchain and machine-learning applications for decentralised energy management; Decision-support systems for brownfield redevelopment and risk assessment. Publication Trends: Across >100 peer-reviewed outputs, recent work (2020–2025) demonstrates a clear pivot toward AI and data-driven approaches in the built environment. A dominant strand couples BIM with machine-learning and VR/AR technologies to enhance design coordination, safety, and sustainability. Energy research increasingly integrates blockchain and large-language-model systems for smart grids. A second major strand addresses socio-environmental equity, producing evidence-based guidelines for healthy outdoor spaces for children and refugee communities. Scientific Awards & Recognition: While specific named awards are not listed, Professor Mahdjoubi’s international recognition is evidenced by: Membership of the Advisory Board, International Making Cities Livable (USA); Invited keynote speaker at numerous national and international conferences; Chief/External Examiner roles for universities in the UK and overseas; Founding Director of the pioneering Virtual Reality Enterprise Centre (VREC) at UWE Bristol. Research Funding & Teams: He has secured and directed major projects funded by: UK Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC); British Academy; European Union Framework Programmes; Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF); Industry partners and local authorities. These initiatives have supported multidisciplinary teams spanning architecture, computer science, public health, and social policy. Laboratories & Centres: Professor Mahdjoubi founded and directed the Virtual Reality Enterprise Centre (VREC) , the first UK centre dedicated to knowledge exchange in visualisation and analysis of the built environment. The centre provides state-of-the-art VR/AR facilities for teaching, research, and industry collaboration.
Charalampos Rotsos is a Senior Lecturer in Computer Networks and Networked Systems at Lancaster University's School of Computing and Communications . He leads research in network resilience, programmability, and virtualization. Current projects: DSI: DVAC (Data-driven Visualisation and Aggregation of Cyber vulnerabilities) Research groups: SCC (Networking), i-DID Research Focus : His work spans intent-based networking, middlebox resilience, software-defined networking (SDN), network virtualization (NFV), and cybersecurity. Recent studies include semantic intent translation frameworks (SWIFT), virtualization-driven resilience (REMEDIATE), and state mirroring for middleboxes (Katoptron). Collaborative Efforts : He contributes to projects like NG-CDI (Future Network Intelligence) and develops tools for emulation automation (NES), network policy inference (Reasonet), and high-speed network evaluation (OFLOPS-SUME). PhD Supervision : Mentors students including Paul Alcock, Revika Anand, and Alexander Jung in networked systems research. Collaborates with PhD students in the SCC (Networking) group. Contact : Office D14, InfoLab21. Email: c.rotsos@lancaster.ac.uk
Yidan Zhang is a Research Fellow at Monash University's Department of Human Centred Computing, specializing in spatial-temporal data analysis within immersive environments. She holds a PhD from Monash (2024), MSc in Information Technology (2019), and a BA in Arts from Jinan University (2016). Her work focuses on embodied interaction, immersive analytics, and energy visualisation, contributing to UN SDGs in education and sustainable energy. Research Interests : Spatio-Temporal Data Sensemaking Immersive Analytics Embodied Provenance Eye Tracking in Immersive Systems Energy Efficiency Visualisation Recent Research Trends : Her publications emphasize embodied interaction design, immersive data exploration tools, and energy-aware visualisation systems. Notable contributions include frameworks for tracking user interactions in immersive environments and improving user engagement in energy management. Lab/Teams : Member of the Embodied Visualisation research group, collaborating on multidisciplinary projects involving immersive technology and human-computer interaction.
Karsten Rink is a researcher at the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ in Leipzig, Germany. He leads the "Data Integration and Visualisation" project group within the Department of Environmental Informatics . His work focuses on environmental data visualization , geospatial data management , and software development for OpenGeoSys - a simulation framework for environmental processes. Key projects: OpenGeoSys Data Explorer , TESSIN VISLab , MEVA (Meteorological Data Visualization) Major collaborations: Mont Terri Underground Research Laboratory , Poyang Lake Basin , Dead Sea Water Resources Research Highlights include developing Virtual Geographic Environments for analyzing: Hydro-Meteorological Extremes in urban systems Multi-Compartment Water/Solute Dynamics in large catchments Energy-Water Nexus challenges Groundwater Balance in arid regions Technical Innovations feature Unity-based 3D visualization workflows, multi-device meteorological data validation , and cross-platform data conversion tools between OpenGeoSys, ParaView, and VTK. Publications (2023-2014) demonstrate expertise in: Environmental software frameworks Scientific visualization Hydrogeological modeling Climate-urban interactions Subsurface energy systems Water management digitization Collaborative Projects span from German Unity Anniversary visualization to Dead Sea groundwater studies , integrating with initiatives like MOSES (Modular Observation Solutions for Earth Systems) and Digital Earth .
