Marcel Böhme is a faculty member at the Max Planck Institute for Security and Privacy (MPI-SP) , leading the Software Security research group. His work focuses on foundational advancements in fuzzing , statistical program analysis, and scalable vulnerability discovery. Education: PhD from National University of Singapore (NUS) Research interests span: Statistical and causal frameworks for software testing Efficiency/Scalability of automated testing Fundamental limits of vulnerability detection Practical fuzzing technology (e.g., Entropic in LibFuzzer) Recent publications highlight trends in: Machine learning for security analysis Privacy-preserving statistical methods Future-proof security frameworks Protocol fuzzing with large language models Scientific accolades include: ERC Consolidator Grant (2024) NUS Outstanding Young Alumni Award (2022) ARC DECRA (2019) Multiple ACM Distinguished Paper Awards He serves as: Spokesperson for Research Group Leaders at Max Planck Society Guest Editor-in-Chief for ACM TOSEM PC Chair for ASE'25 and ISSTA'26
Dr. Pavel Naumov is a Lecturer in Computer Science at the University of Southampton, affiliated with the Agents, Interaction, and Complexity research group. His work focuses on Responsible Mechanism Design , integrating scientific, philosophical, and legal principles to study shared responsibility in collaborative decision-making systems. He holds a PhD from Cornell University and a summa cum laude diploma from Lomonosov Moscow State University, specializing in mathematical logic and automated theorem proving. Naumov actively supervises PhD students including Qi Shi and Benjamin James Plummer, and collaborates internationally on projects spanning ethics, logic, and multi-agent systems. His research examines how social norms, trust, and knowledge influence accountability in both human and machine decision-making. Key areas include responsibility diffusion in multi-step decisions, ethical dilemmas in strategic games, and anonymization frameworks for data privacy. Naumov’s recent publications explore topics like three-valued logic, trust-based belief systems, and dynamic logic in clandestine operations. His work bridges formal logic with real-world applications, aiming to ensure transparency and fairness in complex systems.
Sonia Vanier is a Professor in the Department of Computer Science at École Polytechnique, where she holds multiple leadership positions: Head of the 'Trusted and Responsible AI' Chair (X/Crédit Agricole), Head of the 'Optimization and AI for Mobility' Chair (X/SNCF), Head of 3A, and Scientific Manager of Industrial Relations for both the Department and the Computer Science Laboratory (LIX). She coordinates the GdT OR (Network Optimization) working group and leads the REST (Energy, Services and Transport Networks) research axis of the CNRS GDROD, while serving on its scientific council. Her research develops decision support tools for complex industrial problems through hybrid approaches combining Artificial Intelligence and Operations Research , with focus areas including Network Optimization, ethical AI systems, sustainable computing, and trustworthy AI frameworks. Her work bridges theoretical foundations with applications in telecommunications, transportation, and cybersecurity. Publications demonstrate strong emphasis on optimization techniques (branch-and-price, cutting planes) applied to wireless networks, AI safety, and security challenges. Recent works explore LLM memorization, signomial programming, and multi-commodity flow problems, showing consistent integration of OR with machine learning for industrial-scale problems. Awards: Research Award and Innovation Award, Telecom Valley Association ALOES Orange Innovation Project She leads major industrial-academic partnerships through the Crédit Agricole and SNCF chairs, managing research grants focused on responsible AI deployment and mobility optimization. As Scientific Manager of Industrial Relations, she oversees industry collaborations for LIX laboratory. Affiliated with the Computer Science Laboratory (LIX), she directs the 3A research group and contributes to national initiatives through CNRS GDROD, coordinating research in network optimization and sustainable systems.
Dr. Eman El-Sheikh is a Professor and Associate Vice President at the University of West Florida (UWF), affiliated with the Hal Marcus College of Science and Engineering, the Department of Computer Science, and the Center for Cybersecurity. She is a globally recognized leader in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and cybersecurity, with over 30 years of experience and more than $26 million in competitive research funding. Ph.D. in Computer Science and AI, Michigan State University (2002) M.Sc. in Computer Science, Michigan State University (1995) B.Sc. in Computer Science, American University in Cairo (1992) Her research centers on the integration of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in cybersecurity, with a strong emphasis on education, workforce development, and ethical AI. She leads the development of AI-Cyber curricula for national adoption and is a pioneer in experiential learning models such as the Cybersecurity for All® and CyberSkills2Work® programs. The trends in her recent publications reflect a consistent focus on AI-driven cybersecurity solutions, secure AI systems, national workforce development, experiential education, and inclusive cyber training. Her work bridges technical innovation with policy, leadership, and pedagogy, demonstrating a holistic approach to strengthening the cybersecurity ecosystem. Dr. El-Sheikh has received numerous prestigious honors, including: 2024 GISEC Global Educator of the Year 2024 and 2025 Cybersecurity Woman of the Year (World Finalist) UWF Million Dollar Research Hall of Fame ($25M and $1M levels) 2020 Women Leaders in Cybersecurity, Security Magazine Achievement Award for Advancing Cybersecurity Education (SAM 2016) NSF/NSA AI-Cyber Task Force Member (2024–2025) Founder, Women in Cybersecurity (WiCyS) Florida Affiliate She has led major grant-funded initiatives such as the National Cybersecurity Workforce Development Program and CyberSkills2Work®, securing over $26 million to advance cybersecurity education and training. She mentors students and emerging professionals, particularly through diversity and inclusion efforts. Dr. El-Sheikh also serves as Chief Strategic Alliance Officer and USA Ambassador for the Global Council for Responsible AI, influencing national and global AI policy and education standards. She founded and leads the Artificial Intelligence Research Group at UWF and is actively involved in national task forces and advisory boards, including the Florida Cybersecurity Task Force and the WiCyS Florida Affiliate Advisory Board. Her leadership extends to shaping the future of AI and cybersecurity through collaborative research, innovation in higher education, and strategic partnerships.
Esfandiar Mohammadi is an Associate Professor at the Institute for IT Security, University of Lübeck, leading the Privacy & Security (PrivSec) group and directing the AnoMed competence cluster. He has held tenured faculty positions since 2019 after postdoctoral research at ETH Zürich (2016-2019) and a PhD at Saarland University (2015). University of Lübeck (2015-present) ETH Zürich (2016-2019) Saarland University (2015) His research focuses on privacy-preserving technologies in machine learning, anonymous communication protocols, and formal verification of security properties. Recent work includes advancements in Mixnet scalability and federated learning with differential privacy guarantees. Key publication trends reveal a strong emphasis on privacy-preserving algorithms for machine learning (2024), cryptographic protocols for anonymous communication (2025), and security analysis of decentralized systems (2023-2025). Collaborations span institutions like ETH Zürich, Saarland University, and industry partners EnergieDock/NAECO Blue for the VeDS project. His group includes 11 researchers (5 PhD students) and software engineers working on topics like Differential Privacy Secure Multi-Party Computation Trusted Execution Environments
Gökhan Seçinti is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Engineering at Istanbul Technical University, Faculty of Computer and Informatics. He currently serves as Vice Dean and has previously held the role of Vice Department Head. His research focuses on next-generation wireless networks, UAV communications, semantic communication, and AI-driven networking solutions. Research Interests: His work spans Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) , Semantic and Task-Oriented Communication , Software-Defined and Cognitive Networks , 6G Communications , and AI in Networking . He develops practical testbeds for deep learning-based communication architectures and explores digital twin applications in aerial networks. Publication Trends: Recent publications emphasize decentralized UAV service deployment, beam alignment using UWB localization, TDMA scheduling for aerial swarms, and semantic flow control. These reflect a strong trend toward intelligent, adaptive, and context-aware communication systems for IoT and mobility. Best Paper Award, IEEE, 2022 Best Conference Paper, IEEE, 2016 Best Poster Paper Award, IEEE, 2015 Advising and Grants: He has supervised 4 academic works and leads multiple funded research projects, including TÜBİTAK and SRP grants on federated learning in flying networks, semantic VANETs, AI-based intrusion detection, and UAV-assisted IoT for crisis management. Labs and Teams: His work is supported by active research teams at ITU, focusing on testbed development using SDRs, digital twins, and real-world deployment of UAV networks. He collaborates internationally, including past affiliations with Northeastern University.
Ajay Kapur serves as Associate Provost for Creative Technologies and Director of the Music Technology program (MTIID) at California Institute of the Arts. With an interdisciplinary background spanning computer science, electrical engineering, and music, he bridges technological innovation with artistic expression through leadership in academic programs and entrepreneurial ventures. His research centers on symbiotic human-machine interaction for artistic creation, particularly exploring computer improvisation with humans through Indian Classical music frameworks. This manifests in developing programmable mechatronic instruments, sensor-based interfaces, and AI-driven systems for musical expression. His work extends traditional techniques while creating new performance paradigms like the globally touring Machine Orchestra and KarmetiK Orchestra. Kapur's recent publications reveal evolving expertise from music robotics to blockchain applications, with significant focus on NFT systems, tokenization, and immersive environments. His scholarly output demonstrates consistent innovation at the intersection of artistic practice and emerging technologies. As an educator and entrepreneur, he has co-founded companies in edtech and AI while authoring foundational texts like Digitizing North Indian Music and Introduction to Programming for Musicians and Digital Artists . His performances at venues including LACMA, Singapore Arts Festival, and the 2010 Winter Olympics showcase practical applications of his research.
Craig A. Chin is an Associate Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering at Kennesaw State University. He holds a Ph.D. and M.S. in Electrical Engineering from Florida International University (2006, 2001) and a B.S. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of the West Indies (1995). Research Interests: Digital Signal Processing for Biomedical Applications Machine Learning in Biomedical Signal/Image Analysis Wireless Body Area Networks (WBANs) for Healthcare Network Security in Resource-Constrained Environments Biometric Authentication for Wireless Sensor Networks Innovations in Engineering Education (Cooperative/Active Learning, Humanities Integration) Article Trends: His publications (2001–2019) focus on Biomedical Signal Processing (EMG/Eye-Gaze Integration, Stress Detection), WBANs for mHealth , and Engineering Education Pedagogy . Recent work (2013–2019) emphasizes Cooperative Learning Strategies and Wireshark-based Network Security Labs . Academic Contributions: Craig has taught courses such as Biometrics, Data Communications, Biomedical Instrumentation, and Medical Electronics. He actively explores future research on biometric-driven security for Body Area Sensor Networks and active learning strategies in online education.
Brandon F. De Bruhl is a Senior Technical Analyst at RAND Corporation and Professor of Policy Analysis at the RAND School of Public Policy. He previously served as a Senior Policy Analyst at the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and taught at Loyola Marymount University (LMU). His research focuses on the societal impacts of emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence (AI), cryptocurrencies, and big data, in contexts of public finance and national security. He holds a B.A. in Political Economics from Seattle University, an M.A. in International Relations from Syracuse University’s Maxwell School, and an M.P.P. from the USC Sol Price School, where he is pursuing a Ph.D. in Public Policy and Management. De Bruhl’s work bridges technology, policy, and security. His research explores how AI and biotechnologies reshape conflict scenarios, military strategies, and public sector operations. Notable themes in his publications include the mitigation of human bias in military intelligence, the sustainability of veteran employment programs, and the application of 5G-era technologies for defense. His interdisciplinary approach integrates technical, ethical, and organizational dimensions of technology adoption. Education: B.A., Political Economics, Seattle University M.A., International Relations, Maxwell School, Syracuse University M.P.P., USC Sol Price School (currently pursuing Ph.D.) Key Research Contributions: His work on AI project failures offers actionable frameworks for avoiding technical and organizational pitfalls. He advocates for stronger public-private partnerships to support veterans and emphasizes the dual-use challenges of biotechnologies in warfare. Advising & Grants: While no formal advisees are listed, his academic role suggests mentorship of graduate students. His research has been supported by federal agencies, though specific grants are not detailed in the text.
Dr. Fendy Santoso is a leading researcher and Cyber-Physical Lead at the Artificial Intelligence and Cyber Futures Institute, Charles Sturt University, Australia. He also holds a Visiting Fellow position at the School of Engineering and Technology, UNSW Canberra, and has held visiting roles at the University of Cambridge and Cranfield University. His work bridges cybersecurity, AI, and autonomous systems, with significant impact in UAV security and cyber-physical resilience. Education: PhD in Electrical Engineering, University of New South Wales (Awarded: 21 Jun 2012) Master of Electrical and Computer Systems Engineering, Monash University (Awarded: 07 Jun 2007) Dr. Santoso’s research focuses on adversarial machine learning, UAV security, intrusion detection in robotic systems, and cyber-secure digital twins. His work integrates AI, control theory, and cybersecurity to enhance the resilience of autonomous systems. He has pioneered research in securing ROS-based platforms and defending against GPS spoofing and DoS attacks in unmanned vehicles. His recent publications (2020–2025) highlight a strong trend in applying deep learning, fuzzy logic, and physics-informed models to detect and mitigate cyberattacks in UAVs and UGVs. Key themes include intrusion detection systems, secure digital twins for agriculture, and intelligent transportation systems enabled by drones. His work is frequently published in IEEE Transactions and top-tier conferences. Scientific Awards and Grants: Vice-Chancellor’s Distinguished Early Career Travel Fellowship, University of Wollongong (2019) ARC Linkage Project Grant (LP230100083) on adversarial machine learning for UAVs (2024) CSIRO-funded AgriTwins project on cyber-secure digital twins for agriculture (2024) Dr. Santoso has secured over AUD 3 million in competitive research funding and actively supervises postgraduate students. He serves as a reviewer for the Australian Research Council and technical program committees of major AI and engineering conferences. His collaborative work spans defence organisations like DSTG and the U.S. Army Ground Vehicle Systems Centre, as well as international academic institutions. He is a Senior Member of IEEE and leads research in labs focused on cyber-physical systems, autonomous robotics, and AI-driven security frameworks. His team develops real-time detection tools for cyberattacks on military and agricultural robots, contributing to critical infrastructure resilience.
Naveen Naik Sapavath is an Assistant Teaching Professor at Northeastern University's Electrical and Computer Engineering department. He holds a PhD from Howard University and a Master's from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc). His research focuses on next-generation cellular systems including O-RAN security, AI/ML-driven wireless optimization, and low-latency communications. He is affiliated with Northeastern's Institute for the Wireless Internet of Things. Education: PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering, Howard University Master of Engineering in Electrical Engineering, Indian Institute of Science Research Interests: Dr. Sapavath explores cutting-edge areas such as 5G/Next-G networks, cybersecurity in wireless systems, and applying game theory to resource allocation. His work bridges theoretical advancements with practical implementations in AI-driven network architectures. Awards: IEEE CSCloud 2021 Best Student Paper Award Multiple NSF Student Travel Grants Professional Experience: Previously served as Postdoctoral Researcher at UC Davis, Researcher at George Mason University's Next G Lab, and Technical Project Manager at Iowa State University for the NSF-funded ARA project. Serves as reviewer for IEEE journals including Transactions on Cognitive Communications and Networking. Labs/Initiatives: Active contributor to Northeastern's Institute for the Wireless Internet of Things and NSF PAWR program through the ARA project.
Shixiang (Woody) Zhu is an Assistant Professor in Data Analytics at the Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy, Carnegie Mellon University. He holds a PhD in Machine Learning from Georgia Institute of Technology (2022) and B.S./M.S. in Computer Science from Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications (2017). His research bridges machine learning, operations research, and statistics, focusing on sequential modeling, human-AI collaboration, and energy systems operations. He has received awards including the IEEE Power & Energy Society Best Paper Award (2025) and was a finalist for the INFORMS Wagner Prize (2021). Education : PhD in Machine Learning, Georgia Tech (2017–2022) B.S./M.S. in Computer Science, BUPT (2010–2017) His research emphasizes spatio-temporal data analysis , decision making under uncertainty , and applications to energy systems, healthcare, and public policy. Notable projects include optimizing police zone design (Wagner Prize finalist) and enhancing grid resilience through robust optimization. He actively collaborates with institutions like Argonne National Laboratory and NSF-funded projects. Awards : Best Paper Award, IEEE Power & Energy Society (2025) Gen-AI Fellows (2024) Finalist, INFORMS Wagner Prize (2021) Advising & Grants : Advises PhD students Zekai Fan, Wenbin Zhou, and others Recipient of Block Center Seed Grant (2024), NSF funding (2024) His work spans energy resilience, public policy optimization, and causal inference in social systems. He co-leads the INFORMS Data Mining Society and reviews for top journals like Operations Research and Management Science.
Shuva Paul is a Researcher at NREL's Energy Security and Resilience Center , specializing in power systems cybersecurity . His work focuses on collaborative autonomy, computational intelligence, reinforcement learning, game theory, smart grid security , and critical infrastructure protection . Research Interests: Machine learning and deep learning for critical infrastructure systems Event and anomaly detection in power grids Supply chain cybersecurity Cyber-physical energy systems security and resilience Professional Experience: Postdoctoral Fellow, Georgia Institute of Technology (Feb 2021–May 2022) Postdoctoral Research Associate, Washington State University (Jun 2020–Jan 2021) Graduate Intern, NREL (May 2019–May 2020) Graduate Research Assistant, South Dakota State University (2016–2019) Education: PhD, Electrical Engineering, South Dakota State University Master of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, American International University - Bangladesh Bachelor of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, American International University - Bangladesh Advisory and Editorial Contributions: Paul has served as a session chair at IEEE EnergyTech (2013) and IEEE Electro Information Technology (2019) conferences, and as a reviewer for journals like IEEE Transactions on Smart Grid and Neurocomputing . He also acted as a guest editor for the Journal of Sensor and Actuator Networks .
Professor Ole-Christoffer Granmo is a distinguished academic at the University of Agder, Norway, where he serves as Professor in the Department of Information and Communication Technology. He is the Founding Director of the Centre for Artificial Intelligence Research (CAIR) at the University of Agder, leading cutting-edge research in artificial intelligence and machine learning. Dr. Granmo obtained his master's degree in 1999 and his PhD in 2004, both from the University of Oslo. His academic journey has been marked by significant contributions to the field of AI, most notably the creation of the Tsetlin machine in 2018, for which he received the AI research paper of the decade award from the Norwegian Artificial Intelligence Consortium (NORA) in 2022. Professor Granmo's research primarily focuses on logical and causal world modeling across multiple modalities including images, sound, and natural language. His work spans logical auto-encoding, convolution, regression, transformer architectures, and reinforcement learning, all with the overarching goal of creating ultra-low-power artificial general intelligence through transparent logical learning and reasoning. His publications reveal a strong emphasis on interpretable AI systems, hardware implementations, and applications across diverse domains including cybersecurity, healthcare, social media analysis, and bioinformatics. AI Research Paper of the Decade (2022) - Norwegian Artificial Intelligence Consortium (NORA) Eight paper awards in machine learning Professor Granmo has coordinated over seven research projects and mentored 55+ master's students and nine PhD students. His leadership extends to co-founding the Norwegian Artificial Intelligence Consortium (NORA) and establishing two companies: Anzyz Technologies AS and Tsense Intelligent Healthcare AS. As an advisor at Literal Labs, he actively bridges academic research with practical industry applications, demonstrating his commitment to translating theoretical innovations into real-world solutions that address complex challenges across multiple sectors.
Ahmed Bin Zaman serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science at George Mason University, where his research bridges computational methods with biological discovery. His academic profile emphasizes innovative approaches to protein structure prediction and optimization challenges. His educational foundation includes: PhD in Computer Science, George Mason University (2021) Master of Science in Computer Science, George Mason University (2020) Zaman's research program centers on computational biology, with specialized expertise in evolutionary computation and artificial intelligence applied to protein conformation analysis. He develops stochastic optimization frameworks to enhance protein structure prediction accuracy, focusing on conformational space mapping and decoy ensemble generation. His methodology integrates evolutionary algorithms with multi-objective optimization to navigate complex molecular landscapes, contributing significantly to template-free protein structure determination. His publication trajectory from 2017-2022 reveals distinct research phases: initial work in cybersecurity threat detection evolved into a concentrated focus on computational structural biology. Thirteen protein-related publications demonstrate consistent innovation in conformational sampling techniques, while maintaining methodological rigor through evolutionary computation and machine learning integration. Key contributions include conformation space mapping frameworks and adaptive stochastic optimization systems that address decoy diversity challenges. Professional development shows progression from industry experience at Technext Limited (as team leader/researcher) and lecturing at Metropolitan University to his current academic role. His teaching philosophy emphasizes cultivating independent problem-solving capabilities in students through cognitive tool development.
