Halil Ali is a Lecturer in Data Science (Education Focused) at the School of Computing Technologies, RMIT University. His research spans privacy-preserving machine learning, blockchain technologies, and cybersecurity. Key research areas include federated learning , quantum-enhanced AI , secure biometrics , edge unlearning , and privacy in healthcare data . His recent publications focus on resilient AI systems , blockchain applications , and ethical data handling in emerging technologies. His work demonstrates expertise in integrating machine learning with blockchain security across domains like IoT, smart grids, and metaverse healthcare. He contributes to practical frameworks for zero-trust architectures , lightweight consensus protocols , and quantum-classical hybrid models .
Lexing Xie is a Professor in Computer Science at the Australian National University. He leads the ANU Computational Media Lab ( http://cm.cecs.anu.edu.au ) and the ANU Integrated AI Network. His work focuses on the intersection of machine learning, social media analysis, and multimedia understanding. Dr. Xie's research broadly focuses on innovative design and use of machine learning algorithms, especially on large-scale graph data and collective behaviour. His recent work spans several key areas: Popularity in social media -- understanding, predicting, and optimization Multimedia knowledge graphs, vision and language integration Humanising machine intelligence through better understanding of social dynamics His publications reveal a strong trend toward understanding information diffusion patterns in social media, particularly through visual content. He has made significant contributions to the study of visual memes, popularity prediction using point processes, and multimodal learning that connects vision with language. His work often bridges theoretical machine learning with practical applications in social media analysis. Dr. Xie has received recognition for his research, including an Honourable Mention at CSCW 2019 for his work on attention flow in online video networks. His research has been supported by collaborations with major institutions including IBM Research and Columbia University. As an advisor, Dr. Xie has mentored numerous students who have gone on to contribute significantly to publications in top-tier conferences. His lab, the ANU Computational Media Lab, serves as a hub for interdisciplinary research connecting computer science with social sciences.
Professor Ernest Foo is a distinguished academic at Griffith University's School of Information and Communication Technology, specializing in cybersecurity with a focus on industrial control systems and cryptographic protocols. With over 15 years of experience in computer networking, he has established himself as a leading expert in SCADA security and smart grid cybersecurity. His research has significant practical applications in critical infrastructure protection, and he has developed hands-on security training programs that have trained professionals from major Australian utilities and government agencies. Professor Foo's educational background includes: Bachelor of Engineering with Honours in Electronic and Computer Engineering from University of Queensland Doctor of Philosophy from Queensland University of Technology Professor Foo's research interests center around secure cryptographic protocols with specific applications in industrial control system security and cyber physical systems. His work spans SCADA security, smart grid protection, wireless sensor network security, and post-quantum cryptography. He has made significant contributions to understanding vulnerabilities in industrial protocols like Modbus and DNP3, and has pioneered the application of process mining and data mining techniques for attack detection in critical infrastructure systems. His research bridges theoretical security concepts with practical implementations in real-world industrial environments. Professor Foo's recent publications demonstrate a clear trajectory toward increasingly sophisticated security frameworks for critical infrastructure. His work shows a progression from foundational SCADA security research to advanced applications of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and formal methods in cybersecurity. A notable trend is the integration of zero trust principles with industrial control systems, alongside growing emphasis on post-quantum cryptographic solutions. His publications span high-impact journals and conferences in cybersecurity, with increasing focus on anomaly detection in cyber-physical systems and the application of graph-based machine learning techniques to network security challenges. Professor Foo's notable scientific achievements include: Best paper award at the 2nd International Cyber Resilience Conference for "Gap analysis of Intrusion Detection in Smart Grids" Professor Foo has secured significant research funding including an ARC Linkage grant with Powerlink Queensland focused on cyber security for electricity sub-stations. He currently leads multiple research projects including Westpac Micro-Credentials in Financial Crime Investigation, Digital Banking Micro-credentials with ANZ, and research on quantum-safe cryptography. As a dedicated educator, he serves as Program Director for multiple cybersecurity programs including the Master of Cyber Security, and has supervised numerous doctoral and masters students. His Cyber Security: Industrial Control System course, conducted annually from 2013-2018, featured innovative hands-on training with real-world participants from major Australian utilities. Professor Foo has been instrumental in establishing the SCADA security research laboratory with multiple vendor system miniatures running industrial PLCs. His work bridges theoretical security concepts with practical implementations, making significant contributions to the security of industrial control systems and critical infrastructure worldwide.
Deborah Richards is a Professor in the School of Computing at Macquarie University, affiliated with the Ethics and Agency Research Centre, Performance and Expertise Research Centre, and Frontier AI Research Centre. She holds roles as Industry and External Relations Director for the School and Director of the Virtual Reality Lab. Her research focuses on Intelligent Virtual Agents, Virtual Reality applications in education and health, knowledge acquisition, and cybersecurity ethics. She has authored over 425 publications and led 19 research projects, including studies on AI in healthcare and ethical AI design. Education: PhD (Artificial Intelligence, Macquarie University), MAppSc (Information Studies), BBus (Computing and MIS), and a Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education (Leadership and Management). She advises on PhD and MRes students in Intelligent Virtual Agents research. Research interests include virtual agents for health behavior change, AI ethics, and educational technology. Notable projects include the eADVICE web-based management system for urinary incontinence and the development of embodied conversational agents for wellbeing support. Awards include the ABC Science Media Fellowship (2005) and Vice-Chancellor’s Citations for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning (2017). Grants and collaborations span health informatics, cybersecurity, and AI ethics. She co-leads initiatives like the Respectful Maternity Care study and the Virtual Reality Lab’s immersive learning environments. Future work emphasizes ethical AI integration in education and healthcare.
Dr. Sirui Li is a Lecturer at Murdoch University's School of Information Technology within the College of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. Her research focuses on Artificial Intelligence, Natural Language Processing (NLP), Machine Learning, Knowledge Graphs, Data Analysis, Temporal Data, and Multi-modal Models, with applications in medicine, agriculture, and mining. She collaborates with industry partners like BHP and has published in journals such as Food Chemistry and Knowledge and Information Systems , as well as conferences like ICSME and IJCNN. Education: Bachelor of Advanced Computing (Honours) in Computer Science at Australian National University Master of Computing (Specialising in AI) at ANU Ph.D. in Information Technology (AI) at Murdoch University Research interests include interdisciplinary applications of AI, such as clinical coding privacy solutions, disease spread modeling, and drug repurposing for pandemics. Her work emphasizes practical industry integration, demonstrated through awards like the 2024 EMNLP Best Demo Award and the 2023 Iron Ore Circuit Hackathon innovation prize. Professional roles include IEEE Western Australia Section committee membership, conference chair positions, and peer review for top journals. She actively mentors students pursuing Honours, Master's, or PhD projects in her areas of expertise.
Dr. Ehsan Abbasnejad is an Associate Professor at Monash University's Department of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, and holds adjunct positions at the Australian Institute for Machine Learning (AIML, University of Adelaide) and the Centre for Augmented Reasoning (CAR). He specializes in foundational AI, focusing on vision-language tasks, adversarial machine learning, and reinforcement learning. His work bridges theory with real-world applications in agriculture, energy, healthcare, and sports. Education: PhD in Computer Science from Australian National University (ANU). Research Interests: Machine Learning Theory and Adversarial Defenses Neural Network Robustness and Generalization Multimodal Learning (Vision-Language) Continual and Transfer Learning Applications in Energy, Healthcare, and Robotics Awards: Finalist for Australian AI Academic/Researcher of the Year (2024) Multidisciplinary competition wins (e.g., OzMineral Explorer Challenge) Advising & Grants: Australian Research Council (ARC) Discovery Project on Reinforcement Learning CSIRO's Next Generation Graduate Fund Accepting PhD students in foundational AI and applications Labs & Teams: Director of Foundational Machine Learning & Reasoning at Monash, leading global teams in AI competitions and industry collaborations (Microsoft Research, NEC Labs America).
Dr. Kanchana Thilakarathna is a Senior Lecturer in Distributed Computing at the University of Sydney's School of Computer Science, and a member of the Centre for Distributed and High Performance Computing. They hold a PhD from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) and a B.Sc. Eng (Hons) from the University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka. Prior to academia, they worked as a Research Scientist at CSIRO/Data61 and had industry experience as a Mobile Radio Network Engineer. Research Interests : Dr. Thilakarathna focuses on cybersecurity, privacy in mobile and IoT systems, mixed reality privacy, and distributed computing platforms. Their work emphasizes user-centric solutions like the Yalut social media app, which enables decentralized data sharing. Key themes include privacy-preserving techniques, edge computing, and secure federated learning frameworks. Recent Work : Recent articles (2023–2025) explore machine unlearning for large language models, federated learning security, and IoT network slicing using P4 programmability. Their work on synthetic video traffic generation (VideoTrain++) and drone detection (DronePrint) demonstrates cross-disciplinary innovation. Awards : Malcolm Chaikin Prize (2015), Meta Research Awards (2020/2022), and Heidelberg Laureate Fellowship (2019). Grants : ARC Research Hub for Future Digital Manufacturing (2024), NSW Defence Innovation Network Projects (2024/2021), and Facebook Research Awards (2022/2020). Students : Advising 4 current PhD students on topics like wireless trust establishment and machine unlearning. Labs/Teams : Part of the Centre for Distributed and High Performance Computing and Sydney Nano Institute.
Professor Irena Koprinska is a faculty member at the School of Computer Science, University of Sydney, specializing in Machine Learning, Data Mining, and Neural Networks. Her research focuses on practical applications in education, health, and energy sectors. She has received multiple awards, including the Dean’s Award for Outstanding Teaching (2017, 2008) and Best Paper Awards at CHI 2019 and other conferences. Koprinska has supervised 11 PhD and over 60 Honours students, many of whom have won prestigious scholarships like the Google Fellowship. Education: PhD and MSc in Computer Science, MEd in Higher Education. Research Interests: Develops algorithms for pattern extraction and predictive modeling in healthcare (e.g., sleep apnea prediction), education (student behavior analysis), and energy (solar power forecasting). Her work bridges algorithmic innovation with multidisciplinary collaboration. Publications: Over 100 articles in top journals/conferences, emphasizing applications of machine learning in health, energy, and education. Recent works include deep learning for sleep apnea and ensemble methods for solar forecasting. Awards: Highlighted awards include the Dean’s Teaching Awards, Best Paper recognitions, and the Thompson Research Fellowship (2018). Advising & Grants: Currently supervises Hanxue Yao. Previously led initiatives like the Data Science for Social Good workshop at ECML PKDD. Served as Associate Head for Research Education and Sub-Dean for Teaching & Learning. Labs/Teams: Leads the Computer Human Adapted Interaction Research Group, focusing on human-centric technology solutions.
Dr. Feras Dayoub is a Senior Lecturer at the School of Computer and Mathematical Sciences (Faculty of Sciences, Engineering and Technology) at the University of Adelaide , specializing in Embodied AI and Robotic Vision within the Australian Institute for Machine Learning (AIML) . He co-directs the CROSSING French-Australian laboratory for human-autonomous agent teaming and holds an Adjunct position at the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) , serving as an Associate Investigator at its Centre for Robotics . Previously, he was a Chief Investigator at the ARC Centre of Excellence for Robotic Vision . His research focuses on advancing reliable deployment of computer vision and machine learning on mobile robots in real-world environments. Applied projects include agricultural automation , environmental conservation , and autonomous infrastructure monitoring . He has published extensively on topics like object detection , domain adaptation , 3D representation learning , and vision-language navigation , with a particular emphasis on robustness in dynamic and partially observed environments. Dr. Dayoub is also an educator specializing in programming , computer vision , and robotic perception . He contributes to open-source robotics research through tools like AARK (Autonomous Racing Toolkit) and has led teams developing solutions for precision agriculture (e.g., Deepfruits fruit detection system) and environmental monitoring (e.g., Crown-Of-Thorns starfish detection ). Key Collaborations : CROSSING Lab, QUT Centre for Robotics Research Themes : Embodied AI, Robust Perception, Domain Adaptation
Kerry Taylor is an Associate Professor (Data Science) at the School of Computing, Australian National University (ANU). She holds visiting roles at the University of Surrey (UK) and University of Melbourne. Her career spans 20 years at CSIRO, UN big data projects with ABS, and interdisciplinary research in data management, IoT, and semantic technologies. She lectures in data mining and convenes ANU's postgraduate applied data analytics programs. Education includes a BSc (Hons 1) in Computer Science from UNSW (1983) and a PhD in Computer Science and Technology from ANU (1996). She co-chaired the W3C/OGC Spatial Data on the Web working group (2015-2017) and serves on editorial boards for Knowledge-Based Systems and International Journal of Distributed Sensor Networks . Research focuses on ontologies, semantic web, machine learning in IoT, and spatial data systems. Active projects include government information frameworks, distributed IoT facilities, and sensor data integration. Her work emphasizes interdisciplinary applications of logic-based and semantic approaches to data challenges.
Dr. Liyi Zhou is a Lecturer in the School of Computer Science at the University of Sydney, specializing in systems security, blockchain, and AI. His research focuses on developing automated and adaptive security tools using machine learning and reinforcement learning. He co-founded D23E.ch, a platform addressing blockchain security and privacy challenges. Research interests include AI-driven vulnerability detection, large security models, real-time intrusion prevention, advanced program analysis (fuzzing/symbolic execution), and privacy-preserving systems. He actively recruits PhD students for projects advancing AI in cybersecurity. Notable achievements include pioneering 'sandwich attacks' discovery in DeFi protocols, contributing to Ethereum Foundation grants, and receiving bug bounties from Flashbots and Ethereum Foundation for vulnerability disclosures. His work has been published in venues like IEEE S&P, USENIX Security, and SIGMETRICS. Teaching includes the course INFO2222. He seeks collaborations and funding to bridge academic research with real-world industry problems, emphasizing practical impact.
Roberto Togneri is a Professor and Senior Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Western Australia's School of Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering. He has been affiliated with the university since 1988, following his PhD in 1989. His research focuses on signal processing, speech recognition, machine learning, and biometrics, with notable contributions to audio-visual recognition systems and fraud detection. Education: PhD in Electrical Engineering (University of Western Australia, 1989). Research interests include feature extraction for audio signals, neural network models for speech and speaker recognition, and applications of machine learning to fraud prevention. His work has been recognized with awards such as the Education Innovation Award (ICASSP 2019) and grants from the Australian Research Council (e.g., DP110103336 for a 3D Audio-Visual Speech Recognition System). Key projects include developing robust speech recognition systems in adverse environments and advancing graph-based fraudster group detection using spatio-temporal data. He has also contributed to editorial roles in IEEE Signal Processing Magazine and authored over 214 research outputs. Funding highlights include $279,000 for a 3D audio-visual speech recognition system (2011–2013) and $230,000 for robust speech recognition in hostile environments (2010–2012). His research aligns with UN SDGs related to innovation and infrastructure.
Dr. Thilina Halloluwa is a Teaching Focused Lecturer in the Department of Human-Centred Computing at The University of Queensland (UQ). He holds a PhD in Human-Computer Interaction from Queensland University of Technology (2019) and a Computer Science undergraduate degree from the Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology. With over 15 years of academic and industry experience, his research emphasizes real-world impact in education technology, financial inclusion, smart agriculture, and HCI. Educational Background: PhD in Human-Computer Interaction, Queensland University of Technology (2019) Bachelor of Computer Science, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology Research Interests: Education for All: Leveraging technology to enhance collaborative learning and social experiences in education. Human Money Interaction: Designing ethical AI solutions for financial services, particularly for underserved communities. Smart Agro: Developing AI-driven tools for crop disease detection, yield optimization, and precision agriculture. Software Project Estimation: Improving effort estimation accuracy through explainable AI (Metrix project). Key Contributions: Developed UrbanAgro (tomato disease detection) and BellCrop (bell pepper disease datasets). Pioneered Dhana Labha , a financial management tool for rural Sri Lankan communities. Advanced online exam proctoring systems for low-resource settings. Previous Roles: Lecturer at University of Sydney (2023) Senior Lecturer at University of Colombo (2013–2023) Lab/Team Affiliations: Smart Agro Project: AI-driven agricultural solutions Metrix Initiative: Software project estimation frameworks
Yong-Bin Kang is a Senior Data Science Research Fellow at the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision Making and Society (ADM+S) at Swinburne University of Technology, affiliated with the School of Social Sciences, Media, Film and Education. He holds a PhD in AI from Monash University and leads numerous transdisciplinary research projects applying artificial intelligence to address complex societal challenges. Education: PhD in Faculty of IT, Monash University, Australia Dr. Kang's research focuses on Responsible AI and Society, with specific interests in developing Societal-AI platforms that integrate social data with ethical principles. His work spans healthcare, humanitech, education, financial planning, environmental health, and justice domains. He investigates how AI can enhance decision-making processes while promoting societal well-being, with particular attention to ethical implementation and human-centered approaches. His expertise encompasses AI, natural language processing, machine learning, and decision-making optimization. Analysis of Dr. Kang's recent publications reveals a strong trajectory toward socially responsible AI applications across diverse domains. His work consistently bridges technical AI capabilities with social implications, particularly focusing on ethical frameworks, community-centered design, and addressing societal inequalities through technology. The publications demonstrate increasing collaboration across disciplines including criminology, environmental science, mental health, and education. Dr. Kang is actively involved in significant research funding initiatives, with multiple ongoing projects that address critical societal challenges through AI. His supervision availability includes Doctorate (PhD) candidates, indicating his commitment to mentoring the next generation of researchers in AI and data science fields. Current Flagship Areas: Digital Capability Innovative Society Manufacturing Futures Sustainable Development Goals: Good Health and Well Being (SDG 3) Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure (SDG 9) Affordable and Clean Energy (SDG 7)
Dr. Bo Liu is an Associate Professor in the School of Computer Science at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), where he serves as a core member and director of the AI Security and Privacy (AISP) Research Lab at the Australian Artificial Intelligence Institute (AAII). With expertise spanning cybersecurity, privacy protection, AI and machine learning, and wireless communications, Dr. Liu has established himself as a leading researcher in the field of AI security and privacy. Dr. Liu earned his PhD from the Department of Electronic Engineering at Shanghai Jiao Tong University in 2010. His academic journey at UTS has progressed from Senior Lecturer (November 2019-December 2022) to his current position as Associate Professor (January 2023-present). Dr. Liu's research focuses on the critical intersection of artificial intelligence and security, particularly addressing emerging threats in the age of advanced AI systems. His work spans multiple dimensions of security and privacy, including deepfake detection, privacy-preserving data synthesis, AI model security, and fair machine learning. He has pioneered approaches to detect AI-generated content, protect visual privacy through de-identification techniques, and address the complex relationship between algorithmic fairness and privacy preservation. His publication record demonstrates significant contributions across multiple cutting-edge research areas, with particular emphasis on detecting and mitigating threats from generative AI systems. His recent work reveals a strong focus on deepfake detection across multiple modalities (images, video, and audio), privacy-preserving techniques for sensitive data, and the security implications of emerging AI architectures like Retrieval-Augmented Generation systems. Dr. Liu has secured substantial research funding, including as Lead Chief Investigator on multiple ARC Discovery and Linkage Projects, totaling over $3.5 million AUD. His industry collaborations include partnerships with the NSW Department of Planning and the Reserve Bank of Australia, demonstrating the practical applicability of his research. As an academic leader, Dr. Liu serves as Associate Editor for IEEE Transactions on Broadcasting and actively contributes to the academic community through conference organization, peer review for top-tier venues, and assessment for ARC grant schemes. He also teaches courses including Penetration Testing, Ethical Hacking and Offensive Security, and supervises Masters and PhD students in cybersecurity and privacy research.
