Xiaojiang Du is the Anson Wood Burchard Endowed Professor at Stevens Institute of Technology, directing research in IoT security, AI security, and wireless networks. An IEEE Fellow and ACM Distinguished Member, he leads NSF-funded projects on secure IoT systems and cross-platform security vulnerabilities. Education PhD in Electrical Engineering, University of Maryland MS in Electrical Engineering, Tsinghua University BE in Electrical Engineering, Tsinghua University Research Focus: Develops security frameworks for IoT ecosystems and adversarial machine learning, with recent breakthroughs in smart home security anomaly detection. Honors: IEEE Fellow, ACM Distinguished Member, multiple best paper awards at IEEE conferences. Graduated PhD students hold faculty positions at UNC Charlotte, UL Lafayette, and ShanXi University. Professional Service: IEEE ComSoc Distinguished Lecturer, Associate Editor for IEEE Transactions, and General Co-Chair for IEEE/ACM IWQoS 2023. Secured $9M+ in research funding from NSF, NSA, and DOD.
Yongjoo Park is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), affiliated with the Grainger College of Engineering. He leads research in data-intensive AI systems as a member of the Data and Information Systems (DAIS) lab, focusing on novel data systems that bridge database theory and practical AI applications. His work emphasizes open-source contributions through GitHub and direct societal impact. Research interests center on systems for data-intensive AI , particularly efficient Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) systems for exploratory AI, data science versioning, and in-storage computing. Key projects include Kishu (the world's first undoable Jupyter notebook with time-travel capabilities), CARE (a causal-relational system for structured/unstructured data), and AirDB/AirIndex (serverless transactions and automatic index optimization). His group develops tools enabling scalable, optimized AI workflows from storage layers to LLM inference. Recent publications reveal a strong focus on interactive data systems (85% of recent work), with significant contributions to notebook environments (Kishu), vector databases (ISCA'25), and RAG optimization. Awards highlight technical innovation, including SIGMOD 2025 Best Demo Award and NSF CAREER funding. His open-source philosophy drives GitHub releases of all major systems. SIGMOD 2025 Best Demo Award (Kishu) NSF CAREER Award (Novel data science systems) SIGMOD'23 Best Artifact Award Honorable Mention (DeepOLA) IBM-Illinois Project Selection (VectorDB/RAG) Mentorship spans 12 current PhD/MS students and 6 graduated advisees, including Supawit Chockchowwat (now Postdoc at Google, future Assistant Professor at CMKL University). He teaches advanced courses like CS511 (Advanced Data Management) and recruits 1-2 new PhD students annually, prioritizing data systems research. His lab emphasizes diversity, individual respect, and concrete outcomes in a collaborative workspace.
Oussama Damen is a Professor at the University of Waterloo's Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. His research focuses on advanced wireless communication systems, particularly in MIMO (Multiple-Input Multiple-Output) systems, signal processing, and machine learning applications in telecommunications. He is actively involved in developing innovative solutions for beamforming, hybrid precoding, and distributed decoding in massive MIMO and millimeter-wave networks. Damen's work also extends to optical fiber communication, federated learning in wireless systems, and optimization of resource allocation in next-generation networks like 5G/6G. His research interests include wireless communication theory, antenna system design, channel modeling, and algorithm development for improving spectral and energy efficiency. He has contributed extensively to the theoretical foundations of MIMO detection, lattice reduction techniques, and statistical signal processing methods. Notable trends in his publications emphasize bridging theoretical performance limits with practical implementations, particularly in scenarios involving channel impairments, limited backhaul capacity, and multi-core fiber transmission. His work often addresses fairness and optimization in distributed systems, including federated learning frameworks and hybrid beamforming architectures. No scientific awards or grants are explicitly mentioned in the provided information. Damen has advised no listed students, and no specific lab affiliations are noted.
Halim Yanikomeroglu is a Full Professor and Chancellor's Professor at Carleton University's Department of Systems and Computer Engineering, part of the Faculty of Engineering and Design. His research focuses on wireless communications, including 5G/6G networks, non-terrestrial systems (HAPS/LEO satellites), MIMO, and cognitive radio. He has supervised numerous graduate students and holds IEEE Fellow status and the Harold Sobol Award. His work integrates machine learning, federated learning, and sustainability into next-generation networks. Affiliations: Carleton University, IEEE Education: Ph.D. (Toronto), M.A.Sc. (Toronto), B.Sc. (Middle East Technical University) Research interests span cellular networks, relay architectures, and energy-efficient systems. He pioneered cell-switching strategies for green networks and contributed to HAPS and UAV-based infrastructure. His recent work addresses NTN integration, AI-driven spectrum management, and 6G innovations. Awards include IEEE Fellow (2017) and multiple Research.com leadership accolades. His 150+ publications span journals like IEEE Transactions and conferences like ICC. Advising over 50 students, he emphasizes interdisciplinary solutions for future wireless challenges.
Filip Biljecki is an Assistant Professor jointly appointed at the Department of Architecture within the College of Design and Engineering and the Department of Real Estate at the NUS Business School, National University of Singapore. He is the founder and principal investigator of the NUS Urban Analytics Lab and was awarded the prestigious NUS Presidential Young Professorship in 2020. With over 150 peer-reviewed publications, his research bridges geomatic engineering, geospatial technologies, and urban data science to advance digital twins and data-driven urban planning. Dr. Biljecki's educational background includes: PhD in 3D GIS (cum laude), Delft University of Technology, Netherlands (2017) MSc in Geomatics, Delft University of Technology, Netherlands (2010) BSc in Geodesy and Geoinformatics, University of Zagreb, Croatia (2008) His research interests focus on emerging urban data sources, particularly urban imagery, and their application in 3D city modeling, digital twins, and GeoAI. He explores how crowdsourcing and open science can inform cutting-edge techniques for urban sensing and analytics at city-scale. His work significantly contributes to establishing smart cities through innovative methods that integrate recent advancements in computer science, geomatics, and urban data science. Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong focus on street view imagery applications for urban analytics, digital twin development, and geospatial AI. His research spans multiple domains including urban morphology, environmental assessment, public health applications, and urban comfort analysis. The interdisciplinary nature of his work is evident in collaborations with researchers from diverse fields, producing impactful studies that address complex urban challenges through innovative methodological approaches. His notable scientific achievements include: Annual Teaching Excellence Award (ATEA), 2025 College Educator Award AY2023/2024, 2025 Urban Informatics Paper of the Year Award, 2023 Top 2% scientists worldwide (Stanford University), 2021 Presidential Young Professorship (NUS), 2020 As an educator, Dr. Biljecki has supervised dozens of students leading to publications in leading journals and placements at top universities and organizations. He has delivered talks at over 120 universities and organizations worldwide including MIT, Stanford, Harvard, and ETH Zurich. His research is supported through various grants and affiliations including his role as Principal Investigator at the Future Cities Lab Global at the Singapore-ETH Centre. The NUS Urban Analytics Lab, which he established, brings together scholars from diverse disciplines to drive research on making cities smarter and more data-driven. The lab has developed innovative tools like ZenSVI for street view imagery analysis and has produced influential research on urban digital twins, urban morphology, and GeoAI applications. Through his leadership, the lab continues to pioneer methods that advance data-driven urban planning and smart city development.
Georges Kaddoum is a Professor at École de technologie supérieure (ÉTS) , specializing in Electrical Engineering. He holds the Canada Research Chair in Unlocking the Power of IoT 6G-Networks and the LACIME – Communications and Microelectronic Integration Laboratory affiliation. His work bridges wireless communications, IoT, and machine learning. Research Interests include wireless communication systems, physical layer security, machine learning for networking, and 6G technologies. He focuses on optimizing network performance in challenging environments (impulsive noise, underwater, non-terrestrial networks) and developing AI-driven solutions for jamming mitigation, resource allocation, and secure IoT frameworks. Recent Publications highlight 6G-enabled vehicular networks, quantum-safe blockchain integration, federated learning for transportation systems, and deep learning-based receivers for chaotic communication systems. His work emphasizes semantic communication, interference management, and digital twin applications. Awards IEEE TCSC Award for Excellence in Scalable Computing (2022) Prix d’excellence de la relève (Université du Québec, 2018) Prix d’excellence en recherche (ÉTS, 2018) Multiple IEEE Exemplary Reviewer and Best Paper Awards (2014–2022) Supervision includes 15+ PhD/Master’s students working on topics like index modulation, physical layer security, UAV communications, and intelligent resource management. Research Units Ultra Research Chair on Intelligent Tactical Wireless Networks LACIME Laboratory Canada Research Chair in IoT 6G-Networks
Henry Corrigan-Gibbs is an Assistant Professor in MIT's Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) and a member of the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL). He leads research in computer security, cryptography, and privacy-preserving systems. His work focuses on practical cryptographic systems that empower users while maintaining strong security guarantees. Notable contributions include the Tiptoe private search engine, Prio for privacy-preserving data aggregation, and Larch for secure authentication. His research has influenced industry standards at Apple, Google, and Mozilla, and has been recognized with awards such as the Best Young Researcher Paper at Eurocrypt and the Caspar Bowden Award. Education: PhD in Computer Science (Stanford University, advised by Dan Boneh), Postdoc at EPFL (hosted by Bryan Ford). B.S. in Computer Science from Yale University. Research Interests: Private Information Retrieval, Secure Authentication, Cryptographic Systems, Privacy-Preserving Analytics, and Hardware Security. His lab collaborates with PDOS and CSS research groups at MIT and co-hosts the MIT Security Seminar series. Grants and Funding: Supported by industry and government agencies (details in paper acknowledgments). Teaching roles include co-instructor for Applied Cryptography (6.5610) and Foundations of Computer Security (6.1600). Key Projects: Prio (used in iOS/Android), Tiptoe (private web search), Larch (backdoor-resistant authentication), and Whisper/Poplar systems for private data aggregation. His team includes postdocs, PhD students, and undergrad researchers working on cutting-edge cryptographic protocols.
Natalie Enright Jerger is a Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Toronto's Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering. She holds the Canada Research Chair in Computer Architecture and serves as Director of the Division of Engineering Science (2023-2028). Previously, she was the Percy Edward Hart Professor (2016-2019). She received her B.S. in Computer Engineering from Purdue University (2002), and M.S./Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from University of Wisconsin-Madison (2004/2008). Her research focuses on: Multi/many-core architectures and on-chip networks Cache coherence protocols and memory hierarchy optimization Approximate computing and sustainable systems Intermittent computing for energy-harvesting devices Hardware acceleration for machine learning Her publications demonstrate strong emphasis on networks-on-chip (NoC) innovations, including routing algorithms, deadlock handling, power-efficient designs, and topology optimizations. Recent work expands into approximate computing, mobile architectures, and ML-driven hardware design. Major Awards: Fellow of Engineering Institute of Canada (2023) McLean Senior Fellow (2019) IEEE Micro Top Picks (2016) ACM/IEEE Microarchitecture Hall of Fame (2015) Sloan Research Fellowship (2015) Canada Research Chair (current) Distinguished Scientist, ACM Fellow, IEEE She leads the NEJ research group and collaborates with industry partners including Intel, AMD, Qualcomm, and IBM. Her work is funded by NSERC, CFI, and industrial grants. She co-chaired ASPLOS 2023 and HPCA 2014, and actively promotes diversity through WICARCH and ACM initiatives.
Tariq Iqbal is an Assistant Professor at the University of Virginia , with joint appointments in the Department of Systems and Information Engineering and Department of Computer Science . He leads the Collaborative Robotics Lab (CRL) , specializing in human-robot teams and embodied AI . Previously, he was a Postdoctoral Associate at MIT's CSAIL , advised by Prof. Julie Shah , and earned his Ph.D. in Computer Science from University of California San Diego (UCSD) under Prof. Laurel Riek . Ph.D. in Computer Science, University of California San Diego (2017) M.S. in Computer Science, University of Texas at El Paso (2012) B.S. in Computer Science and Engineering, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (2007) His research lies at the intersection of artificial intelligence and robotics , focusing on human-robot collaboration in dynamic environments. Key areas include motion prediction , multimodal fusion , trust modeling , and collaborative learning . His work integrates cognitive science and deep learning to enhance robotic fluency in naturalistic settings. Recent publications (2023–2025) highlight advancements in human-robot team dynamics , multimodal dataset creation , and motion prediction algorithms . Notable works include Energy-Based Transformers for scalable AI, PoseTron for motion prediction, and Accessible Navigation Mapping for assistive robotics. These contributions span trust modeling , cloud robotic infrastructure , and safety in close-proximity collaboration . National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER Award Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) Young Investigator Program (YIP) Award Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing (CCAM) Innovation Award As faculty, he has secured grants from NSF and AFOSR , mentored research students, and taught courses like Stochastic Modeling I (SYS 6005) and Robots and Humans (SYS 4582/6465, ECE 4502/6465, CS 6465) . His prior industry roles at IBM Watson Lab and Grameenphone Ltd. inform his applied research in telecom infrastructure and cognitive robotics . He leads the Collaborative Robotics Lab (CRL) at UVA, which develops multimodal datasets , real-time coordination algorithms , and adaptive pathfinding systems . Current projects explore human motion prediction , team synchrony , and embodied question-answering , reflecting his commitment to advancing human-robot fluency and contextual AI .
Andrew Warfield is an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Computer Science at the University of British Columbia (UBC) and a Senior Principal Engineer at Amazon. His research focuses on computer systems software, including virtualization, distributed storage, security, and high-availability systems. He previously held roles as Associate Professor at UBC, CTO at Coho Data, and Technical Director at Citrix Systems. His work has led to projects like Remus (high-availability replication), Tralfamadore (execution analysis), and secure hypervisor development with Xen. Warfield's education includes a PhD from the University of Cambridge's Computer Laboratory, where he researched I/O device virtualization under Steven Hand. He has held visiting roles at Intel Research Cambridge and internships at AT&T Research and Nortel Networks. Research Grants: Supported by Intel Research, NSERC, Network Appliance, and the Communications Security Establishment. Professional Activities: Technical Advisory Board Member at Teradici, and involvement in program committees for conferences like HotOS, EuroSys, and FAST. His research emphasizes practical systems, aiming to bridge the gap between theoretical computer science and real-world applications. Notable contributions include innovations in storage for virtualized environments, secure hypervisor architectures, and disaster-tolerant systems like SecondSite. Warfield is affiliated with UBC's Department of Computer Science and maintains active collaboration with industry partners. Though currently not actively recruiting students, his prior mentorship has influenced many in systems research.
Duminda Wijesekera serves as Professor in the Department of Cyber Security Engineering and Department of Computer Science at George Mason University, where he was inaugural chairman of the Cyber Security Engineering Department until December 2022. He concurrently held the position of visiting research scientist at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) from 2007-2022 and maintains status as a fellow at the Potomac Institute of Policy Studies. He leads the Mason Innovation Laboratory at Mason Square, driving translational research in cyber-physical security. His educational foundation includes: PhD in Computer Science, University of Minnesota (1997) PhD in Mathematical Logic, Cornell University (1990) BSc in Mathematics, University of Colombo Professor Wijesekera's research centers on cyber-physical system security , with pioneering work in Intelligent Transportation Systems spanning trains, aircraft, and connected vehicles. His digital forensics innovations establish frameworks for evidence-based scenario reconstruction and error management, while his formal methods research provides mathematical guarantees for safety-critical systems. Current projects address Next G-based edge services, digital twin vulnerability detection, and healthcare security architectures, consistently bridging theoretical rigor with real-world infrastructure protection. Analysis of his 2022-2025 publications reveals intense focus on autonomous vehicle security (38% of recent output), including traffic signal control optimization, ramming attack countermeasures, and CARLA-based scenario validation. Digital forensics using AI (20%) and secure manufacturing/edge computing (27%) constitute other major thrusts, demonstrating how formal verification and machine learning converge to solve complex cyber-physical security challenges across transportation, energy, and healthcare domains. His scientific recognition includes: CCI Impact Award (2022) for groundbreaking cyber-physical security contributions Fellowship at the Potomac Institute of Policy Studies for cybersecurity policy leadership Professor Wijesekera has secured substantial research funding through: NIST grants for health record security frameworks (2014-2015) US Department of Transportation projects on wireless frequency mapping for high-speed rail (2013-2014) Cyber Security Research Alliance funding for trust architectures in cyber-physical systems (2014) Commonwealth Cyber Initiative awards for autonomous vehicle security and energy-efficient manufacturing His industry partnerships with Honeywell and NIST ensure practical impact of theoretical research. The Mason Innovation Laboratory under his direction serves as an interdisciplinary hub for cyber-physical security, integrating researchers from computer science, electrical engineering, and policy studies to develop deployable solutions for transportation networks, power grids, and critical infrastructure protection.
Dr. Samuel Cheng is an Associate Professor at the Gallogly College of Engineering , University of Oklahoma , specializing in Electrical and Computer Engineering . He holds a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Texas A&M University (2004), preceded by M.S. and M.Phil. degrees from the University of Hawaii and Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. Education: B.S. (University of Hong Kong, 1995), M.Phil. (HKUST, 1997), M.S. (University of Hawaii, 2000), Ph.D. (Texas A&M, 2004) Professional Experience: Senior Research Engineer at Advanced Digital Imaging Research (2004-2005), prior internships at Microsoft Asia and Panasonic Technologies His research focuses on Information Theory , Signal and Image Processing , and Pattern Recognition , with applications in remote sensing, urbanization analysis, and disaster monitoring. His publications span topics including urban impervious surface mapping , nighttime light analysis , and machine learning for environmental data . His work often integrates multi-source datasets (e.g., Landsat, LiDAR, social media) for spatiotemporal modeling. Technical Expertise: Spectral unmixing, machine learning, thermal remote sensing, GIS integration Key Applications: Power outage detection, vegetation-crime correlation, PM2.5 estimation, smart meter data fusion Dr. Cheng holds three US patents in digital watermarking and is affiliated with IEEE, Sigma Xi, and AAAS. His recent articles demonstrate a trend toward leveraging AI for remote sensing challenges and analyzing urbanization impacts on ecosystems.
Dr. Robert J. Teather is an Associate Professor and the Director of the School of Information Technology at Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada. He previously served as an interim Director of the School of Information Technology during the 2022-23 academic year. His academic journey includes a PhD in Computer Science from York University (2013) and a postdoctoral fellowship at McMaster University (2015). Dr. Teather's educational background includes: PhD in Computer Science from York University (2013) Master's Thesis: "Comparing 2D and 3D Direct Manipulation Interfaces" from York University (2008), which was awarded the Joseph Liu Thesis Award Dr. Teather's research broadly falls under the field of human-computer interaction, with specialization in 3D user interfaces, virtual reality, and user interfaces for computer games. His work establishes methods for direct comparison of 2D and 3D interfaces for conceptually equivalent tasks, such as selection and manipulation interfaces. He investigates factors influencing human performance in VR, including stereo 3D graphics, haptic feedback, and head-tracking. His research also evaluates novel user interfaces like tilt control or touchscreens, and examines human performance with game input devices in complex tasks involving navigation, selection, and manipulation of objects in game environments. His research has been published extensively in top venues including IEEE VR, ACM SUI, and Graphics Interface. Among his notable scientific achievements are: NSERC Postgraduate Scholarship during his PhD studies Ontario Graduate Scholarship during his PhD studies Best Paper Honourable Mention at the ACM Symposium on Applied Perception 2020 Best Demo Award for SUI 2017 Joseph Liu Thesis Award (2008) Dr. Teather actively supervises graduate students at Carleton University, currently overseeing multiple PhD and Master's students in the areas of human-computer interaction and interactive digital media. His research is supported by NSERC and the Canada Foundation for Innovation, providing funding for his students and laboratory equipment. His students have produced research spanning VR as a persuasive tool to improve vaccine confidence, selection performance using smartphones in VR, and text entry methods in virtual reality environments. Dr. Teather leads a well-equipped CFI-supported lab focused on virtual and augmented reality research. His team works collaboratively on projects related to interactive virtual reality systems, computer game user interfaces, and input devices for 3D interaction. The lab environment fosters interdisciplinary research with opportunities for students to work on cutting-edge VR/AR technologies and contribute to the growing field of spatial computing.
Kaiyang Liu is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Computer Science, Memorial University of Newfoundland. He holds a Ph.D. from Central South University (2019) and was a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Victoria, Canada. His research focuses on distributed cloud/edge computing, data center networks, and distributed machine learning, emphasizing optimization for data-intensive services. He is an IEEE Senior Member and has received prestigious awards, including the NSERC Discovery Grants and IEEE TCCLD Outstanding Ph.D. Thesis Award. Education: Ph.D. in Information Science and Technology, Central South University (2014–2019) M.Sc. in Information Science and Technology, Central South University (2012–2014) B.Eng. in Information Science and Technology, Central South University (2008–2012) Research Assistant at the University of Victoria (2016–2018) Research Interests: Kaiyang’s work bridges AI and cloud computing, exploring optimization strategies for next-generation systems. Key areas include learning-based congestion control, energy-efficient resource management, and scalable distributed storage solutions. His research has been published in top-tier journals like IEEE Transactions on Parallel and Distributed Systems and conferences such as IEEE ICDCS. Awards & Grants: NSERC Discovery Grants & Discovery Launch Supplement (2024) IEEE TCCLD Outstanding Ph.D. Thesis Award (2020) CSC-UVic Fellowship (2016–2018) Teaching: He teaches courses on Computer Networks, Advanced Computer Networks, and Operating Systems at Memorial University and previously at the University of Victoria. Labs & Teams: His research group focuses on Space Edge Computing, leveraging LEO satellites for resilient, low-latency networks. Ongoing projects include optimizing distributed systems for AI workloads and satellite-based data centers.
Özer Özkahraman is a postdoctoral researcher at the Division of Robotics, Perception and Learning (RPL) at KTH Royal Institute of Technology. He works under Ivan Stenius and John Folkesson, focusing on underwater mission planning, simulation, and integration of autonomous systems. His email is ozero@kth.se . He completed his PhD at KTH under Petter Ögren, researching large-scale multi-agent coverage planning for autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs). Current projects include the SMaRCSim multi-domain simulation platform and development of underwater vehicles like LoLo, SAM, and Evolo. Research interests span autonomous underwater systems, multi-agent coordination, control systems, and simulation infrastructure. He emphasizes modular, accessible frameworks for vehicle testing and real-world deployment. His work bridges theoretical methods (e.g., control barrier functions) with practical applications in marine robotics. Publications focus on AUV navigation, environmental sensing, and adaptive control. Projects like Real2Sim aim to align simulation with real-world vehicle dynamics using motion capture data. He collaborates internationally on topics like data-driven damage detection and model compression for resource-constrained robots. No academic awards are explicitly mentioned. He actively seeks collaborators for projects in sonar simulation, flow field modeling, and cyber-physical system integration.
