Kaiyuan Yang is an Associate Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Rice University, leading the Secure and Intelligent Micro-Systems (SIMS) Lab. His research focuses on low-power integrated circuits and bioelectronic implants for applications like the Internet of Everything and medical devices. He holds a B.S. from Tsinghua University (2012) and M.S./Ph.D. degrees from the University of Michigan (2017). Research Interests: Low-power digital/analog/mixed-signal systems Bioelectronics and implantable devices Hardware security and PUF design Mixed-signal computing and emerging materials Recent work emphasizes magnetoelectric-powered implants, secure backscatter communication, and in-memory computing architectures. His publications span top venues like IEEE ISSCC, IEDM, and ACM MobiCom. Awards: 2022 NSF CAREER Award 2022 IEEE Top Picks in Hardware Security 2016 IEEE SSCS Predoctoral Achievement Award Dr. Yang serves on editorial boards for IEEE TVLSI and program committees for ISSCC/CICC. His lab develops miniature, secure, and energy-efficient systems for healthcare and IoT applications.
Prof. Li LU is a Professor at the Department of Mechanical Engineering, National University of Singapore (NUS). His research focuses on energy storage materials, ferroelectric systems, and advanced battery technologies. He holds editorial roles at Functional Materials Letters and Materials Technology – Advanced Functional Materials . Education: PhD from KU Leuven (Belgium), M.Eng and B.Eng from Tsinghua University (China). Research interests include thin film deposition, nanostructured materials, and solid-state electrolytes. His work addresses challenges in lithium/ sodium-ion batteries, solid-state interfaces, and high-performance energy storage systems. Recent studies emphasize aerosol deposition techniques, composite electrolytes, and interfacial stability. Publications highlight advancements in battery materials and electrolyte design. Notable contributions include ultra-stable sodium-ion batteries, ferroelectric-engineered electrolytes, and optimizing lithium metal anodes. His research bridges fundamental material science with practical energy solutions.
Pascal Poupart is a Professor and Canada CIFAR AI Chair at the Vector Institute, affiliated with the David R. Cheriton School of Computer Science at the University of Waterloo. He leads research in reinforcement learning, probabilistic models, and federated learning systems. Research spans: Bayesian optimization efficiency improvements Inverse constraint learning from demonstrations Uncertainty quantification in neural networks Federated learning architectures Recent publications show 70% focus on reinforcement learning applications, with new methods developed for confident inverse constraint learning and preference-based generation. Manages the AI research group developing algorithms for material design and conversational agents.
Kazuhiro Saitou is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Michigan, affiliated with the College of Engineering. His research focuses on computational design synthesis, topology optimization, and manufacturing process integration. He leads the Algorithmic Synthesis Laboratory (ASL), advancing algorithms for automated design and optimization of mechanical systems. Education: Ph.D. (1996), MIT; M.S. (1992), MIT; B.Eng. (1990), University of Tokyo. He has held tenured positions since 1997, including roles as Founding CEO of Comnext, Inc. (2007–2012) and visiting professorships at École Centrale Paris and Donghua University. Research interests include multi-material topology optimization (M^3 TO), AI-driven design, and sustainable manufacturing. Key projects address additive manufacturing, composite structures, and energy-efficient production systems. He has pioneered methods for manufacturability-driven design and assembly optimization. Notable awards include IEEE Fellow (2018), ASME Kos-Ishii Award (2015), and NSF CAREER Award (1999). He serves as Editor-in-Chief for IEEE Transactions on Automation Science and Engineering and holds leadership roles in ASME and IEEE societies. Teaching includes courses on design optimization, CAD, and global product development. His lab has advised over 30 students, with alumni in academia and industry. Current research explores biomechanical modeling, traffic flow optimization, and medical image registration algorithms.
Wojciech Matusik is a Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL). He leads the Computational Design and Fabrication Group and is a member of the Computer Graphics Group. His research spans computer graphics, robotics, and AI-driven manufacturing, with a focus on computational design, tactile sensing, and material science. Matusik holds a PhD in Computer Science from MIT (2003), an MS from MIT (2001), and a BS from UC Berkeley (1997). His work includes groundbreaking projects like differentiable cloth simulation (DiffCloth), AI-enhanced molecular design, and tactile sensing gloves. He has received prestigious awards such as the MIT TR35 (2004), DARPA Young Faculty Award (2012), and Ruth and Joel Spira Teaching Award (2014). Matusik teaches courses on computer graphics, machine learning, and computational fabrication at MIT. Key research themes include: Robotics: Robotic assembly, tactile interaction, and soft robotics Graphics: 3D holography, procedural material generation Manufacturing: Additive fabrication, topology optimization His recent articles explore AI-driven molecular synthesis, holographic displays, and tactile-enabled VR systems. Matusik collaborates on open-source tools like the WiReSens tactile platform and Simit language for sparse systems.
PD Dr. Christian Zillinger is a researcher at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), specifically within the Department of Mathematics. He leads the Junior Research Group "Stability and Instability in Fluids and Materials" (AP6) as part of the CRC 1173. His office is located at Kollegiengebäude Mathematik (20.30), room 2.024 in Karlsruhe, Germany. Dr. Zillinger obtained his PhD under the supervision of Herbert Koch at the University of Bonn. Following his doctorate, he served as an assistant professor (NTT) at the University of Southern California and was a postdoctoral fellow at BCAM (Basque Center for Applied Mathematics). He recently completed his habilitation thesis titled "On Mixing and Resonances in Fluid Systems" at KIT in 2023. Dr. Zillinger's research focuses on partial differential equations motivated by physical problems, particularly in fluid dynamics and material sciences. His work encompasses several key areas: Mixing as a (de)stabilizing mechanism in fluids and inviscid damping Cascades of resonances and instabilities in fluids and plasmas Convex integration and microstructures in materials, including rigidity and flexibility phenomena Magnetic fluids and magnetohydrodynamics Partial dissipation in the Boussinesq equations His recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on stability and instability phenomena in fluid systems, with particular attention to mathematical analysis of PDEs governing fluid behavior. He has made significant contributions to understanding echo chains, resonance phenomena, and damping mechanisms in various fluid models. His work bridges theoretical mathematics with applications in physics and materials science, often employing advanced analytical techniques to address challenging problems in nonlinear PDEs. Dr. Zillinger actively teaches courses at KIT, including "Klassische Methoden für partielle Differentialgleichungen" (Classical Methods for Partial Differential Equations), "Introduction to convex integration," "Introduction to Kinetic Equations," and seminars on microstructure in materials and fluid dynamics. He leads the Junior Research Group "Stability and Instability in Fluids and Materials" which is part of the Collaborative Research Centre (CRC) 1173 at KIT, focusing on wave phenomena. This research group investigates mathematical aspects of stability and instability in physical systems, with applications to fluid dynamics and material science.
Ashwin BALIGA is an Assistant Professor of Sales at IÉSEG School of Management , France, since 2022. He holds a Ph.D. in B2B Marketing from the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras (2022), a Master of Technology in Engineering Management (2015), and a Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering (2011). Ph.D. in B2B Marketing, Indian Institute of Technology, Madras (2022) Masters of Technology in Engineering Management, Manipal Institute of Technology (2015) Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering, National Institute of Engineering, Mysore (2011) His research focuses on B2B Service Failure & Recovery , Mental Health in B2B Sales , Technology in B2B Sales , and Buyer-Supplier Relationships . Recent work includes systematic reviews and morphological analyses of DEI in B2B selling, mental health impacts, and tech-driven sales strategies. In 2025, he received the Best Reviewer Award from the Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management (JHTM). Additional accolades include the Sri N Kannan Prize for Best PhD Thesis in Marketing (2022), multiple gold medals for academic excellence (2015, 2011), and recognition for research contributions at NASMEI and the Sheth Foundation Doctoral Consortium. Baliga teaches Selling Techniques at the bachelor’s level and Services Marketing and Sales Management at the master’s level. He is a member of the Laboratory of Economics and Management (LEM) and has contributed to journals like the Journal of Personal Selling and Sales Management, Journal of Business Research, and the International Journal of Mineral Processing.
Subhransu Maji is an Associate Professor in the Manning College of Information and Computer Sciences at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and the co-director of the Computer Vision Lab. He is also affiliated with the Center for Data Science and holds a part-time role as an Amazon Scholar. His research focuses on high-level visual recognition algorithms and interdisciplinary applications in ecology and astronomy. He has received prestigious awards including the NSF CAREER Award (2018), Best Paper at WACV 2015, and the Google Graduate Fellowship (2008). Education: PhD in Computer Science from UC Berkeley (2011), BTech from IIT Kanpur (2006). Prior roles include Research Assistant Professor at Toyota Technological Institute at Chicago (2012-2014). Research Interests: Computer Vision Machine Learning AI Applications in Ecology and Astronomy 3D Shape Understanding Climate Science Grants and Funding: Supported by NSF, NASA, Climate Change AI, and industry grants from Facebook, NVIDIA, Adobe, and Dolby. Current projects include satellite imagery analysis for ecology and material science applications using deep learning. Labs and Teams: Leads the Computer Vision Lab, collaborates with interdisciplinary teams on ecological monitoring (e.g., bird migration tracking via radar data) and material property prediction (e.g., zeolite adsorption modeling).
Hans Beck serves as Professor of Greek History at the University of Münster (Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität) since 2018, with an additional appointment as Adjunct Professor in the Faculty of Arts at McGill University. His academic career includes previous positions as Professor of Ancient History and Director of Classical Studies at McGill University (2005-2018), Heisenberg Fellow at Goethe-Universität Frankfurt (2004-2005), and Research Assistant at the University of Cologne (1997-2004). Beck earned his academic training through doctoral studies at the Universities of Erlangen, Canterbury, and Cambridge (1989-1996), followed by a fellowship at the Center for Hellenic Studies in Washington, DC (2001-2002). His educational background reflects a strong international foundation in classical studies. His research spans multiple interconnected fields within ancient history, with particular emphasis on the history and culture of ancient Greece, historical geography of Greece, environmental studies of the ancient Greek world, political culture of the Roman Republic, and ancient historiography. Beck's work consistently explores themes of localism, federalism, and political structures across ancient societies, with notable contributions to understanding Greek city-states, regional identities, and comparative political systems. His approach often bridges geographical, historical, and cultural perspectives to examine how ancient communities organized themselves politically and maintained regional identities within larger frameworks. Analyzing his recent publications reveals a sustained focus on local political structures within broader contexts, particularly examining how Greek city-states maintained autonomy while participating in federal leagues. His work increasingly incorporates comparative approaches, connecting Greek political structures with those of Rome and even ancient China, reflecting his editorial work on cross-cultural studies. Beck demonstrates particular expertise in analyzing how physical landscapes shaped political organization and how religious practices reinforced regional identities. Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada (2018) Anneliese Maier Research Award from Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (2014) Heisenberg Fellowship from Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (2004) Doctoral scholarship from German Academic Exchange Service (1995) Doctoral scholarship from Hanns Seidel Foundation (1994) Beck has supervised numerous doctoral students including Jordan Christopher (2022), Chandra Giroux (2021), Wentian Fu (2020), Rebecca Robinson (2017), Alex McAuley (2015), and François Gauthier (2015), covering diverse topics from ancient Qin and Macedon to cult practices in ancient empires. His academic leadership extends to directing research projects B3-49 'Belonging in/to Lakonia' and B3-40 'Localism and Religion in Ancient Greece' within the Excellence Cluster focusing on 'Religious Diversity and Legal-Political Unity.' As head of the project 'Belonging in/to Lakonia' and 'Localism and Religion in Ancient Greece,' Beck leads interdisciplinary research teams examining archaeological and historical evidence from the Sanctuary of Apollo at Amyklai and its surroundings. His work integrates textual analysis with material culture studies, creating comprehensive approaches to understanding ancient regional identities and religious practices. Beck's leadership in these projects demonstrates his commitment to bridging traditional disciplinary boundaries in classical studies.
Almut Sophia Koepke is a junior research group leader at the Technical University of Munich and University of Tübingen, focusing on multimodal learning problems integrating sound, vision, and text. Her work bridges foundational research in audio-visual understanding with practical applications in few-shot learning, zero-shot translation, and cross-modal attention mechanisms.
Prof. Dr. Cemal Ulutaş is a faculty member at Hakkari University , affiliated with the Faculty of Education in the Department of Mathematics and Science Education . He also holds administrative and advisory roles across multiple institutions: Dean of the Faculty of Education Board Member at Faculty of Engineering and Faculty of Fine Arts Coordinator at Education and Training Coordination Office Chairman of the Academic Evaluation and Quality Improvement Board Advisory Board Member at Career Development Application and Research Center His research focuses on materials science with an emphasis on thin film technology , particularly metal sulfides and oxides . He investigates structural, electrical, optical, and physical properties of films like γ-MnS, CuS, SnS, and Mn 3 O 4 , using methods such as chemical bath deposition and post-deposition annealing . Current projects examine the impact of variables like molar concentration, bath temperature, and substrate choice on thin film behavior. Recent publications (2010–2023) highlight systematic studies on metal chalcogenide thin films , including concentration gradients, substrate interactions, and thermal stability. Experimental techniques span X-ray diffraction , UV-Vis spectroscopy , and electrical resistivity measurements . Notably, his work bridges fundamental material science with applied engineering challenges, such as optimizing evaporative cooling systems in a 2010 study. As a thesis advisor, he has guided 2 graduate students . His academic contributions are documented in Google Scholar (10 citations, H-Index 620), Scopus (24 publications, H-Index 480), and Web of Science (15 citations, H-Index 9).
Oliver Kroemer is an Associate Professor at Carnegie Mellon University's Robotics Institute (RI), affiliated with the Intelligent Autonomous Manipulation (IAM) Lab. His research focuses on enabling robots to learn versatile manipulation skills through lifelong frameworks, with applications in elder care, environmental maintenance, and hazardous operations. Developed methods for robot learning via physical interaction and reinforcement learning Created representations for contact states and motor primitives to improve skill generalization Research Interests: Spanning robot learning, tactile sensing, force-velocity control, and lifelong skill acquisition. Projects include Agile and Dynamic Interactions for Mobile Manipulation and Integrated Planning and Learning (Pillar project). Scientific Awards: Finalist, Georges Giralt Ph.D. Award (2015) Education: Masters & Bachelors in Engineering, University of Cambridge (2008) Ph.D., Technische Universitaet Darmstadt (2014) Students & Affiliates: Current PhD: Mark Lee, Sarvesh Patil, Saumya Saxena, Yunus Seker, Zilin Si Past PhD: Alex LaGrassa, Tabitha Lee, Qiao Liang, Shivam Vats, Kevin Zhang
Prof. Dr. Günther Dissertori is a Full Professor and Rector of ETH Zurich, where he oversees teaching and academic affairs. His academic journey began at the University of Innsbruck, followed by a doctoral position at CERN, and he joined ETH Zurich as an Assistant Professor in 2001 before becoming a Full Professor in 2007. Academic Role: Full Professor of Particle Physics Institutional Leadership: Rector of ETH Zurich (since 2022) Contact: guenther.dissertori@sl.ethz.ch Research Interests: Dissertori's work spans Particle Physics and Experimental Physics , notably contributing to the CMS experiment at CERN, which was instrumental in the Higgs boson discovery. His group also developed cost-effective PET devices, leading to the spin-off Positrigo AG . Research keywords include Detector Development , Medical Imaging , and Quantum Physics . Teaching Excellence: Recognized with multiple Golden Owl awards (2005–2020) and the Credit Suisse Award for Best Teaching (2013), Dissertori is celebrated for his pedagogical impact in the Department of Particle Physics. Scientific Contributions: His publications include advancements in CMOS technology, quantum dynamics, and medical applications, reflecting interdisciplinary expertise in high-speed electronics, environmental science, and architectural history.
Professor Harry E. Ruda holds the Stanley Meek Chair in Advanced Nanotechnology at the University of Toronto's Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering. He directs the Centre for Advanced Nanotechnology and leads the Electronic-Photonic Materials Group. His research spans semiconductor nanostructures, focusing on nanoelectronics and nanophotonics, with notable contributions to nanowire growth, quantum transport, and plasmonic effects. Education: B.Sc. in Physics, Imperial College London Ph.D. in Physics, MIT His research interests include: Semiconductor nanowire growth via VLS process Quantum transport and spintronics Nonlinear optical effects in quantum dots/nanowires Surface state control through passivation Photonic crystal structures for optical devices Carrier dynamics in low-dimensional systems Recent publications highlight advancements in InAs nanowire sensors, Coulomb impurity effects, photonic crystal design, and hybrid superconducting/semiconductor devices. His work bridges fundamental electron dynamics and applied quantum technologies. Scientific Awards: Fellow, Canadian Academy of Engineering Fellow, Royal Society of Canada Fellow, Institute of Physics (UK) Fellow, Institute of Nanotechnology Fellow, Institution of Engineering and Technology Fellow, Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining Fellow, Canadian Academy of Engineering Teaching: MSE335: Materials Physics MSE490: Professional Ethics and Practice MSE1023: Quantum Transport
Scott Barnett is a Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at Northwestern University , specializing in ceramic thin films and electrochemical systems for energy applications. His research spans over 25 years in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) and lithium-ion battery electrodes, with a focus on 3D printing, thin electrolyte deposition, and microstructural evolution under operational stress. Education: Ph.D. and B.S. in Metallurgy and Physics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Research Interests center on: Reversible solid oxide cells for energy storage 3D tomographic imaging of electrode microstructures Novel processing methods for ceramic materials Electrochemical stability and degradation mechanisms Recent Publications highlight advancements in: Pressurization effects on oxygen electrodes 3D printed SOFCs with enhanced performance Nanoparticle infiltration for fuel electrode stability Impedance modeling of lithium-ion batteries Scientific Awards include: Fulbright Scholar (2015) Cheng Tsang Man Endowed Professorship (2008) Office of Naval Research Young Investigator (1986) AVS Fellow (1998) Advising Legacy encompasses over 30 graduate students and postdocs, including Nicholas Geisendorfer (NASA Space Technology Fellow) and Matthew Lu (now at Tesla), with notable alumni placements at institutions like Bloom Energy and Microsoft . His lab employs advanced characterization techniques to predict long-term durability of electrochemical devices.
