Sidney S. Fels is a Professor at the University of British Columbia, affiliated with the Human Communication Technologies Lab in Vancouver. His research spans Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Virtual Reality, Biomechanical Engineering, Speech Synthesis, and Medical Imaging. He focuses on innovative interfaces, surgical simulation, and AI-driven educational tools. Recent work includes advancements in touch interaction systems (e.g., HaloTouch), chatbot-assisted learning, and biomechanical modeling for medical applications. His research interests emphasize bridging computational models with real-world applications, particularly in healthcare and education. Notable contributions include contributions to CHI conferences, SIGGRAPH, and INTERSPEECH, showcasing work on AI ethics in learning environments, vocal tract modeling, and pervasive computing systems. Fels collaborates extensively with researchers in engineering, medicine, and computer science, reflecting his interdisciplinary approach to solving complex human-centric challenges. Labs/Teams: Human Communication Technologies Lab at UBC.
Gül Varol is a permanent researcher (equivalent to Associate Professor) at École des Ponts ParisTech, where she is part of the IMAGINE group within the Laboratoire d'Informatique Gaspard-Monge (LIGM). She holds additional affiliations as an ELLIS Scholar and a Guest Scientist at the Max Planck Institute (MPI). Her academic journey includes a postdoctoral position at the University of Oxford's Visual Geometry Group (VGG) under Andrew Zisserman, and a PhD from the WILLOW team at Inria Paris and École Normale Supérieure. Her educational background includes BS and MS degrees from Boğaziçi University, followed by doctoral studies at Inria Paris and École Normale Supérieure. During her PhD, she spent research periods at MPI, Adobe, and Google, gaining diverse industry and academic experience. Dr. Varol's research focuses on the intersection of computer vision and language processing, with particular expertise in video representation learning, human motion synthesis, and sign language technologies. Her work bridges theoretical advances with practical applications, especially in accessibility technologies like audio description for visually impaired audiences and sign language recognition systems. She has pioneered approaches for text-driven 3D human motion generation, sign language translation with contextual cues, and film-grammar-aware audio description generation. Her research often leverages large language models and vision-language models to solve complex multimodal problems without requiring extensive training data. Analysis of her recent publications reveals a clear trajectory toward more sophisticated multimodal systems that integrate temporal understanding, contextual awareness, and fine-grained control. Her work increasingly focuses on practical applications in accessibility, with significant contributions to sign language technologies and audio description systems. She has demonstrated leadership in developing large-scale datasets like BOBSL (BBC-Oxford British Sign Language Dataset) and advancing methods for zero-shot and training-free approaches that can be deployed without extensive fine-tuning. Her scientific achievements have been recognized with several prestigious awards: ELLIS 2020 PhD Award AFRIF 2019 PhD thesis award from the French association for pattern recognition Google Research Scholar award (2023) Best application paper award at ACCV'20 Dr. Varol has received significant research funding including an ANR JCJC project "CorVis" and research gifts from Google and Adobe. She actively mentors students and researchers, with prospective students encouraged to apply through her lab's application form. Her leadership in the academic community is evident through her service as Program Chair for ECCV'24, Senior Area Chair for CVPR 2025, and associate editor for the International Journal of Computer Vision (IJCV). She is a key member of the IMAGINE research group at École des Ponts ParisTech, which focuses on image analysis and computer vision. Her collaborative work extends to multiple institutions including MPI, Oxford, and various industry research labs. She has co-organized numerous workshops on specialized topics including sign language recognition, vision transformers, and foundation models for 3D humans, fostering community building in these emerging research areas.
John Culling is Professor at Cardiff University's School of Psychology, specializing in psychoacoustics, binaural hearing, and speech perception in noise. His research investigates perceptual mechanisms enabling speech understanding in challenging auditory environments like reverberant rooms, with applications in hearing aid design and cochlear implant technology. Research focuses on: Cocktail-party problem solutions Binaural unmasking mechanisms Effects of reverberation on speech segregation Fundamental frequency differences in voice separation Hearing impairment compensation strategies Publication analysis reveals consistent focus on auditory perception in complex soundscapes, with recent work emphasizing computational modeling, assistive device optimization, and neurophysiological underpinnings of hearing. Scientific honors include: Fellow of the Hanse Wissenschaftskolleg Fellow of the Acoustical Society of America Current PhD supervision includes Ryab Barnsley's work on bone-conduction hearing aids. Major grants secured: EPSRC: 'Physiologically inspired hearing loss simulation' (£366K, PI) Leverhulme Trust: 'Active audiovisual perception' (£239K, Co-I) Oticon Foundation: 'Bilateral cochlear implants' (£139K, PI) Collaborates internationally with researchers in auditory science including Dr Mathieu Lavandier (Lyon) and Prof. Jon Barker (Sheffield).
Dr. Mike Cook is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Informatics at King’s College London, focusing on computational creativity and artificial intelligence applications in game design. He studies how AI can autonomously create video games, blending software engineering, design, and human-computer interaction. At King’s, he leads the Human-Centred Computing Group as Deputy Head and contributes to the Arts & Creativity Hub, which explores informatics in creative domains like games and storytelling. Research Interests: Computational creativity, automated game design, procedural generation, generative software, and AI-human collaboration in creative processes. Key Projects: Creator of AI game design systems Angelina , Puck , and Pixie , which generate games from newspaper headlines, code-level mechanics, and narrative structures. Scientific Awards: Recipient of the Royal Academy of Engineering Research Fellowship for his work on automated game design and creative AI tools. Public Engagement: Regularly participates in events like New Scientist Live and co-founded PROCJAM , a procedural generation game development jam.
David R. Burns is an Associate Professor in the Radio, Television, and Digital Media program at Southern Illinois University. A digital media artist and publishing scholar, his creative-research investigates the intricate relationships between humans, technology, and nature. His internationally exhibited work, shown at over 130 venues including the National Media Museum (England) and Chelsea Art Museum (New York), bridges artistic practice and scholarly inquiry. Burns' educational background includes: M.F.A. in Design and Technology from Parsons School of Design (2001) AAS from Parsons School of Design (1999) B.A. from the University of South Florida (1995) His research centers on the tensions between technology, culture, and nature in public and private spheres, mediating memory and postmemory, and participatory self-expression through visual music. By integrating computer animation, 3D modeling, 3D printing, sound design, interactive media, and physical computing, Burns pushes the boundaries of digital media art. His interdisciplinary approach results in hybrid projects that function simultaneously as artistic exhibitions and scholarly publications, critically analyzing contemporary issues in media arts. Burns' artistic output from 2001 to 2019 reveals a thematic consistency in exploring the material and immaterial in digital creation, the cultural impact of technology, and memory studies. His works, ranging from real-time interactive installations to multi-channel video animations, address border politics, cultural transformation in urban landscapes, and historical remembrance. Over time, his technical mastery in 3D printing and complex animation has evolved, yet the human experience within technological systems remains central. Notable recognition includes: Fulbright Senior Research Fellowship He has also secured funding from the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, the U.S.-India Educational Foundation South and Central Asia Regional Travel Program, and the Bissaya Barreto Foundation in Portugal. As the developer of the Digital Media Arts + Animation specialization at SIU, Burns mentors students in 3D computer modeling, animation, and digital media arts studio practice. His grant-funded projects often involve cross-cultural collaboration, as evidenced by his Fulbright residency in Portugal and work with international festivals. While specific labs are not mentioned, Burns' practice involves creating interactive installations and digital prints that require technical expertise in physical computing and 3D fabrication. His ongoing projects, such as Bind (un)Bind, continue to explore the intersection of technology and interpersonal relationships.
Jana Johansson is a Lecturer at Linköping University's Department of Theme Environmental Change (TEMAM). Her research focuses on environmental pollutants, particularly per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), using fieldwork, experimental studies, and advanced analytical techniques. Courses: Biogeochemistry and Environmental Analysis (746G61), The Complexity of Environmental Issues (746G57), The Origin of Social Systems (746G63) Research projects: PFAS emissions from waste incineration, environmental chemistry teaching modules for secondary schools Her work combines high-resolution mass spectrometry and combustion ion chromatography for pollutant analysis, with recent publications examining PFAS transport through sea spray aerosols, industrial emissions, and atmospheric dispersion. She actively contributes to research communication , including audio documentaries and the podcast The People Behind the Alarms about environmental pollution history. Recent grant recipient from the Kamprad Family Foundation (2025) for environmental sustainability research. Her publications since 2012 demonstrate consistent focus on PFAS contamination, pollutant transport mechanisms, and environmental risk assessment. Scientific Awards : Kamprad Family Foundation grant (2025)
Anne Kavounoudias is a Professor at Aix-Marseille University, where she serves as Director of the Body & Multisensoriality team within the NeuroMarseille Institute. She also holds the position of Director of EUR Neuroschool, a University Research School that brings together L3, Master and PhD programs in Neurosciences from Aix-Marseille University. Since 2020, she has served as Deputy Director of the NeuroMarseille Institute and previously served as a member of CNU section 69 (2015-2022) and the Board of the Doctoral School of Life and Health Sciences (2019-2021). Dr. Kavounoudias' research focuses on the mechanisms and neural bases underlying multisensory integration in the representation and control of human body movement. Her work sits at the interface of neurophysiology and experimental psychology, examining how muscular proprioceptive, tactile, and visual sensitivities interact to ensure movement perception and control. She conducts studies with healthy adults, elderly subjects to understand adaptive processes during non-pathological aging, and individuals who are transiently deafferented (through immobilization) or permanently (amputees, deafferented patients). Her research methodology incorporates functional brain imaging (fMRI), structural imaging (DWI), MR-spectroscopy of the brain and spinal cord, psychophysical approaches, electromyography, and multisensory stimulations including tendon vibration, visual vection, and tactile vection. Current projects include the ANR ASTRID 'PhantomPain' Project (2021-2025) on phantom pain in amputees, an AMIDEX Excellence Incubator Project (2020-2021) on new therapies for phantom pain, and previous projects like 'DISREMO' (2017-2019) and the ANR JCJC 'MULTISENSE' project (2012-2016). Analysis of Dr. Kavounoudias' recent publications reveals a consistent evolution in her research focus, with increasingly sophisticated neuroimaging approaches to study multisensory integration. Her work demonstrates growing attention to age-related changes in sensory processing and expanding applications to rehabilitation contexts, particularly for amputees and individuals with movement disorders. The publications show a progression from basic research on sensory integration mechanisms to more translational work with clinical applications. Her research has been supported by multiple competitive grants including: ANR ASTRID 'PhantomPain' Project (2021-2025) - Phantom pain in amputees: understanding its central and peripheral origins AMIDEX Excellence Incubator Project (2020-2021) - New therapy for phantom pain after amputation 'DISREMO' Project (2017-2019) - Exploration of audio-haptic interactions in texture perception ANR JCJC 'MULTISENSE' Project (2012-2016) - Multisensory integration and kinesthetic perception As Director of EUR Neuroschool, Dr. Kavounoudias oversees graduate education in neuroscience at Aix-Marseille University, coordinating L3, Master and PhD programs. She previously served as Co-director of the ICN PhD Program and Co-manager of the Brain Master Program, both initiatives aimed at internationalizing neuroscience education at AMU. Dr. Kavounoudias leads the Body & Multisensoriality research team at the NeuroMarseille Institute, where her group investigates the neural mechanisms of body representation and movement control. Her laboratory employs a multidisciplinary approach combining neuroimaging, psychophysics, and electrophysiological techniques to study sensory integration in both healthy and clinical populations, with particular focus on developing rehabilitation approaches for movement disorders.
Christoph Reuter is a Professor in the Department of Musicology at the University of Vienna. His work spans systematic musicology, psychoacoustics, and crossmodal perception, with a focus on auditory cognition, timbre analysis, and sound-environment interactions. As Director of Studies for Musicology and Linguistics, he oversees academic programs and teaches courses ranging from systematic musicology to auditory perception. His research explores the intersection of music, technology, and human perception. Key themes include crossmodal associations (e.g., sound-color mappings), acoustical analysis of natural and synthetic sounds, and auditory environments in healthcare and education. He has developed VR tools like the Incubator Experience and SOFA Native Spatializer Plugin to advance immersive audio research. The 15 most recent articles highlight his expertise in timbre studies, crossmodal perception, and medical/environmental acoustics. Topics range from the neuroscience of chord progressions to the psychoacoustic impact of neonatal ventilation sounds and metal music lyrics. His work bridges empirical experimentation with interdisciplinary applications in technology and health. Reuter contributes to musicological education through initiatives like the MediaLab of the Faculty of Philological and Cultural Studies, integrating digital methods into teaching. His collaborations span neurology, engineering, and cultural studies, reflecting a holistic approach to sound research.
Tobias Hallmen is a Researcher at the University of Augsburg 's Chair of Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence within the Faculty of Applied Computer Science . His work focuses on multimodal conversation analysis using machine learning and artificial intelligence in psychotherapy and medical/educational training contexts. Research interests include: Automated evaluation of conversational quality through multimodal data (audio, video, text) AI-based assessment systems for therapy sessions and parent-teacher interviews Development of real-time feedback mechanisms for skill improvement Integration of behavioral signal processing and empathy modeling Recent publications demonstrate expertise in vocal burst analysis , emotional mimicry prediction , and multimodal foundation models for behavioral annotation. Key technical domains: deep learning architectures , cross-modal data correlation , and computer vision applications . The Chair team under Prof. Dr. Elisabeth André currently includes 23 members with 10 projects active, including TherapAI (psychotherapy analysis) and KodiLL (medical training systems). Tobias Hallmen's work particularly addresses speaker classification , reception signal analysis , and remote physiological measurement techniques like video-based heart rate detection .
Kenneth Womack serves as Professor of English and Popular Music in the Department of English, Music and Theatre Arts at Monmouth University. His office is located in the Lauren K. Woods Theatre Complex 209, with regular office hours maintained throughout the academic year. Womack is recognized as one of the world's foremost authorities on the Beatles and their enduring cultural influence. Womack's research interests center on Beatles studies, 20th-century British literature, popular music, and creative writing. His scholarly work spans both academic and popular publications, demonstrating his ability to bridge academic rigor with accessible cultural commentary. He serves as the Music Culture critic for Salon and contributes regularly to major publications including Slate , Billboard , Time , Variety , The Guardian , and NBC News . His recent publications reveal a strong focus on Beatles history and biography, with particular emphasis on producer George Martin and John Lennon's final days. Womack's articles demonstrate expertise across multiple dimensions of Beatles scholarship, from recording technology analysis to cultural impact assessment, showing his comprehensive understanding of the band's artistic trajectory from their early Liverpool days through their final masterpiece, Abbey Road. Womack maintains an active presence beyond the university, frequently presenting at major institutions including Princeton University, Harvard University, the Smithsonian Institution, and the Grammy Museum Experience. He has served as an expert commentator for major media outlets including ABC's 20/20 and NBC's Access Hollywood , demonstrating his status as a trusted authority on Beatles history. As an educator, Womack teaches courses including 'Introducing the Beatles!', 'Life and Work of Bruce Springsteen', and various creative writing workshops. His teaching schedule extends through the 2025 academic year, demonstrating his ongoing active role in the university community. He also serves as Founding Editor of Interdisciplinary Literary Studies: A Journal of Criticism and Theory and Co-Editor of the English Association's Year's Work in English Studies .
Lingling Fan is an Associate Professor (100 Young Academic Leaders of Nankai University) at Nankai University, China. Her research focuses on software security analysis, software testing and analysis, and big data-driven analysis, with significant contributions to mobile application security, particularly in Android security and accessibility. Her research interests include: Software Security Analysis, with emphasis on mobile application security and vulnerability detection Software Testing and Analysis, particularly for Android applications and accessibility issues Big Data-driven Analysis for security and quality assessment of software systems Dr. Fan's publication record shows strong trends in automated security testing, vulnerability detection in open-source ecosystems, and accessibility analysis for mobile applications. Her work spans multiple disciplines including software engineering, security, and human-computer interaction, with a particular focus on practical applications for Android ecosystem and measurable real-world impact. Her notable scientific awards include: ACM SIGSOFT Distinguished Paper Award (ASE 2022) ACM SIGSOFT Distinguished Paper Award (ICSE 2021) ACM SIGSOFT Distinguished Paper Award (ICSE 2018) Research Tool Award at NASAC 2018 National Scholarship from The Ministry of Education, China (2018) ACM SIGSOFT CAPS Award (ASE 2018) Dr. Fan has served in various academic service roles including as a program committee member for major conferences such as ASE, ICSE, FSE, and ISSRE. She has also been a reviewer for prestigious journals including IEEE Transactions on Information Forensics and Security (TIFS), IEEE Transactions on Dependable and Secure Computing (TDSC), IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering (TSE), and ACM Transactions on Software Engineering and Methodology (TOSEM).
Pedro Rebelo is a Professor at the Sonic Arts Research Centre (SARC) at Queen's University Belfast, where he leads innovative research at the intersection of sound art, technology, and community engagement. His work spans participatory sound projects, locative media installations, and socially engaged artistic practices that explore the relationship between sound, place, and identity. Rebelo's research interests focus on soundwalking, participatory sound projects, and socially engaged arts. He develops innovative methodologies for exploring everyday sound practices through projects like Som da Maré in Rio de Janeiro's favelas and Belfast Soundwalks, which use GPS-enabled mobile technologies to create site-specific listening experiences. His work bridges ethnographic research with artistic practice, examining how sound mediates our experience of place and community. His creative output demonstrates consistent exploration of distributed interaction in public spaces, from Game Play for Noisy Crowds to immersive installations like the Barnardo's Fostering and Adoption project. These works reveal his commitment to making sonic arts accessible while investigating fundamental questions about listening, participation, and the social dimensions of sound. Rebelo has secured significant funding including from the Arts and Humanities Research Council's Cultural Engagement Fund for the Belfast Soundwalks project, developed in collaboration with Belfast City Council and the Institute for Collaborative Research in the Humanities. His research connects with community organizations to create meaningful public engagement through sound. As director of SARC, Rebelo oversees a vibrant research environment focused on sonic arts, where he develops both theoretical frameworks and practical applications for sound in public spaces, fostering connections between academic research, artistic practice, and community needs.
Qian Wang is an Associate Professor at the University of Copenhagen's Department of Food Science. Previously, he was a tenure-track assistant professor at Aarhus University (2018-2023) and held postdoctoral and research positions at the University of Oxford and MIT. Wang earned his PhD in Experimental Psychology from Oxford, MSc from MIT's Media Lab, and BSc in Computer Science from Caltech. His interdisciplinary research examines how taste, smell, and multisensory interactions influence food perception and consumer behavior. Key focus areas include: Crossmodal sensory interactions (audio-visual-tactile influences on flavor) Digital interventions for sustainable food choices VR/AR applications in eating contexts Machine learning models of sensory perception Plant-based food acceptance strategies Wang's recent publications (2024-2025) demonstrate strong focus on sustainable food systems, sensory perception mechanisms, digital tool applications, and cross-cultural consumer studies. Article keywords frequently include sensory evaluation, consumer behavior, sustainability, and technological innovation. Awards include: Nils Foss Talent Prize (2019) Wang leads interdisciplinary projects funded by international agencies and collaborates with academic, industry, and cultural partners to translate research into practical dietary interventions.
Michael Lyu is a Professor at The Chinese University of Hong Kong specializing in software engineering with a focus on cloud reliability, AIOps, and log analysis. His research bridges the gap between theoretical advances and practical industrial applications in large-scale cloud systems. His research interests span Software Engineering , Cloud Computing Reliability , AIOps , and Log Analysis . Dr. Lyu's work addresses critical challenges in modern cloud operations, including failure diagnosis, anomaly detection, and reliability engineering. His recent research has pivoted toward leveraging large language models for software engineering tasks, particularly in code generation and log analysis. His publication portfolio demonstrates consistent contributions to major software engineering conferences (ASE, ICSE, ESEC/FSE) from 2018-2025, with a noticeable increase in LLM-related research since 2023. The trend shows a clear evolution from traditional software engineering topics toward AI-driven approaches for cloud operations. ICSE 2021 Keynote: "Reliability-Driven AIOps for Cloud Resilience" ASE 2023: Maat: Performance Metric Anomaly Anticipation for Cloud Services ASE 2024: LILAC: Log Parsing using LLMs with Adaptive Parsing Cache Dr. Lyu actively mentors students, with numerous co-authored publications showing his advisees as first authors. His work receives significant attention in both academic and industrial software engineering communities, addressing practical problems faced by large-scale cloud service providers. His research group appears focused on developing data-driven approaches for improving cloud system reliability through advanced analytics of logs, traces, and KPIs.
Dr. Benjamin Stodt is a postdoctoral researcher at the Leibniz Research Center for Working Environment and Human-Factors (IfADo) in Dortmund, Germany, where he has been working since August 2021. He is part of the Department of Ergonomics, specifically within the Networking Group focused on Aging and Experimental Ergonomics. His contact information includes email stodt@ifado.de and phone number +49 231 1084-376, with his office located at Ardeystr. 67, 44139 Dortmund. Dr. Stodt earned his Doctorate (Dr. rer. nat.) in 2018 from the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Duisburg-Essen. Prior to his current position, he worked as an analyst in market and media research from 2019 to 2021. His academic journey at the University of Duisburg-Essen began as a student assistant in 2010, progressing to research assistant and PhD student from 2013 to 2018. He completed both his Master of Science (2012-2013) and Bachelor of Science (2008-2012) in Applied Cognitive and Media Science from the same institution. Dr. Stodt's research focuses on human-computer interaction, auditory and audio-visual perception, virtual environments, and aging. His work examines how humans perceive spatial auditory information in both real and virtual settings, with particular attention to age-related differences. He combines experimental psychology with ergonomics to investigate spatial hearing, auditory localization, and the development of virtual reality technologies that accurately simulate real-world auditory experiences. His methodology frequently incorporates EEG to examine the neural correlates of auditory perception. His recent publications demonstrate a consistent research trajectory examining auditory perception in virtual versus real environments across multiple dimensions including spatial change detection, azimuth perception, and distance perception. Dr. Stodt's work has important implications for developing more realistic virtual environments, assistive technologies for aging populations, and understanding age-related changes in sensory processing. His research spans neuroscience, cognitive psychology, virtual reality, and human factors engineering. Dr. Stodt has published in reputable journals such as the European Journal of Neuroscience and Biomedicines, and presented at major acoustics conferences including DAGA (Annual Conference on Acoustics) and AUDICTIVE. His collaborative work frequently involves researchers including D. Neudek, R. Martin, E. Wascher, and S. Getzmann. At IfADo, Dr. Stodt works under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Edmund Wascher (Head of Department) and collaborates with the department's secretariat managed by Judith Geiger. His research contributes to the institute's mission of studying the working environment and human factors, with potential applications in workplace design, assistive technologies, and understanding age-related changes in sensory and cognitive processing.
