Hisham Zerriffi is an Associate Professor at the University of British Columbia (UBC) in the Department of Forest Resources Management, Faculty of Forestry. He also serves as Associate Dean for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. His research intersects technology, energy, and the environment, focusing on rural areas in the Global South. Affiliation: BioProducts Institute Affiliation: Clean Energy Research Centre Affiliation: Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability His research examines institutional factors in technology diffusion, household energy choices, and welfare impacts of energy use. Current projects include analyzing forest density's ecological impact, clean cooking transitions in India, and decentralized energy systems. Recent publications address just transitions, biomass energy economics, and policy misalignments in Indigenous communities. He has authored works on climate change mitigation via forest carbon credits and rural electrification strategies. Scientific Award: Ivan Head South/North Research Chair As a PhD supervisor, he has guided Natalie Payer on urban energy poverty in the U.S. He collaborates on interdisciplinary grants and leads the Energy Resources, Development and Environment Lab (ERDELab).
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 .
Lily Hsueh is an Associate Professor of Economics and Public Policy (with tenure) at the School of Public Affairs, Arizona State University (ASU), and a Visiting Scholar at the Woods Institute for the Environment, Stanford University. She is affiliated with multiple research centers, including the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory, the Center for Environmental Economics and Sustainability Policy, the Center for Organization Research and Design, and the Political Economy Working Group at ASU. She earned her Ph.D. in Public Policy and Management from the University of Washington, an M.S. in Economics from University College London, and a B.A. in Economics from the University of California, Berkeley. Prior to her academic career, she worked as a Senior Analyst at the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco. Dr. Hsueh’s research focuses on the intersection of economics, politics, and governance in environmental policy. She investigates how alternative governance systems—such as voluntary programs and market-based mechanisms—affect policy outcomes in areas like climate change, toxic chemicals, and marine resources. Her work emphasizes the role of firms, institutions, and governments in shaping environmental governance and social equity. Her recent publications explore trends in corporate climate disclosure, sustainable public procurement, participatory budgeting, and the health impacts of environmental disasters. These studies employ rigorous econometric methods and contribute to both academic and policy debates on sustainability and governance. Recipient of the 2020–21 AAUW American Fellowship Two-time winner of the Distinguished Teaching Award at ASU (2016–17, 2021–22) Recipient of the 2023 Professor of Impact award (student-initiated) Elected to the APPAM Policy Council (2024–2028) Editorial board member of PLOS Climate Dr. Hsueh has secured research funding from NOAA, the V. Kann Rasmussen Foundation, and ASU. She actively mentors students and junior scholars and is currently completing a book with MIT Press titled Corporations at Climate Crossroads . She also leads curriculum development in economics and public policy at ASU and teaches across undergraduate, master’s, and Ph.D. levels. She is involved in several research teams and initiatives, including the Political Economy Working Group and the Sustainable Procurement Research Group at ASU, and collaborates with interdisciplinary teams at Stanford on climate governance research.
Barbara Plank is a full professor and chair for AI and Computational Linguistics at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU), where she heads the Munich AI and NLP (MaiNLP) lab and co-directs the Center for Information and Language Processing (CIS). She additionally serves as a visiting full professor at the IT University of Copenhagen, maintaining active dual institutional affiliations in computational linguistics and NLP research. Her research focuses on human-centric natural language processing challenges, particularly learning under sample selection bias (domain adaptation, transfer learning) and annotation bias, learning with limited data through continual/semi-supervised/weakly-supervised methods, multimodal learning at language-vision-speech interfaces, and fortuitous supervision for variety-space aware language understanding. She pioneers methodologies addressing human label variation as a critical factor in model robustness rather than mere noise. Recent publications (2024-2025) reveal dominant trends in modeling human label variation across NLP tasks, especially natural language inference and entity recognition, alongside dialectal language processing and LLM evaluation frameworks. Her work systematically investigates how human disagreement in annotations can be leveraged to build more robust, adaptable systems rather than treated as errors. Scientific recognition includes: ERC Consolidator Grant for the DIALECT project advancing natural language understanding for non-standard languages and dialects ACL 2024 Area Chair Award for the paper 'VariErr NLI: Separating Annotation Error from Human Label Variation' Leading the MaiNLP lab at CIS (LMU), she directs research integrated with MCML (Munich Center for Machine Learning), Munich Intelligent Robotics, ELLIS Unit Munich, UniDive, and COST action. Current projects include ERC-funded DIALECT and KLIMA-MEMES, focusing on human-facing NLP solutions for real-world language diversity challenges. She actively shapes the field through ACL leadership as VP-Elect and numerous keynotes emphasizing human-centric approaches. The MaiNLP lab at Akademiestr. 7, 80799 Munich, drives innovation in computational linguistics through interdisciplinary collaboration, maintaining strong ties with European research networks while developing practical applications for language variation and robust NLP systems. The lab's work directly informs her teaching in LMU's Computational Linguistics programs, bridging research and education in cutting-edge NLP methodologies.
YingLi Tian is a CUNY Distinguished Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering at The City University of New York. Their work focuses on computer vision, machine learning, and medical imaging. Key areas include sign language recognition, medical image analysis, and AI-driven healthcare solutions. Research Interests: Artificial Intelligence applications in healthcare 3D point cloud and scene understanding Self-supervised learning and domain adaptation Sign language recognition systems Medical imaging segmentation and diagnosis Human-robot interaction and assistive technologies Notable Projects: Developed AI systems for American Sign Language recognition using RGB-D data Pioneered self-supervised feature learning techniques in medical imaging Created virtual contrast enhancement tools for CT scans Advanced sea ice motion prediction using deep learning Labs & Teams: Leads the Media and Information Technology Lab at CCNY, focusing on multimodal AI and healthcare technology innovations.
Claudia Plant is a Professor in the Faculty of Computer Science , leading the Research Group Data Mining and Machine Learning . Her research focuses on clustering algorithms, data mining, and machine learning applications in areas like biomedical data, wind energy, and causality inference. She has contributed to projects such as Knowledge-infused Deep Learning for Natural Language Processing (2020–2028) and Hybrid Computational Sciences (2021–2021). Plant has authored over 160 publications, with recent work emphasizing deep learning, anomaly detection, and GPU-optimized algorithms. She actively engages in academic activities, including talks on clustering methods and interdisciplinary projects like Governing Algorithms: The Politics of Data and Decision-Making . Her research interests span clustering algorithms , graph neural networks , causality discovery , and ethical digital transformation . Notable projects include causal analysis of wind farm dynamics and AI-enhanced education tools. Plant’s work bridges computational methods with societal challenges, such as empowering marginalized communities through ethical technology adoption.
Dr. Wenxuan Zhang is a tenure-track Assistant Professor at the Information Systems Technology and Design (ISTD) Pillar of Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), supported by the prestigious SUTD Assistant Professorship (SAP) award. He holds a PhD from The Chinese University of Hong Kong and previously worked as a research scientist at Alibaba Group Singapore. His research focuses on advancing large language models (LLMs) to be both inclusive (supporting multilingual capabilities) and trustworthy (ensuring safety and robustness). Key projects include SeaLLMs (specialized for Southeast Asian languages), Babel (serving 90% of global speakers), and M3Exam (LLM evaluation framework). Education: PhD in Computer Science, The Chinese University of Hong Kong Previous roles: Research Scientist at Alibaba Singapore (2022) Research Interests: Multilingual LLMs, AI safety, model evaluation, and cross-lingual adaptation. He leads projects addressing LLM trustworthiness through safety mechanisms and fair evaluation practices. Awards & Recognition: SUTD Assistant Professorship (2025) Alibaba Star (2022) ITU Best Innovate for Impact Award (2024) Service & Leadership: Area Chair for NeurIPS 2025, ACL 2025, and multiple other top conferences. Actively contributes to program committees for conferences like ICLR and EMNLP. Current Projects: Multilingual LLMs, model compression, safety frameworks, and evaluation methodologies. Openings for PhD/Postdoc researchers in these areas.
Professor Faye Rogers serves as Professor of Therapeutic Radiology at Yale University School of Medicine, holding multiple leadership positions including Associate Cancer Center Director for YCC Collaborative Excellence, Vice Chair for Collaborative Excellence in Therapeutic Radiology, Associate Director of the Yale MD-PhD Program, and Director of the Yale BioMed Amgen Scholars Program. Her work bridges radiation oncology, DNA repair mechanisms, and cancer therapeutics within Yale's comprehensive cancer research ecosystem. PhD from University of Maryland at Baltimore (1998) Postdoctoral Fellow at Yale School of Medicine Dr. Rogers' research focuses on the intersection of DNA repair mechanisms and cancer therapeutics, with particular expertise in triplex DNA structures, genomic instability, and targeted cancer therapies. Her work explores how DNA damage responses can be leveraged for therapeutic benefit, especially in breast neoplasms and other malignancies. Through her leadership in the DNA Damage and Genome Integrity program, she investigates novel approaches to disrupt cancer cell survival mechanisms while sparing healthy tissue. Her research has significant implications for radiation oncology, particularly in developing more precise and effective radiation-based treatments. Analysis of Dr. Rogers' publication record reveals a consistent trajectory in DNA repair mechanisms and cancer therapeutics, with increasing focus on translational applications. Her work demonstrates expertise in triplex DNA structures, RAD51 inhibition, and synthetic lethality approaches. Recent publications show a shift toward more clinically applicable research, particularly in targeting DNA repair pathways in specific cancer subtypes like IDH1-mutant cancers and PTEN-deficient glioblastomas. Her collaborative work with Peter Glazer and others demonstrates strong interdisciplinary connections between radiation oncology, molecular biology, and drug development. Leadership in Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Award (Yale School of Medicine, 2022) Translational Science Research Prize (Yale Cancer Center, 2022) Kingsley Fellowship in Medical Research Carl Storm Underrepresented Minority Fellowship NCI Research Supplement to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research As Associate Director of the Yale MD-PhD Program and Director of the Yale BioMed Amgen Scholars Program, Dr. Rogers plays a pivotal role in mentoring the next generation of physician-scientists and supporting underrepresented minorities in biomedical research. Her leadership in collaborative excellence initiatives demonstrates commitment to fostering interdisciplinary research teams across Yale's scientific ecosystem. Through the YCC Collaborative Excellence program, she has secured significant funding for innovative cancer research that bridges basic science and clinical applications, particularly in the areas of DNA repair targeting and radiation oncology. Dr. Rogers leads research within Yale's Therapeutic Radiology department, with strong connections to the Radiobiology program and the Yale Cancer Center. Her work is integrated with the Program in Translational Biomedicine and the Yale Combined Program in the Biological and Biomedical Sciences. Through the BioMed Amgen Scholars Program, she provides critical research opportunities for undergraduate students, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds, fostering talent in DNA repair research and cancer therapeutics.
Jonathan Zinman is the R. Stephen Cheheyl Professor of Economics at Dartmouth College, affiliated with the John Sloan Dickey Center for International Understanding. He holds academic advisory roles at Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) and is a research affiliate with J-PAL, NBER, and ideas42. His work bridges behavioral economics and household finance, focusing on consumer decision-making, financial product design, and policy applications. Zinman earned his B.A. from Harvard College and Ph.D. from MIT. Research emphasizes experimental methodologies to study lender-consumer interactions, financial inclusion, and behavioral biases. He collaborates with global policymakers (e.g., CFPB, Federal Reserve) and private-sector firms to design interventions improving financial outcomes. Key areas include microfinance, payment systems, and financial literacy. Teaching includes undergraduate finance courses emphasizing real-world applications and behavioral economics frameworks. Notable contributions include seminal work on payday lending dynamics, savings behavior interventions, and measurement of consumer decision-making heterogeneity. His work appears in top journals like Review of Economic Studies , Journal of Finance , and Nature .
Sandra González-Bailón is the Carolyn Marvin Professor of Communication at the University of Pennsylvania's Annenberg School for Communication and holds a secondary appointment in Sociology. As Director of the Center for Information Networks and Democracy (CIND), her research examines how communication networks shape information exposure, with implications for political engagement, mobilization dynamics, and news consumption patterns. Her methodological work bridges computational social science and political communication. Education M.S. from University of Oxford (2004) Ph.D. from University of Oxford (2007) Research Focus González-Bailón's research program investigates the intersection of technology and society, with emphasis on how digital networks transform political communication. Key areas include: Information diffusion : Studies how content spreads through social platforms during elections and crises Algorithmic curation : Examines how platform algorithms shape ideological segregation and exposure diversity Network dynamics : Maps communication patterns in online collective action and protest movements Her empirical work employs computational methods to analyze digital trace data at scale. Publication Trends Recent publications demonstrate sustained focus on social media's impact during democratic processes, particularly the 2020 U.S. election. Key thematic threads include: misinformation diffusion patterns, asymmetric polarization in news exposure, experimental analysis of platform deactivation effects, and methodological innovations in computational social science. Notable contributions appear in Science , Nature , and PNAS . Center Leadership As founding director of CIND, González-Bailón oversees research examining how digital technologies impact democratic resilience, with projects spanning misinformation analysis, network mapping of political discourse, and policy interventions for platform governance.
Professor Yo Sasaki is a distinguished academic at Waseda University's Faculty of Science and Engineering, School of Creative Science and Engineering, specializing in urban design, landscape architecture, and civil engineering. With a Master of Engineering from Tokyo Institute of Technology and a Doctor of Engineering from the University of Tokyo, he has established himself as a leading authority in infrastructure design and regional planning. Member of Science Council of Japan (SCJ) since 2020 Active member of Japanese Institute of Landscape Architecture Member of City Planning Institute of Japan Member of Architectural Institute of Japan Long-standing member of Japan Society of Civil Engineers Professor Sasaki's research focuses on the intersection of urban planning, landscape architecture, and civil engineering design, with particular emphasis on regional water systems, historical infrastructure, and community-based urban development. His work bridges theoretical frameworks with practical applications, exploring how traditional water utilization systems can inform contemporary sustainable design practices. He investigates how intermediate spaces in residential areas foster urban publicness and examines resident-led approaches to revitalizing depopulated urban centers. His extensive publication record reveals consistent focus on regional water infrastructure, with recent work analyzing traditional water facilities like Kawado in Niigata Prefecture, tsunami memorial parks, and community-based water management systems. His research demonstrates a clear trajectory toward integrating historical wisdom with contemporary design challenges, particularly in the context of disaster recovery and sustainable regional development. Japan Society of Civil Engineers Publication Culture Award (2024) Landscape and Design Committee Design Award, Grand Prize (2024) Waseda University Teaching Awards President's Award (2022) Landscape and Design Committee Design Award, Excellence Award (2022) Multiple historical design awards dating back to 2005 Professor Sasaki actively mentors junior researchers and collaborates on numerous research projects, including regenerative design of intermediate spaces between homes and scalable water infrastructure design programs. His work with the Japan Society of Civil Engineers' D&I Committee demonstrates commitment to diversity and inclusion in engineering practice. His laboratory (Yoh Lab) serves as a hub for innovative research connecting people, towns, and natural systems through thoughtful design.
Janina Grabs is Professor of Sustainability Research at the University of Basel, where she heads the subject area of Sustainability Research within the Department of Social Sciences at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. She is responsible for social science teaching in the Master's program in Sustainable Development and leads a research group investigating sustainability governance in global value chains, particularly in tropical agricultural commodities. Her academic background includes a PhD in Political Science from Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster (2018), with research stays at Carleton University in Ottawa and Yale University in New Haven. Prior to her current position since June 1, 2024, she worked as an assistant professor at ESADE Business School in Barcelona (2021-2024) and as a postdoc at ETH Zurich (2019-2021). Professor Grabs' research focuses on transnational sustainability governance in global value chains, examining how states, firms, NGOs and other actors can improve environmental and social sustainability in commodity production. Her interdisciplinary work bridges political economy, regulatory governance, and business in society scholarship to investigate who defines sustainability in the marketplace, what rule-making mechanisms exist, their effectiveness, and potential unintended consequences on smallholders' livelihoods. She places special emphasis on coffee, palm oil, and cocoa sectors, exploring how global production and consumption processes can be steered toward more sustainable directions within market frameworks. Analysis of her recent publications reveals a strong focus on zero-deforestation initiatives, supply chain due diligence legislation (particularly the EU Deforestation Regulation), jurisdictional approaches to sustainable commodity governance, and the evolving role of various actors in sustainability governance. Her work spans multiple commodities but shows particular depth in coffee and palm oil sectors, examining both environmental and social dimensions of sustainability through field research in Colombia, Honduras, Costa Rica and Indonesia. Her significant contributions to the field have been recognized with prestigious awards: 2021 Organizations and the Natural Environment Book Award from the Academy of Management 2022 Lynton Keith Caldwell Award for the best book in the field of science, technology and environmental politics from the American Political Science Association Professor Grabs actively mentors doctoral students and postdoctoral researchers including Alexandra Bögner, Charline Depoorter, Lucia Casalegno, Lesly Nassila, and Philipp Dunker. Her research is supported by multiple third-party funded projects such as EXPECT-AGRI (investigating political economy of expectations in agri-food sustainability transformations), PACSMAC (examining paradoxes of climate-smart coffee production), and research on zero-deforestation commitments in the palm oil sector. She also serves as book review editor for the journal Regulation & Governance and participates in professional associations including the ECPR Standing Group on Regulatory Governance and the International Studies Association. She leads the Sustainability Research Group at the University of Basel, which conducts interdisciplinary research on sustainability governance and transformations toward more sustainable socio-economic systems, with particular focus on agri-food, energy, and mobility sectors while addressing critical questions of justice, equity, and inclusivity in sustainability transitions.
Jian Zhao is an Associate Professor at the University of Waterloo's School of Computer Science, specializing in Information Visualization (InfoVis), Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), and Data Science. With a Ph.D. from the University of Toronto (2016), his research emphasizes interactive visualization techniques, AI integration in design processes, and socio-technical systems. He explores how human-AI collaboration can enhance data analysis, presentation, and user experience in complex systems. Key research areas include: 1) AI-Driven Design (e.g., code generation via sketching, infographic creation), 2) Health Informatics (therapeutic AI tools for autism support), 3) Immersive Technologies (VR/AR interfaces for presentations and education), and 4) Social Computing (remote family communication, multi-modal emoticons). His work bridges technical innovation with human-centered design principles. His publications (2021–2025) reflect a focus on interactive visualization frameworks (e.g., iTrace for cross-view data analysis), AI-human collaboration (CoLadder for hierarchical code editing), and specialized applications like TherAIssist for art therapy and EMooly for autism support. Zhao frequently explores novel interaction modalities , including gesture-based VR interfaces and sketch-based programming tools. He leads projects in computational notebooks (EDAssistant, Slide4N), visual analytics (MissBin for bipartite networks), and neurofeedback training games (Eggly). His work often emphasizes systematic design considerations for missing data, cross-view analysis, and contextual visualization in spatial AR environments.
Hens Runhaar is Professor of Policy and Governance for Sustainable Food Systems at Utrecht University's Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development. He holds positions as Chair of the Examination Committee for Sustainable Development and is a member of the Core Team of Future Food Utrecht. Additionally, he serves on the Editorial Board of Earth System Governance Journal and as Associate Editor of Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems journal. His research focuses on sustainable food systems, policy and governance for biodiversity conservation, and nature-inclusive agriculture. Runhaar's research interests center on understanding the connectivity issues in Western food systems that lead to sustainability challenges including biodiversity loss, climate change, and food-related diseases. He investigates the decoupling of food production from environmental conditions, disconnects between feed production and livestock farming, and the separation between food production and consumption areas. His work emphasizes biodiversity as a key indicator of sustainable food systems, with special interest in scaling up agroecology, regenerative agriculture, and nature-inclusive agriculture. He delivered his inaugural lecture on January 17, 2025, titled 'Governing towards sustainable food systems: new connections for more diversity'. His recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on biodiversity policy integration, nature-based solutions, and transformative food system changes. Runhaar has been instrumental in special issues on biodiversity governance and environmental policy integration. His research projects include COMBINED (2025-2031), REWIRE, DivGrass, and work on the Water Framework Directive after 2027. Editorial Board Member of Earth System Governance Journal Associate editor of Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems journal Member of the Scientific Advisory Committee of Dutch Bird Protection Association Senior Research Fellow of Earth System Governance research network Fellow of Wageningen School of Social Sciences Runhaar actively supervises numerous PhD students and postdoctoral researchers, with a focus on sustainable food systems, biodiversity conservation, and nature-inclusive agriculture. He has contributed significantly to societal debates through media appearances in NRC, De Volkskrant, and EenVandaag, addressing topics like nitrogen policy, nature restoration, and the role of farmers in sustainability transitions. Beyond academia, he volunteers with the Badger Working Group Utrecht and 't Gooi Foundation, monitoring badgers since 2012 and contributing to nature conservation efforts.
McKenzie F. Johnson is an Assistant Professor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign's Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences (NRES), part of the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences. She is also affiliated with the Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment (ISEE). Her research focuses on global environmental politics, environmental justice, and human security, with a particular interest in how environmental governance initiatives impact marginalized communities. Education: Began with fisheries governance studies, earned a Master of Arts in Conservation Biology from Columbia University (2007), and a PhD in Environmental Policy from Duke University. Her Fulbright scholarship in West Africa (2010s) focused on extractive industries and social justice linkages. Research Interests: Explores intersections between environment, institutions, and justice through projects in South Asia, Africa, and South America. Current U.S.-focused work examines environmental impact assessments and pipeline development's effects on communities. The (in)Secure Landscapes Lab she leads investigates environmental governance's role in creating human security and justice. Key Themes in Publications: Energy infrastructure conflicts (e.g., Dakota Access Pipeline), environmental peacebuilding in post-conflict regions (Colombia, Afghanistan), carbon market equity, and invasive species governance. Her work critiques neoliberal environmental governance models and advocates for inclusive decision-making processes. Lab Activities: The IL Lab analyzes environmental governance's societal impacts, emphasizing participatory approaches. Current projects include studying soil carbon markets' equity implications and climate change adaptation strategies in conflict zones.
