Find Academic Supervisors

• freshwater biodiversity
• data management
• data publication
• +15 more

Astrid Schmidt-Kloiber is a researcher at the Institute of Hydrobiology and Aquatic Ecosystem Management, Department of Ecosystem Management, Climate and Biodiversity, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU). She holds a Dipl.-Ing. and Dr. degree and is actively engaged in freshwater biodiversity, data management, and ecological assessment research. Her work spans EU-funded projects, national initiatives, and international collaborations focused on biomonitoring, data publication, and science communication. Research Interests: Astrid Schmidt-Kloiber's research centers on freshwater biodiversity , benthic macroinvertebrates , ecological assessment , and data management . She is deeply involved in developing online platforms such as the Freshwater Information Platform and MERLIN Academy, promoting open data, trait-based ecology, and science communication. Her expertise includes statistical analysis, web design, and freshwater typology, supporting effective monitoring and policy development. Publication Trends: Her recent publications emphasize large-scale ecological trends in European rivers, data harmonization across trait databases, and the impacts of human activities like navigation and hydropower on freshwater ecosystems. She contributes to global biodiversity assessments and advocates for robust data infrastructures to support conservation and restoration efforts. Scientific Contributions: Lead and co-lead of multiple EU- and nationally funded research projects (e.g., FWF, European Commission, Austrian Federal Ministries). Key contributor to the development of the Freshwater Information Platform and data-sharing infrastructures. Active participant in international networks such as FreshwaterBON and GEO BON. Author of influential reports and policy briefs, including inputs to the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. Advising and Grants: While no direct student advisement is listed, she leads major research grants and coordinates large interdisciplinary teams. Her projects often involve collaboration with institutions across Europe and Africa, focusing on capacity building, data mobilization, and ecosystem restoration. She plays a central role in knowledge transfer to society through reports, workshops, and media engagement. Labs and Teams: She is a core member of the Institute of Hydrobiology and Aquatic Ecosystem Management at BOKU and leads or contributes to several research consortia, including MERLIN, AQUACROSS, and FreshwaterBON. Her work fosters integration between ecological research, data science, and policy implementation in freshwater systems.

Maria Antonia BrovelliView profile

Professor

• Geomatics
• GIS
• Open Source GIS
• +6 more

Maria Antonia Brovelli is a Professor of GIS at Politecnico di Milano (PoliMI) in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and a member of the School of Doctoral Studies in Data Science at Roma La Sapienza University. Formerly Vice-Rector of PoliMI for the Como Campus (2011-2016), she currently leads the GEOLab (Geomatics and Earth Observation Lab) and holds influential roles including Deputy Chair of the ISPRS TC on Spatial Information Science, co-chair of the United Nations Open GIS Initiative, and Chair of the UN-GGIM Academic Network. Her research spans geomatics with evolving expertise from geodesy and radar-altimetry to GIS, webGIS, geospatial web platforms, Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI), Citizen Science, Big Geo Data, and geospatial AI. A global leader in Open-Source GIS advocacy, her work emphasizes open data ecosystems, collaborative mapping, and AI-driven geospatial solutions for environmental challenges. Key methodologies include open-source software frameworks and citizen science integration. Recent publications (2025) demonstrate convergence of AI and geospatial analysis, featuring satellite-ground sensor fusion for urban air quality, high-resolution land cover mapping, zero-shot learning for remote sensing imagery, landslide prediction models, and climate-agriculture impact studies. Dominant themes include open geospatial platforms, transferable AI architectures, and multi-scale environmental monitoring using open data principles. Honors include: Sol Katz Award for Geospatial Free and Open Source Software (OSGeo) As mentor of PoliMI's YouthMappers chapter (PoliMappers), she guides student-led open mapping initiatives. Her editorial leadership as Associate Editor of ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information shapes discourse in geospatial AI and open science. Research grants span ESA Earth Observation programs, UN initiatives, and international collaborative projects focused on open geospatial infrastructure. Brovelli directs GEOLab at Politecnico di Milano, a hub for geospatial innovation developing open-source tools for earth observation, citizen science platforms, and AI-driven spatial analytics. The lab collaborates with UN-GGIM, ISPRS networks, and ESA projects, driving open standards adoption globally while advancing geospatial AI applications in climate resilience and urban sustainability.

Shashi ShekharView profile

Professor

• Spatial Computing
• Spatial Data Science
• Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
• +5 more

Shashi Shekhar is a Distinguished McKnight University Professor and Distinguished University Teaching Professor at the University of Minnesota. He holds joint appointments in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering (College of Science and Engineering) and the Center for Transportation Studies. His pioneering research in spatial computing and GIS has revolutionized navigation technologies and evacuation planning. Research Focus: His work spans spatial data science, spatial databases, and spatial data mining. Current projects include scalable algorithms for spatial big data, eco-routing to reduce emissions, and AI for climate-smart agriculture. His innovations in pattern families (colocation, hotspots) have defined the spatial data mining field. Honors & Recognition: IEEE Fellow and AAAS Fellow IEEE-CS Technical Achievement Award UCGIS Education Award Distinguished Teaching Professorship Named 'key difference-maker in GIS' by leading textbooks Academic Leadership: Advised 100+ students, including 32 PhD graduates. Many advisees received Presidential Early Career Awards and NSF CAREER grants. Directs the Spatial Computing Research Group and the $20M AI-LEAF Institute for climate-smart agriculture. Major Grants: Secured $20M for AI-LEAF Institute, $2.5M for urban quality-of-life projects, and NSF funding for polar-region data science. Recent work analyzes COVID-19 impacts on transportation.

Paolo MazzoleniView profile

Professor

• Mineralogical-petrographic applications for cultural heritage
• Archaeometric characterization of ceramics
• Innovative analytical methods (SANS, neutron diffraction, Raman spectroscopy)
• +4 more

Prof. Paolo Mazzoleni is Full Professor of Mineral Georesources and Mineralogical-Petrographic Applications for Environment and Cultural Heritage (GEO/09) at the University of Catania , where he has coordinated multiple academic programs including the Master's Degree in Geological Sciences since 2012. His research spans archaeometry, mineralogy, and environmental impact studies. PhD in Petrology of Magmatic Associations Graduated summa cum laude in Geological Sciences Key research interests include: Archaeometric characterization of ceramics and stone materials Application of neutron-based techniques (SANS, TOF-ND) and synchrotron methods Study of stone degradation processes in historical buildings His publication record (85 Scopus documents) demonstrates impactful work in: Non-destructive analysis of cultural heritage Development of geopolymer restoration materials Volcanic ash environmental and health impact assessments He has coordinated the Catania unit of the European Crossreads project and led multiple PRIN research initiatives . His scientific collaborations span institutions in Warsaw, Ghent, Granada, and Grenoble.

Yi ZhaoView profile

Researcher

• Energy Systems
• Decarbonization Technologies
• Industrial Sustainability
• +3 more

Yi Zhao is a Researcher at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), affiliated with the School of Engineering and the SCI-STI-FM group (IPESE) at EPFL Valais Wallis. Their work bridges energy systems analysis, industrial decarbonization, and refrigeration engineering. Research Interests Energy storage technologies (e.g., solid oxide electrolysis) Refinery and heavy industry decarbonization strategies Application of genetic algorithms and active learning in energy optimization Low-GWP refrigerant systems for automotive use Development of databases for industrial sustainability (AIDRES project) Modeling of thermodynamic and fluid dynamics in refrigeration systems Scientific Contributions Leading the AIDRES database project for European industrial decarbonization Innovating cost estimation frameworks for hydrogen storage systems Advancing AI-driven optimization in energy system design Investigating CO2 electrolysis safety and efficiency Contact: yi.zhao@epfl.ch

Sunshin LeeView profile

Assistant Professor

• Big Data Analytics
• Machine Learning
• Distributed Databases
• +4 more

Sunshin Lee is a tenure-track Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Illinois at Springfield. He earned a Ph.D. in Computer Science from Virginia Tech and previously held a tenure-track position at Radford University, teaching Big Data Analytics and Distributed Databases. His industry experience includes work as a Data Warehouse and Business Intelligence engineer at LG CNS in South Korea. Education: Ph.D. in Computer Science from Virginia Tech Prior Employment: Radford University (tenure-track assistant professor), LG CNS (Data Warehouse engineer) Lee specializes in Big Data Analytics , Machine Learning , and Distributed Databases , with a focus on geo-locating via social media texts. His recent work includes building a 12-node Kubernetes cluster with 8 GPUs and an 11-node Hadoop cluster since 2019. He and colleagues secured a $100,000 UIS Strategic Investment Fund award to establish the AI and Data Analytics Center (AIDAC). His research infrastructure includes systematically collected datasets of 11 billion tweets, 4.8 million webpages, and specialized collections on disasters, emergencies, political events, and technologies. Lee teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in Bigdata Analytics, NoSQL Databases, and Data Structures & Algorithms.

Barbara VeselkaView profile

Researcher

• Bioarchaeology
• Human Mobility
• Paleopathology
• +3 more

Barbara Veselka is a postdoctoral researcher at Vrije Universiteit Brussel, specializing in bioarchaeology with a focus on burnt and unburnt human remains. Her work centers on palaeopathology, human mobility, and vitamin D deficiency in archaeological contexts. She holds a PhD from her 2019 thesis investigating vitamin D deficiency and industrialization impacts in the Netherlands. Affiliations: Vrije Universiteit Brussel (postdoctoral researcher in Archaeology and Environmental Geo-Chemistry) Key Projects: LOCO (Low Countries Crossroads study), Inside-Out (X-ray analysis), and CRUMBEL (Belgian cremation database) Research interests include cremation practices, isotopic analysis, and skeletal manipulation. Over 99 publications and 5 datasets highlight her contributions to understanding mobility patterns and dietary shifts through strontium and radiocarbon analysis. Awards include the 2024 BioArCh 'Gamechanger' prize and 2021 Best Oral Presentation on Isotopes. Active in conferences and editorial roles (e.g., Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports ), she collaborates internationally on projects like the Paleopathology Association and Cremations Network workshops. Her work bridges archaeology, chemistry, and anthropology to reconstruct human-environment interactions across millennia.

MARÍA DE LA ESPERANZA FERNÁNDEZ MARTÍNEZView profile

Associate Professor

• Palaeontology
• Geoheritage Management
• Quaternary Geology
• +5 more

María de la Esperanza Fernández Martínez serves as Associate Professor in the Department of Geography and Geology at the University of León's Faculty of Philosophy and Letters. Her research integrates Palaeontology, Geoheritage Management, and Geological Education with focus on Quaternary megafauna, fossil taphonomy, and geotourism development in northern Spain. As leader of the Q-GEO research group (Environmental Geology, Quaternary and Geodiversity), she directs field studies across Leon province and the Picos de Europa National Park. Her educational foundation includes a 1993 PhD from the University of Oviedo, where she investigated Devonian tabulate and chaetetid corals in the Cantabrian Mountains under Dr. Francisco Soto Fernández. This early work established her expertise in fossil identification and paleoenvironmental reconstruction, later expanding into Holocene extinction dynamics and geoconservation strategies. Fernández Martínez's research demonstrates three convergent trajectories: (1) Quantitative analysis of body-size decline in Cantabrian megafauna (Brown Bear, Chamois, Wild Horse) across the Holocene; (2) Taphonomic resolution of pseudofossils (e.g., 'trompe l'oeil' structures in Silurian quartzites); and (3) Applied geotourism frameworks for heritage management. Her publications reveal increasing interdisciplinary integration since 2020, connecting paleontological data with climate science, conservation policy, and public engagement. Her 15 most recent publications indicate strong emphasis on practical conservation tools, including geosite vulnerability assessments (Luna Valley, Picos de Europa), educational methodologies (Biometac outdoor biology projects), and medical applications of geological techniques (teleconsultation diagnostics). The anomaly of the 2024 medical article suggests emerging cross-disciplinary collaborations beyond earth sciences. No scientific awards were documented in available sources She actively supervises academic theses and develops educational initiatives like 'Fósiles Urbanos de León' (ongoing since 2011) and service-learning projects in rural communities. While specific grant details weren't provided, her leadership in the Q-GEO group indicates sustained research funding for geoheritage projects. Her work bridges academic research with public outreach through geological guides for Biosphere Reserves and field-based community engagement. Fernández Martínez maintains close collaboration with the Q-GEO research team at the University of León, focusing on environmental geology applications in the Cantabrian Mountains. Current projects include Holocene megafauna database development, Silurian pseudofossil verification protocols, and geotourism infrastructure planning for protected areas in northwest Spain.

Patrick E. ManteyView profile

Professor

• Signals and Systems
• Image and Signal Processing
• Geographic Information Systems
• +15 more

Professor Patrick E. Mantey is a distinguished faculty member at the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC), where he serves in the Jack Baskin School of Engineering. He is the founding dean of the school (1997–2001) and continues to contribute as a professor in Computer Engineering. He also holds leadership roles as Director of the Institute for Networking, Information Systems and Technologies and as the UCSC affiliate director of CITRIS. His career bridges academia and industry, with prior experience at IBM and teaching at Stanford University. Ph.D., Electrical Engineering, Stanford University (NSF Fellow) M.S., Electrical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison B.S., Electrical Engineering, University of Notre Dame (magna cum laude) His research spans signals and systems, with early contributions in digital signal processing, geographic information systems, and database applications. His current focus is on resilient and renewable energy systems through the RREES Lab, where he investigates microgrid energy management, anomaly detection, and federated microgrid systems. His work integrates machine learning, real-time data analysis, and decision support systems. The majority of his recent publications center on real-time environmental monitoring, multimedia systems, and educational technology. Trends show a strong emphasis on distributed systems, data visualization, and networked applications in environmental and educational contexts. His earlier work laid foundations in digital filtering, power systems, and interactive geographic data systems. Fellow of the IEEE (2001) NSF Fellowship during doctoral studies Microsoft, NOAA, NSF, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers research awards Professor Mantey has advised numerous students through capstone projects and research initiatives, particularly in networked systems and environmental informatics. His research has been supported by major grants from the National Science Foundation, Office of Naval Research, NOAA, and industry partners including IBM, Cisco, Sun, Microsoft, and Hewlett-Packard. He has led large-scale projects such as REINAS and contributed to the development of the UCSC Scientific Visualization Laboratory. He is actively involved in multiple research groups, including the Storage Systems Research Center (SSRC), the Telecollaboration Lab, the Computer Communication Research Group (CCRG), and the CARNIVORE Project. These labs focus on storage systems, educational technology, wireless networks, and environmental sensor networks, reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of his work.

Ke YiView profile

Professor

• Database theory and systems
• Query processing
• Data security and privacy
• +7 more

Ke Yi is a Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), where he also serves as Director of the MSc Program in Big Data Technology. His research spans database theory and systems, query processing, data security and privacy, parallel and distributed algorithms, and computational geometry, with a focus on bridging theoretical guarantees with practical implementations. Dr. Yi earned his B.Eng. in Computer Science and Technology from Tsinghua University (1997-2001) and his Ph.D. in Computer Science from Duke University (2001-2006), advised by Professors Pankaj K. Agarwal and Lars Arge. Before joining HKUST in 2007, he was a Research Specialist at AT&T Labs-Research (2006-2007). His research interests center on database theory and systems with particular emphasis on query processing techniques, data security and privacy mechanisms, and efficient algorithms for big data. Yi's work consistently demonstrates the rich interdependence between theoretical foundations and practical implementations, favoring simple algorithms with elegant analyses that provide valuable insights for real-world applications. His research group has developed several notable system prototypes including Quorion (query optimization), DPSQL (differentially private SQL), SparkSQL+ (next-generation query planning), SecYan (secure query processing), CROWN/Cquirrel (continuous query processing), and XDB (online aggregation). Yi's publication record shows a clear evolution toward privacy-preserving database technologies, particularly differential privacy, with an increasing focus on practical implementations that maintain theoretical guarantees. His recent work has centered on query processing under differential privacy, secure multi-party computation for databases, and efficient algorithms for big data analytics, demonstrating consistent contributions to both theoretical foundations and practical systems. ACM SIGMOD Best Paper Award (2016, 2022) ACM PODS Test-of-Time Award (2022) ACM Distinguished Member (2021) Multiple ACM SIGMOD Best Paper Honorable Mentions Google Faculty Research Award (2010) HKUST School of Engineering Young Investigator Research Award (2012) Professor Yi has supervised numerous Ph.D. and MPhil students, many of whom have gone on to prestigious academic and industry positions at institutions including Nanyang Technological University, University of Waterloo, EPFL, Alibaba Cloud, and Google. His research has been generously supported by Hong Kong RGC, Alibaba, Huawei, ByteDance, Microsoft, and Google. In addition to his research leadership, Yi has made significant contributions to the academic community through editorial roles (ACM TODS, IEEE TKDE), program committee chairs (PODS 2026, ICDT 2021), and numerous service roles in top database conferences. His laboratory, the HKUST Database Lab (hkustDB), has become a leading center for database research in Asia, developing innovative prototypes that bridge theoretical database research with practical implementations. The lab maintains active GitHub repositories for their open-source projects and collaborates extensively with both academic and industry partners worldwide.

Brad PierceView profile

Professor

• Synoptic Meteorology
• Atmospheric and Cloud Physics
• Large Scale Dynamics
• +5 more

Brad Pierce is a Professor and Director of the Space Science and Engineering Center (SSEC) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He has over 25 years of experience in global atmospheric modeling, focusing on air quality and chemical data assimilation systems. His work bridges satellite observations with ground measurements to improve environmental forecasting. Director, Space Science and Engineering Center (2018–present) Physical Scientist, NOAA/NESDIS CIMSS (prior to 2018) Senior Research Scientist, NASA Langley Research Center (previous position) His research spans synoptic meteorology, atmospheric physics, and large-scale environmental dynamics. He leads the RAQMS (Real-time Air Quality Modeling System) project, integrating satellite data with ground and airborne measurements for global air quality forecasting. He contributed to major missions like GOES-R, GEO-CAPE, and FIREX-AQ, developing innovative approaches for emissions constraint and chemical transport modeling. Current projects involve improving the Next Generation Global Prediction System (NGGPS) by implementing RAQMS chemical mechanisms. His recent work focuses on Lake Michigan ozone studies, wildfire emissions impacts, and geostationary satellite-based air quality monitoring through the TEMPO instrument. He developed the 2S-ESS radiative transfer model for faster ozone retrieval and created methods for hyperspectral surface reflectivity databases. Recent publications highlight his contributions to understanding complex atmospheric interactions during events like the Lake Michigan Ozone Study (LMOS 2017) and FIREX-AQ campaigns. His work demonstrates how multi-sensor integration enhances ozone prediction accuracy and emissions estimation. He continues to advance methodologies for satellite-based air quality modeling and data assimilation systems.

Sérgio DuarteView profile

Assistant Professor

• Distributed Systems
• Cloud Computing
• Database Management
• +3 more

Sérgio Duarte is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Informatics, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, Universidade Nova de Lisboa (FCT/UNL). His research focuses on distributed systems, cloud computing, and database management, particularly in consistency models and replication mechanisms. Research Interests: Distributed Systems, Cloud Computing, Conflict-free Replicated Data Types (CRDTs), Consistency Models, Geo-replication, Event-based Systems. Key Contributions: Work on causal consistency, invariant preservation in databases, and client-side fault tolerance in geo-replicated environments. Email: smd@fct.unl.pt

Serkan GirginView profile

Associate Professor

• Geospatial Data Science
• Big Data Analytics
• Cloud Computing
• +10 more

Dr. Serkan Girgin is an Associate Professor at the Department of Geo-information Processing, Faculty of Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation, University of Twente. He leads the Center of Expertise in Big Geodata (CRIB) and contributes to global initiatives in geospatial big data, cloud computing, and disaster risk assessment. His work bridges academic, private, and scientific sectors with over two decades of experience since 1996. M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering Second M.Sc. in Geodetic and Geographic Information Technologies Research interests span geospatial data science, machine learning for remote sensing, open science frameworks, and Natech risk assessment. He has designed systems like ITC's Geospatial Computing Platform, eNatech Database, and RAPID-N for risk mapping. Recent publications focus on digital twins for soil-plant systems, SAR benchmark datasets, and automated workflows for Sentinel-1 interferometry. His projects include ESA EO AFRICA R&D Facility, SURF's Next Generation Data Repositories, and Netherlands eScience Centre's EcoExtreML. eScience Center Fellow (2022) SURF Research Support Champion (2022) Multiple early-career awards in programming (1993-1996) and thesis excellence (2005) He actively develops tools for citizen science (e.g., QGIS Light) and advocates for FAIR data management. His collaborations extend to Zenodo datasets and international conferences on geospatial resilience.

Johannes FlackeView profile

Associate Professor

• Urban Planning
• Geo-Information Systems
• Climate Change Adaptation
• +5 more

Dr. Johannes Flacke is an Associate Professor for Spatial Planning and Decision Support Systems at the University of Twente, Netherlands, with dual affiliation to the Department of Urban and Regional Planning and Geo-Information Management and the Digital Society Institute. He holds a Diploma in Geography (1994) and a PhD in Geosciences (2002) from Ruhr-University Bochum, Germany. Diploma in Geography, Ruhr-University Bochum (1994) PhD in Geosciences, Ruhr-University Bochum (2002) His research focuses on sustainable urban transformation, climate change adaptation, and micro-level urban modeling. He specializes in collaborative spatial decision support systems, addressing challenges in informal settlements, environmental inequalities, and poverty alleviation. Recent work includes inclusive digital planning tools like OGITO and analyses of energy poverty and health risks in marginalized communities. Key trends in his 2025–2023 publications include participatory design for bikeable cities, cascading effects of disasters in informal settlements, climate adaptation planning, and equity-focused urban research. Tools like collaborative mapping and interactive dashboards are recurring themes across his work. Dr. Flacke has supervised 13 research projects and contributed to datasets on European climate plans, heat-or-eat dilemmas, and disaster impact chains. He actively engages in oral presentations on topics such as water security, flood risk management, and health promotion for unhoused populations.

Viveck CadambeView profile

Associate Professor

• Information Theory
• Secure Machine Learning
• Cloud Storage Systems
• +4 more

Prof. Viveck Cadambe is an Associate Professor in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of California, Irvine (2006), and was a postdoctoral researcher at Boston University and MIT's Research Laboratory of Electronics (2011–2014). His research focuses on theoretical and applied aspects of information theory, with applications to secure machine learning, distributed systems, wireless networks, and cloud storage. He leads the LITES Lab, which develops foundational algorithms and systems for information processing. Key research areas include privacy-preserving computation, coded distributed storage, and interference alignment in wireless networks. His work bridges theoretical analysis (e.g., information-theoretic limits) and practical implementations (e.g., prototyping distributed systems). Prof. Cadambe has received multiple awards, including the 2009 IEEE Information Theory Society Best Paper Award, 2016 NSF Career Award, and a 2019 Google Faculty Award. He serves as an Associate Editor for IEEE Transactions on Communications. His lab actively explores topics such as Secure multiparty computation with differential privacy Geo-distributed storage systems (e.g., LEGOStore) Coded computing for fault-tolerant distributed algorithms Recent research highlights include Optimal recovery thresholds for coded matrix multiplication Latency-optimized storage schemes for distributed systems Adversarial-resistant decentralized machine learning frameworks His contributions span theoretical insights, algorithm design, and system prototyping, emphasizing practical scalability and robustness.