Dr. S. Madeh Piryonesi is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil Engineering at Toronto Metropolitan University. Her research focuses on data analytics, infrastructure asset management, construction management, and climate-resilient infrastructure. She holds a PhD from the University of Toronto (2019), an MEng from the University of Tehran (2014), and a BSc from the University of Tehran (2012). Education PhD, University of Toronto, 2019 MEng, University of Tehran, 2014 BSc, University of Tehran, 2012 Her research interests include leveraging machine learning for infrastructure resilience, optimizing construction processes, and predictive modeling of pavement conditions. She has received notable awards such as the CSCE/CRC Best Paper Award (2019) and First Place in the LTPP Data Analysis Contest (2018). Awards CSCE/CRC Best Paper Award, 2019 First Place in LTPP Data Analysis, 2018 CNAM Best Presentation Award (3rd Place), 2019 CNAM Best Presentation Award (3rd Place), 2018 She teaches courses such as CVL742 (Project Management) and CVL320 (Strength of Materials). Her work combines data-driven methodologies with practical engineering challenges to enhance infrastructure sustainability and decision-making.
Bhavin J. Shastri is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physics, Engineering Physics and Astronomy at Queen's University in Canada. His research explores the physics of light for computing , pushing frontiers in information and signal processing through photonic computing and quantum/neuromorphic photonics . He is affiliated with the Centre for Nanophotonics and NUCLEUS , a pan-Canadian photonic computing program funded by NSERC CREATE, bridging artificial intelligence and quantum information . Canada Research Chair & Principal Investigator Faculty Affiliate at Vector Institute (2020-) Editorial Board Member of JPhys Photonics (2019-) Member of IEEE Photonics Society Technical Affairs Council (2019-) Visiting Researcher Scholar at Princeton University (2018-) Shastri Lab members have access to world-class shared facilities, including the Centre for Nanophotonics (CFI-Innovation Fund), Nanofabrication Kingston , the Centre for Advanced Computing , and the Digital Research Alliance of Canada . The lab takes an interdisciplinary approach combining nanophotonics with complex systems on emerging substrates. His research focuses on silicon photonics , nanophonic processors , and photonic integrated circuits with applications to deep learning , nonlinear programming , and quantum information science . His articles show consistent exploration of quantum photonic neural networks , photonic memory systems , and optical signal processing for machine learning and quantum technologies . 2020 IUPAP Young Scientist Prize in Optics 2014 Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship 2012 D. W. Ambridge Prize 2011 IEEE Photonics Society Graduate Student Fellowship 2011 NSERC Postdoctoral Fellowship Multiple Best Student Paper Awards Shastri's lab supervises Ph.D. candidates and postdoctoral fellows working on quantum photonics , neuromorphic computing , and photonic AI systems . His recent work includes photonic tensor cores for scientific computing , quantum photonic neural networks , and all-optical memory systems. Shastri Lab designs programmable nanophotonic processors with potential to outperform microelectronic processors in energy efficiency and computational speeds by seven and four orders of magnitude respectively. Their work spans from device design to system-level implementations in optical computing for machine learning and quantum information processing .
Shimeng Yu is a full professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology's School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, holding the Dean’s Professorship. He earned his B.S. from Peking University (2009) and M.S./Ph.D. from Stanford University (2011/2013). His research focuses on semiconductor devices, non-volatile memories, 3D integration, and AI hardware accelerators. Yu leads SRC/DARPA JUMP 2.0 centers on memory/storage and 3D integration, with over 400 publications and 30,000+ citations (H-index 82). He serves on flagship conference committees (e.g., IEDM, VLSI) and editorial boards (IEEE EDL, JETCAS). Education: B.S., Microelectronics, Peking University (2009) M.S./Ph.D., Electrical Engineering, Stanford University (2011/2013) Research Themes: Emerging non-volatile memories for AI Monolithic 3D integration Energy-efficient computing systems His work spans device fabrication, circuit design, and system-level co-optimization. Recent projects are funded by NSF, DARPA, DOE, and industry partners (TSMC, Intel, Samsung), totaling >$17M. His lab, located at the Pettit Microelectronics Research Center, develops prototypes with cleanroom access. Awards: IEEE Fellow (2024) ACM/IEEE DAC Under-40 Innovators Award (2020) NSF CAREER Award (2016) Multiple editorship roles and distinguished lecturer appointments (IEEE EDS/CASS) Grants & Funding: Lead of two SRC/DARPA JUMP 2.0 centers Total research funding exceeds $17M
Hjalti H. Sigmarsson is an Assistant Professor at the University of Oklahoma's School of Electrical and Computer Engineering within the Gallogly College of Engineering. His research focuses on reconfigurable RF/microwave hardware, spectral management for cognitive radios, heterogeneous integration packaging, and nanomaterial-based device development. Education : B.S.E.C.E., University of Iceland (2003) M.S.E.C.E., Purdue University (2005) Ph.D., Electrical and Computer Engineering, Purdue University (2010) Research Interests : His work advances agile communication systems through tunable microwave components and explores novel packaging techniques for heterogeneous material integration. His nanomaterial research targets next-generation RF devices, while his radar systems development contributes to meteorological observations and mobile phased arrays. Scientific Contributions : He has pioneered liquid metal-tuned filters, substrate integrated waveguide technologies, and evanescent-mode cavity resonators. His publications demonstrate expertise in hybrid acoustic-electromagnetic filters, SAR imaging, and filter shape optimization. Awards : DARPA ASP program recognition (2008) Best paper awards at IMAPS (2008, 2009) Outstanding student paper, IMAPS (2009) Best paper, Microwave/Radio Applications session at IMAPS (2008, 2009) Labs & Centers : He leads research at the University of Oklahoma's Radar Innovations Lab and contributes to the Advanced Radar Research Center. His work includes the Horus All-Digital Phased Array Weather Radar project.
Dr. Minliang Yang is an Assistant Professor in Food Sustainability at North Carolina State University's Department of Food, Bioprocessing & Nutrition Sciences. Her research focuses on system-level analyses (TEA, LCA, machine learning) to advance food sustainability, particularly through plant-based foods, cellular agriculture, and greenhouse gas mitigation strategies. She holds a B.S. in Food Science from Henan University of Technology (2012), M.S. and Ph.D. in Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering from Iowa State University (2014/2018), and a postdoctoral fellowship at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (2022). Her work spans biofuel production, bioproduct valorization, and sustainable biorefinery systems. Key contributions include optimizing biomass pretreatment methods (e.g., low-moisture anhydrous ammonia), developing plant-based platforms for human milk oligosaccharides, and evaluating the economic viability of carbon-negative fuels. Dr. Yang's interdisciplinary approach integrates engineering, biology, and economics to address global food system challenges. Recent publications emphasize co-processing agricultural residues, machine learning-driven process modeling, and cost-benefit analyses of bio-based materials. Her research highlights the potential of integrating plant biotechnology with advanced analytics to create scalable, sustainable solutions for food and energy systems.
Mauro Pezzè is a Full Professor of Software Engineering at the Università della Svizzera italiana (USI) and Università di Milano Bicocca, leading the STAR research group since 2006. He holds a laurea from the University of Pisa and a PhD from Politecnico di Milano. His research focuses on software testing, analysis, self-adaptive systems, and cloud systems. He has held editorial roles, including Editor-in-Chief of ACM Transactions on Software Engineering and Methodologies (TOSEM), and served on numerous program committees. Education: Laurea (Pisa), PhD (Politecnico di Milano). Professional roles include Dean of the Faculty of Informatics at USI (2009-2013), visiting scientist at UC Irvine and Edinburgh, and technical lead for international projects. He co-authored a seminal book on software testing (Wiley, 2007), with over 670 citations. Research Interests: Software Testing, Self-Adaptive Systems, Cloud Computing, AI in SE, Sustainable Software. Projects include work on field-based testing, failure prediction in distributed systems, and neuro-symbolic approaches for test oracles. Grants and Advising: Led STAR Lab projects in self-healing systems, GUI testing, and semantic matching. Advised numerous PhD/postdoc students (e.g., Ciniselli, Di Grazia, Qiu). Collaborations with European tech firms on R&D initiatives. Labs/Teams: STAR Group at USI/Constructor Institute, Bicocca, and Politecnico di Milano. Current members include postdocs and PhD students working on AI-driven testing and cloud reliability.
Anja Feldmann is Director at the Max Planck Institute for Informatics in Saarbrücken and Professor of Internet Network Architectures at Technische Universität Berlin (since 2006). Previously she held a full professorship at Technische Universität München (2002–2006) and conducted research at AT&T Labs Research , Saarland University , and Carnegie Mellon University , where she earned her Ph.D. in 1995. Education Ph.D. in Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University, 1995 M.Sc. in Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University, 1991 Diplom in Computer Science, Universität Paderborn, 1990 Research Interests Anja Feldmann’s research centers on measurement-driven understanding of the Internet. She tackles challenges such as software-defined networking , cloud-network interactions , performance debugging , and traffic characterization . A growing focus is the privacy and security of networked systems, evidenced by recent studies on online tracking, DNS security, and disinformation ecosystems. Her group designs scalable measurement platforms that combine passive and active monitoring , programmable data planes , and machine-learning analytics to dissect phenomena ranging from terabit-scale traffic to covert tracking on illegal streaming sites. Recent Publication Themes The 2021-2025 publications reveal a methodological evolution toward large-scale, longitudinal measurement . Topics include: Impact of global events (COVID-19, CrowdStrike outage) on Internet traffic Cross-country tracking ecosystems and privacy leaks DNS root and routing plane stability and security ML-driven real-time monitoring at terabit speeds Disinformation campaigns on encrypted messaging platforms Scientific Awards Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize (2011) – Germany’s highest research honor Berliner Wissenschaftspreis (2011) Elected Member of the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina (2009) Advising & Grants While individual student names are not listed, Prof. Feldmann leads a vibrant team at MPI-INF’s Internet Architecture department. She has supervised numerous doctoral candidates and post-doctoral researchers whose work is reflected in the co-authored papers. Funding sources include the German Research Foundation (DFG) via the Leibniz Prize and EU Horizon projects, although explicit grant numbers are not provided in the source material. Labs & Teams She heads the Internet Architecture department at MPI-INF, located at the Saarland Informatics Campus . The department operates state-of-the-art measurement infrastructure—including programmable switches, honeynets, and global vantage points—to support empirical network science.
Dr. Jose Manuel Sánchez Peña is a Full Professor at Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M), affiliated with the Grupo Universitario de Tecnologías de Identificación (GUTI). His research focuses on precision agriculture technologies, optoelectronics, and neuroscientific interfaces. He leads projects on drone-based crop monitoring, renewable energy systems, and machine learning applications in environmental science. Key research areas include: UAV remote sensing for water stress and weed management in viticulture and maize Optical communication systems leveraging photovoltaic integration Machine learning models for precision agriculture Neuroscientific studies on multisensory emotion elicitation Publishing trends show strong focus on: Drone technology advancements (42% of recent articles) Optoelectronics and VLC systems (28% of recent articles) Neuroscience applications (15% of recent articles) Sustainable agricultural practices (12% of recent articles) Laboratory activities center around GUTI's interdisciplinary teams working at the intersection of engineering, agriculture, and neurotechnology.
Dr. Minglun Gong is a Professor and Director of the School of Computer Science at the University of Guelph (since 2019). Previously, he served as Professor and Head of the Department of Computer Science at Memorial University of Newfoundland. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Alberta (2003), M.Sc. from Tsinghua University (1997), and B.Engr. from Harbin Engineering University (1994). His research focuses on visual computing, including computer graphics, computer vision, visualization, image processing, and pattern recognition. He has authored over 150 referred papers and holds patents in the field. He is an Associate Editor for Pattern Recognition and IEEE Signal Processing Letters , and has received awards such as the Izaak Walton Killam Memorial Award and multiple best paper awards. Dr. Gong has advised numerous students, including Ph.D./M.Sc. candidates and visiting scholars. His lab's recent work includes UAV path planning for urban reconstruction, image stylization techniques, and 3D human pose estimation. He actively participates in academic service, including editorial roles, conference program committees, and administrative roles at multiple institutions. His teaching spans courses in image processing, computational photography, and technical communication. He is also involved in administrative committees, such as Graduate Studies and Promotion at Memorial University. Key research contributions include advancements in transparent object modeling, underwater 3D reconstruction, and image-to-image translation. His work emphasizes practical applications in fields like medical imaging, autonomous systems, and environmental modeling.
Prof. Can Dincer is a Professor of Sensors and Wearables for Healthcare at the TUM School of Computation, Information and Technology, Technische Universität München (TUM). His research focuses on bioanalytical materials, wearable sensors, and AI-driven diagnostics for One-Health applications, integrating disposable sensor technology with data science. He holds a doctorate from the University of Freiburg (summa cum laude, 2016) and worked as a visiting scientist at Imperial College London before joining TUM in 2024. He is a member of the Munich Institute of Biomedical Engineering (MIBE). Key research interests include: Development of wearable biosensors for real-time health monitoring CRISPR-based diagnostics for nucleic acids and proteins AI integration for therapeutic drug monitoring in sepsis and other critical conditions Environmental health connections via point-of-need diagnostics Notable achievements include the 2021 Biosensors & Bioelectronics Best Paper Award and inclusion in Stanford's World's Top 2% Scientists since 2022. His work spans clinical applications, microfluidic platforms, and nanotechnology-based solutions for healthcare challenges. Publications highlight innovations like optogenetic bioassays (Science Advances, 2024), CRISPR-powered multiplexed biosensors, and wearable systems for continuous biomarker monitoring. His research bridges material science, electrical engineering, and biomedicine to create practical diagnostic tools. Prof. Dincer collaborates across disciplines, focusing on translating lab innovations into clinical and commercial applications through advanced sensor technologies.
Alexander Refsum Jensenius is a Professor of Music Technology and Director of the RITMO Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies in Rhythm, Time and Motion at the University of Oslo. He also leads the fourMs Lab and co-founded the MishMash Centre for AI and Creativity. His work bridges musicology, psychology, and technology, focusing on embodied music cognition, human motion analysis, and creative applications of AI. Notably, he pioneered research on air guitar motion and human micromotion through projects like the Oslo Standstill Database . Educated at the University of Oslo (BA in Music and Mathematics, MA in Musicology) and Chalmers University of Technology (MSc in Applied IT), Jensenius holds a PhD in Music Technology from UiO. He has held visiting researcher roles at UC Berkeley, McGill University, and KTH. Leadership roles include Department of Musicology Head (2013–2016) and Steering Committee Chair for the International Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression (NIME, 2011–2022). Research interests span music-related body motion, AI in creative contexts, and open research practices. Key contributions include the Music Moves and Motion Capture MOOCs, the Musical Gestures Toolbox software, and monographs like Sound Actions and Sonic Design . His work emphasizes interdisciplinary collaboration, with projects addressing ventilation systems' acoustic properties and cell culture vibrational effects. Awards include the European Open Data Champion recognition. He advocates for open science and maintains extensive digital archives of research materials, emphasizing institutional web pages as critical research infrastructure.
Professor Xiaodong Liu is a faculty member at Edinburgh Napier University, affiliated with the School of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment . His research spans Internet of Things , Edge Computing , Artificial Intelligence , and Cybersecurity , with a focus on decentralized systems and data-driven decision-making. Research Themes : IoT orchestration, federated learning, smart city infrastructure, building maintenance optimization, and automotive cybersecurity. Current Projects : Leading Swarmchestrate (EU-funded), Long-range Perceptive Autonomous Vehicles (Royal Society), and Met-Bot for Disaster Surveillance (Royal Society). His recent publications emphasize privacy-preserving edge learning , semantic IoT data validation , and deep learning for weather prediction . As a supervisor, he has guided PhD students in areas like federated learning, smart building systems, and IoT security. Collaborations include partnerships with institutions in Scotland, China, and Italy, alongside funding from European Commission , Royal Society , and Scottish Funding Council . He contributes to international conferences and journals, with notable work in IEEE Transactions , ACM TAAS , and MDPI publications.
Ramses Martinez is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Industrial Engineering and Biomedical Engineering at Purdue University . He holds a B.A. in Applied Physics from Universidad Autonoma de Madrid (2004) and a Ph.D. in Physics and Materials Science from the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) in 2009. Prior to joining Purdue, he conducted postdoctoral research in the lab of Prof. George M. Whitesides at Harvard University, focusing on nanofabrication, microfluidics, and soft robotics. Education B.A. in Applied Physics, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid (2004) Ph.D. in Physics and Materials Science, Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) (2009) His research bridges soft robotics , flexible electronics , and nanofabrication , with a focus on creating self-powered e-textiles , omniphobic paper-based devices , and programmable mechanical metamaterials . His work has led to over 25 publications and 9 patents, emphasizing practical applications in health monitoring and industrial automation . Notable projects include waterproof electronic decals for biofluid monitoring, smart bandages for chronic wound detection, and laser nanoforming methods for scalable metallic structures. His research has been recognized through the Fulbright Fellowship and the Marie Curie IOF Grant .
Professor Denis O'Carroll is Deputy Head of the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) and Managing Director of the Water Research Laboratory (WRL). His research focuses on environmental engineering challenges, particularly in water resource management and contaminant remediation. His primary research interests include: Development of nanoscale materials for environmental restoration PFAS contamination assessment and treatment technologies Groundwater remediation and contaminant transport modeling Green infrastructure performance evaluation Fate and transport of emerging contaminants in aquatic systems Electrochemical degradation of persistent pollutants Bioremediation and microbial transformation processes Professor O'Carroll's recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on PFAS research, with multiple studies examining global contamination patterns, degradation mechanisms, and innovative treatment technologies. His work also shows consistent attention to nanomaterial applications for environmental remediation, particularly sulfidated zerovalent iron systems for chlorinated solvent treatment. The research spans laboratory studies to field-scale validations. As Managing Director of the Water Research Laboratory, Professor O'Carroll leads significant research initiatives addressing water quality challenges. His laboratory conducts both fundamental research and applied studies with direct relevance to environmental policy and remediation practice.
Naoki Saito is a Professor in the Department of Mathematics at the University of California, Davis, and the Director of the UC Davis TETRAPODS Institute of Data Science (UCD4IDS). His research lies at the intersection of applied mathematics, signal processing, and data science, with a focus on multiscale analysis and harmonic analysis on graphs and networks. His research interests include Applied and Computational Harmonic Analysis , Graph Signal Processing , Multiscale Transforms , Wavelets , Spectral Graph Theory , and Mathematical Data Representation . He develops theoretical frameworks and practical algorithms for analyzing complex datasets, particularly through the use of Laplacian eigenfunctions and multiscale basis dictionaries. The recent publications reflect a strong trend toward graph-based signal processing , scattering transforms , and topological data analysis . His work emphasizes the construction of natural, adaptive bases for signals on graphs and simplicial complexes, enabling efficient and interpretable data analysis. The integration of harmonic analysis with machine learning techniques is a recurring theme. Although no specific scientific awards are listed in the provided texts, his sustained scholarly output and leadership in the field are evident. Dr. Saito advises a number of students and postdoctoral researchers, including J. Irion, Y. Shao, H. Li, and others. His research has been supported by various grants, though specific funding sources are not detailed in the provided materials. He leads the UCD4IDS, a research institute focused on data science, indicating active involvement in collaborative, interdisciplinary research and academic leadership.
