Prof. Ahmed Al-Dubai is a Professor at the School of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment, Edinburgh Napier University, where he leads the IoT and Networked Systems Research Group and serves as Cybersecurity and Cyber Physical Systems Research Lead. His interdisciplinary research spans Multi-access Edge Computing, High-Performance Networks, Cognitive IoT Systems, VANETs, AI, E-Health, Smart Cities, and Security . He earned his PhD in Computing Science from the University of Glasgow in 2004. His recent publications focus on edge computing architectures, digital twin security, Arabic NLP, wireless energy harvesting, and vehicular communication . His work has been recognized with IEEE Outstanding Service Award, Best Paper Awards at IEEE IUCC 2015 and ACM MoMM 2013 , and fellowships like Senior IEEE Member and British Higher Education Academy Fellow . He supervises 20+ PhD students and has served on 60+ IEEE/ACM conference committees. Current projects include AI-driven fish identification (Innovate UK £265K) , secure IoT protocols (Royal Society £12K) , and COG-MHEAR (EPSRC £3.26M) . He has held visiting professorships at Universite de Valenciennes, University of Sydney, and University of Shenyang.
Dr. Kang Liang is a Scientia Associate Professor at the University of New South Wales (UNSW Sydney), specifically within the School of Chemical Engineering. He leads the Nano-Micro-Bio Systems research group and serves as Co-Chair of the Australian Synchrotron Program Advisory Committee for SAXS/WAXS and BioSAXS. His research focuses on the intersection of nanotechnology, biocatalysis, and materials science, with particular expertise in metal-organic frameworks and their applications in biomedical and environmental contexts. Dr. Liang's research interests center around interfacial engineering of nanostructured materials, NanoBionics, biomimetics and biomineralization, and smart nano-micro-bio systems. His work explores how nanomaterials can interface with biological systems to create innovative solutions for healthcare, environmental monitoring, and energy applications. He has made significant contributions to the field of biocatalytic metal-organic frameworks, demonstrating their potential in drug delivery, cytoprotection, and cell manipulation. His publication record shows a strong focus on developing advanced nanomaterials with applications spanning from environmental remediation (water purification, contaminant removal) to biomedical applications (drug delivery, biosensing, cancer treatment). The trends in his recent publications indicate increasing sophistication in the design of nanomotors and nanoswimmers, with growing emphasis on precision targeting, multi-functionality, and integration with biological systems. Victoria Fellowship in Physical Sciences (2017) Fellow of the Australian Royal Chemical Institute (FRACI) Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC, UK) NHMRC Career Development Fellow (2019-2022) ARC Future Fellow (2023-2027) Dr. Liang actively mentors PhD and MPhil students through his research group and encourages highly motivated candidates to join his team. His research is supported by significant funding including his current ARC Future Fellowship (2023-2027). His work bridges chemical engineering, materials science, and biomedical applications, creating a unique interdisciplinary approach to solving complex problems in healthcare and environmental sustainability. His laboratory focuses on developing innovative nanomaterial platforms that interface with biological systems, with particular emphasis on creating responsive and adaptive systems that can perform specific functions when triggered by environmental conditions. The group's work represents a cutting-edge intersection of nanotechnology, bioengineering, and materials science.
Professor Francois Ladouceur is a distinguished academic at the University of New South Wales (UNSW), where he serves in the Faculty of Engineering, specifically within the School of Electrical Engineering and Telecommunications. With a career spanning over three decades, Professor Ladouceur has established himself as a leading expert in photonics, optical engineering, and neural interfaces. His educational background includes: Ph.D. in Optical Communication from The Australian National University (1992) Masters in Solid State Physics from École Polytechnique, Montréal, Canada (1987) B. Eng. in Engineering Physics from École Polytechnique, Montréal, Canada (1985) Professor Ladouceur's research spans several cutting-edge areas in photonics and optical engineering. His work focuses on integrated optics, silica and diamond-based photonics, optical sensing networks, and photonics-based brain/machine interfaces. He has made significant contributions to both fundamental waveguide theory and applied integrated optics, introducing innovative approaches to waveguide path design that have improved the size and ease of design of integrated optics devices. His recent work has particularly emphasized the development of liquid crystal-based optical electrodes for neural interfacing and brain/machine interfaces. Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong trend toward biomedical applications of photonics, particularly in neural interfaces and optrode technology. His research has evolved from fundamental optical engineering to practical applications in healthcare, with a focus on developing novel optical sensing technologies for electrophysiological measurements. The interdisciplinary nature of his work combines optical engineering, materials science, and biomedical engineering to create innovative solutions for neural interfacing. Professor Ladouceur has secured significant research funding through multiple prestigious grants: ARC Discovery (DP200102825): "A Multi-Optrode Array for Closed-Loop Bionics" ($495k) NHMRC Ideas Grant (APP2002282): "Re-engineering the Future of Electrophysiological Measurements" ($732k) ARC Discovery 2016 (DP160104625): "Design of an optrode for next generation brain-machine interfaces" ($457.6k) CRC Project 2016: "High performance optical telemetry system for ocean monitoring" ($1,014,320) US Office of Naval Research: "Multi-Optrode Array for Neural Interfacing" (US$360,000) Professor Ladouceur has extensive experience in translating research into practical applications, having founded Bandwidth Foundry Pty Ltd after raising approximately $20 million from private and public sources. His work bridges the gap between academic research and commercial applications, with a particular focus on developing novel hybrid opto-electronics devices from initial design through to commercial realization. He collaborates extensively with researchers across disciplines, particularly with Professor Nigel Lovell and other colleagues in biomedical engineering. His laboratory focuses on developing optical technologies for neural interfaces, with current projects including multi-optrode arrays for brain-machine interfaces, optical telemetry systems for various sensing applications, and diamond-based photonic structures. The research group maintains strong connections with industry partners and defense organizations, applying photonics solutions to real-world problems in healthcare, mining safety, and ocean monitoring.
Yan Huang is an Associate Professor in the Department of Software Engineering and Game Development at Kennesaw State University (KSU). His work bridges Federated Learning (FL) and Cybersecurity Education , with a focus on personalization and privacy in distributed systems. Research spans Machine Learning , Extended Reality (XR) , and Data Privacy . He has served as Editor of WCMC and Program Co-Chair for CyberSciTech 2020-2024. Research Trends: Recent publications emphasize Federated Learning for non-IID data, VR-based Cybersecurity Education , and Privacy-Preserving Algorithms in IoT and social media analytics. Key subfields include personalized learning architectures, graph learning, and game-theoretic privacy frameworks. Scientific Awards: Excellent Paper Award (Tsinghua Science and Technology, 2021) Best Paper Award (Future Generation Computer Systems, 2019) Best Paper Awards at IEEE SmartWorld 2021, COCOA 2019, and WASA 2019 Grants: Led over $600,000 in NSF and NSA-funded projects, including VR cybersecurity education for K-12 and XR engineering curricula. His lab recruits VR/AR Research Assistants via industry partnerships.
Dr Bastien Lechat is a Research Fellow at Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute (FHMRI): Sleep Health, within the College of Medicine and Public Health at Flinders University. He is also a Full Member of the College of Science and Engineering and the Medical Device Research Institute. As an NHMRC Emerging Leadership Fellow, he leads innovative research at the intersection of sleep medicine, artificial intelligence, and wearable technology. Education: PhD in Sleep Health, Adelaide Institute for Sleep Health, Flinders University (2018–2021) Bachelor of Engineering in Engineering Science/Acoustics, Université du Maine, France (2014–2017) Dr Lechat’s research focuses on understanding the physiological mechanisms and consequences of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), particularly night-to-night variability and patient subtypes. He develops AI-driven tools for efficient and accurate diagnosis using wearables and signal processing. His work aims to create a scalable, low-cost model of care for sleep-disordered breathing, addressing global diagnostic gaps. His recent publications reveal a strong trend in digital health innovation, with a focus on machine learning for OSA detection, circadian rhythm modeling, cardiovascular risk prediction, and climate impacts on sleep. His research has been published in top journals including Nature Communications , Journal of Sleep Research , and Sleep Medicine , demonstrating interdisciplinary reach. Scientific Awards and Recognition: NHMRC Emerging Leadership Fellow (2023) Helen Bearpark Memorial Scholarship (2022) Emerging Research Leader Award, Flinders University (2021) Multiple early-career awards from Sleep Down Under, Australasian Sleep Association, and Adelaide Sleep Retreat Ranked in the top 5% of international authors in sleep apnea by Expertscape Dr Lechat has secured over $2.5 million in competitive research funding and actively supervises and mentors junior researchers. He serves on the program committee of the American Thoracic Society meetings and contributes to clinical guidelines. He collaborates globally with industry and academic partners to translate research into clinical practice. Laboratories and Research Teams: He co-leads the 'Novel use of digital innovations & technology development' theme at FHMRI: Sleep Health, working closely with Professor Danny Eckert. His team integrates expertise in biomedical engineering, data science, and clinical sleep physiology to advance digital sleep medicine.
Prof. Vahid Jamali is an Assistant Professor and Head of the Resilient Communication Systems Group at the Technical University of Darmstadt, Germany. His research focuses on resilient communications, 6G wireless systems, bio-inspired molecular communication, and reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RIS). He holds a Doctoral Degree from Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Germany, and has served as a postdoctoral researcher at Princeton University and FAU. Education PhD in Communication Systems, FAU (2019) Visiting Researcher at Stanford University (2017) Research Assistant at FAU's Institute for Digital Communications (2013-2019) Research Interests Resilient Networks : Emergency networks, RIS-based systems, and resilience-by-design architectures. Wireless Innovations : 6G technologies, holographic MIMO, and joint communication-sensing systems. Bio-inspired Systems : Molecular communication modeling using biological principles like diffusion and chemical reactions. Recent Work Trends His 2024-2025 publications emphasize RIS optimization (e.g., temperature-aware phase shifts, fast beam switching) and molecular communication (e.g., Poisson channel identification, bio-inspired receiver designs). Emerging themes include AoI-based RIS reconfiguration and integrated sensing-communication-powering (ISCAP) for IoT. Lab Activities He leads the Resilient Communication Systems Group, exploring cutting-edge RIS hardware (e.g., liquid crystal implementations) and theoretical foundations for future wireless systems.
Kyusang Lee is an Associate Professor in the Electrical and Computer Engineering and Materials Science and Engineering departments at the University of Virginia. His research focuses on optoelectronic devices, neuromorphic computing, and smart sensors, emphasizing applications in solar energy conversion and flexible electronics. He holds a B.S. from Korea University (2005), M.S. from Johns Hopkins University (2009), and Ph.D. from the University of Michigan (2014). He conducted postdoctoral research at the University of Michigan and MIT. Education: B.S., Electrical Engineering, Korea University, 2005 M.S., Electrical and Computer Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, 2009 Ph.D., Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Michigan, 2014 Postdoctoral Fellowships: University of Michigan (EECS), MIT (Mechanical Engineering) His research interests span thin-film and flexible optoelectronics, neuromorphic computing architectures, and AIoT-enabled smart sensors. Notable contributions include remote epitaxy techniques for semiconductor membrane integration and solar-tracking concentrator designs. His work bridges materials science and device engineering to advance energy-efficient optoelectronics and bioinspired systems. Key Research Themes: Organic/inorganic optoelectronic devices for solar energy Flexible and stretchable electronics Neuromorphic hardware for edge computing Gas sensing and bioinspired sensor systems Lee’s publications reflect interdisciplinary innovation, with recent work on ferroelectric transistors, neuromorphic vision systems, and high-efficiency photovoltaics. He received the NSF CAREER Award (2020) and AFOSR YIP Award (2023).
Kristin Y. Pettersen is a Professor at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in the Department of Engineering Cybernetics, Faculty of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering. She holds a PhD and MSc in Engineering Cybernetics from NTNU and serves as an Adjunct Professor at the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment (FFI). She co-founded and led Eelume AS as its first CEO. PhD in Engineering Cybernetics, NTNU MSc in Engineering Cybernetics, NTNU Her research focuses on nonlinear control theory, motion control of mechanical systems, and marine robotics. Key areas include autonomous vehicles, underactuated systems, and cooperative control. Her recent work involves snake robotics, vehicle-manipulator systems, and safety-critical control algorithms. Her publications demonstrate trends in marine robotics , nonlinear control systems , autonomous navigation , formation control , and adaptive algorithms . Emerging topics include energy-shaping control , extremum-seeking optimization , and task-priority frameworks for complex robotic systems. 2025: Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters (DNVA) 2020: ERC Advanced Grant 2017: IEEE Fellow 2016-2021: Board member, Eelume AS 2013-2023: Key scientist, NTNU AMOS She has supervised 30 PhD graduates and currently mentors 16 PhD candidates. Her grants include ERC PoC UR4energy (€150k), ERC AdG CRÈME (€2.5M), and CAROS (NOK 45M) for subsea autonomy. She leads teams at NTNU's Applied Underwater Robotics Laboratory and contributes to the Cluster of Excellence IntCDC.
Jiaxuan Li is an Assistant Professor of Geophysics in the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Houston's College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. His research focuses on developing fiber-optic sensing technologies for seismic monitoring across diverse geological environments including volcanic, crustal, and glacial settings. Dr. Li's educational background includes a Ph.D. in Geophysics from the University of Houston (2015-2020) and a B.S. in Geophysics from Peking University (2011-2015). He previously held a postdoctoral position at Caltech Seismolab under Prof. Zhongwen Zhan. His research program centers on distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) applications, with major contributions in volcanic eruption forecasting through minute-scale magma migration imaging, earthquake rupture dynamics via high-frequency fault asperity analysis, and subsurface characterization for carbon sequestration and geothermal energy. Recent work demonstrates DAS capabilities as dense geodetic arrays for real-time volcanic monitoring systems deployed in Iceland through collaborations with the Icelandic Met Office and Reykjavik University. Analysis of Dr. Li's publication record reveals a strong emphasis on operationalizing fiber-optic networks for geophysical monitoring, with significant advancements in eruption early warning systems, earthquake source characterization, and subsurface imaging techniques. His work bridges fundamental seismological research with practical hazard mitigation applications. Dr. Li actively mentors graduate students and recently welcomed postdoc Dr. Tianfan Yan to his research team. His lab operates real-time DAS streaming systems for volcanic eruption monitoring in Iceland, developed through international collaborations involving the University of Houston, Caltech, Ljósleiðarann, and Reykjavik University. Current research directions include expanding DAS applications for carbon sequestration verification and deep geothermal reservoir characterization.
HaoTian Harvey Shi serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering at Western University's Faculty of Engineering. His research focuses on sustainable functional materials for hierarchical additive manufacturing across multiple length scales. Education: Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Toronto, 2020 M.A.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Toronto, 2016 B.A.Sc. in Engineering Science, University of Toronto, 2014 Dr. Shi's research at the intersection of advanced manufacturing, nanoengineering, and material informatics targets applications in sensors (Organ-on-a-Chip Models, Microneedle-based Minimally Invasive Sensors) and energy storage (Supercapacitors and Zn-ion Batteries). His Data-Driven Advanced Manufacturing (D2M) Group develops hierarchical functionalized nanostructures where hidden relations between manufacturing parameters and device performance are revealed through innovative materials science approaches. His recent publications demonstrate expertise in graphene-based sensors, functionally-graded supercapacitors, nanohybrid strain sensors, and organ-on-chip models, reflecting trends toward multi-scale manufacturing for biomedical and energy applications. Scientific Awards: NSERC PGS-D doctoral award Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS) NSERC PDF Fellowship Dr. Shi previously held a post-doctoral Research Associate position at the University of Cambridge, developing multi-length-scale hierarchical fibre-based printing technologies. His work combines mechanical design principles with materials science to optimize hierarchical manufacturing parameters for enhanced device performance. The Data-Driven Advanced Manufacturing (D2M) Group operates within Western University's advanced manufacturing ecosystem, leveraging facilities for nanoengineering and materials characterization to develop next-generation sustainable functional materials.
Jeeseop Kim is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering at The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), College of Engineering, specializing in robotics, autonomy, and control theory. His research focuses on safety-critical planning and control, with emphasis on bipedal/quadrupedal locomotion, hybrid dynamical system control, and whole-body planning and control. Education: B.S. in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Seoul National University (2014) M.S. in Intelligence and Information (Robotics), Seoul National University (2017) Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, Virginia Tech (2022) Postdoctoral Scholar, Mechanical and Civil Engineering, Caltech (2022–2025) His research spans safety-critical control systems for legged robots, including obstacle-aware nonlinear model predictive control (MPC), control barrier functions, and distributed coordination algorithms. Recent work explores adaptive delay estimation, tactile sensing for robotic grasping, and hardware-software co-design for humanoid robots. Key article trends highlight advancements in autonomous inspection robotics, hybrid control architectures, and real-time planning for quadrupedal systems. His work integrates control theory with practical applications in industrial and healthcare domains. Awards: ASME DSCD Rudolf Kalman Best Paper Award (2022) IEEE ICRA Outstanding Paper Award (2023) Jeeseop teaches MECH 4332: Mechanical Computational Applications in Vision and Robotics (Fall 2025). He actively recruits Ph.D. students for Spring/Fall 2026 and seeks motivated undergraduates/MS students with skills in robotics kinematics, programming (C/C++, Python, MATLAB), and CAD design. The AIGIS Lab welcomes applicants with interests in robotics, controls, and autonomous systems.
Ulisse Gomarasca is a doctoral researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry's Department Biogeochemical Integration, affiliated with the International Max Planck Research School for Global Biogeochemical Cycles (IMPRS-gBGC). He works within the Global Diagnostic Modelling group and Ecosystem Function from Earth Observation project team, focusing on understanding ecosystem functioning through eddy covariance fluxes and biodiversity links. Education: Master's in Ecology and Biodiversity from University of Innsbruck Research: Spatiotemporal dynamics of ecosystem functioning, Sun-Induced Chlorophyll Fluorescence, drought legacy effects on productivity Methodologies: Remote sensing integration with eddy covariance networks, biodiversity-ecosystem function analysis His publications address terrestrial ecosystem responses to climate extremes, scaling of plant traits to ecosystem level, and development of remote sensing tools like the Biodiversity Observing System Simulation Experiment (BOSSE). This work combines satellite observations with ground-based flux measurements to understand global biogeochemical patterns. Contact: ugomar@bgc-jena.mpg.de
Bo An is a President's Chair Professor and Head of the Division of Artificial Intelligence at the College of Computing and Data Science , Nanyang Technological University, Singapore . He also holds a courtesy appointment as Professor at the School of Physical & Mathematical Sciences and serves as Director of the Centre of AI-for-X. Previously, he was a Nanyang Assistant Professor (2014-2018), Associate Professor at the Chinese Academy of Sciences (2012-2013), and Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Southern California (2010-2012). His academic journey began with B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees from Chongqing University, followed by a Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst (advised by Victor Lesser). Research Interests : Artificial Intelligence Multiagent Systems Computational Game Theory Reinforcement Learning Automated Negotiation Optimization Research Impact : Applications in infrastructure security (deployed by US Coast Guard and Federal Air Marshals), e-commerce, sensor networks, and financial technology. Over 150 publications in top venues like AAMAS, IJCAI, AAAI, ICML, NeurIPS, KDD, and ACM/IEEE Transactions. Scientific Recognition : 2010 IFAAMAS Victor Lesser Distinguished Dissertation Award 2012 INFORMS Wagner Prize 2018 & 2022 Nanyang Research Awards 2017 Microsoft Collaborative AI Challenge IEEE Intelligent Systems 'AI's 10 to Watch' (2018) Leadership Roles : Editor-in-Chief of IEEE Intelligent Systems, Associate Editor for AIJ, JAAMAS, and ACM Transactions. Served as General Co-Chair for AAMAS'23 and Program Chair for IJCAI'27.
Dr. Sameer Mulani is an Associate Professor, Associate Department Head, and Director of Graduate Programs in the Department of Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics at the University of Alabama's College of Engineering. He leads the Stochastic Mechanics and Multi-Disciplinary Optimization Laboratory (SMO Lab) and is an integral part of the Remote Sensing Center and Alabama Materials Institute. Dr. Mulani's research spans uncertainty quantification, random vibrations, multi-disciplinary optimization, and composite structures' multi-scale analysis and design. His work combines computational methods with machine learning to develop innovative solutions for aerospace engineering challenges. He has made significant contributions to self-healing composite materials, uncertainty quantification techniques, and optimization of composite structures. His research group has published extensively on topics including polynomial chaos expansion for uncertainty quantification, self-healing composites, stochastic buckling analysis, and machine learning applications in structural mechanics. The publications demonstrate a strong trend toward integrating probabilistic methods with traditional engineering analysis to improve reliability and safety of aerospace structures. AIAA Associate Fellow, Class of 2025 2025 Department of the Air Force Summer Faculty Fellowship Program 2024 Department of the Air Force Summer Faculty Fellowship Program MSC Software Contest Winner (2011) Night on the Town: General Electric Award (2007) DAAD Fellowship (1999-2000) Dr. Mulani has advised numerous graduate students who have gone on to successful careers at institutions including Los Alamos National Laboratory, Cirrus Aircraft, L3Harris, and Lockheed-Martin. His lab collaborates with various research centers including the Remote Sensing Center where they work on antenna design, manufacturing, and integration for aircraft systems. The SMO Lab utilizes advanced software including MSC NASTRAN/PATRAN, ANSYS Mechanical/FLUENT, ABAQUS, SOLIDWORKS, and CATIA for their simulations and analyses.
Zhenyu Yang is a Lecturer and Postdoctoral Researcher at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), affiliated with the College of Engineering through the Department of Civil Engineering and the Urban Transport Systems Laboratory (LUTS) . He holds a PhD in Industrial System Engineering from the National University of Singapore (2022), an M.Eng from Beijing Jiaotong University, and a Diploma in Transportation Engineering from Huazhong University of Science and Technology. PhD, Industrial System Engineering, National University of Singapore (2022) M.Eng, Beijing Jiaotong University Diploma, Transportation Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology His research focuses on urban transportation network modeling , travel demand management , and traffic information provision , with a strong emphasis on handling uncertainty and optimizing shared mobility systems. Recent work explores reinforcement learning applications, vehicle-drone cooperative delivery , and dynamic incident-responsive traffic systems . His publications highlight advancements in ridesourcing algorithms , congestion pricing , and multi-modal transport regulation . As a lecturer, he teaches Transportation Economics , covering demand-supply dynamics, welfare analysis, and environmental policy in transport systems. He is affiliated with EPFL's Urban Transport Systems Laboratory (LUTS) and contributes to the SGC-ENS teaching unit.
