Jee Eun (Jamie) Kang is an Associate Professor in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering at the University at Buffalo's School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. Research focuses on transportation modeling and applied operations research, with applications in urban mobility, shared autonomous vehicles, and sustainable transportation systems. Education includes a PhD from UC Irvine. Research emphasizes data-driven approaches to travel behavior, electric vehicle adoption, and humanitarian logistics. Publications consistently address mobility innovation, including pricing strategies for emerging services, predictive analytics for transit, and optimization of shared transportation systems.
Gita Reese Sukthankar is a Professor in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Central Florida (UCF) , where she directs the Intelligent Agents Lab . Her research focuses on activity and plan recognition , with applications in multi-agent systems, robotics, and human-robot interaction. She earned her Ph.D. from the Robotics Institute at Carnegie Mellon University and joined UCF in fall 2007. Research Interests: Her work spans activity recognition , intent inference , multi-agent coordination , and human-robot teams . She has applied these techniques to domains such as adversarial games (e.g., military simulations, Unreal Tournament), assistive technologies, and cooperative robotics. Her research integrates AI, machine learning, and probabilistic models to understand and predict complex team behaviors. Publication Trends: Her publications emphasize spatio-temporal modeling , probabilistic graphical models (e.g., HMMs, CRFs) , and multi-agent plan recognition . She frequently publishes in top venues like AAMAS, AAAI, and ICRA, with a focus on robust recognition of team behaviors, transfer learning, and real-world AI applications. Scientific Awards: NSF CAREER Award (2009) AFOSR Young Investigator (2009) ONR Summer Faculty Fellow (2008) UCF Faculty Excellence for Doctoral Mentoring (2012) CECS Dean's Research Professorship (2013) AAAI Senior Member (2021) ACM and IEEE Senior Member Advising and Grants: She mentors graduate students in AI and robotics and has led research funded by DARPA, AFOSR, and ONR. Her lab develops systems for intelligent agents that can understand and collaborate with humans. She has served on numerous program committees and editorial boards, including ACM Transactions on Autonomous and Adaptive Systems . She teaches courses such as Intelligent Systems , Robotics , and Machine Learning , and has been recognized for both research and teaching excellence. Labs and Teams: She leads the Intelligent Agents Lab at UCF, which focuses on data-driven social informatics and AI for human-agent teams. Her group collaborates with researchers in robotics, computer vision, and cognitive science to build adaptive, intelligent systems.
Joanna C. S. Santos is an Assistant Professor at the University of Notre Dame's Department of Computer Science and Engineering. She leads the Security and Software Engineering research lab (S²E) and focuses on Software Engineering, Security, and Program Analysis. Her work bridges empirical studies with practical tool development. PhD in Computing and Information Sciences (Rochester Institute of Technology) M.Sc. in Software Engineering (Rochester Institute of Technology) B.Sc. in Computer Engineering (Federal University of Sergipe) Her research spans Software Security (vulnerability detection, ReDoS), Code Generation (LLM evaluation, benchmarking), and Program Analysis (taint tracking, call graphs). Recent articles show a strong focus on LLM-generated code quality and quantum computing applications. Scientific Awards : 2023 - Distinguished Reviewer (ESEC/FSE) 2020 - Research Pitch Winner (JOBS @MICRO) 2017 - Best Paper (ICSA) 2014 - CAPES Scholarship 2013 - ERBASE 3rd Place She actively contributes to conference committees (OOPSLA, ICSE, SCAM) and collaborates across institutions. Her lab S²E drives research in secure software development and empirical cybersecurity validation.
Mohamed Sarwat is an Associate Professor at Arizona State University specializing in databases , spatial data management , and recommender systems . His research focuses on GeoSpark —a cluster computing framework for spatial data—and its extensions like GeoSparkViz for visualization and GeoSparkSim for traffic simulation. Key Contributions: LARS* (Location-Aware Recommender System), Horton* (Graph Reachability), Sindbad (GeoSocial Platform), and Riso-Tree (Graph Database Indexing) Research Themes: Integration of spatial/temporal data with machine learning, efficient indexing for big geospatial datasets, and scalable frameworks for mobility data science His work spans collaborations with 23+ co-authors across institutions like University of Minnesota, University of Melbourne, and University of Salzburg. Current projects emphasize GeoTorchAI —a spatiotemporal deep learning system—and mobility data science infrastructure.
Emtiyaz Khan is a Researcher at the RIKEN Center for AI Project in Tokyo, Japan. His work focuses on Bayesian deep learning, optimization, and variational inference methods. He leads research on the Bayesian Learning Rule framework, which bridges deep learning optimization with Bayesian principles. His research interests include developing scalable Bayesian methods for large neural networks, uncertainty quantification in deep learning, optimization algorithms (natural gradients, variational inference), and applications to foundation models. Key areas are efficient adaptation methods, model sensitivity analysis, and Bayesian principles for deep learning. Khan's publications demonstrate strong focus on Bayesian deep learning, optimization techniques, and uncertainty estimation, with applications ranging from large-scale models (GPT-2, ImageNet) to theoretical foundations of variational inference. He leads the Team Approx-Bayes research group focused on approximate Bayesian inference methods and maintains collaborations through JST CREST-ANR and Kakenhi grants.
Dr. Shervin Shirmohammadi is a Professor at the University of Ottawa's Faculty of Engineering, specifically within the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. With an impressive h-index of 41 and over 6,800 citations across 473 publications, his research has made significant contributions to the fields of computer vision, biomedical instrumentation, and health monitoring systems. His academic journey spans over two decades, beginning with work on communication architectures for virtual environments in 2001 and evolving toward practical healthcare applications. Dr. Shirmohammadi's research interests center on Computer Vision , Image Processing , and Embedded Systems with a strong focus on healthcare applications including nutrition monitoring, mental health assessment, and driver safety systems. His most influential work examines computer vision applications for health monitoring, particularly food calorie measurement systems that use smartphone cameras to analyze nutritional content. His research has evolved to include EEG-based systems for ADHD detection and serious games for autism therapy, demonstrating a consistent trajectory toward practical healthcare solutions using advanced instrumentation techniques. Dr. Shirmohammadi maintains active collaborations with researchers including A. Yassine (118 joint publications), D. Ahmed, Ali Asghar Nazari Shirehjini, and B. Hariri. His publications appear primarily in IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement, reflecting his strong connection to the instrumentation and measurement community.
Surajit Chaudhuri is a Researcher at Microsoft , with a career spanning decades in database systems and data management . He has received the prestigious SIGMOD Edgar F. Codd Innovations Award (2011) for his contributions to query optimization , index tuning , and data lakes . Research Interests : His work focuses on database tuning , approximate query processing , fuzzy similarity joins , automated data transformations , and machine learning integration for scalable data systems. Recent Publications : In 2025, his research includes Auto-Test for unsupervised error detection in tables, Esc for budget-aware index tuning, and MMTU for multi-task table understanding benchmarks. Earlier works in 2024–2023 address spreadsheet formula recommendation , low-overhead index filtering , and time-series pattern recognition . Scientific Impact : He has co-authored influential papers in SIGMOD , VLDB , and IEEE Transactions , shaping practices in cloud databases , query optimization , and self-service BI . His collaborations span institutions like Microsoft, MIT, and ETH Zurich.
Dr. Amal Zouaq is a Full Professor in the Department of Computer Engineering and Software Engineering at Polytechnique Montréal. She holds the FRQS (Dual) Chair in AI and Digital Health, serves as Director of the LAMA-WeST research laboratory, and is an Associate Member of MILA. Her work bridges artificial intelligence with applications in digital health, cultural heritage, and educational technologies, positioning her at the forefront of interdisciplinary AI research in Canada. Her research focuses on Artificial Intelligence , particularly Natural Language Processing and the Semantic Web . Specific interests include knowledge representation, ontology learning, SPARQL query generation, bias mitigation in language models, and clinical text processing. Her work spans multiple domains including healthcare, cultural heritage, and educational technology, with emphasis on developing practical AI solutions that address real-world challenges in knowledge management and information extraction. Analysis of her recent publications reveals a strong trajectory in advancing NLP techniques for knowledge-intensive applications. Her work increasingly focuses on domain-specific applications in healthcare and cultural heritage, with growing emphasis on ethical AI considerations like bias mitigation. The research demonstrates progression from foundational semantic web technologies toward more sophisticated neural approaches while maintaining strong theoretical grounding in knowledge representation. Scientific Recognition: Holder of the FRQS (Dual) Chair in AI and Digital Health Dr. Zouaq has supervised 23 graduate students to completion, including 1 PhD and 22 Master's theses, with research spanning ontology learning, knowledge representation, and NLP applications. Her supervision record demonstrates consistent mentorship in cutting-edge AI research with practical applications across multiple domains. She actively serves on program committees for major conferences in knowledge engineering, data mining, and semantic web technologies. She directs the LAMA-WeST (Web, Semantics and Text) laboratory , which specializes in natural language processing and artificial intelligence research. The lab focuses on knowledge representation, semantic technologies, and their applications in healthcare, cultural heritage, and educational contexts. As a member of IVADO and MILA, she collaborates with leading AI researchers across Montreal's vibrant AI ecosystem.
Prof. Vladimir Krasnov is a leading researcher in Experimental Condensed Matter Physics at Stockholm University , focusing on mesoscopic superconductivity, Josephson junctions, and nanoscale quantum phenomena. He heads the Experimental Condensed Matter Physics Group since 2005. Department: Department of Physics Lab: EKMF Lab (SU-KTH collaboration) Key Methodologies: Pulsed laser deposition, FIB nanofabrication, cryogenic measurements (0.25-300 K), THz spectroscopy Research Themes: His work bridges fundamental superconductivity studies (high-Tc cuprates, iron-pnictides) with applied quantum electronics. Notable contributions include Developing vortex-based cryogenic memory Controllable spin-triplet supercurrents in magnetic junctions THz emission from intrinsic Josephson stacks Quantum phase transitions via electrical doping Magnetic field effects on mesoscopic systems Scientific Trends: Analysis of 15 recent publications reveals strong emphasis on Josephson vortex dynamics, superconducting/ferromagnetic hybrid systems, THz applications, and non-equilibrium phenomena in quantum circuits. Facilities: Utilizes Nano-Fab clean-room for sample engineering and Low-T lab for high-field (17T), cryogenic experiments.
Mustafa Onur is the McMan Professor and Chair of Petroleum Engineering at The University of Tulsa, where he directs the TU Petroleum Reservoir Exploitation Projects (TUPREP). He holds a Ph.D. and M.S. in Petroleum Engineering from The University of Tulsa and a B.S. from Middle East Technical University. Previously, he held professorships at Istanbul Technical University and Universiti Teknologi Petronas (Malaysia), including a Schlumberger Chair position. Research Focus: Dr. Onur specializes in inverse problem theory, mathematical optimization, and data science applied to reservoir management, geothermal systems, and uncertainty quantification. His work integrates machine learning with traditional reservoir engineering to solve complex problems in energy extraction and carbon sequestration. Publication Trends (2024-2025): His 15 most recent articles emphasize deep learning-based reservoir surrogates, CO₂ storage optimization, geothermal energy extraction, and constrained production optimization. Key innovations include Embed-to-Control frameworks, physics-driven interwell simulators, and stochastic optimization algorithms for uncertainty management in subsurface systems. Awards & Recognition: 2010 SPE Formation Evaluation Award 2014 SPE Distinguished Member 2018 SPE Reservoir Description and Dynamics Award Leadership: As TUPREP director, he leads advanced research in reservoir exploitation, focusing on practical applications of AI and optimization in petroleum and geothermal engineering. He serves as Associate Editor for SPE Journal and Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering .
Vianney Perchet is an Associate Professor and Permanent Member at CREST, ENSAE Paris, specializing in the intersection of machine learning, game theory, and economics. His research spans theoretical foundations to practical applications in recommender systems and user behavior modeling, with a concurrent part-time role as principal researcher at Criteo AI Lab focusing on exploration efficiency. His research interests bridge mathematics, computer science, and economics, emphasizing reinforcement learning, social learning, online matching, bandit problems, and auction theory. Key contributions address optimal algorithm convergence rates, non-clairvoyant scheduling, fair resource allocation, and asynchronous multiplayer bandits, demonstrating strong interdisciplinary integration across theoretical and applied domains. Recent publications at NeurIPS, ICML, and AISTATS reveal a cohesive trend toward learning-augmented algorithms for scheduling and allocation problems, with growing emphasis on fairness constraints, communication limitations, and partial prediction scenarios. This work consistently connects theoretical guarantees with real-world economic and technical applications. No scientific awards were explicitly documented in the provided materials. Perchet advises 5 active PhD students on reinforcement learning, social learning, and online matching/bandits, while 4 former students have completed doctorates on bandits and auction theory. His industry collaboration with Criteo AI Lab provides practical validation for theoretical frameworks in recommender systems. As a core CREST research center member, he actively participates in academic initiatives including the Mediterranean Game Theory Symposium, Games and AI Summer School, and Learning in Games workshops, fostering cross-institutional collaboration in algorithmic economics.
Juan Camilo Castillo is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Economics at the University of Pennsylvania, focusing on Industrial Organization, Microeconomic Theory, and Market Design. His work bridges theoretical insights with real-world applications in digital platforms, urban transportation, and public health economics. Ph.D., Economics, Stanford University (2020) M.S., Economics, Universidad de Los Andes (2013) B.S., Physics and Industrial Engineering, Universidad de Los Andes (2012) Castillo's research spans two primary domains: Online platforms and digital economy (e.g., market power in web search, service quality in ride-hailing) Market design for social challenges (e.g., vaccine distribution, drug market violence) Recent publications examine platform competition in web search, surge pricing impacts, and pandemic response strategies. His methodological approach combines field experiments, econometric modeling, and network analysis.
Professor Subrahmanya Sastry Challa is affiliated with the Department of Mathematics at Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad. His academic journey includes a PhD from IIT Kanpur under Prof. P. C. Das, an M.Sc(Tech) from JNT University, and a B.Sc from Hindu College, Machilipatnam. Research Focus: He specializes in Wavelets and Sparse Optimization Theory Frame Theory and Data-driven Learning Methods Applications in Medical Imaging and Signal Processing His recent work explores sparsity-driven optimization techniques with applications in tomography, ECG signal recovery, and machine learning algorithms. Publications & Collaborations: He has contributed to advancements in compressive sensing, inverse problems, and numerical linear algebra through collaborations with researchers like Dr. Phanindra Jampana and Dr. Praveen Pradhan. Key journals include IEEE Transactions on Signal Processing , Inverse Problems , and Neurocomputing . Teaching: Courses taught include Wavelets & Applications, Compressive Sensing, Numerical Linear Algebra, and Mathematics Behind Machine Learning, emphasizing both theoretical and applied aspects. Administrative Roles: Served as Associate HoD/HoD (2010-2014), Chief Vigilance Officer (2015-2019), and participated in policy-drafting committees during IIT Hyderabad's formative years.
Bo Hu is Professor of Biostatistics & Bioinformatics and Professor of Neurosurgery at Duke University, where he leads methodological and collaborative research at the intersection of biostatistics, bioinformatics, and clinical neurosciences. His dual appointments situate him within the Division of Biostatistics in the Department of Biostatistics & Bioinformatics and within the neurosurgical faculty. Education: Ph.D. in Biostatistics, University of Wisconsin–Madison, 2006 Research Interests: Professor Hu’s methodological work centers on advanced biostatistical and machine-learning techniques for high-dimensional biomedical data, including generative AI, synthetic data generation, and predictive analytics in medicine. Clinically, he collaborates on precision-medicine trials in oncology, neurodegeneration (Alzheimer’s disease), metabolic disease (type 2 diabetes and bariatric surgery), and treatment-resistant depression. His neuroimaging genetics portfolio explores structural brain endophenotypes in bipolar disorder and epilepsy using single-cell transcriptomic integration. Complementing his medical research, he maintains a vigorous program in remote-sensing informatics, developing deep-learning solutions for object detection, domain adaptation, and energy-infrastructure mapping from overhead imagery. Recent Grant Portfolio: Empagliflozin to Improve Right Ventricular Function in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension – Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine (2025-2030) Gender and Asthma – Mayo Clinic Hospital-Arizona (2025-2027) Engaging Patients in Prenatal Genetic Testing Decisions – Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine (2025-2027) Laboratory & Collaborative Networks: Professor Hu leads interdisciplinary teams that bridge Duke’s Department of Biostatistics & Bioinformatics with clinical departments (Neurosurgery, Psychiatry, Medicine) and external partners such as Cleveland Clinic, Mayo Clinic, and multiple NIH consortia. These collaborations support large-scale clinical trials, multi-omics neuroimaging studies, and AI-driven remote-sensing analytics.
Joakim Lindblad is a Professor at the Department of Information Technology, Uppsala University , and holds affiliated roles as Senior Research Associate at the Mathematical Institute of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts, and Head of Research at Topgolf Sweden AB. With over two decades of expertise in image analysis and machine learning , his work bridges computational methods with biomedical applications. Key affiliations: Uppsala University, Serbian Academy of Sciences, Topgolf Sweden Specializations: Deep Learning, Multimodal Image Registration, Quantitative Microscopy His research focuses on reliable image processing frameworks that integrate intensity and spatial information , particularly for biomedical applications . Recent publications highlight innovations in autofluorescence-based cancer detection , self-supervised one-class learning for sparse instance identification, and rotation-equivariant CNNs for robust analysis of cytology images. Recent article trends demonstrate expertise in multimodal image analysis (2024: 3 papers), oral cancer detection (2025: 2 papers), and multiscale biomedical imaging . His 2025 work on the Uppsala Storytelling Dataset introduces novel frameworks for multimodal dataset creation in AI research. While no scientific awards are explicitly mentioned, his extensive publication record (2000-2025) across top venues like Pattern Recognition , PLOS ONE , and IEEE Transactions indicates significant academic impact. His methodological contributions span stochastic distance transforms , fuzzy set defuzzification , and multimodal image registration techniques. Collaborative work with researchers like Nataša Sladoje and interdisciplinary teams has produced innovations in automated cytology analysis , TEM image enhancement , and AI-driven medical diagnostics . His 2021-2022 projects introduced contrastive learning approaches for multimodal image registration and explainable AI frameworks for infant engagement analysis.
![](https://speakerdeck.com/jjzhu/"https://files.speakerdeck.com/presentations/67d1e3b9c2f240dc8974954cb064bb82/slide_0.jpg?29349511")
