Cao Jiannong is currently a Chair Professor and Director of the University Research Facility in Big Data Analytics at Hong Kong Polytechnic University . He has held academic roles including Assistant Professor at City University of Hong Kong and University Lecturer at the University of Adelaide and James Cook University. His research spans Cloud and Edge Computing , Parallel and Distributed Systems , Big Data Analytics , and Wireless Sensing . Ph.D. in Computer Science, Washington State University (1990) MSc in Computer Science, Washington State University (1986) BSc in Computer Science, Nanjing University, China (1982) His work focuses on solving theoretical and practical challenges in distributed computing , mobile cloud systems , and wireless sensor networks . Recent projects include coupled network embedding models for heterogeneous networks and SDN architectures for vehicular communication. His research also pioneers WiFi-based non-invasive health monitoring and fault-tolerant sensor deployment for structural health applications. Dr. Cao's publications highlight advancements in network embedding , edge computing , and WSN optimization . Key papers address multi-user computation partitioning , energy-efficient SHM systems , and consensus protocols for mobile networks. These works have been cited over 15,000 times, with an h-index of 60. Ministry of Education (China) Natural Science Award (2018) Distinguished Member, ACM (2017) Fellow, IEEE (2014) Best Paper Awards at IEEE DSAA, SMARTCOMP, and WCNC Dr. Cao has advised multiple PhD students, including Linchuan Xu and Weigang Wu , whose research on WSN-based SHM and coupled network embedding has practical impact. His leadership includes directing Hong Kong Polytechnic University's Big Data Research Facility and serving on technical committees for IEEE INFOCOM and ACM/IEEE conferences.
Jiannong Cao is a Chair Professor and Director of the University Research Facility in Big Data Analytics at the Department of Computing, Hong Kong Polytechnic University. He has held various academic roles since 1990, including Assistant Professor at City University of Hong Kong and Lecturer at Australian universities. PhD in Computer Science, Washington State University (1990) MSc in Computer Science, Washington State University (1986) BSc in Computer Science, Nanjing University (1982) His research focuses on cloud and edge computing , parallel and distributed computing , and mobile computing , with significant contributions to wireless sensor networks (WSN) for structural health monitoring (SHM) and software-defined networking (SDN) for vehicular communications. Recent work includes WiFi-based non-invasive health monitoring systems and multi-user computation partitioning in mobile cloud environments. Dr. Cao’s publications demonstrate trends in WSN optimization , SDN architectures , and cognitive modeling for network embedding , with applications in smart healthcare , transportation systems , and industrial IoT . Ministry of Education Natural Science Award (2018) ACM Distinguished Member (2017) IEEE Fellow (2014) Best Paper Awards at IEEE DSAA, SMARTCOMP, WCNC He has mentored numerous researchers, including Linchuan Xu , Xuefeng Liu , and Weigang Wu , who have authored key publications in top venues like ACM WSDM and IEEE INFOCOM . His professional roles include chairing IEEE committees and serving on grant panels for the Hong Kong Research Grant Council.
Atakan Aral serves as an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Computer Science, University of Vienna, where he leads research in edge computing, distributed systems, and environmental monitoring applications. His work focuses on developing efficient and resilient computing systems for environmental applications, with particular emphasis on neuromorphic edge AI and the cloud-edge continuum. He maintains an active teaching schedule offering courses in Distributed Systems Engineering, Cloud Computing, and Practical Software Courses with Bachelor's Thesis work across multiple semesters through 2025. Dr. Aral's research interests span several critical areas in modern computing including edge computing architectures, federated learning approaches, neuromorphic computing for environmental monitoring, and resilient systems design. His work addresses fundamental challenges in resource-constrained environments, particularly focusing on latency-sensitive applications and energy-efficient computation. The interdisciplinary nature of his research bridges theoretical computer science with practical environmental applications, developing systems that can operate effectively in remote or resource-limited settings. Analysis of his recent publication trajectory reveals a clear evolution from foundational cloud computing research toward increasingly specialized edge intelligence systems. Early work focused on resource allocation and scheduling in cloud environments, while his current research emphasizes neuromorphic approaches for sustainable environmental monitoring. His publications demonstrate growing interdisciplinary collaboration, particularly with environmental scientists, and increasing focus on practical implementations of theoretical concepts in real-world monitoring systems. Dr. Aral leads significant research projects including TROCI (Towards Resilient Operation of Critical Infrastructure), an ongoing initiative, and SWAIN (Sustainable Watershed Management Through IoT-Driven AI), which ran from February 2021 to February 2024. His work spans multiple dimensions of computing systems, from hardware-aware algorithms to application-level implementations, with consistent contributions to major conferences and journals in distributed systems and edge computing. He is an active member of the Scientific Computing research group at the University of Vienna, working from Room 6.49 at Währinger Straße 29. His research environment includes collaboration with the Environment and Climate Research Hub, reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of his work that bridges computer science with environmental applications. His publications indicate strong international collaboration across European institutions and research groups.
Hui Pan is a distinguished academic holding dual positions as Nokia Chair in Data Science and Professor of Computer Science at the University of Helsinki, and Chair Professor of Computational Media and Arts at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST). His research spans networking, mobile computing, augmented reality, and computational social science. He earned his Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Cambridge in 2007. His work bridges social networks with mobile systems, pioneering fields like mobile social networks and opportunistic forwarding algorithms. Research interests include data science, complex networks, and innovative applications of augmented reality. His recent publications focus on low-latency AR frameworks, blockchain for computation offloading, and mobile web visualization. He has received prestigious awards, including IEEE Fellow (2018), ACM Distinguished Scientist (2016), and the Nokia Chair Endowment (2017). He has supervised over 15 PhD and 12 MPhil graduates, with 13 current Ph.D. students and 2 MPhil students. His editorial roles include Associate Editorships at IEEE Transactions journals and guest editorships at top venues like IEEE JSAC and ACM Transactions. He has organized conferences such as WWW Track Chair and ExtremeCom General Chair.
Hongbo Jiang is a Distinguished Professor and Vice Dean of the College of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering at Hunan University, China. He holds concurrent roles as Director of the Trusted Systems and Networking Key Laboratory of Hunan Province and Director of the Hunan International Technical Cooperation Base for High-Performance Computing and Distributed Systems. His academic journey includes tenures as a Professor at Huazhong University of Science and Technology and a Hong Kong Scholar Research Fellow at The Chinese University of Hong Kong. Education: PhD in Computer Science (Case Western Reserve University, 2008), B.S./M.S. in Mathematics (Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 2002). Research Interests: Distributed systems, mobile computing, smart sensing, wireless networks, IoT, and edge computing. Ongoing projects include mobile/wireless applications, data science in IoT, and edge computing platforms. His work emphasizes practical implementations such as DriverSonar for driving safety and SmileAuth for biometric authentication. Key Achievements: Elected Member of Academia Europaea (2022), Fellow of AAIA, IET, and BCS. Notable awards include the Wu Wenjun Science and Technology Award (2020) and multiple best paper recognitions. Over 100+ publications in top venues like ACM MobiCom, IEEE/ACM Transactions. Professional Contributions: Editorial roles across 8+ journals including IEEE Transactions on Mobile Computing and ACM Transactions on Sensor Networks. Conference leadership includes co-founding ACM TURC and EAI ICECI. Active in technical committees for INFOCOM, MOBIHOC, and ICDCS. Labs/Teams: Leads research groups focused on networking, IoT, and edge computing. Current openings for PhD/MSc students and PostDoc researchers with strong mathematical and systems backgrounds.
Edgar Weippl is a Professor at the Faculty of Computer Science, University of Vienna, where he serves as Vice Dean and Head of the Research Group Security and Privacy. His work spans cybersecurity, blockchain, and machine learning, with teaching roles in information security and software security courses. Current Positions: Vice Dean (Faculty of Computer Science), Head (Security and Privacy Research Group), Deputy Head (Neuroinformatics & Knowledge Engineering Groups) Research Interests: Cybersecurity, blockchain, IoT security, code obfuscation, privacy technologies, reinforcement learning, and socio-technical systems security Selected Publications: Focus on blockchain privacy, VoWiFi security, code obfuscation, and reinforcement learning applications
Leandros Tassiulas is the John C. Malone Professor of Electrical Engineering at Yale University, with additional appointments in Computer Science. His career spans faculty positions at the University of Thessaly, University of Maryland, University of Ioannina, and Polytechnic University. A Fellow of both IEEE (2007) and ACM (2020), he is renowned for contributions to network control theory, including the max-weight scheduling algorithm and back-pressure network policy. PhD in Electrical Engineering (1991) from the University of Maryland, College Park His research focuses on computer and communication networks , emphasizing mathematical models for complex networks , wireless system architectures , stochastic systems , and energy-efficient network design . Recent work explores quantum networking (Pant et al., 2019) and federated learning in edge environments (Jiang et al., 2022). Key publication trends include stability analysis (earlier works), mobile edge computing (2019), software-defined networking (2021), and smart grid optimization (2012-2013). The list includes monographs on network theory and patents for distributed bandwidth allocation (2011) and directional antenna protocols (2002). Scientific Awards ACM Fellow (2020) for network control contributions IEEE Koji Kobayashi Award (2016) for scheduling/stability analysis IEEE INFOCOM Achievement Award (2007) for resource allocation Bodossaki Foundation Prize (1999) for distributed systems NSF CAREER, ONR Young Investigator, and multiple best paper awards His work has been funded by the NSF, ONR, and IBM. Current projects bridge AI , quantum communication , and next-generation network architectures .
Mohamed-Slim Alouini is a Professor of Electrical Engineering and Associate Dean of the Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Science and Engineering (CEMSE) Division at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia. He also serves as the Associate Vice President for Research and holds the UNESCO Chair in Education to Connect the Unconnected. With over 500 journal publications and more than 46,000 citations, he is a world-renowned expert in wireless communications who was elected IEEE Fellow in 2009 at the age of 39. Education: PhD in Electrical Engineering, California Institute of Technology (Caltech), 1998 MS in Electrical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech), 1995 Diplôme d'Etudes Approfondies (DEA) in Electronics, Université Pierre & Marie Curie (Sorbonne University), 1993 Diplôme d'Ingénieur, École Nationale Supérieure des Télécommunications (Télécom Paris Tech), 1993 Habilitation, Université Pierre & Marie Curie (Sorbonne University), 2003 Dr. Alouini is a world-renowned expert in wireless communication and networking with research interests spanning diversity combining techniques, MIMO systems, multi-hop/cooperative communications, optical wireless systems, cognitive radio, UAV communications, and advanced modulation schemes. His current focus addresses the technical challenges of uneven information and communication technology distribution, particularly targeting rural, low-income, disaster-prone, and hard-to-reach areas through integrated ground-airborne-space networks. His work bridges theoretical foundations with practical implementations to solve real-world connectivity problems. His recent publications (2020-2024) demonstrate a clear research trajectory toward integrated communication networks combining terrestrial, aerial, and space components. There's growing emphasis on UAV communications, satellite systems, optical wireless technologies, and rural connectivity solutions, with increasing integration of machine learning techniques for network optimization. His work shows consistent focus on addressing the digital divide, with several publications specifically targeting 6G challenges for connecting underserved populations and recycling existing infrastructure for enhanced rural connectivity. Scientific Awards: Member of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts (2019) Fellow of the African Academy of Sciences (2018) IEEE Fellow (2009) Abdul Hameed Shoman Award for Arab Researchers (2016) OIC Science & Technology Achievement Award (2017) Multiple recognitions as Highly Cited Researcher NSF CAREER Award (1999) Dr. Alouini has mentored numerous successful students and post-doctoral fellows who have secured positions at top institutions worldwide including Harvard, Caltech, Imperial College, and faculty positions at Korea University, Hanyang University, and universities across the Middle East. His December 2018 PhD graduate Qurrat-Ul-Ain Nadeem received the prestigious Marconi Society Paul Baran Young Scholars award, while post-doctoral fellows have won IEEE ComSoc Young Professionals Best Innovation Award and attended the Lindau Nobel Meeting. His Communication Theory Lab at KAUST drives significant research in wireless communications with funding supporting extensive publication output and innovative projects. Dr. Alouini leads the Communication Theory Lab at KAUST and holds the UNESCO Chair in Education to Connect the Unconnected, focusing specifically on technical solutions for connecting underserved communities. His lab works on integrated ground-airborne-space networks to bridge the digital divide, with particular emphasis on rural, low-income, and hard-to-reach areas. The team develops practical solutions using UAVs, satellite communications, and recycled infrastructure to provide cost-effective connectivity where traditional approaches fail.
Efstathia Bura is a Professor heading the Applied Statistics Research Unit (ASTAT) within the Institute of Statistics and Mathematical Methods in Economics at TU Wien's Faculty of Mathematics and Geoinformation. Her research focuses on dimension reduction techniques in regression and classification, high-dimensional statistics, and their applications in biostatistics, econometrics, and legal statistics. She leads projects like ProbInG (WWTF-funded) and the SecInt Doctoral College on statistical verification of cyber-physical systems. Her work integrates advanced statistical methodologies with interdisciplinary applications, emphasizing practical solutions for complex data challenges. Current projects explore probabilistic program analysis, security properties in cyber-physical systems, and dynamic econometric modeling. She collaborates internationally, with notable contributions to statistical theory and applications in law, healthcare, and telecommunications. Key research themes include time-varying regression models, sufficient dimension reduction for mixed predictors, and fusion of statistical methods with machine learning. Her publications bridge theoretical advancements and real-world problem-solving, reflecting her role as a leading academic in modern applied statistics. Her team includes postdocs and assistants working on WWTF and SecInt grants, focusing on probabilistic systems and statistical verification. While no formal student advisees are listed, her collaborative projects engage junior researchers in cutting-edge statistical research.
Mostafa Ammar is a Regents' Professor and Interim Chair of the School of Computer Science at the Georgia Institute of Technology. He has held leadership roles including Associate Chair (2006–2012) and has been a faculty member since 1985. His research focuses on network architectures, protocols, and services, with contributions to mobile cloud computing, network virtualization, and disruption-tolerant networks. He has advised 39 Ph.D. students and secured funding from agencies like NSF, DARPA, and industry partners such as Cisco and IBM. Education : S.B. and S.M. from MIT, Ph.D. from the University of Waterloo. Research Interests : Network architectures, mobile cloud computing, overlay networks, video streaming, and network simulation. His work bridges theoretical advancements with practical implementations, emphasizing scalable and efficient network solutions. Publications : Over 214 publications with a focus on network virtualization, mobile edge computing, and distributed systems. Recent work explores encrypted traffic analysis and femto-cloud resource sharing. Awards : ACM/IEEE Fellowships (2002–2003), Best Paper Awards (2012, 2018), and multiple teaching excellence recognitions. Service : Editor-in-Chief of IEEE/ACM Transactions on Networking (1999–2003), conference co-chair roles, and steering committee memberships. Advising & Grants : Mentored 39 Ph.D. students and secured multi-million-dollar grants. His research has influenced industry standards and academic curricula. Labs/Teams : Active in Georgia Tech’s networking research groups, contributing to open-source network simulators and collaborative projects with global institutions.
Prof. Hermann Hellwagner is a Full Professor at the Department of Information Technology, University of Klagenfurt. He has held roles such as Vice President (Natural and Technical Sciences) at the Austrian Science Fund (FWF) and Vice Dean of the Faculty of Technical Sciences. His research focuses on multimedia communication, network engineering, and future internet architectures. Notable projects include work on adaptive streaming, edge computing, and drone networks. He holds a Ph.D. in Systolic Architectures from the University of Linz (1988). Research interests span distributed multimedia systems, information-centric networking (ICN), and optimizing video streaming quality-of-experience (QoE). Recent work emphasizes edge computing solutions for low-latency streaming and dynamic codec adaptation. His contributions include frameworks like ALPHAS and MEDUSA for bitrate optimization, and studies on point cloud streaming in augmented reality. Publications (2021–2025) highlight advancements in edge-assisted streaming, hybrid P2P-CDN architectures, and transcoding techniques. His work often bridges theoretical models with real-world implementations, addressing challenges in latency, cost, and device adaptability. Current projects involve 6DoF video streaming and multi-robot system optimization. Labs/Teams: Part of the Institute of Information Technology (ITEC), Klagenfurt. Collaborates on EU-funded projects and industry partnerships in 5G edge computing and drone networks. Active in standards groups for HTTP adaptive streaming protocols.
F. Richard Yu is a Professor at the School of Information Technology , Carleton University , Canada, since 2016. He served as Assistant/Associate Professor at the same institution from 2006 to 2015. His academic work spans machine learning, blockchain, autonomous vehicles, and network security. Ph.D., Electrical Engineering, University of British Columbia (2003) M.A.Sc., Computer Engineering, Beijing University of Posts & Telecomm. (1998) B.A.Sc., Electrical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology (1995) His research focuses on machine learning , blockchain , autonomous vehicles , network security , and mobile wireless networks . Trends in his publications include deep reinforcement learning for computation offloading , blockchain applications in edge computing , and network optimization for IoT and 5G systems . Highly Cited Researcher (2019-2023), Clarivate Electronics and Electrical Engineering Leader in Canada (2023), Research.com Fellow of Canadian Academy of Engineering (CAE) (2021), Engineering Institute of Canada (EIC) (2019), IEEE (2017), and IET (2016) Best Paper Awards: IEEE ICC (2022), IEEE GLOBECOM (2020), IEEE VTC (2017), IEEE TAOS (2012), IEEE TrustCom (2009) Research Achievement Award, Carleton University (2021, 2012) Early Researcher Award (2011), Ontario; Leadership Opportunity Fund Award (2009), Canada Foundation for Innovation His work has resulted in 800+ papers , 30 patents , and 48,000+ citations (H-index 107), with grants including the 2009 Canada Foundation for Innovation award.
Dragi Kimovski is a Habilitated Assistant Professor in Distributed Systems at Klagenfurt University, Austria, focusing on Edge Computing and AI. He previously held roles at the University of Innsbruck and the University of Information Science and Technology in Macedonia. His research spans Edge/Fog/Cloud computing, multi-objective optimization, and high-performance computing. He has coordinated major projects like 6GContinuum and KärtnerFog, and led initiatives such as DataCloud and ASPIDE. His teaching includes courses on Distributed Computing, Cloud Computing, and IoT. He is the co-creator of the Carinthian Computing Continuum and maintains a blog on Edge AI World. His work emphasizes sustainable and efficient computing solutions for emerging technologies. Education: Not explicitly listed in the provided text. Research Interests: Edge Computing, Fog Computing, Cloud Computing, Multi-objective Optimization, High-Performance Computing, AI in Distributed Systems. His work addresses challenges in resource management, latency reduction, and scalability across heterogeneous environments, with applications in healthcare, IoT, and 6G networks. Projects: 6GContinuum (Coordinator): Focuses on AI services over 6G networks. KärtnerFog (Scientific Coordinator): Develops adaptive Fog infrastructures over 5G. DataCloud (WP5 Leader): Manages Big Data pipelines on the Computing Continuum. ASPIDE (Scientific Coordinator): Advances exascale programming models for data processing. Teaching: Klagenfurt University: Courses include Distributed Computing, IoT, Cloud Computing, and Advanced Programming. University of Innsbruck: Taught Advanced Parallel and Distributed Systems. University of Information Science and Technology: Courses in High-Performance Computing and Network Architectures. Labs/Teams: Co-created the Carinthian Computing Continuum, an automated SDN testbed for Edge computing research. Active in interdisciplinary teams addressing extreme data processing and sustainable computing.
Marco Aiello is affiliated with the Vienna University of Technology (TU Wien), Department of Distributed Systems within the Faculty of Informatics. His work focuses on distributed systems, service-oriented computing, and cloud computing, with contributions to edge computing and IoT. He has edited multiple conference proceedings, including the 2023 SummerSOC conference and the 2016 Service-Oriented and Cloud Computing volume. His research includes projects like TEADAL (2022–2025) and SM4ALL (2008–2011), exploring middleware for pervasive environments and home automation. Aiello has authored influential papers on web service indexing, QoS composition, and embedded systems. He received the 2006 Web Service Challenge award for his indexing work. Education details: PhD in Informatics (not explicitly listed but inferred from role). His research interests span distributed systems' theoretical foundations and practical implementations, emphasizing accessibility and scalability. Recent publications highlight trends in serverless architectures and edge-based IoT processes. He is actively involved in academic publishing, serving as an editor and conference organizer. Key Projects : TEADAL (2022–2025), SM4ALL (2008–2011) Awards : 2006 Web Service Challenge (2nd place) Grants : FFG-funded project (2009–2011) Labs/Teams: Part of TU Wien's Distributed Systems research group, collaborating on middleware and service-oriented technologies.
Arturo Azcorra Saloña is a Full Professor at Universidad Carlos III de Madrid and the founder & Director of IMDEA Networks Institute. He has held leadership roles in technology transfer, including Director General positions at CDTI and the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation. Education: M.Sc. in Telecommunications Engineering (1986) and PhD in Telecommunications (1989) from UPM, MBA with honors from Instituto de Empresa (1993) Research interests focus on Multi-access Edge Computing , Network Function Virtualization , and 5G networks , with significant contributions to Software Defined Networks and Smart connectivity systems . His publications span wireless networking, vehicular networks, and formal methods, with high-impact papers on 802.11 protocols, 5G architecture, and vehicular mobility optimization. Scientific awards: Elected Chairman of Networld2020 ETP, Special University award for extraordinary merits (2002), National PhD prize (1990), Best graduating student prize (1986) Research management includes coordinating EU projects like 5G-TRANSFORMER, 5G-CROSSHAUL, and networks of excellence such as CONTENT and E-NEXT. He co-founded the ACM CoNEXT conference and contributes to European 5G PPP initiatives.
