Lourens Waldorp is an Associate Professor at the University of Amsterdam within the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences , specifically the Department of Psychological Methods . His research focuses on network theory, causal inference, and statistical modeling in psychology and neuroscience. University of Amsterdam IAS Fellow (2024) His research interests include: Network psychometrics Causal inference in psychological models High-dimensional statistical methods Dynamical systems in psychopathology Graph theory applications Signal processing for biophysical data The trends in his recent publications center on causal modeling, network analysis of psychopathology, and statistical techniques for time-series data. He has developed methods for perturbation graphs, moderated network models, and dynamic intervention frameworks. Notable scientific awards : IAS Fellowship for 6 months (2024) He advises PhD students like Kyra Evers and collaborates with researchers across disciplines, including J. Haslbeck , D. Borsboom , and O. Ryan . His work intersects with network theory and clinical psychology .
Phuong H. Nguyen is an Associate Professor at the Department of Electrical Engineering at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e). He leads the digital Power & Energy Systems (digi-PES) lab, focusing on smart energy systems, distributed control, and IoT integration for future energy grids. His research addresses energy transition challenges, including microgrid optimization, flexibility markets, and data-driven grid management. Nguyen holds a PhD from TU/e (2010) and has held visiting researcher positions at Clemson University. His work contributes to UN SDG goals related to affordable and clean energy. Education: Bachelor's in Electrical Engineering, Hanoi University of Science and Technology (2002) Master's in Electrical Engineering, Asian Institute of Technology (2004) PhD in Electrical Engineering, TU/e (2010) Key Research Areas: Smart Grids and Cyber-Physical Systems Distributed Energy Resource Management Local Energy Markets and Flexibility Provision IoT and Big Data in Energy Systems Awards & Recognition: Best Paper Award SEST 2020 Projects & Grants: REACT-D: Reactive Power Management (Project Manager) Al-driven Applications to Smarten Power System Operation (Project Lead) UNIversity Campus as a Self-Regulated Network (Co-Manager) Labs & Teams: The digi-PES lab develops cyber-physical tools for energy transition, including microgrid simulations, flexibility markets, and grid resilience strategies.
Thomas Bäck is a Professor at the Leiden Institute of Advanced Computer Science (LIACS) , Leiden University , Netherlands, and a member of the interdisciplinary programme Society, Artificial Intelligence and Life Sciences (SAILS) . His academic career spans roles at Leiden University (1996–present) and leadership positions at the Center for Applied Systems Analysis in Dortmund (1994–2000). Education : Diplom-Informatiker (Computer Science), Technische Universität Dortmund (1990) Dr. rer. nat. (Computer Science), Technische Universität Dortmund (1994) Research Interests : Dr. Bäck specializes in evolutionary computation , machine learning , and their applications in sustainable smart industry and healthcare . Recent work focuses on integrating large language models (LLMs) and quantum computing into optimization frameworks, with projects like CIMPLO (predictive maintenance), ECOLE (experience-based optimization), and SAPPAO (airline operations optimization). Scientific Contributions : His 526+ publications cover evolutionary algorithms, quantum optimization, and LLM-driven design, with recent trends including: Quantum computing (e.g., quantum approximate optimization, quantum advantage challenges) LLM integration (e.g., hyperparameter tuning, mutation control, code evolution graphs) Healthcare and industry (e.g., predictive maintenance, anomaly detection, melt quality prediction) Algorithm benchmarking (e.g., IOHprofiler, MA-BBOB, explainable benchmarking) Scientific Awards : IEEE Fellow (2022) Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) member (2021) Academia Europaea member (2022) IEEE Computational Intelligence Society Evolutionary Computation Pioneer Award (2015) Fellow, International Society of Genetic and Evolutionary Computation (2003) Best Ph.D. thesis award, German Society of Computer Science (GI) (1995) Advising and Grants : He supervises Ph.D. candidates in evolutionary computation and machine learning and has secured 7 major grants from organizations like the Dutch Research Council , European Commission , and The Research Council of Norway . His editorial roles include Editor-in-Chief of the Evolutionary Computation Journal and associate editorships in leading AI journals.
Mykola Pechenizkiy is a Full Professor at the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e), holding the Data Mining Chair. He also serves as an Adjunct Professor in Data Mining for Industrial Applications at the University of Jyväskylä. His research focuses on predictive analytics, data mining, and responsible AI, addressing real-world challenges in industry, healthcare, and education. He leads the Customer Journey research program at the Data Science Center Eindhoven, emphasizing ethical and transparent analytics. Academically, he holds a PhD from the University of Jyväskylä (2005) and has held visiting researcher positions at institutions like Columbia University and NYU. He has co-authored over 300 peer-reviewed publications and serves on editorial boards and committees for leading conferences (e.g., AAAI, IJCAI). He is the President of the International Educational Data Mining Society (IEDMS). His research interests include concept drift adaptation, sparsity techniques in neural networks, and fairness-aware AI. He has led projects such as the TKI PPS KPN Smart Two initiative and collaborates with industries like ASML, Philips, and Rabobank. His work contributes to UN SDGs, particularly in sustainable development through AI-driven solutions. Awards: Best Demo Paper Award (IEEE ICDE 2023), Best Paper Awards (ALA 2022, LoG 2022), and SensorKDD 2009 recognition. Grants/Projects: Active projects include TKI PPS KPN Smart Two (2019–2025) and Smart One W&I TKI KPN Flagship (2018–2022). Labs/Teams: Affiliated with EAISI Health, SIKS Scientific Board, and the University of Waikato’s AI Institute.
Prof. Jacco van Ossenbruggen is a Full Professor in Intelligent Information Systems at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU), affiliated with the Network Institute. He serves on the Management Board of ODISSEI, a national research infrastructure for social sciences and economics. His academic background includes a PhD in Computer Science (2001) from VU’s Faculty of Science, focusing on hypermedia processing. Research Interests: His work centers on cultural AI, FAIR data principles, ontology engineering, and semantic web technologies. Key areas include inclusive cultural heritage metadata, bias mitigation in AI systems, and knowledge discovery via linked data. Recent projects involve leveraging large language models (LLMs) for metadata enrichment and ontology construction. Key Contributions: He leads initiatives like the Cultural AI Lab, exploring AI applications for cultural heritage. His research bridges technical innovations (e.g., semantic integration of restricted-access data) with societal impacts (e.g., ethical AI frameworks for public-sector applications). Developed frameworks for evaluating entity alignment in knowledge graphs Pioneered FAIR-aligned data management plans for scientific communities Designed tools like Alter Heritage for collaborative metadata curation Grants & Projects: Principal Investigator of the ODISSEI Portal project (2020–2024), advancing open data infrastructures. Active in funding initiatives promoting reproducible research and ethical data practices. Labs/Teams: Cultural AI Lab at VU, focusing on AI-driven solutions for cultural heritage preservation and accessibility.
Anna Dawid-Lekowska is an Assistant Professor at the Leiden Institute of Advanced Computer Science (LIACS) and affiliated with the Leiden Institute of Physics (LION) at Leiden University, Netherlands. She leads a research group within the aQa group, focusing on the intersection of machine learning and quantum physics. Previously, she was a Research Fellow at the Center for Computational Quantum Physics, Flatiron Institute, New York. PhD in Physics and Photonics (joint, cotutelle), University of Warsaw & ICFO, Spain MSc in Quantum Chemistry, University of Warsaw BSc in Biotechnology, University of Warsaw Anna's research centers on interpretable machine learning for scientific discovery, particularly in quantum systems. She investigates how overparametrized models generalize, the role of loss landscape flatness, and double descent phenomena. Her work bridges deep learning with quantum simulations, aiming to detect quantum phase transitions and extract physical insights from trained models. She also explores ultracold molecules and novel quantum phases using simulation platforms. Her recent publications demonstrate a strong trend in applying machine learning to automate and interpret quantum experiments, such as detecting laser cooling schemes and understanding neural network initialization. The work emphasizes interpretability, aiming to make AI a transparent scientific tool rather than a black box. Anna has received significant recognition, including: 2022 FNP START laureate Participant in the 2024 Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting She is actively mentoring and expanding her group, currently recruiting PhD students and postdoctoral researchers. Her work is supported by institutional affiliations with leading research centers and collaborations across Europe and the US. Anna also engages in science communication and education, having lectured at the Nordita Winter School on Machine Learning and Physics. She is involved in the aQa research group, which focuses on quantum algorithms and AI, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration between computer science and physics. Her lab integrates theoretical modeling, algorithm development, and applications to quantum experiments.
Michel Mandjes is a Professor at the University of Amsterdam's Faculty of Science and holds a Visiting Professor position at the Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB). His research focuses on stochastic processes, queueing theory, and probability theory, with applications in risk modeling, network analysis, and operations research. Recent publications highlight his contributions to multivariate Hawkes processes , Lévy-driven systems , and dynamic random graphs , emphasizing large deviations, rare event simulation, and statistical inference. His work bridges theoretical probability with practical challenges in traffic flow, financial risk, and social network modeling. The trends in his research include the development of stochastic models for network stability, appointment scheduling optimization, and inference techniques for non-stationary processes. His methodological innovations often leverage advanced probability theory and queueing frameworks to address real-world problems in transportation, healthcare, and finance.
Joris M. Mooij is a Professor of Mathematical Statistics at the Korteweg-De Vries Institute of the University of Amsterdam, Netherlands. His research focuses on causality, spanning causal modeling, discovery, and inference with applications in biology, medicine, fairness, and business analytics. He combines mathematical modeling with statistical and algorithmic approaches in his work. Dr. Mooij received his PhD with honors from Radboud University Nijmegen in 2007, focusing on approximate inference in graphical models. After postdoctoral work at the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics in Tübingen, Germany, he obtained an NWO VENI grant in 2011 for further postdoctoral research at Radboud University. He became Assistant Professor at the University of Amsterdam's Informatics Institute in 2013, was promoted to Associate Professor in 2017, and became a full Professor of Mathematical Statistics in 2020. Dr. Mooij's research centers on causal inference, with particular expertise in structural causal models, cyclic causal systems, and causal discovery algorithms. His work addresses fundamental questions about when causal relationships can be identified from observational data and how to develop robust causal discovery methods that work in complex real-world settings with latent variables, cycles, and selection bias. He has made significant contributions to understanding the limitations of existing causal discovery approaches and developing new methods that overcome these limitations. His research group organizes the Amsterdam Causality Meeting series and develops theoretical frameworks for causal modeling that encompass both acyclic and cyclic systems. Dr. Mooij has collaborated extensively on applications of causal methods in biological systems, including protein signaling networks and gene expression data. The group's recent work explores performative predictions, causal domain adaptation, and robust causal discovery methods that account for selection bias and missing data. Dr. Mooij has received numerous awards for his research, including: Best paper award at UAI for "Establishing Markov equivalence in cyclic directed graphs" IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Society 2011 Letters Prize Paper Award ICML Test of Time Honorable Mention Best student paper award at UAI 2010 He has secured competitive research funding through an NWO VENI grant, NWO VIDI grant, and an ERC Starting Grant, which supported the establishment of his research group consisting of 3 PhD students and 3 postdocs focused entirely on causality. Dr. Mooij has supervised several PhD students, including Tineke Blom, whose work on "Causality and Independence in Perfectly Adapted Dynamical Systems" significantly influenced his thinking about causality in complex systems. He has co-taught the MasterMath course on Causality and published lecture notes titled "A Mathematical Introduction to Causality." His research continues to push the boundaries of causal inference methodology and its applications across diverse scientific domains.
Prof. Sarthak Misra is a Full Professor in Medical Robotics at the University of Groningen’s Faculty of Medical Sciences, affiliated with the University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG). He leads research in the Robotics and image-guided minimally-invasive surgery (ROBOTICS) group and the Basic and Translational Research and Imaging Methodology Development in Groningen (BRIDGE) team. His work focuses on advancing medical robotics, microrobotics, and magnetic actuation technologies for surgical and biomedical applications. He holds an ORCID identifier and has published over 127 research outputs, including high-impact articles in journals like Advanced Materials Technologies and European Heart Journal . His research addresses challenges in minimally invasive surgery, soft robotics, and smart materials. Media engagements highlight his contributions to robotic surgery and addressing healthcare workforce shortages through automation. Research interests include: Microrobotics and fluidic systems Magnetic and acoustic actuation for medical devices Soft robotic systems for surgical applications Image-guided interventions 3D printing for biomedical robotics His recent articles emphasize innovations like MagNoFE3D printing and magnetic probes for endovascular interventions. Collaborations span global institutions, reflecting his interdisciplinary approach. No explicit awards are listed, but his extensive media coverage and 127+ publications underscore his impact. He is involved in grants, including OTP-funded projects, and mentors students in advanced robotics and medical engineering.
Ivana Nikoloska is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Electrical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e). She is affiliated with the Center for Quantum Materials and Technology Eindhoven and BIASlab (Bayesian Intelligence and Stochastic Agents Lab). Her academic career includes prior roles as a Research Associate at King’s College London and a Visiting Researcher at Aalborg University. PhD: Monash University, Australia (2023) MSc & Dipl.-Ing.: University of Ss. Cyril and Methodius, North Macedonia Research Interests span foundational and applied machine learning, quantum computing, and information/communication engineering. Her work focuses on integrating Bayesian inference, variational methods, and quantum technologies for tasks like signal processing, channel estimation, and power control optimization. Quantum Machine Learning Bayesian Simulation-Based Inference Meta-learning for Wireless Systems Hybrid Quantum-Classical Architectures Stochastic Signal Processing Quantum Sensing & Metrology Notable Trends in Publications include quantum recurrent neural networks with adaptive gating, Bayesian frameworks for quantum sensing, and meta-learning applications in communication systems. She explores variational inference for planning and robust algorithms for channel estimation under non-ideal conditions.
George Vosselman is a Full Professor at the University of Twente, Faculty of Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation (ITC), specializing in Geo-Information Extraction with Sensor Systems. Educated with honours at Delft University of Technology (1986) and PhD in Photogrammetry from Rheinische Friedrich Wilhelms University of Bonn (1991), he has held academic roles at the University of Stuttgart, University of Washington, and Delft University of Technology (1993–2004). Since 2004, he has been a key figure at ITC, serving as department head (2012–2018, 2023–). Education: Delft University of Technology (BSc with honours, 1986), Rheinische Friedrich Wilhelms University of Bonn (PhD with honours, 1991) His research focuses on leveraging sensor technology advancements for large-scale geo-information production. Key expertise includes quality analysis of laser altimetry data, point cloud segmentation/classification, 3D building/road modeling, and model-driven imagery analysis. He has published over 220 papers and co-edited the textbook Airborne and Terrestrial Laser Scanning (2010). Recent work integrates deep learning with geospatial data, addressing semantic segmentation, visual question answering, and drone-based mapping. Recent publications (2025–2023) highlight trends in deep learning for remote sensing , including multimodal question answering benchmarks (HRVQA), vectorized building extraction (RoIPoly), latent diffusion for road modeling (LDPoly), and drone obstacle avoidance systems. His work bridges photogrammetry , computer vision , and robotic mapping , with applications in urban planning, disaster management, and informal settlement monitoring. Scientific Awards : Hansa Luftbild (1993), ISPRS Otto von Gruber (2000), Schwidefsky Medal (2012), Karl Kraus Medal (2012), ASPRS Fairchild Award (2015), ISPRS Fellow (2020) As an educator, Vosselman has taught photogrammetry, remote sensing, and laser scanning at Delft University of Technology and globally. He chaired the ITC Examination Board (2015–2023) and modernized geo-information education in Asia/Africa. His software for point cloud processing is commercialized in Europe, and he currently leads ISPRS working groups on point cloud methodologies. Labs/teams include the Earth Observation Science Chair Group at ITC, collaborating on UAV-based datasets (UAVid, UAVPal) and indoor laser scanning systems. Recent activities (2025) involve invited talks on pulse matching limitations in laser scanning and deep learning for point cloud classification.
Mark D. Smucker is a Professor in the Department of Management Science and Engineering at the University of Waterloo, cross-appointed with the David R. Cheriton School of Computer Science (Faculty of Mathematics). His research focuses on interactive information retrieval systems, including search engines and recommendation systems, aiming to enhance evaluation methods for better prediction of human search performance. He co-organized the TREC Health Misinformation Track (2019–2022) and currently co-leads the TREC DRAGUN Track, addressing health misinformation and trustworthiness assessment in news. Education: PhD (Computer Science, UMass Amherst, 2008), MSc (Computer Science, UW-Madison, 1996), BSc (Physics & Computer Science, Iowa State, 1994). Research interests include design/analysis of interactive IR systems, evaluation frameworks, and human-computer interaction. He has been recognized with the ACM SIGIR 2012 Best Paper Award and teaching excellence awards from the University of Waterloo. Teaching includes courses like Search Engines (MSCI/MSE 541/720) and Databases/Software Design (MSCI 245). Active in organizing TREC tracks and publishing over 50 peer-reviewed articles.
Noela Müller is an Assistant Professor in the Mathematics and Computer Science school at Eindhoven University of Technology . Her research focuses on Probability Theory , Random Matrices , and Random Graphs , with significant contributions to understanding the rank of sparse matrices and clique factors in probabilistic settings. Research Outputs : Published 22 works including journal articles and preprints. Collaborations : Active in international networks, particularly in sparse matrix analysis and probabilistic combinatorics. Her recent work explores sparse pooled data algorithms , random 2-SAT models , and sharp thresholds in random graphs , showcasing interdisciplinary applications in computer science, mathematics, and theoretical physics.
Gonzalo Nápoles is an Assistant Professor at Tilburg University's School of Humanities and Digital Sciences, Department of Cognitive Science and AI. He holds a Doctoral Degree in Computer Science from Rough Cognitive Networks (2014–2017). His research focuses on AI applications in cognitive modeling, pattern classification, and neural networks with interdisciplinary applications in healthcare, finance, and social sciences. Key research areas include Fuzzy Cognitive Maps, data augmentation techniques for neuroimaging, and interpretable machine learning systems. He actively contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals related to education and innovation. Recent work explores AI ethics, financial risk assessment using dynamic networks, and sensory processing disorder analysis through neural networks. Education: Doctoral Degree in Computer Science, 2017 (Thesis: Rough Cognitive Networks) Prize-winning research includes Best Paper Awards at CIARP 2021 and IWAIPR 2023. He collaborates internationally, hosting academic visitors and serving on multiple PhD committees. Current projects involve stock prediction using graph neural networks and fMRI data augmentation methodologies. Awards: Best Paper Award - CIARP 2021 Best Paper Award - IWAIPR 2023 Nápoles advises on PhD theses in cognitive science and AI applications. His work bridges theoretical advancements with practical implementations in healthcare, finance, and urban systems.
Eric C. van Berkum is a Full Professor at the Digital Society Institute and Transport Engineering and Management. His research spans Artificial Intelligence, Mobility and Transport, and Intelligent Transport Systems, with a focus on optimizing traffic networks, public transport efficiency, and railway maintenance scheduling. He contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to environmental resilience and social safety in transport systems. Expertise in Equilibrium Traffic Models and Stochastic Modelling Active in Data Mining, Machine Learning, and Network Analysis Key themes: Dynamic Traffic Management, Infrastructure Optimization, and Passenger Behavior His recent work addresses railway maintenance scheduling, shared demand-responsive transit, and passenger rerouting in capacitated systems. He has received a Best Paper Award (2017) and served on editorial boards, including Tijdschrift vervoerswetenschap (2014–2017). He organized the E-COST Summer School on Autonomous Road Transport Systems (2014) and contributed to IEEE conferences as a program committee member.
