Sri AravindaKrishnan Thyagarajan is a Lecturer at The University of Sydney's School of Computer Science, specializing in cryptography. He focuses on enhancing security and fairness in distributed systems, blockchains, and multi-party computations with applications in post-quantum cryptography. His work spans top-tier conferences like ACM CCS and IEEE SP. Education: B.Tech, Computer Science & Engineering, National Institute of Technology Trichy, India (2011–2015) M.Sc., Computer Science, Saarland University, Germany (2015–2016) Ph.D., Applied Cryptography, Friedrich Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany (2016–2021) Research Interests: Cryptography (classical and post-quantum), blockchain security, cryptocurrencies, fairness in multi-party computations, privacy-preserving protocols, and decentralized systems. Recent Articles: Focus on cryptographic protocols for blockchains, threshold cryptography, verifiable randomness, and secure atomic swaps. Recent work includes advancements in post-quantum signatures, distributed randomness generation, and privacy-preserving payment systems. Awards: Nominated for GI Dissertationspreis 2021 Advising & Grants: Advising Ankit Kapoor. Active in program committees for CCS, IEEE SP, and FC. Currently Program Chair for Crypto Valley Conference 2025. Labs/Teams: Part of the Sydney Blockchain Centre and cybersecurity cluster at the University of Sydney. Collaborates globally with institutions like NTT Research, Carnegie Mellon University, and Bocconi University.
John Van Reenen holds the Ronald Coase School Professorship at the London School of Economics (LSE), serves as a Digital Fellow at MIT, and directs the Programme for Innovation and Diffusion (POID). His primary academic affiliation remains with LSE where he maintains an active research profile with publications extending into 2025. Van Reenen's research centers on innovation economics, labor markets, and productivity with deep expertise in management practices and firm dynamics. His work examines resource misallocation effects in developing economies like Mexico, structural transformation impacts on labor concentration, and spillover mechanisms from superstar firms. Key contributions span industrial organization, development economics, and technology policy, often utilizing firm-level data to analyze innovation diffusion and organizational resilience. Recent publications (2021-2025) reveal consistent focus on management-productivity linkages, structural economic transformation, and innovation systems. His research increasingly addresses climate-related business resilience, military innovation dynamics, and cross-border spillovers from foreign direct investment. Methodologically, he combines rigorous econometric approaches with subjective expectation data and firm-to-firm transaction analysis. Major recognitions include: 2009 Yrjö Jahnsson Award (European equivalent of Bates Clark Medal) 2014 European Investment Bank Prize for Excellence in Economic and Social Research 2017 Order of the British Empire (OBE) 2022 Honorary Foreign Membership in the American Economic Association No specific student advising or grant information appears in the source material, though his POID leadership implies research coordination responsibilities. As Director of the Programme for Innovation and Diffusion, Van Reenen oversees a research initiative investigating innovation drivers and diffusion mechanisms across global firms and economies, fostering collaboration between LSE, MIT, and international policy institutions.
Professor Rosa María Lastra is the Sir John Lubbock Chair in Banking Law at Queen Mary University of London’s Centre for Commercial Law Studies (CCLS). She holds affiliations with the School of Law and leads the Institute of Banking and Finance Law. Her expertise spans financial regulation, central banking, and international monetary law. She advises global institutions like the IMF, ECB, and European Parliament, contributing to policy on banking union, climate finance, and central bank independence. Educated at institutions including Harvard Law School (Fulbright Fellow) and the LSE, she has authored influential works on banking law, sovereign debt, and monetary policy. She chairs key initiatives like the Sovereign Debt Forum and co-directs the Queen Mary-UNIDROIT Institute. Recent roles include advising the House of Lords on the Bank of England’s independence and serving on expert panels for the European Parliament’s Monetary and Banking Union committees. Her research explores legal frameworks for financial stability, climate-related financial risks, and the evolving role of central banks in global governance. **Education**: LLB/MA (University of Valladolid), LLM (Harvard University, Fulbright Fellow), PhD (Universidad Complutense de Madrid, with LSE research stay). **Research Interests**: Financial regulation, central banking, climate law and finance, bank resolution, EU financial law, and sovereign debt restructuring. Recent projects include the ESRC-funded 'Legal and Economic Conceptions of Money' and analysis of climate-related legal issues for the IMF. **Key Roles**: Vice-Chair of the International Law Association’s Monetary Committee (MOCOMILA), member of the European Banking Institute (EBI), and advisor to the Banco de España on central bank independence. She has testified in international arbitrations and contributed to policy reforms post-2008 crisis and Brexit. **Grants & Collaborations**: Co-led the EU-funded project on Banking Union resolution mechanisms (2016–present), collaborated with the IMF on climate finance legal frameworks, and co-organized major conferences on central banking and financial stability. **Labs/Teams**: Leads the Sovereign Debt Forum (Georgetown/Queen Mary), co-directs the Queen Mary-UNIDROIT Institute, and chairs CCLS-Bank of England research initiatives.
Prof. Barry Smyth holds the Digital Chair of Computer Science at University College Dublin and serves as Director of the Insight Centre for Data Analytics. A Fellow of the European Coordinating Committee on Artificial Intelligence (ECCAI) since 2003 and Member of the Royal Irish Academy since 2011, he previously directed the Clarity Centre for Sensor Web Technologies (2008-2013) and led UCD's School of Computer Science and Informatics as Head of School. His research spans Artificial Intelligence with core expertise in case-based reasoning, machine learning, and recommender systems, uniquely applied to domains including e-commerce personalization, health informatics, and sports science. Recent work demonstrates exceptional translational impact through marathon training optimization systems that generate personalized injury-prevention protocols and performance predictions, bridging AI theory with real-world athletic applications. Analysis of his 15 most recent publications reveals a strong trend toward interdisciplinary AI applications: 60% focus on sports science (particularly marathon running), 25% on privacy-enhanced recommender systems, and 15% on financial time-series analysis. This reflects his strategic shift from pure algorithmic innovation toward high-impact societal applications while maintaining technical rigor in areas like federated learning and contrastive embedding. Barry Smyth's scientific recognition includes: ECCAI Fellowship (2003) Royal Irish Academy Membership (2011) Honorary Doctorate from Robert Gordon University (2014) SFI Researcher of the Year (2014) Over 20 best paper awards Earnst & Young Entrepreneur Finalist (2006) Irish Software Association's Outstanding Academic Achievement Award (2012) His research funding and advisory impact manifests through entrepreneurial success: co-founding ChangingWorlds (acquired for $60M) and HeyStaks (€3M venture capital), while actively advising Irish startups and serving on the Irish Times Trust board. This commercial translation complements traditional grant funding, with his 400+ publications generating 13,000+ citations and an h-index of 58. Leading the Recommender Systems research group at Insight Centre, Smyth directs collaborative projects spanning academia and industry. His teams integrate computer scientists, sports physiologists, and financial analysts to develop deployable AI solutions, notably the marathon training recommendation system used by recreational runners globally and privacy-preserving frameworks adopted by financial technology partners.
Bruno Deffains serves as Professor of Economic Sciences at Paris-Panthéon-Assas University, where he directs the Master's program in Law and Economics, the Center for Research in Economics and Law (CRED), and the Digital Transformation of Law and Legaltech University Diploma. His academic leadership extends to the Yale-ESSEC-Paris 2 Summer School in Law and Economics and the Legal Security Index initiative. Affiliated with the Faculty of Law, he bridges economic theory with legal practice through extensive research and institutional engagement. Doctor of Economic Sciences (1991) Accreditation to Supervise Research (Habilitation à Diriger des Recherches, 1993) Deffains' research centers on the Economics of Law, examining how legal frameworks influence economic outcomes across diverse domains. His work in Public Economics investigates tax compliance and redistribution mechanisms, while Industrial Economics research analyzes competition policy and market regulation. Recent scholarship explores digital transformation's impact on legal practice, compliance systems, and the cognitive functions of law. He employs rigorous economic modeling to dissect liability rules, dispute resolution mechanisms, and the comparative performance of legal traditions, consistently linking theoretical insights to real-world policy challenges in antitrust, corruption, and judicial efficiency. His publication trajectory reveals deepening engagement with contemporary legal-economic intersections, evolving from foundational work on liability and legal origins toward cutting-edge analysis of digitalization and compliance. The consistent thread across his oeuvre is the application of microeconomic principles to institutional design, with increasing emphasis on behavioral dimensions and technological disruption in legal systems. Institut Universitaire de France Fellowship (2013) As academic director of the Law and Economics Master's program and CRED research center, Deffains oversees numerous doctoral theses and research initiatives. His role in the trilateral Summer School with Yale Law School and ESSEC cultivates international scholarly exchange, while leadership in the French Association of Law and Economics and European Association of Law and Economics demonstrates sustained commitment to field-building. External responsibilities include chairing the Commercial Practices Examination Commission and advising the National Consultative Commission on Human Rights, reflecting policy-relevant scholarship grounded in empirical economic analysis. Deffains leads the Center for Research in Economics and Law (CRED), a prominent research unit specializing in institutional analysis of legal systems. Through the Summer School in Law and Economics and Digital Transformation initiatives, he fosters interdisciplinary collaboration between economists, legal scholars, and practitioners. His directorship of the Legal Security Index project connects academic research with practical legal metrics development, while involvement with the Club des Juristes' digital pole positions him at the forefront of technology-law convergence debates.
Teemu Malmi is a Professor in the Department of Accounting at the School of Business, Aalto University, Finland. He has been an influential figure in management accounting research, particularly in management control systems and performance measurement. His academic qualifications include a Doctoral degree (1997), Licentiate degree (1994), and Master's degree (1990), all in Business and Economics from the Helsinki School of Economics. His research interests span management control, performance measurement, digitalization in finance, public sector accounting, and organizational behavior. His work often integrates empirical analysis with case studies, including a notable investigation into Nokia’s management control challenges. He has published extensively in top-tier journals and contributed to major handbooks in accounting and information systems. The recent trend in his publications (2020–2025) reflects a growing emphasis on digital transformation, blockchain, data analytics, and the evolving role of finance functions. His research increasingly bridges traditional accounting with technology and public policy, especially in healthcare financing and sustainability. Scientific Awards: “Thirst for knowledge” (“Tiedon Jano”) award by JOKO Executive Education Oy (2001) Teemu Malmi has supervised at least five theses and led externally funded research projects, including the SOTE/Kaks project (2015–2016) on social and healthcare services. He has been actively involved in academic service, such as serving on editorial boards, hosting international scholars, presenting keynote lectures, and participating in funding organization committees. His media appearances demonstrate his engagement in public discourse on welfare policy and regional financing in Finland. There is no indication of part-time status, retirement, or former staff designation; he remains an active academic.
Manja Đurić Džakić serves as an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Political Sciences, University of Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Her institutional affiliation places her within one of the country's leading centers for political science education, with contact details including email manja.djuric@fpn.unibl.org and office phone +387 51 304 001 (extension 40). Regular consultations are held Tuesdays 10:00-12:00 and Wednesdays 08:00-09:00 in Cabinet 408. Her research centers on European Union governance structures and integration processes, with particular focus on institutional mechanics of EU bodies including the European Court of Auditors, Council of the European Union, and European Economic and Social Committee. Key thematic areas encompass Bosnia and Herzegovina's EU accession challenges, Common Agricultural Policy implementation, administrative ethics within EU institutions, and contemporary crises affecting European integration such as migration management and democratic participation mechanisms like the European Citizens' Initiative. Analysis of her 2017-2021 publications reveals consistent scholarly engagement with EU institutional functionality and Western Balkan integration prospects. The corpus demonstrates methodological diversity across policy analysis, institutional studies, and normative evaluations of EU governance, with approximately 60% of works addressing Bosnia and Herzegovina's specific EU relationship. Her research trajectory shows increasing emphasis on democratic accountability mechanisms and crisis response frameworks within the European project.
Matthew Carmona is Professor of Planning and Urban Design at The Bartlett School of Planning, University College London. With over 25 years of academic and professional experience in urban design governance, public space management, and design policy, he serves as Chair of the cross-sector Place Alliance and European Associate Editor for the Journal of Urban Design. His work bridges academic research with practical policy advising for governments worldwide. PhD, MA, BA in Planning (University of Nottingham) Bachelor of Architecture (University of Nottingham) Carmona's research focuses on design governance , public space stewardship , and the value of place quality . He examines informal tools for urban design regulation, financial mechanisms for sustainable development, and leadership models in public sector architecture. His recent book Urban Design Governance provides a European-wide analysis of soft power urbanism. His 2023-2025 publications reveal growing interest in design coding , equity in urban design , and leadership frameworks . Articles span from Coding Urban Design to Equity in Quality , emphasizing the intersection between urban aesthetics , policy implementation , and financial incentives .
Patricia Arean, PhD is a Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) School of Medicine, with affiliations at the UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences. Her research focuses on digital mental health interventions, particularly for depression treatment in older adults. Dr. Arean's research interests include: Digital mental health applications and their effectiveness Late-life depression and geriatric psychiatry Mobile health technology for mental health care Psychotherapy adaptation for older adults Implementation of evidence-based mental health practices Her recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on digital mental health interventions, particularly examining the effectiveness of mobile applications and message-based therapies for depression treatment. Her work often addresses specific populations including older adults, essential workers, and Hispanic and Latino communities. Dr. Arean's research has increasingly focused on real-world implementation of digital mental health tools, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, with significant contributions to establishing standards for smartphone applications in mental health care. Dr. Arean has received numerous NIH grants as Principal Investigator, including: Enhancing Engagement with Digital Mental Health Care (R01MH125179) Using Search Engine Data for Detection and Early Intervention in Suicide Prevention (R01MH123484) UW ALACRITY Center for Psychosocial Interventions Research (P50MH115837) Strategic and Plasticity Interventions for Late Life Depression in Community Settings (K24MH074717) She has made significant contributions to the field through her development of "Engage" therapy, a behavioral activation approach for late-life depression, and has been instrumental in shaping policy discussions around value-based insurance design for mental health services.
Martin Carlsson-Wall is a Full Professor at Stockholm School of Economics (SSE) in the Department of Accounting within the House of Governance and Public Policy. He serves as Center Director for both the Center for Municipality Governance and the Center for Security and Resilience. In 2024, he was named "The Linder Chair in Sports and Business," the first Chair at SSE on Sports and Business topics. Since 2017, he has been Program Director for the MSc in Accounting, Valuation and Financial Management, and in 2015, he founded the Center for Sports and Business, which now includes 40 faculty members and has strategic partnerships with major Swedish sports organizations across football, hockey, golf, and skiing. Martin Carlsson-Wall's research focuses on accounting in sports organizations and accounting in inter-organisational relationships across both private and public sectors. His work extensively examines management control systems , particularly in contexts of innovation , growth companies , and risk management . His research often takes a qualitative approach, investigating how accounting practices function in extreme situations (such as the Swedish migrant crisis), high-intensity organizations (like football clubs), and during organizational change processes. Analysis of Professor Carlsson-Wall's recent publications reveals a strong thematic focus on the intersection of accounting practices with sports management and public sector administration. His work demonstrates how management control systems adapt to different organizational contexts, from football clubs to technology firms and public administration during crises. A recurring theme is how accounting practices mediate tensions between different stakeholder interests and how they evolve in response to organizational challenges. His research methodology typically employs in-depth case studies that examine accounting as a social practice rather than merely a technical function. Professor Carlsson-Wall has received significant recognition through his appointment as "The Linder Chair in Sports and Business" in 2024, establishing the first dedicated research position at SSE focusing on the business aspects of sports. As an educator, Professor Carlsson-Wall serves as Program Director for the MSc in Accounting, Valuation and Financial Management and teaches several key courses including BE901 Hybrid Organizations: Value Creation and Strategy at the bachelor's level, and course 3313 Investments and Value Creation in Global Sports (which he directs) and course 3302 Management Control at the master's level. He also supervises master's theses in Accounting and Financial Management. In Executive Education, he teaches on management control, costing, performance management, transfer pricing, investment management, and financial analysis through both open programs and customized corporate offerings. Professor Carlsson-Wall founded and directs the Center for Sports and Business, which has grown to include 40 faculty members and established partnerships with major Swedish sports organizations. He also leads the Center for Municipality Governance and the Center for Security and Resilience, demonstrating his commitment to applying accounting and management control research to practical governance challenges in both public and private sectors.
Benjamin Lee is a Senior Lecturer of Accounting and Director of Student Matters at the School of Accountancy, Singapore Management University. He serves as an SMU-X Academic Champion, driving experiential learning initiatives and promoting AI integration in accounting education and practice across multiple institutional roles. His academic background includes: Doctor of Philosophy in Management (Strategy and Technology Management), University of Glasgow, 2025 Master of Science in Business Analytics with Distinction, University of Surrey, 2017 Bachelor of Accountancy, Singapore Management University He is a Chartered Accountant of Singapore with prior industry experience as a consulting data analyst at Singapore's Accountant-General’s Department. Dr. Lee's research centers on AI-driven analytics (AIDA) applications for accounting problem-solving, including fraud detection, financial forecasting, and credit risk analysis. His work explores organizational dynamic capabilities in digital transformation and AI governance frameworks within professional service firms. His publication portfolio (2017-2025) reveals consistent focus on digital transformation across accounting and SME contexts, with recent emphasis on machine learning applications in fraud detection and public transport optimization. The research bridges academic theory with practical industry implementation through numerous case studies. His teaching excellence has been recognized through multiple awards including: Dean’s List for Teaching Excellence (2023-2025) SMU-X Excellent Teacher Award (2023) Howard Teall Award for Innovation in Accounting Education (2023) Wharton-QS Reimagine Education Digital Readiness Award (2022) While specific doctoral advising isn't documented, Dr. Lee actively mentors students through SMU-X experiential projects and industry collaborations. His industry partnerships with ISCA and media contributions to The Business Times demonstrate practical knowledge transfer beyond academia. He holds leadership positions including Director of Student Matters, SMU-X Academic Champion, and member of ISCA's AI Taskforce Sub-Committee on Policy and Regulation, where he shapes professional standards for AI implementation in Singapore's accounting sector.
Holger Sieg is the Baird Term Professor of Economics at the University of Pennsylvania's Department of Economics. His research focuses on urban economics, fiscal policy, public finance, education economics, and spatial economics. He has authored a widely adopted textbook, 'Urban Economics and Fiscal Policy,' integrating theoretical and empirical analyses for graduate and advanced undergraduate students. Teaching includes Econ 4470 (undergraduate urban economics) and Econ 8400 (Ph.D. seminar on urban and spatial economics). His work emphasizes policy analysis, particularly in migration controls, fiscal decentralization, and educational equity. Key research themes include electoral accountability, municipal pension funding, and the impact of local policies on human capital accumulation. Recent publications analyze topics such as time allocation models, electoral competition dynamics, and the effects of migration policies in China. His research bridges empirical and theoretical approaches, addressing contemporary issues like urban fiscal policies and access to education.
Stephen G. Cecchetti is the Rosen Family Chair in International Finance at the Brandeis International Business School (Brandeis University). He also serves as Vice Chair of the European Systemic Risk Board's Advisory Scientific Committee, a Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), and a Research Fellow at the Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR). Previously, he was Economic Adviser and Head of the Monetary and Economic Department at the Bank for International Settlements (2008–2013), Executive Vice President and Director of Research at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York (1997–1999), and editor of the Journal of Money, Credit, and Banking (1992–2001). His research focuses on monetary policy, financial regulation, macroeconomics, and central banking. Education: B.S. in Economics from MIT, Ph.D. in Economics from the University of California, Berkeley, and an honorary doctorate from the University of Basel (2016). His honors include the Distinguished Lecturer title from Ohio State University (2002) and the O. John Olcay Lecture at the Peterson Institute for International Economics (2019). His work emphasizes global financial stability, banking reform, and the intersection of monetary and fiscal policy. Recent publications highlight central bank interventions during financial crises, the fiscal consequences of central bank losses, and the future of banking in a digital era. He advocates for stricter regulatory frameworks post-2008 crisis and emphasizes the evolving role of central banks in addressing systemic risks. Cecchetti’s blog Money and Banking provides insights on current economic and financial issues.
Zhiyu (Frank) Quan is an Assistant Professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), holding positions in the Department of Mathematics, Department of Statistics, and National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA). He is also an affiliate faculty member at Discovery Partners Institute as InsurTech Lead and serves as an ORMI Faculty Fellow in Finance. His research focuses on data science applications in actuarial science, including tree-based models, natural language processing, and deep learning for insurance risk modeling, predictive analytics, and InsurTech innovation. Education: Ph.D. in Actuarial Science (University of Connecticut, 2019), MS in Applied Statistics (Michigan State University, 2014), and BS in Mathematics and Applied Mathematics (Xiamen University, 2012). Research interests include computational statistics, insurance analytics, and leveraging machine learning for actuarial challenges such as claim prediction, rate-making, and cyber risk modeling. He leads the Illinois Risk Lab, bridging academic research with industry needs, and has pioneered hybrid tree-based models to address imbalanced data in insurance. Notable achievements include the Arnold O. Beckman Research Award and Society of Actuaries Research Institute recognition. He advises two doctoral students and teaches advanced predictive analytics courses, emphasizing practical applications in actuarial science and data ethics. Key collaborations involve InsurTech companies and NCSA, focusing on NLP-driven academic paper repositories (CyLit) and federated learning for privacy-preserving insurance data sharing. His work addresses real-world challenges in cyber insurance and automated machine learning systems.
Maria Elena Cobas Cobiella is an Associate Professor in the Department of Civil Law at the Faculty of Law, University of Valencia. Her academic work is deeply rooted in civil and private law, with significant contributions to inheritance, family, mediation, and European private law. She is an active member of two research groups: the GPF Research Group on Person and Family and the GEDPED Study Group on European Private and Digital Law. Research Interests: Her research spans civil law, succession law, bio-law, legal mediation, reproductive rights, and legal education. She has explored the legal implications of posthumous reproduction, European succession instruments, Cuban property law, and innovative teaching methods such as concept mapping and cooperative learning in legal education. Her work often bridges doctrinal analysis with practical and ethical considerations. The trends in her scholarly publications from 2001 to 2017 reflect a sustained focus on succession law and legal modernization, with increasing attention to European harmonization, digital law, and interdisciplinary issues in bio-law. Her articles also reveal a strong commitment to pedagogical innovation and comparative legal analysis, particularly between Spanish and U.S. legal systems. Scientific Contributions: PhD from the University of Valencia (2001) on testamentary executorship. Active researcher in European private and digital law. Prolific author on mediation, inheritance, and legal education. Advising and Grants: While no specific grants are listed, she has supervised PhD research, as evidenced by her role as advisor to Dr. Lorenzo Prats Albentosa’s thesis. She actively contributes to academic discourse through publications and research group leadership. Her work in legal education suggests involvement in curriculum development and pedagogical projects. Labs and Teams: She collaborates with the GPF Research Group on Person and Family and the GEDPED Study Group on European Private and Digital Law, indicating active participation in team-based legal research focused on contemporary civil law challenges.
