Peter Alvaro is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the Baskin School of Engineering, University of California, Santa Cruz. He joined the faculty in 2015 after earning his PhD from UC Berkeley under Professor Joe Hellerstein. His research lies at the intersection of databases, distributed systems, and programming languages , with a strong emphasis on data-centric approaches to building robust, scalable, and predictable distributed systems. He is the creator of the Dedalus language and co-creator of the Bloom language, both designed to simplify reasoning about distributed computation. Peter's recent work focuses on non-volatile memory (NVM) , computational storage , and data-centric operating systems , as seen in the Twizzler OS project. His publications span top venues such as USENIX ATC, HotNets, and Communications of the ACM, showing trends toward system resilience, efficient data management, and novel abstractions for modern hardware. Best Presentation award at USENIX ATC 2020 Peter advises graduate students, including Daniel Bittman, and is a key contributor to the Storage Systems Research Center (SSRC), now succeeded by the Center for Research in Storage Systems (CRSS). His work is supported by ongoing collaborations with researchers at UC Santa Cruz and beyond, particularly in the areas of storage, operating systems, and distributed computing.
Chicheng Zhang is an Assistant Professor in the Computer Science Department at the University of Arizona, where he conducts research in the theory and applications of interactive machine learning. He earned his Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) in 2017 under the supervision of Professor Kamalika Chaudhuri, and was previously an undergraduate student at Peking University working with Professor Liwei Wang. From 2017 to 2019, he was a postdoctoral researcher at the Machine Learning Group at Microsoft Research NYC. His research lies at the intersection of learning theory and practical algorithm design, focusing on interactive machine learning paradigms such as reinforcement learning, contextual bandits, active learning, and imitation learning. He aims to develop algorithms that are data-efficient, computationally tractable, and robust, with applications in healthcare, wireless communication, and fair AI systems. His work emphasizes principled algorithm design with theoretical guarantees and empirical validation. The most recent publications reflect a strong trend in developing efficient, theoretically grounded methods for sequential decision-making and interactive learning. Key themes include sample efficiency, robustness to noise, fairness in algorithmic decisions, and application-driven research in domains like oral cancer detection and mmWave network optimization. His work frequently bridges theoretical analysis with real-world deployment considerations. While no scientific awards are mentioned in the provided text, Dr. Zhang actively mentors prospective PhD students and encourages collaboration. He has contributed to interdisciplinary projects involving fairness-aware bandit algorithms for network coexistence, interpretable classifiers for cancer detection, and LLM-based initialization for reinforcement learning. His lab focuses on developing intelligent agents that actively learn from environments and human experts. He can be reached at chichengz@arizona.edu .
Dimitris Mitropoulos is an Assistant Professor at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA) in the Department of Business Administration, where he teaches courses on Distributed Ledger Technologies, Data Security and Privacy, Algorithms and Business Analytics, and Introduction to Programming. He also serves as Head of the Reliability Engineering Directorate at the National Infrastructures for Research and Technology (GRNET), Greece's national research and education network organization. Previously, he was a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Computer Science Department at Columbia University. Dr. Mitropoulos received his Ph.D. degree in Secure Software Development Technologies from the Athens University of Economics and Business (AUEB) in 2014. His doctoral research was supported by the Heracleitus II Scholarship, co-financed by the European Union and Greek national funds. He is a member of prestigious professional organizations including ACM, IEEE, and USENIX. Dr. Mitropoulos conducts pioneering research at the intersection of software engineering and cybersecurity, with particular expertise in secure software development, vulnerability analysis, and blockchain security. His work spans multiple dimensions of software security including code injection attacks, infrastructure as code security, smart contract analysis, and dependency management in software ecosystems. His research methodology combines static and dynamic analysis techniques with empirical studies of real-world software systems, particularly focusing on Java, Python, and Solidity ecosystems. His recent work has made significant contributions to understanding security vulnerabilities in modern software development practices and infrastructure management. Dr. Mitropoulos has received numerous prestigious awards for his research contributions, including the Research Excellence Award from NKUA (2025), Distinguished Paper and Artifact Awards at PLDI '22, Best Data Showcase Award at MSR 2018, and multiple postdoctoral research funding scholarships. His work on "Finding typing compiler bugs" was recognized with both Distinguished Paper and Artifact Awards at PLDI '22, highlighting the significance and reproducibility of his research. He has also received recognition for his service to the academic community, including a Certificate of Appreciation from ESEC/FSE '21 for his contributions to conference organization. Dr. Mitropoulos has been actively involved in securing research funding and leading significant research projects. He currently serves as Principal Investigator for the SecOPERA project (2023-Today), funded by the European Commission under Horizon Europe. Previously, he contributed to several major EU and US-funded projects including eSSIF-Lab (2019-2022), FASTEN (2019-2022), PRIViLEDGE (2018-2021), CERTCOOP (2017-2020), PANORAMIX (2016-2019), and TREDISEC (2016-2018). His research has been supported by diverse funding sources including the European Commission's Horizon 2020 program, the National Science Foundation, and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). Dr. Mitropoulos plays an active role in the international research community through various leadership positions. He serves on program committees for top-tier conferences including OOPSLA (2026), ICSE (2026), ESEC/FSE (2025), and ISSTA (2025). He has previously served as Workshop Co-Chair for ISSTA 2025 and Student Volunteer Chair for ESEC/FSE 2021. His contributions to mentoring the next generation of researchers include serving as a mentor for the ICSE Student Mentoring Workshop (2022) and supervising Google Summer of Code projects (2017).
Amy Howe is an interdisciplinary educator and Assistant Professor in the Core Division at Champlain College, with over 20 years of experience designing and teaching courses in gender studies, critical theory, American studies, and religious studies. She has held academic positions at Harvard University, Brown University, Middlebury College, Smith College, and Champlain College. Education Harvard University - PhD in Study of Religion (2019) Bethany College - Bachelor of Arts Harvard Divinity School - Master of Theology Harvard University - Doctor of Philosophy Her research and teaching focus on critical intersections of gender, race, and religion, with strong emphasis on experiential learning through community partnerships in rural humanities, digital humanities, and social justice initiatives. She serves as Academic Director of Women, Gender, and Representation for Smith’s summer Precollege Programs. Scientific & Academic Awards Francine Page Teaching Excellence Award for innovative curricula and DEIJ leadership (2021) A first-generation college advocate, Howe actively supports students navigating similar pathways while pursuing personal interests in dog care, plant cultivation, crafting, outdoor exploration, and circus arts.
Dr. Miranda Svanidze is a Researcher at the Leibniz Institute of Agricultural Development in Transition Economies (IAMO), affiliated with Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg. She has served as a Research Associate at IAMO since November 2019, focusing on agricultural markets, price transmission, and food security in transition economies. Her work contributes significantly to understanding market dynamics in the Black Sea region and post-Soviet states, particularly in relation to geopolitical events like Russia's war in Ukraine. Dr. Svanidze's educational background includes: PhD in Agriculture from Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU), Germany, with highest honors ("summa cum laude") Master's degree in Economics (with Honors) from the International School of Economics at Tbilisi State University (ISET), Georgia Dr. Svanidze's research centers on the functioning of agricultural markets and resilience of agri-food value chains, with specific expertise in price transmission analysis, market integration, consumer behavior, regional trade, and food security. Her work emphasizes agri-food markets in transition economies, particularly examining how geopolitical events like Russia's war in Ukraine impact grain markets, wheat pricing, and food security in the Black Sea region and beyond. She employs sophisticated economic modeling to analyze trade networks, market efficiency, and the effects of policy interventions. Analysis of Dr. Svanidze's recent publications reveals a strong focus on the intersection of geopolitics and agricultural markets, particularly regarding Russia's wheat exports and their global implications. Her work increasingly examines how climate factors, exchange rate fluctuations, and wartime conditions affect agricultural pricing and market integration. There's a notable trend toward analyzing crisis impacts on food systems, with growing attention to consumer behavior in wine markets of the South Caucasus region. Dr. Svanidze has received several notable scientific recognitions: Doctoral grant from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) Selection as a young economist for the 6th Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting on Economic Sciences (2017) PhD awarded with highest honors ("summa cum laude") from Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg Dr. Svanidze has been actively involved in multiple research projects including BlackSeaGrain (studying Russia's grain export business in the Black Sea), CRISPR (consumer protection and innovation marketing of green genetic engineering), EU4Dialogue_SC (improving agri-food value chains in the South Caucasus), MATRACC (global food crisis impact on wheat markets), and VALUMICS (understanding food value chains). Her work often involves international collaboration with researchers across Europe and the Caucasus region. As part of IAMO's Agricultural Markets, Marketing and World Agricultural Trade department, Dr. Svanidze contributes to a team examining market dynamics in transition economies. Her research frequently intersects with teams studying food security, trade policy, and value chain analysis, particularly in regions affected by geopolitical instability. She regularly presents findings at major agricultural economics conferences including the European Association of Agricultural Economists (EAAE) Congress and IAMO Forum events.
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.
Dr. David Sewell is a Senior Lecturer and Deputy Head of School (Teaching & Learning) at the School of Psychology, The University of Queensland. His research focuses on attention, learning, memory, and decision-making, with a strong emphasis on formal mathematical models of human cognition. He is affiliated with the Centre for Perception and Cognitive Neuroscience within the Faculty of Health, Medicine and Behavioural Sciences. Education: Bachelor (Honours) of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy, both from the University of Western Australia. David's research explores the intersection of cognitive psychology and computational modeling. Key areas include perceptual decision-making, attentional mechanisms, and the application of diffusion models to understand cognitive processes. His work also extends to sustainability and collective self-regulation through cognitive frameworks. The 15 most recent articles highlight his contributions to modeling decision thresholds in memory prioritization, analyzing gaze cueing effects, and investigating neural correlates of confidence in multisensory decisions. Collaborative projects frequently involve interdisciplinary approaches, combining neuroscience, psychology, and computational methods. He has supervised multiple PhD candidates, serving as Principal or Associate Advisor, with research topics ranging from visual categorization to metacognition in children. Current and past funding includes ARC Discovery Projects on collective self-regulation and category learning constraints.
Alexander Müller-Rakow is a Researcher and PhD Candidate at the Design Research Lab at Berlin University of the Arts. His work explores the interplay between embodied interfaces , digital sovereignty , and social design , focusing on bodily movements as a medium for musical and interactive technologies. Education: Industrial and Interaction Design (University of Applied Science Magdeburg, University of Bergen) Current Roles: Research Scientist (Design Research Lab), Lecturer (Hochschule für Kunste Bremen, others) His research spans haptic technology , textile-integrated sensors , and experimental interfaces , often intersecting with digital justice and material interactions . Early-career publications include collaborations on capacitive sensing and urban design interventions , reflecting his interdisciplinary approach. As part of the Design Research Lab, he contributes to projects addressing inclusive digital futures , smart urban mobility , and collaborative tools , aligning with the lab's mission for ecologically sustainable design .
Professor Vedran Dunjko is a faculty member at the Leiden Institute of Advanced Computer Science (LIACS), Leiden University, with affiliations to the Leiden Institute of Physics (LION). He leads the Applied Quantum Algorithms group and co-founded the Quantum@LIACS initiative, focusing on the intersection of quantum computing, machine learning, and artificial intelligence. His research interests include quantum machine learning, quantum-enhanced reinforcement learning, quantum heuristics, and the application of AI to quantum computing challenges. Dunjko's work bridges theoretical foundations with experimental implementations on near-term quantum devices, exploring both quantum advantages in learning and the use of classical AI for quantum system design. The recent publications show a strong trend toward proving quantum advantages in learning tasks, optimization, and topological data analysis, with publications in Nature , Nature Communications , and NeurIPS . Key themes include quantum policy gradients, quantum TDA, and reinforcement learning for quantum circuit optimization. ERC Consolidator Grant (2024) PNAS Cozzarelli Prize (2018) Editor’s Suggestion in Physical Review Letters (2014, 2018) Featured in Physics (American Physical Society) (2014, 2018) Dunjko advises several PhD candidates and postdocs, including Rahul Bandyopadhyay, Sofiene Jerbi, and Lea Trenkwalder. He has received competitive grants, most notably the ERC Consolidator Grant in 2024. His group fosters international collaborations with institutions across Europe and industry partners. The Applied Quantum Algorithms group and the Quantum@LIACS team combine theoretical investigations with practical implementations on quantum hardware, focusing on scalable quantum algorithms and AI-driven quantum discovery.
Björn Ross is a Lecturer in Computational Social Science at the University of Edinburgh's School of Informatics, where he is affiliated with the Institute for Language, Cognition and Computation. He serves as Director of the SMASH research group and is part of the management team for the Centre for Doctoral Training in Natural Language Processing (CDT in NLP). His educational background includes: PhD (2019) from the University of Duisburg-Essen MSc in Computer Science (2016) from the University of Münster Exchange year (2014-2015) at the University of Strasbourg BSc in Information Systems (2013) from the University of Münster Ross's research focuses on computational social science, particularly using natural language processing, social network analysis, and agent-based modeling to study social media phenomena. His work examines misinformation, hate speech, bot activity, and the ethical implications of computational methods. He also investigates how social media can be leveraged for social good, especially in crisis communication contexts. A significant portion of his recent research addresses bias and fairness issues in AI systems, particularly regarding marginalized communities and LGBTQ+ identities. His work spans both technical development of computational methods and critical examination of their societal impacts. Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong trend toward examining bias in AI systems, particularly regarding marginalized communities. His work spans multiple methodologies including computational analysis of social media data, development of NLP techniques, and critical examination of AI ethics. He frequently collaborates across disciplines, working with researchers in computer science, social sciences, and healthcare domains. His professional recognition includes: Best Paper Award at the Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (HICSS) in 2018 Associate Editor for Business & Information Systems Engineering Active membership in professional organizations including AIS, ACL, and ACM Ross currently supervises multiple PhD students including Agostina Calabrese, Eddie Ungless, Sandrine Chausson, Wendy Zheng, Seraphina Goldfarb-Tarrant, and Mahmoud Ibrahim. At the University of Edinburgh, he teaches courses such as 'Text Technologies for Data Science' and 'Evidence, Argument and Persuasion in a Digital Age,' reflecting his expertise at the intersection of computational methods and social implications.
Margaret Drew is an Associate Professor at UMass School of Law , focusing on Gender Violence , Human Rights , and Legal Ethics . With decades of practical legal experience in Massachusetts courts, she transitioned to academia in 2005 after a career in family law, probate, and residential real estate litigation. Education: BA from University of Massachusetts Boston, JD from Northeastern University School of Law, LLM in Taxation from Boston University School of Law Her research explores the intersection of law and gender-based violence , including trauma healing frameworks and feminist jurisprudence. She co-founded the Human Rights at Home Blog and has designed clinics enabling students to work directly with survivors of domestic abuse. Recent publications address complex social determinants in HIV care, feminist perspectives on pandemic response, and human rights remedies in domestic violence cases. In 2025, she received the Lifetime Achievement Award for her contributions. Scientific Awards: 20/20 Vision Award (ABA Commission on Domestic and Sexual Violence) Lifetime Achievement Award (May 1, 2025) As a former Director of Clinics at multiple law schools and current member of the American Bar Association and National Association of Women Lawyers , she continues to advocate for survivors while teaching courses like Intimate Partner Violence and State Attorney General Clinic .
Autumn M. Womack is an Associate Professor in the Department of African American Studies and the Department of English at Princeton University. Her work bridges literary scholarship, archival research, and curatorial practice, with a focus on 19th- and 20th-century African American literary culture. She teaches courses on African American literature, race and media, and Toni Morrison’s creative process, often incorporating the Toni Morrison Papers housed at Princeton University Library. Her research centers on the intersections of literature, visual technologies, and archival practice. She is particularly interested in how material evidence—such as photographs, letters, and manuscript drafts—reveals new dimensions of black life and aesthetic production. Her pedagogy emphasizes critical engagement with primary sources, encouraging students to let archival objects guide their inquiry rather than imposing preconceived theses. Womack’s recent publications and projects reflect a strong focus on African American literary history, data and racial representation, and the creative process of major writers like Toni Morrison and Charles Chesnutt. Her work spans archival exhibitions, scholarly monographs, critical editions, and public-facing essays in venues like The Paris Review , Los Angeles Review of Books , and The Times Literary Supplement . Modern Language Association’s William Sanders Scarborough Prize (2022) Shortlisted for the Modernist Studies Association’s First Book Prize She has advised numerous students through her courses and research supervision, though specific names are not listed. Her curatorial leadership of the exhibition Toni Morrison: Sites of Memory exemplifies her commitment to public scholarship and interdisciplinary collaboration. She is currently working on a book titled The Wanderer , exploring Morrison’s creative process, and co-editing a volume on Morrison and Black archival practice with Kinohi Nishikawa. Womack’s lab or research team includes graduate students and collaborators engaged in archival research, literary analysis, and curatorial projects centered on the Toni Morrison Papers. Her future work continues to expand the understanding of black literary life through material culture and narrative innovation.
Prof Jean Van Den Elsen is a Professor of Biochemistry at the University of Bath , affiliated with the Department of Life Sciences and several research centers including the Centre for Sustainable Chemical Technologies (CSCT) , Centre for Therapeutic Innovation , and Milner Centre for Evolution . They are actively accepting doctoral students and leading multidisciplinary projects at the intersection of structural biology and immunology. Education: Not explicitly mentioned Appointments: University of Bath (current), with collaborations across Chemistry, Biology & Biochemistry departments Research Focus: The laboratory investigates protein structural biology in two major areas: Complement System Interactions: Studying how pathogenic microbes like Staphylococcus aureus evade host immunity through complement system manipulation , with structural analysis of proteins such as C3d and C5 complexes. This work directly informs vaccine design and autoimmune disease treatment . Glycation Mechanisms: Developing diagnostic tools for detecting non-enzymatic sugar modifications linked to diabetes , Alzheimer's , and aging, with commercial partnerships like Abcam . Article Trends: Recent publications demonstrate: Structural analysis of complement evasion proteins (2022-2025) Engineering knob domains as miniature antibodies (2023) Evolutionary studies on cooperative behavior (2021-2025) Advancements in peptide synthesis platforms (2022-2023) Applications of AI protein folding (2020) Scientific Contributions: ORCID: 0000-0002-0367-1956 BBSRC Funding recipient (2023) 100+ citations across 76 research outputs Student Mentorship: Directly supervising 4 current PhD students and 1 postdoc, with a track record of mentoring 11 previous students including Daphne Jackson Fellows and MSCA researchers. Collaborations: Maintains active partnerships with Dr. Tony James (Chemistry), Dr. Rob Williams (Biochemistry), and industry partners UCB Celltech and Porton Biopharma Ltd. Their work contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals 3 (Good Health), 12 (Responsible Consumption), and 13 (Climate Action).
Dr Mark Hammond is a Senior Lecturer and Deputy Research Lead at the Manchester School of Architecture , affiliated with Manchester Metropolitan University . His research investigates the intersections between architecture and urban ageing, focusing on housing inequality, spatial justice, and participatory design methodologies. Hammond collaborates extensively with local government and communities, including a two-year secondment at the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (2018-2021) and ongoing projects like Co-creating Age-Friendly Social Housing (2022-2025). Current Research : Urban Ageing, Spatial Justice, Participatory Design Publications : Author of A Design for Life: Urban Practices for an Age-Friendly City (2021), co-editor of Reimagining Age-Friendly Cities (2024) Awards : Fellow of the Higher Education Academy Academic Affiliation : Manchester Metropolitan University Email: m.hammond@mmu.ac.uk
Secil Ugur Yavuz is a Professor at the Faculty of Design and Arts, Department of Design, at Free University of Bozen-Bolzano. Her academic work spans eco-social design, research through design, and tangible human-technology interactions, with a particular focus on sustainable materials and collective making practices. She teaches courses including Design 3 for the Master in Eco-social Design and doctoral programs in Experimental Research through Design, Art and Technologies. Professor Yavuz's research explores the intersection of analog and digital through tangible human-technology interactions, with significant contributions to sustainable material systems. Her FERAL WOOL project investigates ecological and cultural dimensions of wool, while her work with biomaterials like microbial cellulose and open-source bioreactors addresses circular production systems. She employs embodied and speculative approaches to examine microplastic emissions, children's nature engagement through tools like TREESENSE, and social play with interactive toys. Her recent publications reveal a strong thematic focus on material culture, sustainability, and human-centered design across multiple scales. The research demonstrates consistent exploration of how digital and physical realms interact to create meaningful user experiences while addressing ecological challenges. Key trends include the use of embodied interaction methods, speculative design for cultural critique, and co-creative processes that bridge technological innovation with social and environmental responsibility. Yavuz leads the Design Friction Lab, which investigates the philosophical foundations of design through customizable interfaces and DIY approaches. Her work with doctoral students in Experimental Research through Design emphasizes reshaping technologies through collective making processes. The FERAL WOOL research project represents a significant current initiative exploring sustainable textile futures through both ecological and cultural lenses.
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