Dr. Benjamin Alt serves as the Technical Director at the AICOR Institute for Artificial Intelligence, affiliated with the University of Bremen. His research focuses on enabling robots to understand and execute complex manipulation tasks collaboratively with humans, emphasizing cognitive robotics , neurosymbolic AI , AI safety , and human-AI interaction . Education: PhD (Dr.-Ing.) in Computer Science, University of Bremen. Current Role: Technical Director at AICOR Institute, operationalizing research strategy and coordinating interdisciplinary teams. Research Goals: Building embodied AI systems that are intuitive, explainable, and safe for human collaboration.
Julian Padget is a Reader (equivalent to Associate Professor) in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Bath, with extensive affiliations across multiple research centers including the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Statistical Applied Mathematics (SAMBa), Water Innovation and Research Centre (WIRC), UKRI CDT in Accountable, Responsible and Transparent AI, Centre for Therapeutic Innovation, and Institute for Digital Security and Behaviour (IDSB). His work bridges computer science with energy systems, healthcare, and digital governance through interdisciplinary collaborations. Padget's research centers on multiagent systems , agent architecture , norm representation and reasoning , and fusing symbolic and statistical AI , with significant contributions to distributed ledgers, policy modeling, and narrative models. His fingerprint analysis reveals dominant connections to multi-agent systems (100%), web services (72%), and normative frameworks (48%), reflecting his focus on creating ethically aligned autonomous systems for complex socio-technical environments. Recent work demonstrates increasing integration of AI with energy infrastructure and biomedical applications. Analysis of his 15 most recent publications shows a clear trajectory toward operationalizing AI ethics, particularly in bias management and trust frameworks, while maintaining strong foundations in multiagent coordination. His energy sector research increasingly focuses on digital spine architectures for data sharing, and biomedical collaborations explore molecular imaging techniques for cancer research. The consistent thread across domains is the development of governance frameworks for autonomous systems. Padget actively supervises doctoral students with 23 supervised works documented and serves as Principal Investigator on major grants including EPSRC-funded energy network projects (2025-2026) and Innovate UK collaborations with the BBFC. His policy impact is evidenced by parliamentary testimony in March 2025 that generated coverage across 16 news outlets. Current projects emphasize AI for agile energy networks, value-aware agent architectures, and statutory compliance frameworks for online media. His laboratory ecosystem spans the IAAPS Innovation Bridge and Institute for Digital Security and Behaviour, focusing on translating theoretical agent frameworks into practical applications for energy systems, digital governance, and health interventions. The Water Innovation and Research Centre provides critical infrastructure for his energy-related simulations, while therapeutic innovation collaborations enable biomedical applications of his norm-representation frameworks.
Usama Fayyad is Executive Director of Northeastern's Institute for Experiential AI and Professor of the Practice at Khoury College. His vision centers on human-machine intelligence fusion for practical AI solutions. Previously, he pioneered roles as Chief Data Officer at Yahoo! (founding Yahoo Research Labs) and Barclays, and founded Open Insights. His NASA/JPL work earned Caltech's Excellence in Research award and a NASA medal. Research Leadership: Focuses on overcoming deployment barriers for AI systems, ethical AI frameworks, and developing standards for data science talent assessment. Awards: Recognized as Fellow of AAAI and ACM for transformative contributions to data mining and AI infrastructure.
Mark Scott is a Senior Research Fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab’s Democracy + Tech Initiative, focusing on technology’s societal impact, including social media, AI, and competition policy. He advises governments and organizations globally on digital policies to promote democratic values. Previously, he was POLITICO’s Chief Technology Correspondent, covering tech-politics intersections, and worked at the New York Times and Bloomberg Businessweek. He is also a visiting fellow at Brown University’s Information Futures Lab and sits on the international advisory board of RegulAIte at the University of Amsterdam. Education: Master’s from the University of St Andrews and a Master of Science from Imperial College London. His current work includes operationalizing the EU’s Digital Services Act to enhance transparency for digital platforms. Research interests emphasize digital governance, AI policy, and regulatory frameworks for tech companies. His advisory roles and media experience reflect a commitment to analyzing tech’s role in democracy and global politics.
Tadhg Blommerde is an Assistant Professor (Senior Lecturer) in Entrepreneurship at Northumbria University and an MSc dissertation supervisor at Oxford Brookes University. His research focuses on innovation management, technology's impact on higher education, service development, and quantitative methods like structural equation modeling. He holds a PhD in Business Studies from Northumbria University (2019), awarded for work on measuring SME service innovation capabilities. Blommerde’s research spans service innovation maturity models, AI in education, and SME performance. His work contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly in education quality. He has published in journals like the Service Industries Journal and European Journal of Business and Management Research , with over 15 peer-reviewed articles since 2013. His recent work emphasizes AI integration in teaching and critical analysis of academic detection tools. He has received the Senior Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA) and actively collaborates on interdisciplinary research projects. Blommerde advises PhD candidates and has supervised MSc dissertations. His dual roles reflect his commitment to bridging academic research and practical application in entrepreneurship and innovation.
Dean F. Hougen is the Lloyd & Joyce Austin Presidential Professor and Director of the School of Computer Science at the University of Oklahoma. He holds faculty appointments in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering and the Data Science and Analytics Institute . His research focuses on Artificial Intelligence (AI) , Robotics , Machine Learning , and Computer Science Education . Education: Ph.D. in Computer Science, University of Minnesota (1998) B.S. in Computer Science, Iowa State University (1988) Research Interests: Dr. Hougen’s work spans AI/ML systems, robotics, interpretable machine learning, evolutionary computation, and ethics in technology. He emphasizes practical applications in healthcare, aerospace, and education. Grants and Projects: He has secured $24M+ in funding, including leadership roles in projects like Operationalizing Additive Manufacturing (Air Force Research Lab) and Predictive Intelligence for Pandemic Prevention (NSF). Recent collaborations include work with Boeing, NASA, and international institutions. Awards: Highlights include the Austin Presidential Professorship (2022), multiple best paper awards, and teaching recognitions such as Professor of the Year (2015-2016). Labs: Leads the Artificial Intelligence Research (AIR) Superlab and Robotic Intelligence and Machine Learning Laboratory (RIML Lab) .
Rachida F. Parks is an Associate Professor of Business Analytics and Information Systems at Quinnipiac University in the School of Business. She has over 12 years of academic experience following a rich career in industry where she held various IT positions including Business Analytics and Data Warehousing roles, Oracle Database Administrator, Systems Analyst/Developer, and IT Director at the Department of Defense, NBC Universal Studios, and through her own consulting firm. Dr. Parks holds a PhD in Information Sciences and Technology from Pennsylvania State University, along with an MSC from the University of Central Florida. Her educational background has prepared her for her current role where she bridges theoretical knowledge with practical industry experience. Dr. Parks' research primarily focuses on information privacy, data analytics, and health informatics, with particular emphasis on the application of artificial intelligence in healthcare systems. Her work explores how healthcare organizations operationalize business analytics and AI, especially in developing countries like Morocco where she conducted Fulbright research. She examines the tension between clinical and operational analytics, digital discrimination in education, and privacy impact assessments in healthcare settings. Her extensive publication record in 2024 demonstrates a clear trend toward examining AI's transformative potential in healthcare, with publications spanning health technology education, AI governance models, business models for AI-powered platforms, and the operationalization of analytics in healthcare. Her research bridges technical aspects of data science with social implications of technology implementation. Operational Research Society's Stafford Beer Award for outstanding contribution to Information Systems Diana Forsythe Award from American Medical Informatics Association for best paper at the intersection of informatics and social sciences Graduation and Retention Advocate Award (received twice) Innovation grant from Office of Executive Vice President and Provost at Quinnipiac As an educator, Dr. Parks has developed dynamic industry-course partnerships in Business Analytics that support students' practical learning. She has served as a faculty mentor for The PhD Project since 2008, which focuses on increasing minority representation in business academia. At Quinnipiac, she developed an application to synthesize and automate Student Evaluations of Teaching (SET) for the School of Business and served as Director of Data across the curriculum. She was recently selected as one of 13 Fulbright Scholar Alumni Ambassadors nationwide for 2024-2026. Dr. Parks is actively involved in professional service as an Associate Editor for the Information Systems Journal and has served on conference boards including EDSIG Conference on Information Systems and Computing Education. Her international work includes speaking engagements at conferences in Morocco, Denmark, UAE, Canada, and Panama, reflecting her global impact in the field of health informatics and business analytics.
Benjamin Alarie holds the Osler Chair in Business Law at the University of Toronto and maintains key affiliations as an affiliated faculty member at the Vector Institute for Artificial Intelligence and founder/CEO of Blue J Legal. Osler Chair in Business Law, University of Toronto Affiliated Faculty, Vector Institute for Artificial Intelligence Founder & CEO, Blue J Legal His research pioneers artificial intelligence applications in legal domains, with concentrated expertise in tax law, business law, and judicial decision-making systems. Alarie has co-authored seminal works including a leading tax law text (LexisNexis), Computational Constraints on Supreme Court Decision-Making (Oxford University Press, 2017), and The Legal Singularity (University of Toronto Press, 2023), while regularly applying machine learning to analyze U.S. tax cases in his Tax Notes column since 2021. Through Blue J Legal, Alarie operationalizes his academic research into practical AI-driven legal technology solutions, creating a direct pipeline between scholarly innovation and real-world legal clarity. His work uniquely bridges theoretical legal scholarship with entrepreneurial implementation in the legal tech space.
Björn-Ola Linnér is a Professor at the Department of Thematic Studies , Linköping University, specializing in Theme Environmental Change . His research focuses on the politics of societal transformations to address climate change and sustainable development, integrating analysis of geopolitical dynamics, climate governance, and UN negotiations. Affiliated with Institute for Science, Innovation and Society (InSIS), Oxford University Researcher at Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) and Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) His work includes developing platforms like the Norrköping Decision Arena , Visual Water , and Mistra Geopolitics program. He leads interdisciplinary projects on climate adaptation, biodiversity, and policy coherence. Recent research trends span climate-geopolitical intersections, AI-driven biodiversity analysis, marine governance for island states, and operationalizing SDG integration at local levels. Advisory roles include mentoring doctoral students and postdoctoral fellows. He has secured major grants like SEK 74 million (2022) and SEK 60 million (2020) for sustainability research.
Gi-Ho Park serves as Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at Sejong University, South Korea, a position held continuously since 2008 following 6 years as Senior Engineer at Samsung Electronics' Processor Architecture Lab. His academic foundation includes B.S. (1993), M.S. (1995), and Ph.D. (2000) degrees from Yonsei University. His research spans advanced computer architecture , AI/ML accelerator design , and embedded systems for edge devices , with particular emphasis on memory system optimization, SoC design, and IoT applications. Current work addresses energy-efficient heterogeneous multicore systems and performance evaluation for mobile/edge computing environments through hardware-software co-design approaches. Recent publications (2023-2025) reveal a concentrated shift toward in-memory computing solutions for large language models and vision transformers, demonstrating significant industry collaboration with SK Hynix and Samsung. Key innovations include near-memory accelerators for data caching and centroid-aware medical imaging networks, reflecting interdisciplinary focus bridging computer architecture and AI. No scientific awards were explicitly documented in the source material. While graduate student supervision is implied through his professorial role, specific advisees were not listed. His research is operationally linked to Sejong University's System Design Lab (sdl.sejong.ac.kr), with industry partnerships driving practical implementations in semiconductor systems.
Marsha Chechik is a Professor in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Toronto within the Faculty of Arts and Science. She previously served as Chair of the Department of Computer Science (2019-2022) and as Acting Dean in the Faculty of Information (July-December 2022). Professor Chechik received her Ph.D. from the University of Maryland in 1996 and has established herself as a leading researcher in software engineering with a focus on formal methods. Her research interests include software safety and security, automated verification, software product lines, and model management. Professor Chechik has authored numerous papers in formal methods, software specification and verification, computer safety and security, and requirements engineering. Her work has evolved to incorporate newer areas such as machine vision reliability analysis, normative requirements with large language models, and machine learning development lifecycle analysis. Her research consistently bridges theoretical foundations with practical applications in software engineering. Professor Chechik has served in numerous leadership roles including Program Committee Co-Chair for major conferences such as ICSE 2018, TACAS 2016, VSTTE 2016, ASE 2014, CONCUR 2008, CASCON 2008, and FASE 2009. She is currently the Area Chair for ASE 2025 in Security and Other Non-Functional Properties. She has also served as Associate Editor in Chief of Journal on Software and Systems Modeling and as associate editor of IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering (2003-2007, 2010-2013). Best paper award at RE'12 (2012) SIGSOFT Distinguished Paper at ICSE'12 (2012) Winner of Best Student Paper Award at CASCON'07 (2007) Winner of Distinguished Paper Award at ICSE'07 (2007) Professor Chechik regularly mentors PhD students, with notable advisees including Michalis Famelis, Shiva Nejati, Jocelyn Simmonds, Ou Wei, and Aws Albarghouthi. Her advising philosophy emphasizes rigorous formal methods while addressing practical software engineering challenges. She has been involved in numerous research grants focusing on software verification, safety-critical systems, and requirements engineering. Currently, her work explores the intersection of formal methods with emerging technologies like large language models and machine vision systems. Professor Chechik maintains an active research lab focused on model-based software engineering, with projects spanning software product lines, model management, and verification techniques. Her team collaborates with industry partners to address real-world software engineering challenges while advancing theoretical foundations. Current work includes developing techniques for normative requirements operationalization, machine vision reliability analysis, and automated code reconciliation using AI techniques.
Amel Bennaceur is an Associate Professor at The Open University (UK) specializing in adaptive and intelligent software systems. With over 12 years of research experience, she focuses on ensuring trustworthiness, quality, and resilience in autonomous systems through innovative software engineering approaches. Her research spans: Adaptive Software and Autonomous Systems Resilience Engineering for Cyber-Physical Systems Software Engineering for Machine Learning applications Requirements Engineering for AI-powered systems Gender-inclusive and value-sensitive design methodologies Analysis of her 15 most recent publications (2018-2025) reveals strong emphasis on runtime adaptation mechanisms, ethical AI integration, and human-centric system design. Key trends include developing frameworks for value operationalization ( Values@Runtime ), identity-aware architectures ( IDEA of Us ), and intelligent agent-based requirements engineering ( Prompt Me ), with growing focus on AI/ML integration since 2021. She actively contributes to major software engineering conferences as: ASE 2025 Program Committee Member (Research Papers) Requirements Engineering 2026 Journal-First Co-Chair ICSE 2025 Committee Member (Research Track) Organizing Committee Chair for SEAMS (International Conference on Software Engineering for Adaptive Systems) Her technical leadership includes GitHub projects like OASIS (security specification framework) and RE4ML (requirements engineering for machine learning), demonstrating hands-on implementation of her research concepts.
Dr. Siobahn Day Grady serves as Associate Professor in the School of Library and Information Sciences at North Carolina Central University (NCCU) and founding director of the Institute for Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Research (IAIER). As the first woman to earn a Ph.D. in Computer Science from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (2018), she has established herself as a national leader in AI ethics, digital equity, and STEM education. Her leadership extends to the UNC AI Faculty Learning Community, Governor's AI Council, and multiple advisory boards including the Winston-Salem State University Foundation and National Girls Collaborative Project. Dr. Grady's research centers on human-centered artificial intelligence, with particular focus on algorithmic bias mitigation, healthcare applications, and misinformation combat strategies. Her work bridges computer science, information systems, and social justice through projects like the Digital Empowerment Leadership Program (DELP) and STEM-It-Yourself initiative. She has secured over $3 million in grants from organizations including Google.org, NIH, and NSF to advance AI literacy and workforce development at HBCUs. Her publication portfolio demonstrates consistent impact across AI governance, health equity, and inclusive education. Recent articles examine operationalizing fairness in health systems, expanding AI literacy at HBCUs, and digital empowerment for marginalized communities. The research trajectory reveals increasing emphasis on practical implementation frameworks that connect technical innovation with social impact, particularly for underrepresented populations. 2025 Graduate College Hall of Fame Inaugural Inductee (NC A&T) AAAS IF/THEN Ambassador with permanent statue at NC A&T College of Engineering 2023 Distinguished Alumni Award from Winston-Salem State University Multiple Grace Hopper Celebration Faculty Scholarships (2019-2024) 2022 Trailblazer & National STEM Advocate recognition Caroline L. Lattimore Award for Excellence in Education (2021) As faculty fellow for e-Learning Excellence at NCCU, Dr. Grady has secured six merit-based STEM scholarships across all UNC System HBCUs. She leads the Laboratory for Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Research (LAIER), which has established NCCU as a national leader in responsible AI through initiatives like the AI Emerging Scholars Program and IAIER Seed Grant program. Her leadership philosophy integrates innovation, service, and strategic collaboration to build systems preparing learners for a technologically empowered future.
Dr. Philipp Denzel is a Machine Learning Researcher at the Centre for Artificial Intelligence (CAI) within the School of Engineering at Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW). His work focuses on advancing AI and machine learning techniques with applications in computational astrophysics and cosmology. Dr. Denzel holds a PhD in Physics from the University of Zurich (2016-2021), an MSc in Computational Science (2014-2016), and a BSc in Physics with an Informatics minor (2010-2014). His research interests include generative deep learning, trustworthy AI, explainable AI, and computational methods for astrophysical challenges like radiative transfer simulations for the Square Kilometre Array (SKAO). He leads or contributes to projects such as AI-Accelerated Radiative Transfer Simulations for SKAO and certAInty, a certification scheme for AI systems. His work bridges theoretical astrophysics with applied machine learning, addressing both cosmological questions and practical AI system certification. Dr. Denzel has authored or co-authored numerous peer-reviewed publications, including studies on time-delay lensing for Hubble constant estimation and deep learning approaches in astrophysical data analysis. His contributions span conference papers and journal articles, emphasizing interdisciplinary applications of AI in science and engineering.
Professor Dennis McNevin is a leading academic in forensic genetics at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), where he has held the position since 2018. He previously served at the Australian National University and the University of Canberra, progressing through roles from Lecturer to Associate Professor. His expertise spans forensic DNA analysis, biogeographical ancestry prediction, and the application of cutting-edge technologies like nanopore sequencing and machine learning in forensic science. McNevin's research addresses challenges in human remains identification, missing persons investigations, and DNA phenotyping. He is affiliated with UTS's Centre for Forensic Science and contributes to national initiatives like Australia's National DNA Program for Unidentified and Missing Persons. His work integrates interdisciplinary approaches, combining genetics, proteomics, and forensic anthropology to advance investigative capabilities. McNevin has received grants from agencies like the Australian Research Council and collaborates internationally on forensic training programs for law enforcement agencies in countries like Indonesia and Thailand. His teaching focuses on forensic genetics and criminalistics, and he has supervised numerous postgraduate students now employed in forensic laboratories across Australia. Key research themes include optimizing DNA recovery from challenging samples, developing forensic tools for ancestry and phenotype prediction, and enhancing DNA database interoperability for familial searching. Education: PhD (Chemical Engineering, University of Sydney, 1998), Graduate Diploma in Education (University of Western Sydney, 1991), Bachelor of Engineering (Chemical Engineering, University of NSW, 1989) Affiliations: Faculty of Science at UTS, Centre for Forensic Science Research Focus: Forensic genetics, DNA sequencing technologies, biogeographical ancestry, kinship inference, and forensic intelligence McNevin's funded research includes projects on ultrasensitive microRNA detection, forensic DNA phenotyping frameworks, and the operationalization of advanced DNA kits for missing persons investigations. He is a member of professional societies such as the Australian Academy of Forensic Sciences and the International Society for Forensic Genetics. His contributions to forensic science have led to advancements in disaster victim identification, DNA preservation techniques, and the ethical use of genetic data in law enforcement. Recent articles highlight his work on identity-informative markers, kinship inference using SNP panels, and proteomic approaches for body fluid identification. These studies underscore his commitment to bridging technological innovation with practical forensic applications to resolve cold cases and humanitarian identification challenges.
