Besiki Stvilia is a Professor in the School of Information at Florida State University's College of Communication and Information. He holds a Ph.D. and M.S. in Library and Information Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, along with an M.S. in Applied Mathematics from Tbilisi State University. His research focuses on data quality assurance, digital curation, social informatics, and knowledge organization. He has led projects on research data management, metadata frameworks, and collaborative data practices in scientific communities. Stvilia has taught courses including LIS 6205 (Information Behavior), LIS 5263 (Information Retrieval Theory), and LIS 5787 (Metadata Practices). His funded research includes grants on data quality infrastructure for repositories, researcher identity curation, and mobile wellness application behavior studies. His work emphasizes bridging theoretical models with practical applications in digital libraries and academic systems. His research spans topics like GenAI credibility assessment, ontology development for data repositories, and user engagement with social Q&A platforms. He has advised multiple collaborative projects involving interdisciplinary teams and has published extensively in journals like Journal of Documentation and Information Processing & Management .
Ioannis Z. Emiris is a Professor in the Department of Informatics & Telecoms at the National & Kapodistrian University of Athens and concurrently serves as President and General Director of the ATHENA Research Center in Greece. He holds a BSc in Computer Science from Princeton University (1989) and a PhD in Computer Science from UC Berkeley (1994). His research spans computational geometry, algebraic algorithms, robotics, structural bioinformatics, and optimization. He is a leading expert in sparse elimination theory, geometric modeling, and algorithmic algebra. Affiliations: ATHENA Research Center, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, INRIA Sophia Antipolis (France via joint AROMATH team). Education: BSc (Princeton), PhD (UC Berkeley). Research Interests Emiris's work focuses on geometric algorithms, algebraic systems, and their applications. His contributions include advancements in sparse elimination theory, computational geometry for high-dimensional data, and robotics. He has developed algorithms for polynomial system solving, Voronoi diagrams, and geometric predicates for ellipses. Articles Overview His recent work bridges theoretical advances with practical applications, such as deep learning for protein structure prediction (HydraProt) and geometric algorithms for high-dimensional data analysis. He explores intersections between algebraic geometry and computational methods, with applications ranging from robotics to bioinformatics. Scientific Awards Best Paper Award at ISSAC 2003 and 2010 MSCA Network GRAPES (2019-2023) Advising & Grants Emiris has supervised numerous students and researchers, contributing to interdisciplinary projects. He has secured grants for initiatives like the GRAPES network and has led teams in algorithm design and geometric software development. His work on MARS (Maple/Matlab/C Resultant-Based Solver) exemplifies his focus on practical algorithm implementation. Labs & Teams He directs the Lab of Geometric & Algebraic Algorithms and collaborates with the AROMATH team at INRIA. His research group develops open-source tools for computational geometry and algebraic computations.
Anup Basu is a Professor in the Department of Computing Science at the University of Alberta. His research focuses on computer graphics, computer vision, and multimedia communications. He holds an B.S. in Math & Statistics from the Indian Statistical Institute (1980), an M.E. in Computer Science from the Indian Statistical Institute (1983), and a Ph.D. in Computing Science from the University of Maryland (1990). His work emphasizes Quality of Service (QoS) in multimedia delivery for e-commerce and telelearning, adaptive bandwidth monitoring, and 3D visualization tools. He pioneered foveated image compression and stereo visualization techniques, contributing to MPEG-4 coding standards. He leads major initiatives like the ASRA/TelePhotogenics/IBM 3D Medical Imaging project ($2M+ funding) and developed patented SHR Stereo/3D scanning technologies. Awards include the American Neurological Association Fellowship. He has held leadership roles as General Chair for IEEE International Conferences on SMC (2017), Multimedia & Expo (2013), and SMC (2014). His research integrates interdisciplinary collaborations across universities and industry partners, leveraging advanced equipment like the CAVE system for immersive visualization.
Xihong Lin is a Professor of Statistics at Harvard University and a Professor of Biostatistics at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. She is a distinguished academic, holding membership in both the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Medicine. Her research focuses on scalable statistical inference for big data, statistical machine learning, causal inference, and integrative data analysis, with applications in genomics, public health, and precision medicine. Lin’s work addresses challenges in analyzing large-scale genomic and multi-ancestry data, including methods for rare variant association testing, ancestry-adjusted sample analysis, and scalable computing frameworks. Her contributions span biobank studies (e.g., UK Biobank, TOPMed) and clinical applications in lung cancer, cardiovascular health, and smoking cessation. Her scientific awards reflect her leadership in statistical genetics and public health. Key research trends include leveraging single-cell sequencing for functional genomics, developing ensemble machine learning methods for health subtyping, and enhancing polygenic risk prediction across diverse populations. Lin’s methodologies prioritize interpretability and scalability, enabling impactful analyses of complex observational and genomic datasets. Awards: Member, National Academy of Sciences; Member, National Academy of Medicine Her grants and advising efforts focus on interdisciplinary collaborations, bridging statistics, AI, and domain sciences. Lin leads initiatives to improve genomic data management and ethical use of federated data (e.g., FADI framework). She is affiliated with labs advancing statistical genetics and cloud-based workflows (e.g., STAAR workflow).
Santiago Segarra is the W. M. Rice Trustee Associate Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Rice University, with courtesy appointments in Computer Science and Statistics. He joined Rice in 2018 and collaborates with Microsoft Research since 2022. His expertise spans network theory, machine learning, graph signal processing, and optimization. Segarra earned his B.Sc. in Industrial Engineering from ITBA (2011), and M.S. and Ph.D. in Electrical and Systems Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania (2014-2016), followed by a postdoc at MIT (2016-2018). Research Focus: His work integrates algebraic topology, signal processing, and machine learning to analyze networked systems. Key areas include social/technological network clustering, graph-based data analysis, and applications in neuroscience and communication networks. Recent projects address fair graph learning, distributed GNN training, and network topology inference. Awards: Penn’s Wolf Award for Best Dissertation (2017), Argentine National Engineering Honors (2011), and ITBA’s Best Thesis Award (2011). Grants/Sponsors: Supported by NSF, ONR, and industry collaborations. Labs/Groups: Leads the Rice Wireless group and collaborates with Microsoft Research on applied network science. Advises students in interdisciplinary research combining theory and real-world applications.
Dan Spielman is the Sterling Professor of Computer Science and holds joint appointments as Professor of Statistics and Data Science and Mathematics at Yale University. He is affiliated with the Department of Mathematics within the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. His research focuses on spectral graph theory, algorithms, linear systems, and their applications in computer science, mathematics, and statistics. He has been recognized as an ACM Fellow for his contributions to theoretical computer science and mathematics. Dr. Spielman's work bridges theoretical and applied domains, with notable advancements in graph sparsification, Laplacian solvers, and the resolution of the Kadison-Singer problem. His research also encompasses algorithmic design, optimization, and probabilistic methods. Key grants include NSF funding for projects like 'Generalized Algebraic Graph Theory: Algorithms and Analysis' (2016). His scientific awards include the ACM Fellowship (2011), acknowledging his impactful contributions to algorithms and complexity theory. Spielman’s interdisciplinary approach integrates spectral graph theory with practical applications, addressing fundamental problems in computation and mathematics.
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Weihan Li is a Junior Professor at RWTH Aachen University, specializing in Artificial Intelligence and Digitalization for Batteries. He is affiliated with the Institute for Power Electronics and Electrical Drives (ISEA) and the Center for Ageing, Reliability, and Lifetime Prediction of Electrochemical and Power Electronic Systems (CARL). His research bridges informatics, electrochemistry, and power electronics to advance battery technology through AI. B.Sc. in Automotive Engineering (Tongji University, 2014) M.Sc. in Automotive Engineering and Transport (RWTH Aachen, 2017) Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering and Information Technology (RWTH Aachen, 2021, summa cum laude) Prof. Li’s research focuses on AI-driven battery modeling, diagnostics, and optimization. Key areas include digital twin technology, electrochemical parameterization, and lifetime prediction using field data. He explores multi-scale kinetic processes, thermal management, and mechanical-electrochemical coupling effects in battery systems. The articles listed reflect his leadership in AI-powered battery analytics, spanning degradation prediction, fast charging, failure mode analysis, and grid-scale storage. His work emphasizes both theoretical innovation (e.g., diffusion models, physics-informed neural networks) and practical applications (e.g., second-life battery screening, automotive integration). Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher 2024 BMBF BattFutur Research Group (€2M+) German Thesis Award (Körber Foundation) Reichart Prize vgbe Innovation Prize Battery Young Research Award Umbrella Award RWTH Innovation Award Prof. Li leads an interdisciplinary research group with over €6 million in grants from BMBF, BMWK, BMDV, European Commission, and industry partners. His teams focus on battery informatics, AI-driven diagnostics, and digitalization of testing processes at CARL and ISEA.
Amir Shaikhha is an Associate Professor (Reader) in the School of Informatics at the University of Edinburgh. He was previously an Assistant Professor (Lecturer) at the same institution from 2020 to 2024 and a Departmental Lecturer at the University of Oxford until August 2020. He is also a Junior Research Fellow at University College, Oxford. His academic journey began with a Ph.D. from EPFL in 2018, where he was awarded the Google Ph.D. Fellowship in structured data analysis and a Ph.D. thesis distinction. His research centers on the design and implementation of data-analytics systems, drawing upon techniques from databases, programming languages, compilers, and machine learning. He develops high-performance systems such as SDQL.py, StructTensor, and VecHT, focusing on the compilation of data science workloads and optimization of tensor operations. His work bridges the gap between high-level abstractions and efficient execution, particularly in sparse and probabilistic computing domains. The recent publications highlight a strong trend in compiler-driven optimizations for data-intensive applications, including automatic differentiation, loop fusion, probabilistic programming, and domain-specific language (DSL) restaging. His research integrates machine learning for systems decisions and emphasizes reproducibility and performance. He has published consistently in top venues like PLDI, OOPSLA, SIGMOD, and CGO, reflecting sustained impact in programming languages and database systems. Dahl-Nygaard Junior Prize, 2025 Google Research Scholar Award, 2025 Most Influential Paper Award, GPCE 2024 Best Paper Award, GPCE 2017 Most Reproducible Paper Award, SIGMOD 2017 Google Ph.D. Fellowship, 2017 Amir Shaikhha has advised PhD students including Hesam Shahrokhi and has been nominated for Best Supervisor of the Year at the University of Edinburgh. He leads research projects that have received recognition and support through awards and grants, including the Google Research Scholar Award. He actively serves the community through program committees (e.g., GPCE, DBPL, DRAGSTERS), editorial roles, and peer review for premier journals. His leadership in organizing workshops and conferences underscores his role as a central figure in the programming languages and databases research communities. He leads a research group focused on compiler and database systems, with recent open-source releases such as StructTensor and VecHT. His team collaborates with researchers from institutions like MIT, EPFL, and TU Berlin, and he co-chairs workshops like Sparse@PLDI and DRAGSTERS. His lab emphasizes innovation in how data-intensive programs are compiled and executed efficiently across modern hardware.
Gerd Stumme is a Full Professor of Computer Science at University of Kassel , leading the Chair on Knowledge and Data Engineering . He serves as Executive Director of the Research Center for Information Systems Design (ITeG) , director of the International Centre for Higher Education Research (INCHER) , and founding member of the Hessian Institute for Artificial Intelligence (hessian.AI) . His research spans the intersection of Data Science, AI, and Mathematics , focusing on semantic/structural analysis of social networks, concept hierarchies, and mathematical structures (graphs, ordered sets) for knowledge acquisition. He pioneered work on Semantic Web, Web Mining, Social Bookmarking , and Recommender Systems , and has recently revisited mathematical foundations for knowledge representation. Recent publications analyze ordinal motifs in lattices , controversy mapping , and social network structures , with applications to business models, journalism, and AI. His work often integrates graph theory and formal concept analysis . He is a core developer of BibSonomy , a social bookmarking and publication-sharing system, and has contributed to FolkRank and TriAS algorithms for collaborative knowledge management.
Nicole Wein is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Michigan, where she is a member of the Theory of Computation Lab within the Computer Science and Engineering Division. Her research focuses on theoretical computer science, particularly graph algorithms and lower bounds across various domains including distance-estimation, dynamic, parameterized, distributed, and online algorithms. Education: PhD in Computer Science from MIT, advised by Virginia Vassilevska Williams Master's in Computer Science from Stanford University B.S. in Computer Science/Mathematics from Harvey Mudd College Nicole's research centers on theoretical aspects of graph algorithms and computational complexity. She investigates fundamental questions about how algorithms can efficiently handle changing data, extract information from graphs in linear time, and understand the structure of shortest paths, especially in directed graphs. Her work spans multiple algorithmic paradigms including dynamic algorithms that adapt to changing inputs, parameterized approaches for hard problems, and fine-grained complexity that establishes precise relationships between problem difficulty. Analysis of Nicole's recent publications reveals a strong focus on graph algorithms, particularly shortest path problems, spanners, and hardness results. Her work often bridges theoretical insights with practical implications, developing novel techniques for distance estimation, dynamic graph processing, and approximation algorithms. A significant portion of her research examines the structural properties of graphs that enable or constrain efficient computation, with applications across computer science. Nicole actively mentors students at various levels. She currently advises PhD student Jubayer Nirjhor and has worked with undergraduate researchers including Sam Hiken (now a pre-doc at MIT), Michael Wang, and Tony Zhang. Her teaching includes foundational courses like EECS 376: Foundations of Computer Science and specialized courses such as EECS 598: Graph Algorithms. Nicole contributes to the academic community through service as a program committee member for major conferences including SOSA 2025, FOCS 2025, SODA 2025, and others. She co-organized the June 2023 DIMACS workshop on Modern Techniques in Graph Algorithms and previously organized Algorithms Office Hours at MIT to improve communication between theory and applications of algorithms.
Deepa Kundur is the Professor & Chair of The Edward S. Rogers Sr. Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering at the University of Toronto. She earned her BASc, MASc, and PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the same institution in 1993, 1995, and 1999, respectively. Current roles: IEEE Spectrum Advisory Board Conference leadership: General Chair of 2018 GlobalSIP Symposium, TPC Co-Chair for IEEE SmartGridComm 2018, among others Her research focuses on cybersecurity , signal processing , and complex dynamical networks , particularly in smart grid applications. She has authored over 200 publications and pioneered techniques for detecting false data injection attacks, enhancing grid resilience, and integrating machine learning into power systems. Her recent work spans quantum learning for grid security , LLM-based mental health prediction , and resilient control systems . She has received 14 best paper recognitions, including IEEE SmartGridComm (2015) and IEEE INFOCOM Workshop (2008). Fellowships: IEEE Fellow (2015), Canadian Academy of Engineering Fellow (2016), Massey College Senior Fellow (2019) Teaching awards: Tenneco Meritorious Teaching Award (2005), Gordon Slemon Teaching of Design Award (2002) Early career honors: NSERC Scholarships (PGS A/B), Canada Scholarship She leads the Kundur Research Group , developing models for cyber-physical systems in smart grids and autonomous vehicle networks. Her team explores reinforcement learning for grid defense , transmissibility-based fault detection , and privacy-preserving smart grid analytics .
Dr. Kezhi (Ken) Li is an Associate Professor of AI in Healthcare at the Institute of Health Informatics, University College London (UCL). He leads the AI for Health research group and has established himself as a leading expert in applying artificial intelligence to solve complex problems in healthcare, with over 130 publications in leading journals (total impact factor greater than 400). Dr. Li earned his Doctor of Philosophy from Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine in 2013, followed by research positions at the Medical Research Council (2015-2017), University of Cambridge (2014-2015), and Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) (2013-2014). His academic journey reflects a consistent trajectory from technical AI research toward increasingly healthcare-focused applications. Dr. Li's research focuses on solving physiological, medical, clinical, and operational problems in healthcare using AI techniques. His specific expertise includes AI in healthcare using electronic health records (EHR), biomedical time series analysis using monitors/wearables, diabetes management, large language models (LLM) in healthcare (especially mental health), patient flow optimization, and digital health with federated learning. His work bridges the gap between cutting-edge AI methodologies and practical healthcare applications, with a strong focus on improving patient outcomes and healthcare system efficiency. Analysis of Dr. Li's publication history reveals a strong emphasis on diabetes management technologies, particularly blood glucose prediction systems using advanced neural network architectures. More recently, his work has expanded into mental health applications of large language models, blockchain-based federated learning for healthcare data, and mortality prediction in critical care settings. His research demonstrates a clear evolution from purely technical AI development toward increasingly clinically impactful applications, with growing emphasis on explainability, privacy preservation, and real-world implementation challenges. Dr. Li has received numerous prestigious awards recognizing his contributions to healthcare AI: Best Application Award of IEEE Global Blockchain Conference (2025) Fellow of British Computer Society (2025) Fellow of the Royal Society for Public Health (2024) Healthcare Partnership of the Year category at the London Higher Awards (2024) ECR Promising Project Award (2023) Gallivan Award finalists (2022) Stylianos Kalaitzis PhD Award Winner (2022) HDR UK Team of the Year (COVID-19) Award (2021) As an educator, Dr. Li serves as the Director of MRes study (AI-enabled Healthcare Systems) at UCL. He leads multiple key modules including Healthcare Artificial Intelligence Journal Club, Dissertation in Artificial Intelligence Enabled Healthcare, and Advanced Machine Learning for Healthcare. His supervision extends across dissertation projects and junior researchers in his AI for Health group. His research has been supported by various grants, including those from HDR UK, focusing on translating AI innovations into practical healthcare solutions. Dr. Li leads the AI for Health research group (https://ai4hucl.github.io/ai4h_webs/), which comprises researchers with diverse expertise in machine learning, healthcare systems, and clinical domains. The group maintains strong collaborations with healthcare providers and industry partners to ensure their research addresses real-world healthcare challenges and can be effectively translated into clinical practice.
Jossy Sayir is an Affiliated Lecturer and Senior Research Associate in the Department of Engineering at the University of Cambridge . Holding a Dipl. El.-Ing. ETH and Dr. Techn.-Wiss. from ETH Zurich, Sayir’s work bridges Information Theory and Bioinformatics , focusing on DNA-based data storage and error correction systems. They serve as Director of Studies in Engineering at Newnham College and coordinate Engineering Admissions. Interdisciplinary collaboration with the European Bioinformatics Institute Research on DNA data storage efficiency and cost reduction Expertise in channel coding, source coding, and 5G algorithms Teaching spans mathematics and information engineering modules in Part I Engineering Tripos, with Part II contributions on information theory, error control coding, and cryptography. Sayir also oversees data compression labs and serves as Wine Committee Chair, reflecting diverse interests in food, coffee, wine, music , and jazz . Best Lecturer Award, 2017-18 Research Fellowships in coding theory Key research trends include DNA storage encoding , LDPC decoders , polar code optimization , and Sudoku-inspired constraint coding . Sayir’s work addresses both theoretical and practical challenges in high-density data storage and next-generation communication protocols .
Xiang Yin is a Research Associate at the Department of Computing in Imperial College London , affiliated with the Computational Logic and Argumentation group (CLArg) . His work bridges Explainable AI (XAI) and Computational Argumentation (CA) , focusing on the explainability of Quantitative Bipolar Argumentation Frameworks (QBAFs) through attribution and counterfactual explanations. Research Interests: Explainable AI (XAI) Computational Argumentation Quantitative Bipolar Argumentation Frameworks Model Interpretability Human-AI Interaction Logical Reasoning for AI Publication Trends reveal a focus on argumentation-based explainability, with 2025-2024 works addressing large language models for claim verification, truth-discovery frameworks, and counterfactual explanations. Earlier works (2023-2022) explore random forest explanations, faithfulness criteria, and QBAF analysis. His 2018 publications on aircraft prediction systems demonstrate applied machine learning expertise. Education PhD in Artificial Intelligence under Prof. Francesca Toni and Dr. Nico Potyka Pre-PhD: Machine Learning R&D Engineer at Baidu Labs & Teams Xiang is part of the CLArg group at Imperial College London, focusing on integrating computational argumentation with AI explainability and contestability.
Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Nejdl is a Professor at the Institute for Data Science within the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at Leibniz University Hannover. He serves as Executive Director of the L3S Research Centre and Leibniz Forschungszentrum Inclusive Citizenship. Web Science Information Retrieval Artificial Intelligence Deep Learning His recent research focuses on AI applications in medicine , multimodal data fusion , and ethical AI systems . Projects include CAIMed (AI in Causal Medicine) and DAISEC (AI & Cybersecurity). His publications span conferences like AAMAS, WWW, and SIGIR. Notable awards include membership in the National Academy of Science and Engineering (acatech) . Former students hold positions at institutions like Stanford, TU Dresden, and ETH Zürich. Current projects involve climate resilience AI , federated learning for healthcare , and quantum-inspired data science .
