Alan Hammond is a Professor in the Department of Statistics at the University of California, Berkeley. His research focuses on rigorous mathematical probability techniques applied to problems in statistical mechanics, including percolation theory, polymer models, and random growth processes. He has contributed to understanding critical phenomena, phase transitions, and universality classes in stochastic systems. Hammond's work spans topics such as KPZ universality, Brownian motion, and the geometry of random media. He has investigated models like last passage percolation, self-avoiding walks, and tug-of-war games, often uncovering deep connections between stochastic processes and nonlinear PDEs. His teaching includes courses on stochastic processes and statistical theory at both graduate and undergraduate levels. Notable research highlights include studies on fractal properties of Airy processes, stability in dynamical last passage percolation, and the behavior of geodesics in random environments. His contributions bridge probability theory with applications in physics and combinatorics.
Maxim Kontsevich is a permanent professor at the Institut des Hautes Études Scientifiques (IHÉS), holding the AXA Chair for Mathematics since 1995 and a visiting chair at Rutgers University (one month annually since 1997). Born in 1964 in Khimki, USSR, he earned his PhD from Bonn University in 1992. His career includes visiting positions at Harvard, the Institute for Advanced Study, and Berkeley, where he was a professor from 1993 to 1995. His research spans mathematical physics, algebraic geometry, and non-commutative geometry. Notable contributions include deformation quantization, mirror symmetry, and motivic integration. His work bridges algebraic structures with geometric and physical concepts, influencing areas like topological field theories, string theory, and integrable systems. Awardees of Fields Medal (1998), Crafoord Prize (2008), and Breakthrough Prize (2014), he also holds editorial roles at Compositio Mathematica and Publications Mathématiques IHÉS. His over 50 publications explore advanced topics such as quantum cohomology, Hodge theory, and categorical structures in geometry.
Prof. Margret Keuper is a Professor of Machine Learning at the University of Mannheim's School of Business Informatics and Mathematics, leading the Data and Web Science Group. She is also affiliated with the Max-Planck-Institute for Informatics and ELLIS (fellow since 2024). Her research focuses on robust deep learning, neural architecture search, and computer vision tasks like motion segmentation and adversarial defense. She holds a PhD from the University of Freiburg and previously held positions at the University of Siegen and the University of Mannheim. Her work spans projects funded by DFG and BMBF, including Climate Visions for social media analysis and TrackOpt for motion tracking. She teaches courses on computer vision, generative models, and reinforcement learning. She actively serves on program committees for top conferences like CVPR, ECCV, and NeurIPS, and is an associate editor for IEEE TPAMI and JAIR. Education: PhD in Computer Science from University of Freiburg (advisor: Thomas Brox) Research Projects: Learning to Sense (DFG), Climate Visions (BMBF), TrackOpt (BMBF) Key Roles: Head of Mannheim Master in Data Science Examination Board, Member of MSc Business Informatics Board Her research emphasizes robustness in AI systems, with contributions to adversarial attacks, domain generalization, and efficient solvers for large-scale problems. She advises over 15 PhD students across academic and industry partnerships.
Nikita Zhivotovskiy is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Statistics at the University of California Berkeley within the College of Letters and Science. His research spans the intersection of mathematical statistics, probability theory, and statistical learning theory with particular focus on high-dimensional data analysis and non-parametric inference. His research interests include mathematical statistics, applied probability, statistical learning theory, high-dimensional data analysis, non-parametric inference, and artificial intelligence/machine learning. Zhivotovskiy's work addresses fundamental questions in statistical learning theory, including risk bounds, algorithmic stability, and convergence rates, with applications spanning multiple domains including robust statistics and private learning. His recent publications (2021-2025) demonstrate significant contributions to theoretical machine learning, particularly in statistical learning theory, risk bounds, high-dimensional statistics, and algorithmic stability. These works appear in top venues including NeurIPS, COLT, and FOCS, reflecting the theoretical depth and importance of his contributions to the field. Among his notable achievements is a Best Paper Award at the Conference on Learning Theory (COLT) in 2020 for his work on 'Proper Learning, Helly Number, and an Optimal SVM Bound.' Zhivotovskiy has also contributed to the theoretical foundations of PAC learning, risk minimization, and statistical aggregation. Prior to his current position, Zhivotovskiy was a postdoctoral researcher at ETH Zürich (2021-2022) and Google Research (2019-2020). He completed his PhD at Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology in 2018 under the supervision of Vladimir Spokoiny and Konstantin Vorontsov.
Thomas Grenier is an Associate Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering at INSA Lyon and a member of the CREATIS laboratory (CNRS UMR 5220, INSERM U1294). He obtained his HDR (Habilitation à Diriger des Recherches) in 2023 and his Ph.D. in Image Processing from INSA Lyon in 2005. His research focuses on medical image segmentation, clustering, and filtering using feature space, scale-space, and deep learning approaches. Doctoral School: EEA (Electronics, Energy, and Automatics) Research Affiliation: CREATIS Lab (CNRS/INSERM/INSA Lyon/Université Lyon 1/Université Jean Monnet Saint-Etienne) He has contributed to 20 papers and co-supervised 5 PhD students, including Léo Dumortier and Florent Guépin. Grenier leads the annual Deep Learning for Medical Imaging (DLMI) school, which he co-founded, and has organized five editions across Lyon and Montreal since 2019. The school emphasizes practical deep learning applications in medical imaging for participants of all expertise levels. His work spans interdisciplinary domains such as medical imaging , deep learning , and image processing , with recent publications on generative AI for MRI synthesis, explainable networks, and segmentation of neurological pathologies in preclinical models. He manages pedagogical platforms, coordinates LabEx PRIMES project activities, and oversees lab room infrastructure for 200 hours/year across 10 training programs. Grenier also leads the MUSIC transversal project on Multiple Sclerosis since 2019.
Carey E. Priebe is a Professor in the Department of Applied Mathematics and Statistics at the Whiting School of Engineering, Johns Hopkins University. He maintains strong affiliations with multiple research centers including the Johns Hopkins University Center for Imaging Science, the Mathematical Institute for Data Science, and the Human Language Technology Center of Excellence. His academic career spans several decades with significant contributions to statistical methodology and theory. Dr. Priebe's research focuses on computational statistics, statistical pattern recognition, and statistical inference for high-dimensional and graph data. His work bridges theoretical statistics with practical applications in areas such as brain connectome mapping, network analysis, and image processing. He has made significant contributions to spectral graph theory, graph matching, and vertex nomination, with applications ranging from neuroscience to national security. His publication record demonstrates consistent contributions to statistical methodology, with a notable emphasis on graph-based statistical methods. His research trajectory shows increasing focus on network data analysis, particularly in the last decade, with applications to brain mapping and connectome analysis as evidenced by his NSF BRAIN Initiative grant and Nature publication. 2013 Erskine Fellow (University of Canterbury) 2011 McDonald Award for Excellence in Mentoring and Advising 2010 ASA SDNS Distinguished Achievement Award 2009 Erskine Fellow (University of Canterbury) 2008 National Security Science and Engineering Faculty Fellow 2008 Pond Award for Excellence in Teaching NSF BRAIN EAGER grant recipient (2014) Professor Priebe has supervised an extensive number of doctoral students whose work spans statistical methodology, network analysis, and machine learning. His students have secured positions at prestigious institutions including academia (University of Wisconsin, Boston University), government research labs, and major technology companies (Microsoft, Facebook, Amazon). His research has been supported by significant grants from NSF, DARPA, and other agencies focused on national security applications and fundamental statistical methodology development. He maintains active collaborations across multiple disciplines and institutions, as evidenced by his numerous conference presentations and visiting appointments including at The Alan Turing Institute and The Isaac Newton Institute. His work bridges theoretical statistics with practical applications in neuroscience, security, and data science.
Jian Peng is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. His research focuses on computational biology, machine learning, and their applications to protein structure prediction, drug design, and molecular modeling. He has contributed to advancements in antibody engineering, protein-ligand docking, and generative models for biological systems. Key research areas include: Machine Learning for Molecular Modeling Protein Structure Prediction Antibody and Peptide Design Genomics and Single-Cell Analysis Structure-Based Drug Discovery His work emphasizes integrating deep learning techniques with biological datasets to address challenges in precision medicine, drug development, and systems biology. Notable achievements include developing the FastFold system to accelerate AlphaFold training and pioneering flow-based methods for antibody design. Awards include the Overton Prize (2020), recognizing contributions to computational biology. His research has been published in top journals and conferences, spanning topics from protein mutation prediction to geodesic-based immune complex modeling.
Mahmoud El-Sakka is an Associate Professor at the Department of Computer Science, University of Western Ontario since 1999. Previously, he was a faculty member at the University of Waterloo (1997–1999). He holds a B.Sc. and M.Sc. from Alexandria University (Egypt) and a Ph.D. in Systems Design Engineering from the University of Waterloo. His research focuses on medical imaging, image processing, and computer-aided diagnostics. He has served as Chair of the graduate program (2002–2007) and undergraduate program (2017–present) in Computer Science at Western Ontario. El-Sakka is a Senior Member of the IEEE and a licensed Professional Engineer in Ontario. His work spans grants from NSERC, internal university funding, and industry collaborations. Major research areas include image compression, segmentation, and medical applications like vascular analysis and echocardiography. He has led over 20 funded projects since 1999, emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches in healthcare technology. Academic contributions include advisory roles in summer programs, thesis evaluations, and conference participation. His service includes roles as Pro-Chancellor at convocations and involvement in equipment purchasing committees. Collaborations include consulting with NCR Canada and VRP Web Technology.
Daniel Sage is a Lecturer and Scientific Advisor at École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) , affiliated with the Biomedical Imaging Laboratory (LIB) under the College of Engineering (STI) and School of Life Sciences (SV) . He specializes in bioimage informatics , structured-illumination microscopy , and deep learning applications for biomedical imaging. His work spans algorithm development for single-molecule localization microscopy (SMLM) , fluorescence imaging , and 3D reconstruction . His research group has developed open-source tools like FlexSIM for light inhomogeneity correction, DeepImageJ for integrating deep learning in ImageJ, and Steer'n'Detect for orientation-accurate template detection. His publications focus on correcting multiple-blinking artifacts in PALM, optimal transport metrics for SMLM evaluation, and contextual feature analysis for xenograft cell classification. He mentors PhD students and contributes to interdisciplinary education through courses such as Bioimage Informatics and Fundamentals of Image Analysis , emphasizing practical software solutions and Java programming for bioimage processing. His collaborations include institutions like Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) .
Sebastian Pokutta is a Professor at Technische Universität Berlin, Vice President at the Zuse Institute Berlin (ZIB), and Chair of the Cluster of Excellence MATH+ and MODAL. His research lies at the intersection of Artificial Intelligence, Optimization, and Machine Learning, with applications in sustainability, quantum computing, and mathematical discovery. Research Interests: Development of novel optimization algorithms, particularly Frank-Wolfe and Conditional Gradient methods. Integration of machine learning with decision-making and combinatorial optimization. AI for Science (AI4Science), including applications in quantum mechanics and ecology. AI and creativity, human-AI co-creativity, and social science modeling using multi-agent LLMs. His recent publications (2025) demonstrate a strong focus on scalable optimization, interpretability, and algorithmic foundations. The work spans theoretical advances in convergence analysis, practical implementations in Julia (FrankWolfe.jl), and real-world deployments in biomass estimation and quantum certification. Scientific Awards: Gödel Prize (2023) STOC Test of Time Award (2022) Science Prize of the Association for Pediatric Orthopedics (2025) Google Research Awards (2021, 2020) NSF CAREER Award (2015) He advises a vibrant research group, with former students and postdocs securing faculty positions at institutions like Inria, Carlos III University, and James Madison University. His group has received funding from Google, DFG, and Math+, and he leads major collaborative efforts such as the Thematic Einstein Semester on Mathematical Optimization for Machine Learning. Labs and Teams: Interactive Optimization and Learning Lab at TU Berlin and ZIB. Leadership in MODAL and MATH+ research clusters, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration in mathematical optimization and AI.
Sebastian Risi is a Professor at the IT University of Copenhagen , where he directs the Creative AI Lab and co-directs the Robotics, Evolution and Art Lab (REAL) . His work bridges computational evolution, deep learning, and collective intelligence for applications in robotics, art, and video game design. His research focuses on self-organizing AI systems that grow or assemble through local interactions, inspired by biological development. Key areas include neuroevolution , neural cellular automata , and generative modeling , with applications in adaptive robotics, game content creation, and damage-resilient AI. Recent publications highlight trends in self-assembling neural architectures (NDPs) and 3D functional machine generation (Minecraft experiments). Awards include ERC Consolidator Grant (2022), Best Paper at FDG’21 , and Google Faculty Award (2019). Scientific Awards : ERC Consolidator Grant (GROW-AI), Best Paper FDG’21, Runner-Up IEEE Games’20, GECCO 2017 Competition Winner, Sapere Aude Grant, Amazon/Google Faculty Awards He advises on projects like GROW-AI (EU-funded), AI-TESTER (game testing), and C2SIM (military systems). Media coverage includes Science , Wired , and Popular Science .
Ben Raphael is a Professor in the Department of Computer Science at Princeton University, with affiliations at the Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Omenn-Darling Bioengineering Institute, and Center for Statistics and Machine Learning. He is also an Affiliate Faculty member at the Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Irving Institute for Cancer Dynamics at Columbia University, and New York Genome Center. His research focuses on computational methods for analyzing large-scale biological data, emphasizing cancer evolution, network/pathway analysis, and structural variation in genomes. Research Trends: His recent work spans cancer lineage trees, spatial transcriptomics, optimal transport for developmental models, and network analysis of mutations. Articles highlight applications in prostate cancer, pancreatic cancer, and single-cell genomics. Scientific Awards: 2024 ACM Fellow 2023 RECOMB Test of Time Award 2022 RECOMB Test of Time Runner-Up 2021 ISCB Innovator Award 2021 RECOMB Best Paper Runner-Up 2020 ISCB Fellow 2020 AACR Team Science Award 2011 NSF CAREER Award 2013 RECOMB Best Paper 2010-2012 Sloan Research Fellowship Advising: He has mentored numerous Ph.D. students and postdoctoral fellows, many of whom have transitioned to academic and industry roles. Current advisees include Uthsav Chitra, Gillian Chu, and Alexander Strzalkowski. Labs & Teams: Raphael leads the Raphael Lab at Princeton, developing tools like HotNet2, CHISEL, and HATCHet for cancer genomics and network analysis.
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.
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.
Yen-Chi Chen is an Associate Professor in the Department of Statistics at the University of Washington. He also holds positions as a Data Science Fellow at the UW eScience Institute and as a co-investigator and statistician at the National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center. His academic career spans multiple interdisciplinary fields including statistics, data science, and astrostatistics. Chen's educational background includes a Ph.D. from Carnegie Mellon University, where he received prestigious awards including the Umesh K. Gavasakar Thesis Award (2017) and the William S. Dietrich II Presidential Ph.D. Fellowship Award (2015). His research focuses on nonparametric statistics, topological data analysis, missing data methodologies, cluster analysis, manifold learning, and applications in large-scale structure analysis and astrostatistics. Chen has made significant contributions to the development of statistical methods for analyzing cosmic web structures, GPS data, and causal inference with continuous treatments. His work bridges theoretical statistics with practical applications in astronomy, neuroscience, and public health. Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong emphasis on developing novel statistical frameworks for complex data structures, particularly focusing on density-based methods, manifold learning, and approaches that address challenges in missing data and causal inference without standard assumptions. ASA Noether Early Career Scholar Award, American Statistical Association (2022) CAREER Award, National Science Foundation (2022-2027) Umesh K. Gavasakar Thesis Award, Carnegie Mellon University (2017) William S. Dietrich II Presidential Ph.D. Fellowship Award, Carnegie Mellon University (2015) Chen has advised numerous graduate students across multiple publications, with a focus on developing new statistical methodologies. His research has been supported by major funding agencies including the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health. He is actively involved in several research groups including the UW Geometric Data Analysis Group, the UW Center for Statistics and the Social Sciences, and the National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center.
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