Dr. Kanchana Thilakarathna is a Senior Lecturer in Distributed Computing at the University of Sydney's School of Computer Science, and a member of the Centre for Distributed and High Performance Computing. They hold a PhD from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) and a B.Sc. Eng (Hons) from the University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka. Prior to academia, they worked as a Research Scientist at CSIRO/Data61 and had industry experience as a Mobile Radio Network Engineer. Research Interests : Dr. Thilakarathna focuses on cybersecurity, privacy in mobile and IoT systems, mixed reality privacy, and distributed computing platforms. Their work emphasizes user-centric solutions like the Yalut social media app, which enables decentralized data sharing. Key themes include privacy-preserving techniques, edge computing, and secure federated learning frameworks. Recent Work : Recent articles (2023–2025) explore machine unlearning for large language models, federated learning security, and IoT network slicing using P4 programmability. Their work on synthetic video traffic generation (VideoTrain++) and drone detection (DronePrint) demonstrates cross-disciplinary innovation. Awards : Malcolm Chaikin Prize (2015), Meta Research Awards (2020/2022), and Heidelberg Laureate Fellowship (2019). Grants : ARC Research Hub for Future Digital Manufacturing (2024), NSW Defence Innovation Network Projects (2024/2021), and Facebook Research Awards (2022/2020). Students : Advising 4 current PhD students on topics like wireless trust establishment and machine unlearning. Labs/Teams : Part of the Centre for Distributed and High Performance Computing and Sydney Nano Institute.
Florian 'Floyd' Mueller is a Professor of Future Interfaces at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, where he directs the award-winning Exertion Games Lab within the Department of Human-Centred Computing (ranked among the top 20 HCI departments globally). Previously, he held positions at RMIT University, Stanford, University of Melbourne, Microsoft Research, MIT Media Lab, Fuji-Xerox Palo Alto Labs, Xerox Parc, and Australia's CSIRO. Mueller is a member of the prestigious ACM SIGCHI Academy, an honorary group recognizing leaders who have made substantial contributions to Human-Computer Interaction (HCI). Professor Mueller's research focuses on the intersections between technology, the human body, and play. He originated the concept of "Exertion Interface," arguing that we should not just design "easy-to-use" interactions when "hard-to-use" interactions can also be beneficial. His work spans movement-based interactions, whole-body interfaces, uncomfortable interactions, somaesthetics, and exertion games. Mueller's research methodology often employs research through design, design ethnography, and autoethnography to explore these novel interaction paradigms, incorporating mixed-reality, augmented reality, virtual reality, electronic muscle stimulation, biosensors, wearables, and drones. His recent publications demonstrate a continued focus on bodily interactions and human-computer integration, with particular emphasis on emerging subfields like WaterHCI and SportsHCI, brain-computer interfaces, and gustosonic (taste and sound) experiences. Mueller's work has evolved from foundational exertion game concepts to more sophisticated explorations of human-computer integration where technology becomes seamlessly woven into the fabric of human experience. Professor Mueller's contributions have been widely recognized with numerous awards including: Inaugural honouree of the Australian Design Centre's Design Honours Tall Poppy award for "intellectual and scientific excellence" 10 "Best Paper Honorable Mentions" (top 5%) from premier HCI conferences 2 "Best Paper" awards (top 1%) at CHI PLAY and CHI Shortlisted for the European Innovation Games Award (alongside Nintendo's WiiFit) Nokia Mindtrek Ubimedia Award Mueller has successfully secured some of Australia's largest and most competitive research grants, achieving a remarkable 14% success rate on Australian Research Council Discovery Project applications. He has served as General co-Chair for CHI PLAY'18 and CHI'20, becoming the first Australian-based researcher to spearhead HCI's highest-ranked publication outlet, and is currently General co-Chair for CHI'24. He is Associate Editor for tier A journals including Elsevier's IJHCS (International Journal of Human-Computer Studies) and ACM's IMWUT (Interactive, Mobile, Wearable and Ubiquitous Technologies). As director of the Exertion Games Lab, Mueller leads a research team whose innovations have been experienced by over 20,000 users across 3 continents and featured on the BBC, ABC, Discovery Science Channel, and Wired magazine. The lab has produced groundbreaking work in bodily interfaces, co-founding the CHI PLAY conference series and establishing new research directions in SportsHCI and WaterHCI through recent "Grand Challenges" papers. Mueller's lab continues to push boundaries with projects exploring brain-to-brain interfaces, lucid dreaming induction, and novel gustosonic experiences.
Dr. Feras Dayoub is a Senior Lecturer at the School of Computer and Mathematical Sciences (Faculty of Sciences, Engineering and Technology) at the University of Adelaide , specializing in Embodied AI and Robotic Vision within the Australian Institute for Machine Learning (AIML) . He co-directs the CROSSING French-Australian laboratory for human-autonomous agent teaming and holds an Adjunct position at the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) , serving as an Associate Investigator at its Centre for Robotics . Previously, he was a Chief Investigator at the ARC Centre of Excellence for Robotic Vision . His research focuses on advancing reliable deployment of computer vision and machine learning on mobile robots in real-world environments. Applied projects include agricultural automation , environmental conservation , and autonomous infrastructure monitoring . He has published extensively on topics like object detection , domain adaptation , 3D representation learning , and vision-language navigation , with a particular emphasis on robustness in dynamic and partially observed environments. Dr. Dayoub is also an educator specializing in programming , computer vision , and robotic perception . He contributes to open-source robotics research through tools like AARK (Autonomous Racing Toolkit) and has led teams developing solutions for precision agriculture (e.g., Deepfruits fruit detection system) and environmental monitoring (e.g., Crown-Of-Thorns starfish detection ). Key Collaborations : CROSSING Lab, QUT Centre for Robotics Research Themes : Embodied AI, Robust Perception, Domain Adaptation
Professor Heiko Spallek is Head of School and Dean at the University of Sydney’s Sydney Dental School, leading the school’s integration with the Faculty of Medicine and Health. He also serves as Academic Lead for Digital Health and Health Service Informatics at the faculty level. His research focuses on advancing dental informatics, teledentistry, and evidence-based practice, while advocating for improved oral health policy and public health initiatives. He holds roles including director at Community Connections Australia and membership in the Charles Perkins Centre. Education: DMD, Dr. med. dent., MSBA(CIS), FACD, FAIDH Leadership: Oversees Sydney Dental School’s academic and clinical programs, emphasizing interprofessional education and digital health innovation. Research interests include leveraging big data and machine learning in dentistry, improving access to oral healthcare through teledentistry, and addressing systemic issues in dental education and policy. He has led projects on laser dentistry applications, dental caries prevention, and healthcare workforce regulation. Notable contributions include the OpenWide conference series, the BigMouth dental data repository, and advocacy for equitable dental funding in Australia. Grants include initiatives on oral hygiene in aged care and analysis of healthcare advertising perceptions. Media engagements highlight his role in public discourse on dental access and policy, including commentary on Australia’s dental crisis and aged care reforms. He actively promotes interdisciplinary collaboration through platforms like the Dental Informatics Online Community. Labs/Teams: Directs the Sydney Dental School’s research programs in informatics and public health, collaborating with national and international networks such as the National Dental PBRN.
Dr. Yu-Ting Lin is a Senior Lecturer and Postgraduate Research Coordinator at the School of Marketing, The University of New South Wales (UNSW) . With a PhD in Marketing from Imperial College London , an MS in Management Information Systems from National Chengchi University , and a BBA in Management Information Systems from National Chiayi University , she bridges human-computer interaction and digital marketing through innovative research. Education: BBA, National Chiayi University MS, National Chengchi University PhD, Imperial College London Her research focuses on the intersection of digital technology and consumer behavior , particularly in emotional ad design , immersive media , and real-time marketing . She also explores mHealth applications for behavioral change. Dr. Lin’s work spans Journal of Marketing , Journal of Service Research , and other high-impact venues. Her recent Google Scholar publications highlight themes in branding psychology , digital interventions , and user experience analytics . Scientific Awards: 2024 ANZMAC Best Paper in Track Artificial Intelligence and Innovation 2024 Research Impact Award, UNSW Business School 2024 Research Supervisor Award, UNSW 2022 Dean's Research Fellowship, UNSW Business School 2021 Research Excellence Award – Early Career Researcher, UNSW Business School 2021 AMA TechSIG Lazaridis Prize for Best Paper on Marketing Innovation 2020 Finalist MSI Paul Root Award 2019 Technologies Incubation Scholarship, MOE (Taiwan) 2018 Case Centre Fellowship, Imperial College Business School 2017 Tutorial Fellowship, Imperial College Business School Dr. Lin’s grants include over AUD 400,000 in funding from ARC Discovery Projects , Australian Marketing Institute , and Taiwanese Overseas Pioneers Grant . She contributes to the Media Engagement and Analytics Lab (MEAL) at UNSW Business School.
Dr. Stewart Worrall is a Senior Research Fellow at the Australian Centre for Field Robotics (ACFR) within the University of Sydney. His research focuses on autonomous systems, robotics, and intelligent transportation systems, particularly in the areas of autonomous vehicle perception, human-robot interaction, and sensor fusion. He has contributed to numerous high-impact publications on topics such as edge case testing for autonomous vehicles, collaborative perception frameworks, and context-aware human-robot interaction design. His work integrates robotics hardware, computer vision, and machine learning to address challenges in autonomous driving, crowd dynamics, and urban mobility scenarios. Current research students under his supervision explore topics ranging from light field imaging for autonomous driving to human-machine interfaces for vehicles. Worrall has pioneered datasets like the University of Sydney Campus Dataset and the ACFR Five Roundabouts Dataset, which are critical for evaluating autonomous systems. His contributions span academic conferences (e.g., IEEE IV, ICRA) and journals, emphasizing both technical innovation and societal impacts of autonomous technologies. Key labs/teams: Core member of the ACFR, collaborating across disciplines including robotics, computer science, and urban design.
Olga Kokshagina serves as an Associate Professor in Innovation & Entrepreneurship at The University of Sydney, with adjunct research appointments at Monash University's Emerging Technology Lab and the UNU Hub - Learning Planet Institute. She is also an active member of the French Digital Council. Her research program investigates technology-mediated collaboration in complex innovation systems, focusing on healthcare transformation, deep tech commercialization, and co-design methodologies. Kokshagina has led high-impact projects with global institutions including the World Health Organization, OECD, STMicroelectronics, Vall d’Hebron Hospital, and Roche, demonstrating strong translational research capabilities. Her scholarly work centers on value-based healthcare innovation, digital platform governance, and AI-enhanced collaborative systems. She examines how organizational capabilities evolve during technological transitions, particularly in healthcare ecosystems, and investigates regulatory frameworks for algorithmic control in digital markets. Kokshagina's research bridges theoretical innovation management with practical applications, evidenced by her co-founding of Ninti—an initiative advancing women's health in workplace environments—and her Open Covid-19 crowdsourcing campaign that mobilized global expertise during the pandemic. Analysis of her 2021-2025 publications reveals a cohesive trajectory examining innovation in socio-technical systems. Key themes include value digitalization in healthcare, mission-oriented interdisciplinary collaboration, and the impact of big data on technology management. Her work consistently addresses grand challenges through mixed-methods approaches, spanning conceptual frameworks in journals like Research Policy to applied studies in Technovation and R&D Management, with increasing focus on quantum readiness and AI-augmented learning systems. No scientific awards are documented in the provided materials. Kokshagina currently holds a 2025 research grant for "Co-designing societal readiness and scenario building for quantum" through the University of Sydney Nano Institute/Catalyst program. While no student supervision activities are mentioned, her collaborative projects involve multi-institutional teams across industry, government, and academic sectors. Kokshagina maintains active roles within the University of Sydney Nano Institute and contributes to international policy discourse through the French Digital Council. Her Ninti initiative exemplifies her commitment to human-centered innovation, while ongoing collaborations with healthcare providers like Roche and Vall d’Hebron Hospital demonstrate sustained engagement with real-world implementation challenges in value-based care systems.
Dr. Mao Shan is a Senior Research Fellow at the Australian Centre for Robotics, part of The University of Sydney. He holds a PhD from The University of Sydney (2014) and has held research positions at Nanyang Technological University (2016-2017) and the Australian Centre for Robotics (2014-2016). His research focuses on autonomous systems, V2X communication, cooperative perception, and sensor fusion. Current students include Yaoqi HUANG, Henry LYU, Zhenxing MING, Nguyen TRAN, Tzu-yun TSENG, and Yupeng WANG. His work spans robotics, intelligent transportation systems, and control systems. Recent publications emphasize 3D object detection, cooperative perception frameworks, and autonomous navigation. He has contributed to the development of the University of Sydney Campus Dataset for robust autonomy testing and led cooperative perception projects funded by iMOVE CRC (2018). His research bridges theoretical advancements with practical applications in autonomous vehicles and multi-robot systems. Labs and affiliations include the Australian Centre for Robotics and the Intelligent Transport Systems Group. His interdisciplinary approach integrates probabilistic modeling, sensor fusion, and machine learning to address challenges in autonomous systems.
Professor Luke Prendergast is the Deputy Dean of the School of Computing, Engineering & Mathematical Sciences (SCEMS) at La Trobe University (LTU) and holds a Professorship in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics. He previously served as Head of Department (2014–2020) and led LTU's Statistics Consulting Platform. His research focuses on robust statistics, meta-analysis, dimension reduction, and applied statistics, leading the DRAMA research group. Collaborations span fields like endocrinology, disability studies, and respiratory health. He actively contributes to research grants, including projects on Prader-Willi syndrome and exercise for disability populations. Professor Prendergast's recent work emphasizes statistical software development (e.g., the rquest package) and applications in biostatistics, such as metabolomics analysis and health intervention fidelity. His articles address topics like quantile-based hypothesis testing, geospatial accessibility for disability care, and motivational interviewing efficacy. Professional roles include NHMRC grant review panels, editorial boards for Nutrients and Respirology , and leadership in the Statistical Society of Australia (SSA Vic). His teaching includes courses in meta-analysis, linear models, and data-based critical thinking. Grants funded projects on exercise programs for cerebral palsy populations and community-university partnerships for disability inclusion. Luke's work bridges statistical theory with real-world health challenges, emphasizing robust methodologies and interdisciplinary collaboration.
Professor Vinayak Dixit serves as the IAG Chair of Risk in Smart Cities and Director of the Research Centre for Integrated Transport Innovation (rCITI) at the University of New South Wales (UNSW), within the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering. With a distinguished career spanning academia and research leadership, Professor Dixit has established himself as a leading expert in transportation risk analysis and smart city infrastructure. Professor Dixit's research focuses on studying risk in transportation infrastructure systems, with particular emphasis on highway safety, travel time uncertainty, and resilience against natural and man-made disasters. His work integrates cutting-edge approaches including quantum computing applications for transportation network optimization, analysis of connected and automated vehicles, and development of models for transportation resilience. His research interests span multiple disciplines, bridging civil engineering, transportation science, risk analysis, and computational methods. Professor Dixit has secured significant research funding from prestigious organizations including the United States National Science Foundation, Federal Highway Administration, and the Strategic Highway Research Program of the Transportation Research Board. His leadership extends to directing the Research Centre for Integrated Transport Innovation (rCITI), where he oversees a comprehensive research program addressing critical transportation challenges in smart cities through multiple focus areas including Connected Mobility Services, Deep Data and Digitization, Engineering Smart Cities & Logistics, Human-Centred And Automated Systems Design, and Integrated Infrastructure Strategic Planning. Professor Dixit previously served as the Associate Director of Research for the Gulf Coast Centre for Evacuation and Transportation Resiliency at Louisiana State University, where he founded the Driving Simulator Laboratory in collaboration with other faculty members. This demonstrates his longstanding commitment to innovative research infrastructure development and interdisciplinary collaboration across engineering, economics, computer science, and urban planning to address complex transportation challenges in the 21st century.
Dr. Thilina Halloluwa is a Teaching Focused Lecturer in the Department of Human-Centred Computing at The University of Queensland (UQ). He holds a PhD in Human-Computer Interaction from Queensland University of Technology (2019) and a Computer Science undergraduate degree from the Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology. With over 15 years of academic and industry experience, his research emphasizes real-world impact in education technology, financial inclusion, smart agriculture, and HCI. Educational Background: PhD in Human-Computer Interaction, Queensland University of Technology (2019) Bachelor of Computer Science, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology Research Interests: Education for All: Leveraging technology to enhance collaborative learning and social experiences in education. Human Money Interaction: Designing ethical AI solutions for financial services, particularly for underserved communities. Smart Agro: Developing AI-driven tools for crop disease detection, yield optimization, and precision agriculture. Software Project Estimation: Improving effort estimation accuracy through explainable AI (Metrix project). Key Contributions: Developed UrbanAgro (tomato disease detection) and BellCrop (bell pepper disease datasets). Pioneered Dhana Labha , a financial management tool for rural Sri Lankan communities. Advanced online exam proctoring systems for low-resource settings. Previous Roles: Lecturer at University of Sydney (2023) Senior Lecturer at University of Colombo (2013–2023) Lab/Team Affiliations: Smart Agro Project: AI-driven agricultural solutions Metrix Initiative: Software project estimation frameworks
Dr. Azadeh Ghari-Neiat is a Senior Lecturer in Software Engineering at the University of Queensland's School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. She completed her PhD in Computer Science from RMIT University in 2018. Prior to joining UQ, she held academic positions at Deakin University as a Senior Lecturer and at the University of Sydney as a postdoctoral research fellow. Her research focuses on the intersection of Internet of Things (IoT), Mobile Computing, Crowdsourcing, and Cybersecurity. She develops innovative solutions for enhancing connectivity and security in modern computing environments through crowdsourced approaches. Key areas include service composition in sensor clouds, trust management frameworks, and optimization of drone-as-a-service systems. Her publications demonstrate consistent focus on IoT service ecosystems, with recent work exploring blockchain applications and machine learning techniques for dynamic systems. The research trends show evolution from fundamental service composition to AI-driven optimization in distributed environments. Dr. Ghari-Neiat leads projects involving energy service crowdsourcing and secure architectures for cyber-physical systems. Her work maintains strong emphasis on practical applications in delivery systems, UAV networks, and IoT marketplaces.
Professor George Buchanan is a leading researcher in human-computer interaction and digital libraries at RMIT University . His work bridges information science, digital humanities, and health informatics, focusing on usability in sensitive contexts like healthcare and misinformation. Deputy Dean, Research at RMIT University Former Director, University of Melbourne iSchool Research Interests: Digital information interaction Health and aging informatics Disinformation analysis Mobile interface design Digital library systems Key Contributions: Developed mobile web usability benchmarks, spatial hypertext tools, and thermal feedback interfaces. Currently seeking PhD students for 2025 projects on digital browsing and view change dynamics. Awards: Over twenty best paper awards and Honorary Life Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. Advising: Accepting Masters/PhD supervision in information interaction and digital health domains.
SangHyung Ahn is a Lecturer at the School of Civil Engineering , University of Queensland (UQ), since 2017. He joined UQ as a postdoctoral research fellow in 2015 after earning his PhD in Civil Engineering (Construction Engineering and Management) from Purdue University, USA. Prior to his academic career, he worked as an assistant manager at Hyundai Engineering and Construction Co., Ltd. (2003-2007) and holds an MBA in international business from Hanyang University and a B.Sc in Civil Engineering from Korea University. Research Focus: Construction process modelling with virtual reality, decision support systems for construction, automation of data-driven simulation modelling, sensor-based operations analysis, and integration of Building Information Modelling (BIM). Teaching: Coordinates undergraduate courses Introduction to Project Management (CIVL3510) and Construction Engineering Management (CIVL4522) . Research Trends: His recent publications highlight interdisciplinary work in transportation engineering, structural design, and AI-driven simulation tools. Key themes include application of machine learning to car-following models, drone-based vehicle identification, and optimization of public transport systems using agent-based simulations. Supervision: Available for supervision, with completed supervision of PhD and Master’s theses on topics such as BIM-LCA integration, pedestrian trajectory analysis, and AI-driven driving behavior models.
Professor Eduardo Velloso is an academic staff member at the School of Computer Science , University of Sydney . He is a member of the Centre for AI Trust and Governance and holds a PhD in Computer Science from Lancaster University and a Bachelor of Computer Engineering from Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro. Teaches COMP4447/5047 - Pervasive Computing and INFO1111 - Computing Professionalism Research Interests focus on distributed collaboration in mixed reality , human-AI interaction , and HCI theory and methodology . His work integrates Engineering, Design, and Psychology to explore gaze interaction, adaptive agents, and multimodal interfaces. Key projects include Blended Whiteboard for remote MR collaboration and GazeGrip for mobile accessibility. Publication Trends show expertise in Virtual Reality , Mixed Reality , and Human-AI Interaction , with recent work on Algorithmic Recourse and Immersive Educational Tools . Awards include ACM Best Paper Awards at CHI, UIST, TOCHI, and DIS venues. Scientific Awards 2024 ACM CHI & DIS Honorable Mentions 2022 UoM-FEIT Teaching & Learning Award 2019 UoM-CIS Excellence in Research Award 2015 ACM UIST Best Paper Award Advising includes supervision of research students Marvin, Tinghui LI, and Wendi YU in projects on asynchronous MR collaboration , situationally-induced impairments , and physical environment integration . His lab explores AI-assisted interaction and context-aware computing through projects like SpinalLog and LiftSmart .
