Prof. Dr. Erik Rodner is a faculty member at the University of Applied Sciences Berlin (HTW Berlin), where he serves as a Professor for Machine Learning and Data Science. He also contributes to the School of Engineering Sciences - Technology and Life. His research spans computer vision, machine learning, and biomedical applications, with a focus on learning with limited data, robust visual recognition models, and medical image analysis. He has developed innovative methods for medical diagnostics, industrial classification, and anomaly detection. Recent publications (2025-2016) highlight his expertise in visual in-context learning, semi-weakly segmentation, and active learning frameworks. He has collaborated with institutions such as ZEISS Group, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, and UC Berkeley. Scientific Awards: Award for Excellent Teaching (2023)
Prof. Dr. Christina Raasch is Professor of Digital Economy at Kühne Logistics University (KLU) and holds a joint appointment with the Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW) . Since 2017 she has led research and teaching on how digitalization reshapes innovation processes, enterprise crowdfunding, and customer-driven disruptive innovation. Education Habilitation (Dr. habil.) in Business Administration, Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH), 2012 PhD in Management, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, 2006 MSc (lic. oec.) in Economics & Management, University of St. Gallen (HSG), 2002 Visiting Researcher, MIT Sloan School of Management, 2010-2012 Research Interests Prof. Raasch’s work centers on digital transformation of innovation . She investigates how firms leverage digital technologies—ranging from AI to crowdfunding platforms—to enhance idea generation, evaluation, and implementation. Core themes include: Open & User Innovation: understanding when and how users become valuable innovators inside and outside firms. Disruptive Innovation Dynamics: analyzing whether disruptive ideas stem from users or producers under varying environmental conditions. Enterprise Crowdfunding: designing decentralized decision-making systems that mitigate hierarchy-induced biases. Publication Trends Her 70+ publications reveal a systematic exploration of demand-side innovation . Early work modeled welfare impacts of user innovation; recent studies use large-scale field data from Siemens and other multinationals to uncover cognitive and social biases in idea evaluation. A consistent thread is bridging micro-level behavioral insights with macro-level policy and strategy implications. Scientific Awards & Honors Fellow of the Open and User Innovation (OUI) Society Host of the 2023 OUI Conference at KLU Research Funding & Industry Collaboration Current grants exceed €2 million and include: FabCity-Citizen Extension (2025-2026) – decentralized urban innovation funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research. EvaluationShirking (2024-2026) – idea evaluation biases in collaboration with a global industrial manufacturer. Idea Evaluation in Democratized Innovation (2019-2023) – DFG-funded project on enterprise crowdfunding design. Labs, Teams & Knowledge Transfer Prof. Raasch leads the Open & User Innovation Research Group at KLU, supervising doctoral researchers and managing industry partnerships with firms in automotive, high-tech, and logistics sectors. She regularly contributes to policy panels and media outlets such as Harvard Business Manager and Springer Professional .
Dr. Sameer Mulani is an Associate Professor, Associate Department Head, and Director of Graduate Programs in the Department of Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics at the University of Alabama's College of Engineering. He leads the Stochastic Mechanics and Multi-Disciplinary Optimization Laboratory (SMO Lab) and is an integral part of the Remote Sensing Center and Alabama Materials Institute. Dr. Mulani's research spans uncertainty quantification, random vibrations, multi-disciplinary optimization, and composite structures' multi-scale analysis and design. His work combines computational methods with machine learning to develop innovative solutions for aerospace engineering challenges. He has made significant contributions to self-healing composite materials, uncertainty quantification techniques, and optimization of composite structures. His research group has published extensively on topics including polynomial chaos expansion for uncertainty quantification, self-healing composites, stochastic buckling analysis, and machine learning applications in structural mechanics. The publications demonstrate a strong trend toward integrating probabilistic methods with traditional engineering analysis to improve reliability and safety of aerospace structures. AIAA Associate Fellow, Class of 2025 2025 Department of the Air Force Summer Faculty Fellowship Program 2024 Department of the Air Force Summer Faculty Fellowship Program MSC Software Contest Winner (2011) Night on the Town: General Electric Award (2007) DAAD Fellowship (1999-2000) Dr. Mulani has advised numerous graduate students who have gone on to successful careers at institutions including Los Alamos National Laboratory, Cirrus Aircraft, L3Harris, and Lockheed-Martin. His lab collaborates with various research centers including the Remote Sensing Center where they work on antenna design, manufacturing, and integration for aircraft systems. The SMO Lab utilizes advanced software including MSC NASTRAN/PATRAN, ANSYS Mechanical/FLUENT, ABAQUS, SOLIDWORKS, and CATIA for their simulations and analyses.
Anna Corinna Cagliano is a Full Professor at the Department of Management and Production Engineering (DIGEP) , Polytechnic University of Turin . She is a member of the CARS@PoliTO Interdepartmental Center for Automotive Research and Sustainable Mobility, and serves as Deputy Coordinator of the Doctoral College in Management and Production Engineering . Research Interests: Industrial and manufacturing engineering, logistics, supply chain management, project risk analysis, healthcare logistics, and ICT applications in logistics. Scientific Affiliation: AIDI Italian Association of Industrial Plant Teachers since 2016. Research Trends: Her publications focus on the intersection of Industry 4.0 , lean manufacturing , and sustainability in logistics. Key areas include automated storage systems , digital twins in intra-logistics , and COVID-19 impacts on supply chains . She emphasizes ICT tools and risk management across industrial and healthcare contexts. Teaching Roles: She lectures on Industry 4.0 for Production Systems and Plants and Manufacturing Systems at the Master’s and Bachelor’s levels in Automotive and Management Engineering. She also supervises PhD students in Management and Production Engineering . PhD Students: Simone Preziosa (2024–ongoing) Abror Hoshimov (2019–2023) Mahsa Mahdavisharif (2019–2023)
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Anke Müller is a Professor of Manufacturing Processes in Mechanical Engineering at the Faculty of Engineering, Hof University of Applied Sciences. She serves as Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and leads the MakerSpace and various laboratories including CNC Technology and Central Workshop. Current roles: Faculty Dean, Professor, MakerSpace Director Academic focus: Manufacturing engineering, hybrid materials, precision machining Key projects: Startuplab@FH, I²P² international partnership Education Diploma in Precision Engineering/Medical Technology from Wilhelmshaven University of Applied Sciences PhD (Dr.-Ing.) from Leibniz University Hannover on "Polishing ceramic knee implants with resilient diamond tools" Research interests center on advanced manufacturing technologies, particularly: Hybrid material systems (polymer-metal, fiber-metal composites) Precision machining and flexible tooling Lightweight die casting and thermal behavior analysis Innovative process development for intrinsic hybrid components Integration of data analysis in manufacturing education Scientific awards include: 2014 Förderpreis der Stiftung NiedersachsenMetall 2013 CIRP-BioM Best Paper Award 2011 ASPE Best Posterpaper Award 2010 IFW-Kooperationspreis
Hannes Hick is a Professor at Graz University of Technology , affiliated with the Institute of Machine Elements and Development Methodology . His research focuses on mechanical development, tribology, and systems engineering for automotive and industrial applications. He actively contributes to engineering education and methodology standardization. Research Interests Hydrogen internal combustion engines System modeling and digital twins Tribology in electric drivetrains Sustainable engineering practices MBSE (Model-Based Systems Engineering) Friction and wear analysis Article Trends His recent work emphasizes hydrogen propulsion systems, model-based approaches for interdisciplinary engineering challenges, tribological optimization for sustainable mobility, and integrating AI with mechanical design workflows. Labs and Teams He leads research at the Institute of Machine Elements, focusing on mechanical validation and development methodologies for advanced powertrain systems.
Sani Nassif is a Research Fellow at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) under the Rudolf Diesel Industry Fellowship, hosted by Professor Ulf Schlichtmann. With 28 years of experience at Bell Labs and IBM Research, he has led teams in integrated circuit modeling, simulation, statistical analysis, and optimization. Research Interests: His work bridges integrated circuit technology with cross-disciplinary applications in medicine. Key areas include variability analysis in semiconductor manufacturing, low-power circuit design, and reliability engineering for nano-scale systems. He focuses on applying machine learning and statistical methods to solve challenges in energy-efficient computing and biomedical systems. Selected Publications: His research spans circuit variability trends, leakage current modeling, and reliability frameworks for nano-era systems. Work includes foundational studies on SRAM failure analysis and CMOS scaling limitations. Scientific Awards: He is recognized as an IEEE Fellow IBM Master Inventor (75 patents) Rudolf Diesel Industry Fellow
Christoph Gehlen is Professor and Chair of Materials and Materials Testing in Civil Engineering at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), based at Franz-Langinger-Str. 10 in Munich. His research group focuses on advanced concrete technologies, materials science, and digital construction methods, with significant contributions to additive manufacturing in civil engineering through the Collaborative Research Center TRR 277. His research spans concrete technology, durability assessment, and sustainable construction practices. Key interests include corrosion mechanisms in reinforced concrete, non-destructive testing methodologies, and additive manufacturing techniques like Selective Paste Intrusion (SPI). Recent work emphasizes 3D concrete printing for structural applications, life cycle assessment of printed elements, and fundamental studies on material behavior under environmental stressors including carbonation, chloride exposure, and freeze-thaw cycles. Analysis of his 15 most recent publications (2024-2025) reveals dominant research trajectories in digital fabrication of concrete structures, particularly SPI-based additive manufacturing. His work integrates materials science with structural engineering to develop functionally graded components, assess sustainability metrics, and solve reinforcement integration challenges. Significant interdisciplinary efforts address durability issues through electrochemical monitoring, coda wave interferometry, and advanced imaging techniques for concrete microstructure characterization. Gehlen leads the Chair of Materials and Materials Testing in Civil Engineering at TUM, which operates advanced laboratories for concrete characterization including confocal laser scanning microscopy and virtual testing environments. His team actively participates in TRR 277 (Additive Manufacturing in Construction), developing fabrication-aware design methods and experimental validation protocols for novel construction technologies.
Adriano Jorge Cardoso Moreira is an Associate Professor with Habilitation at the Department of Information Systems, School of Engineering, Universidade do Minho, Portugal. He is also a Senior Researcher at the Algoritmi Research Centre and Scientific Coordinator of the Urban and Mobile Computing department at Centro de Computação Gráfica. His research focuses on indoor positioning , mobile and context-aware computing , urban computing , and simulation of wireless networks . Research Interests : Indoor Positioning, Mobile Computing, Urban Mobility, Sensor Networks, Wi-Fi and UWB Localization, Smart Cities. Leadership : Coordinated the Computer Communications and Pervasive Media Group (2008-2016), Scientific Committee member (Director of MAP-tele PhD program in multiple terms), and leads the Master in Telecommunications and Informatics since 2021. Publications : Over 100 papers, including IEEE Transactions and Sensors journal articles, with an h-index of 23 and 2136 citations. Awards : First and second prizes in EvAAL-ETRI Indoor Localization Competitions (2015, 2016, 2017).
Maria Leonilde Rocha Varela is an Associate Professor with Habilitation at the School of Engineering, University of Minho, Portugal, where she also serves as a Senior Researcher at the Algoritmi Research Centre. She has been an integrated member of the Algoritmi Research Centre since 2012 and works in the Department of Production and Systems. Dr. Varela earned her degree in Production Engineering from the University of Minho in 1994, completed a Master's in Computer Integrated Production at DPS-UMinho in 1999, and received her Ph.D. in Production and Systems from the University of Minho in 2007. Her primary research focuses on Manufacturing Management, particularly Production Planning, Control and Optimization, and Collaborative Paradigms, Networks and Decision Making Models. She maintains extensive international collaborations with institutions worldwide including the National Institute of Industrial Engineering, VSB-Technick Univerzita Ostrava, University of Belgrade, and others. Her research spans Web Applications and Services for supporting Engineering and Production Management, with increasing emphasis on Artificial Intelligence, Robotic Process Automation, and Industry 4.0/5.0 applications. She has made significant contributions to scheduling algorithms, optimization techniques, and decision support systems for manufacturing environments. Analysis of her recent publications reveals a strong trend toward integrating Artificial Intelligence with traditional manufacturing processes, particularly in Robotic Process Automation applications. Her research increasingly focuses on sustainable manufacturing practices, with numerous publications addressing energy efficiency, environmental sustainability, and resource optimization. There is a clear emphasis on multi-objective optimization approaches to solve complex manufacturing problems, particularly in distributed job shop scheduling. Her work demonstrates an evolution from traditional production planning methods to more advanced AI-driven approaches for Industry 4.0 and 5.0 environments. Dr. Varela has held significant academic leadership roles, currently serving as the director of the master's course in Engineering and Quality Management at DPS-UMinho. She previously coordinated the industrial management and systems subgroup from 2012 to 2021 and was part of the steering committee for the master's course in systems engineering between 2016 and 2019. She has successfully supervised more than 70 MSc projects, with over 15 currently ongoing, focusing on Production and Systems Engineering. Her supervision encompasses collaborative management models, traditional decision approaches, and web-based platforms incorporating AI techniques. She coordinates research projects including 2 concluded Ph.D. projects and 6 ongoing ones. She collaborates as a research member in several R&D projects with national and international industrial enterprises and institutions, and in international Erasmus projects. Dr. Varela is an active participant in the academic community, serving on editorial boards of several international journals and as a member of organizing and scientific committees for numerous international conferences. She is a member of several prestigious research networks including the Euro Working Group of Decision Support Systems (EWG-DSS), Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), Industrial Engineering Network, and the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE).
Chiharu Tokoro is a Professor and currently serves as the Dean of the School of Creative Science and Engineering at Waseda University. She also holds positions as an External Director at Toppan Photomasks Inc. and JX Metals Corporation, and is a Specially Appointed Professor at The University of Tokyo's Graduate School of Engineering. With a Dr. Engineering degree from The University of Tokyo (2003), she has established herself as a leading researcher in resource recycling and environmental engineering, with over 184 papers and an h-index of 27 (Scopus) or 30 (Google Scholar). Dean of School of Creative Science and Engineering, Waseda University (2024.09-present) External Director, Toppan Photomasks Inc. (2023.11-present) External Director, JX Metals Corporation (2021.04-present) Specially Appointed Professor, The University of Tokyo, Institute of Industrial Science (2016.11-present) She received her Dr. Engineering degree from The University of Tokyo in March 2003 after completing her undergraduate studies at Waseda University's School of Science and Engineering (1994-1998). Professor Tokoro's research spans transport phenomena, metals production, earth resource engineering, energy sciences, and environmental materials recycling. She specializes in solid-liquid and solid-solid separation processes, powder simulation and processing, and environmental treatment technologies. Her work focuses on innovative recycling methods for lithium-ion batteries, photovoltaic panels, and other electronic waste, with particular emphasis on pulsed discharge techniques for material separation. She has pioneered novel electrical pulse methods that enable high-precision separation of battery components while minimizing environmental impact. Her recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on advanced recycling technologies, particularly for lithium-ion batteries and electronic waste. She has developed groundbreaking pulsed discharge methods for separating battery components with high precision, achieving over 95% material recovery rates. Her research also extends to water treatment technologies, heavy metal removal, and sustainable materials development. The interdisciplinary nature of her work bridges chemical engineering, materials science, and environmental engineering to address critical resource circulation challenges in the context of circular economy principles. Jubilee Global Diversity Award from The American Ceramic Society (2024) 令和4年度リサイクル技術開発本多賞 (2022) 5th APT Outstanding International Contribution Award (2022) Falling Walls Science Breakthroughs of the Year 2021 finalist in Engineering and Technology 平成31年度文部科学大臣表彰 科学技術賞 (2019) Professor Tokoro serves on numerous national and international committees related to resource recycling, environmental policy, and scientific research evaluation. She is an active editorial board member for several prestigious journals including Scientific Reports and Minerals. Her research is supported by various grants from government agencies and industry partnerships focused on sustainable resource management and circular economy development. She has been instrumental in developing policy recommendations for electronic waste recycling and resource conservation in Japan. As Dean of the School of Creative Science and Engineering at Waseda University, she leads one of Japan's premier institutions for engineering education and research. Her laboratory focuses on developing innovative recycling technologies, particularly for lithium-ion batteries and photovoltaic panels. She collaborates extensively with industry partners and government agencies to translate research findings into practical applications that address real-world resource circulation challenges.
Carl-Mikael Zetterling is a Professor and Head of Department at Kungliga Tekniska Högskolan (KTH) in Stockholm, Sweden, affiliated with the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (ICT) and the Electronics and Embedded Systems department. His research focuses on process technology and device design for high-temperature, high-power silicon carbide (SiC) electronics, expanding into SiC-based analog and integrated circuits. He has authored over 300 publications, including books on SiC process technology and plagiarism prevention. Dr. Zetterling has held leadership roles such as Vice Dean of the School of ICT (2013–2017) and teacher representative on KTH's faculty board. He has collaborated internationally at Stanford University, Kyoto University, and Kyoto Institute of Technology. His work addresses applications in extreme environments, including Venus exploration and fusion reactor monitoring, with a focus on radiation tolerance and thermal resilience. The 15 most recent publications highlight trends in wide bandgap semiconductors, gamma irradiation effects on SiC devices, and high-temperature integrated circuits. His articles span structural health monitoring with machine learning, novel SiC diode designs, and radiation-hardened electronics. Key contributions include advancements in self-aligned contacts, trench MOSFETs, and compact modeling for extreme conditions. While no formal awards are listed, his roles in technical program committees (TMS Electronic Materials Conference, IEEE SISC Conference) and editorial work demonstrate significant academic service. He teaches courses ranging from digital design to high-temperature electronics, overseeing degree projects in embedded systems, communication, and nanotechnology.
Dr. Afshin Daryoush is a Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Drexel University’s College of Engineering. He earned his Ph.D. and M.S. in Electrical Engineering from Drexel and a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Case Western Reserve University. His academic career spans decades of innovation in microwave photonics, with a focus on RF circuits, wireless communications, and biomedical applications. Research interests include Microwave Photonics Systems Nonlinear Microwave Circuits RFIC and Wireless Communications Antennas and Radiating Systems Electromagnetic Interaction with Biological Systems His recent publications emphasize advancements in microwave photonics and optical engineering, particularly in all-optical analog-to-digital converters, optoelectronic oscillator design, and 3D-printed microwave components. These works span disciplines like Electrical Engineering, Photonics, and Materials Science, with subfields covering frequency synthesis, tunable antennas, photonic crystals, and high-speed signal processing. Scientific achievements include Microwave Prize at the 16th European Microwave Conference (1986) Elevation as Fellow of IEEE (1998) for contributions to nonlinear microwave photonics Drexel University College of Engineering Outstanding Innovation Award (2020) Drexel Alumni Association Award (2018) IEEE Philadelphia Section Benjamin Franklin Key Medal (2015) Dr. Daryoush has advised students whose works have won best paper awards at IEEE conferences. He has secured grants from US government agencies and aerospace/telecom companies, held visiting scholar roles at NTT and CNRS, and contributed to over 200 publications and five book chapters. His collaborations extend to institutions in France, Japan, and the US.
Gabriella Casalino is an Assistant Professor at the University of Bari Aldo Moro, Department of Computer Science, and a key researcher at CILAB - Computational Intelligence Lab. Her work focuses on Computational Intelligence methods for interpretable data analysis, particularly in eHealth, Data Stream Mining, and eXplainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI) within medical and educational domains. She has contributed to innovative approaches in smartphone-based health monitoring, fuzzy logic applications, and remote vital sign detection via photoplethysmography. Education : Ph.D. in Computer Science, with advanced training at institutions like Universitat de Girona and Université de Mons. Research Trends : Recent publications highlight applications of evolving granular computing, neuro-fuzzy systems, and explainable AI in hypertension prediction, bipolar disorder monitoring, and educational data analysis. Key subfields include remote health monitoring, medical data streams, and hybrid AI models. Grants : Research funded by AIRC (Italian Cancer Research Foundation), focusing on computational methods for healthcare challenges. Labs & Collaborations : Active in CILAB, collaborating on projects involving mHealth solutions, cardiovascular risk assessment, and intelligent educational systems.
Professor Tony Jan leads the Centre for Artificial Intelligence Research and Optimisation (AIRO) at Torrens University Australia's Design and Creative Technology school. He holds a PhD in Computing Science from the University of Technology Sydney (2004) and a Bachelor of Engineering from the University of Western Australia (1999). His research focuses on federated machine learning for IoT security, ensembled machine learning for real-time applications, cognitive machines for human-centric computing, and smart sensor networks for healthcare and security. He has secured ARC grants and industry partnerships with NVIDIA, IBM, and Microsoft. Awards include the 2024 SEI Global Academic Excellence Award and the 2023 Torrens University Excellence Award. Research collaborations span global partners, with contributions to UN Sustainable Development Goals in education and industry. His work bridges academia and industry, expanding AI program enrollments by 2,000+ students and enhancing student satisfaction by 15%. He advises PhD students on topics like IIoT cybersecurity and smart cities, and has produced over 97 publications since 1999. Education: PhD (UTS, 2004), BEng (UWA, 1999) Research Themes: AI for Industry 5.0, Cybersecurity, Smart Cities, Healthcare Technology Key Partnerships: NVIDIA, CIMIC, Palo Alto Networks Recent Projects: Federated learning for health IoT, drone vision intelligence, ransomware detection His work emphasizes ethical AI adoption in design and healthcare, with publications exploring AI ethics, generative AI applications, and sustainable technology integration.
