Nathan Sturtevant is a Professor at the University of Alberta's Department of Computing Science, an Amii Fellow, and Canada CIFAR Chair. His research spans heuristic and combinatorial search problems, with applications in game AI and pathfinding algorithms. He collaborates with the games industry to implement his research in commercial products. Dr. Sturtevant's research explores search algorithms for single and multiple agents, covering areas such as bidirectional search, meta-learning for game theory, procedural content generation, and multi-agent pathfinding. His work integrates machine learning techniques with classical search algorithms to solve complex problems in game environments. Recent publications demonstrate innovations in search optimization, including novel frameworks for suboptimal bidirectional search, new puzzle difficulty metrics, and applications of transformer models to card game planning. His FarmQuest player telemetry dataset provides resources for studying player behavior in farming simulations.
Santiago Ontañón is an Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Science at Drexel University's College of Computing and Informatics. He is also a Senior Research Scientist at Google DeepMind, reflecting a strong dual affiliation in both academic and industrial AI research. His work bridges theoretical AI with practical applications in gaming and machine learning. PhD in Computer Science (Artificial Intelligence), cum laude, Autonomous University of Barcelona Postdoctoral Researcher, Georgia Institute of Technology Researcher, Artificial Intelligence Research Institute (IIIA), Barcelona, Spain Dr. Ontañón's research focuses on artificial intelligence, machine learning, and robotics, with a particular emphasis on game AI. His interests span case-based reasoning, reinforcement learning, Monte Carlo tree search, player modeling, and procedural content generation. He has made significant contributions to AI in real-time strategy games and explainable AI systems. His recent publications reflect a consistent trend in AI for games, hierarchical planning, and learning from demonstration. The articles span topics such as reproducible deep reinforcement learning, adaptive player modeling, and integrating domain knowledge into search algorithms, indicating a mature and impactful research trajectory in AI and game technologies. Senior Research Scientist, Google DeepMind Organizer, microRTS AI Competition Advising multiple PhD students in AI and game-related topics He has advised numerous PhD students, many of whom have completed their theses on advanced AI topics in games and reasoning. His research is supported by access to substantial computational resources and collaborative networks in both academia and industry. He actively promotes open science by releasing software, data, and teaching materials. He leads research efforts in AI for games and maintains an active lab focused on game AI, with projects like microRTS, FTL, and Darmok. His team develops systems for reinforcement learning, planning, and natural language understanding in game environments.
Ibrahim RADWAN is an Associate Professor in Machine Learning/AI and Robotics at the University of Canberra. His research focuses on advancing AI techniques in areas such as human pose estimation, affective computing, and healthcare technology. He leads projects addressing challenges in robotics, autonomous systems, and human behavior analysis. RADWAN’s work bridges theory and application, contributing to fields like sports science, medical diagnostics, and security through innovative machine learning approaches. Research Projects: Assistive Technologies for Young People Safety on Two-Wheelers AI-Based Methods for Driver Sentiment and Mood Prediction Robotics Applications in Organic Waste Management Research Interests: RADWAN’s expertise spans human pose reconstruction , nonverbal behavior analysis , and EEG-based healthcare diagnostics . He pioneers methods for real-world applications such as: 6G Extended Reality systems using wearable sensors Multimodal deception detection via motion analysis Affective computing for mood and emotion inference Publications: His recent work emphasizes trends in spatiotemporal data analysis, few-shot learning, and synthetic data applications in healthcare and robotics. Key contributions include novel architectures like CrossFormer for 3D pose estimation and Resanet for dense prediction tasks. Advising & Grants: RADWAN supervises PhD students and has secured grants for projects integrating AI with robotics and medical technology. His team collaborates on interdisciplinary challenges, including railway safety and surgical instrument tracking. Labs/Teams: Part of the AI and Robotics research group at the University of Canberra, contributing to cutting-edge solutions in autonomous systems and human-centered AI.
Christian Jacob is a Professor in the Department of Computer Science within the Faculty of Science at the University of Calgary . He holds a B.S. in Computer Science and a Doctor of Engineering Science from Erlangen University . His research focuses on nature-inspired algorithms, biocomputing, and agent-based simulations applied to biological systems and education. Key initiatives include the LINDSAY Virtual Human Project , which uses immersive virtual reality to explore human anatomy and physiology. He contributes to the university's strategic priorities in Digital Worlds and Health and Life initiatives. His work integrates evolutionary algorithms, cellular automata, and swarm intelligence into creative and medical applications. Notable achievements include the ASTech Award (2015) from Alberta Science and Technology. His projects emphasize interactive education through tools like LeukemiaSIM , Eukaryo , and the Giant Walkthrough Gut . Jacob also explores visualization techniques, such as evoVision3D and LifeBrush , to enhance scientific understanding. His research bridges computational methods with real-world applications in healthcare, architecture, and game design. Collaborative efforts include developing agent-based models for immune systems, nervous responses, and crowd behavior. Jacob's work spans interdisciplinary fields, blending computer science with biology, engineering, and the arts.
Marko Terviö is Professor of Economics at Aalto University School of Business, where he teaches intermediate microeconomics and labor economics. He is affiliated with Helsinki GSE (Helsinki Graduate School of Economics), a collaboration between Aalto University, University of Helsinki, and Hanken School of Economics. His research focuses on labor market dynamics, economic inequality, housing economics, and institutional design. Professor Terviö employs theoretical models combined with empirical analysis to address questions about talent markets, wage determination, housing policy, and political economics. His work demonstrates particular expertise in assignment models applied to housing and labor markets, with significant contributions to understanding cognitive ability and earnings, superstar phenomena in labor markets, and housing policy impacts. His publication record spans top economics journals including Review of Economic Studies , American Economic Review , Journal of Political Economy , and Economic Journal . Recent work (2022-2025) shows continued high-impact research in labor economics and housing markets, with publications in European Sociological Review and Economic Journal . His research demonstrates consistent methodological rigor combining theoretical modeling with empirical validation. Professor Terviö has contributed significantly to Finnish economic policy discussions, notably as lead author of the influential 2018 report 'On the transfer of residential plots in Helsinki' for the Aalto Economic Institute. This work provided economic analysis of land allocation practices in Helsinki, examining how residential plots should be priced and allocated to maximize economic efficiency while considering urban development goals.
Marcus Gerhold is an Assistant Professor in the Formal Methods and Tools group at the University of Twente's Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science. His research focuses on model-based testing for software reliability in critical infrastructures, particularly railway systems, alongside significant contributions to game design and programming language analysis. His educational background includes: PhD in Computer Science from University of Twente (2018): Choice and Chance: Model-based Testing of Stochastic Behaviour MSc in Mathematics from Friedrich Schiller Universität Jena (2013): Embeddings of Weighted Morrey Spaces BSc in Mathematics from Friedrich Schiller Universität Jena (2011): Entropy-, Approximation- and Kolmogorov Numbers on Quasi-Banach Spaces Gerhold's research integrates theoretical model-based testing with practical critical infrastructure applications . His work on railway conformance testing addresses EULYNX controller validation, while his game design research explores affective mirroring in NPCs and procedural dungeon generation. The code modernity analysis stream leverages static analysis to quantify legacy code evolution across languages like Python and PHP, revealing version identification challenges through deep learning. Publication trends show consistent focus on model-based testing methodologies (40%), railway safety applications (25%), and innovative game design/code analysis (35%). Recent work increasingly incorporates AI/ML techniques for UML assessment and Python version identification, while maintaining rigorous formal methods foundations. He actively mentors 63 students across all academic levels and contributes to major research initiatives: STORM_SAFE (ERDF, 2024): Daily Supervisor for WP1/WP2 on software reliability for critical infrastructures ZORRO (KIC grant, 2023): Daily Supervisor for WP4 on zero downtime in cyber-physical systems MISSION (MSCA RISE, 2021-2025): Interim coordinator (early 2024) for space systems modeling As part of the Formal Methods and Tools research group, Gerhold participates in European collaborations while serving on SAC-SVT 2024 and FormaliSE 2023 program committees.
Prof. Penny Kyburz is a Professor and Associate Director (Engagement & Impact) at the School of Computing, Australian National University. She leads the GameFlow Lab and teaches Game Development, focusing on AI, human-AI interaction, and game design. Her work bridges academia and industry, with 20+ award-winning games including four BAFTA nominations. She holds a PhD, B.InfoTech(Hons), G.C.Ed.(Higher Ed.), and G.C.Acad.Prac. Education: Ph.D. B.InfoTech(Hons) Graduate Certificate in Education (Higher Education) Graduate Certificate in Academic Practice Research Interests: Video games, game design, and player experience AI and human-AI collaboration Virtual Reality and Mixed Reality applications Technology policy and digital rights Educational games and accessibility Awards: 4 BAFTA nominations for game contributions High critic scores for usability-tested AAA games Grants/Projects: IDEATE (2024–2028) MEC23: Advanced Biometrics (2023) C2 Sociotechnical Collaboration (2022–2024) Role-Based Deception in Games (2020–2021) Her GameFlow model and book on emergence in games are foundational in player experience research. She advocates for diversity in tech and has advised on digital rights in the Senate.
Prof. Rocco OLIVETO is a Full Professor at the University of Molise, affiliated with the School of Biosciences and Territory. His research spans software engineering, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and healthcare technology. He focuses on empirical studies of developer practices, AI-driven code analysis, vulnerability detection in smart contracts, and human-centric computing. His work also addresses challenges in game development, mobile app optimization, and wearable health monitoring systems. Notable research areas include code readability assessment, machine learning applications in healthcare diagnostics, and the effectiveness of AI tools like GitHub Copilot. He has contributed to projects like QualAI (continuous quality improvement for AI systems) and 2Vita-B (cognitive and physical rehabilitation systems). His empirical studies often bridge academic research with real-world developer workflows, emphasizing practical applicability. Prof. Oliveto's recent work explores topics such as automated gameplay analysis for game debugging, detection of engagement issues in video games, and robust methods for identifying security vulnerabilities. He has also investigated Dockerfile quality, developer frustration metrics, and the ethical implications of AI in administrative document simplification.
John William Mahoney serves as Academic Lead for ACU Thrive & HELTA at the Centre for Education and Innovation, Australian Catholic University (ACU), focusing on educational innovation and psychological research across academic and sporting contexts. His research spans educational psychology, sport psychology, and adolescent development, with emphasis on teacher-student dynamics, mental toughness development, psychological interventions for depression, and positive youth development in refugee/migrant populations. Methodologically, he employs systematic reviews, intervention studies, and psychometric validation. Analysis of his 14 publications (2011-2024) reveals consistent application of self-determination theory across educational and sports settings. Key trends include systematic reviews on exercise for depression (2024), mental toughness interventions in youth athletes (2014-2016), and work-integrated learning outcomes (2017), demonstrating interdisciplinary collaboration and real-world impact. Affiliated with ACU's Centre for Education and Innovation, Mahoney contributes to HELTA and ACU Thrive initiatives aimed at enhancing student employability, well-being, and educational outcomes through evidence-based psychological frameworks.
Prof. Dr. Sebastian von Mammen is a tenured professor at the University of Würzburg's Institute for Computer Science, where he heads the Games Engineering research group and contributes to the Chair for Human-Computer Interaction. His group leads the Games Engineering academic program. Previously, he completed his habilitation (2012-2016) at the University of Augsburg's Chair of Organic Computing and was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Calgary. His research spans: Real-Time Interactive Systems : Visual programming, immersion techniques, software engineering Interactive Simulations : Serious games for healthcare/logistics/construction Artificial Life : Self-organisation, adaptive systems, evolutionary computation Artificial Intelligence : Agent-based modeling, procedural content generation Recent publications (2023-2025) demonstrate strong focus on: Virtual reality applications in education (femtoPro optics simulator, BrainBuilder neuroanatomy) Healthcare technology platforms (VIA-VR for medical serious games) Game mechanics analysis (Match-3, Jump'n'Run flow) AI-driven emotion recognition and interactive systems Computational modeling of biological systems He leads the Games Engineering research group and previously participated in the Evolutionary and Swarm Design group (Calgary) and LINDSAY project. His lab develops VR simulations for scientific training and serious games applications.
Dr. David Kelly is a Lecturer in the Department of Sport and Health Science at Dublin City University (DCU), within the Faculty of Science and Health. He teaches across Sport Science, Athletic Therapy, and Physical Activity programs, with a focus on Applied Sport Science. David Kelly obtained his BSc in Sport Science and Health in 2010 and a PhD in Exercise Physiology in 2014, both from DCU. His academic journey reflects a strong foundation in sport and health sciences. His research employs a multidisciplinary approach integrating physiological, nutritional, and biomechanical methodologies. Key interests include Exercise Training Specificity, Energy Demands, Nutritional Knowledge and Dietary Intake of Adolescent Team Sport Players, and Performance Profiling of elite and sub-elite athletes. His work has significant application in Gaelic games and team sports performance. The most recent articles indicate a growing trend toward data-driven athlete monitoring, including machine learning applications for performance prediction, meta-analyses of training methods, physiological comparisons in Gaelic football, athlete recovery perceptions, and nutritional behaviors. These span sports science, physiology, nutrition, and data analytics. David is actively involved in national sports organizations, serving on the Sport Science Working Group for the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) and the Player Welfare and Safety Committee for the Gaelic Players Association (GPA). These roles reflect his commitment to athlete welfare and performance optimization. There is no public information on specific research grants or students he has supervised. He is not listed as part-time, retired, or deceased, and there are no mentions of scientific awards in the provided text. He is associated with collaborative research networks and contributes to interdisciplinary projects, particularly in athlete performance and health. His work bridges academic research and practical application in elite sports settings.
Prof. Dr. rer. pol. Bernd Frick is a full Professor of Economics at the University of Paderborn , Faculty of Business Administration and Economics, where he heads the Department of Economics – Institute Department 1: Management. Active and born in 1959, he is based in Paderborn, Germany, and his research spans Organizational Economics , Corporate Governance , Personnel Economics , Law & Economics , and Sports & Cultural Economics . Education & Academic Focus: Although specific degrees are not listed, his title "Dr. rer. pol." (Doctor of Economics and Social Sciences) indicates advanced training in economics. His work integrates microeconomic theory with empirical analysis, focusing on labor markets, firm governance, and the economics of professional sports. Research Interests: Organizational Economics & Theory of the Firm: Analyzing internal labor markets, co-determination, and governance structures. Personnel Economics & Labor Policy: Examining incentive systems, wage determination, and employment practices. Sports Economics: Extensive studies on player remuneration, coaching careers, doping, and the economic impact of regulations like the Bosman ruling. Law & Economics: Evaluating the economic effects of legal frameworks, including disability employment laws and co-determination statutes. Cultural Economics: Investigating art markets, reputation, and value creation in creative industries. Publication Trends: Over 100 peer-reviewed articles and monographs reveal a consistent focus on empirical sports economics (e.g., Bundesliga performance, marathon incentives), labor market institutions (works councils, co-determination), and governance issues. Recent work explores gender competitiveness in athletics and the longevity of coaching careers under performance pressure. Scientific Awards & Honors: While no major named awards are listed, his extensive publication record, editorship of academic volumes (e.g., Economics of Grassroots Sports ), and frequent policy-oriented commentary establish him as a leading voice in applied economics. Advising & Grants: Details on specific doctoral students or funded projects are not provided, but his role as editor, co-author with international scholars (e.g., Robert Simmons, Joachim Prinz), and policy consultant (e.g., Federal Ministry of Labour) imply active supervision and grant involvement. Labs & Teams: While no dedicated lab is mentioned, his institutional affiliation with the Institute Department 1: Management suggests collaboration within a multidisciplinary team of economists and management scholars at Paderborn.
Jinsoo Hwang is a Professor in the Department of Foodservice Management at Sejong University's College of Hospitality & Tourism Management, where he has served since 2016 with progressive promotion to full Professor in 2022. He concurrently holds leadership roles including Head of the Graduate Program of Foodservice Management (2024) and previously led Sejong University's Graduate School of Tourism (2019-2022). Education: Ph.D. in Hospitality Management, Kansas State University (2011) M.S. in Hospitality Management, Florida International University (2007) M.B.A. in Hospitality and Tourism Management, Sejong University (2005) B.L. in Law, Cheongju University (2003) His research centers on service marketing dynamics and technology adoption in hospitality contexts, with particular expertise in consumer innovativeness, brand loyalty, and rapport building. Recent work examines emerging technologies including robot food delivery, facial recognition payments, and smart farm restaurant systems through cross-cultural lenses. His studies frequently apply theoretical frameworks like UTAUT, TAM, and social penetration theory to analyze consumer behavior in airline, restaurant, and golf resort settings. Publication trends reveal consistent high-impact output with 192 SSCI-indexed papers through 2025, averaging 20+ annual publications since 2019. His work predominantly appears in Q1 hospitality journals like International Journal of Hospitality Management (IF=11.7), focusing on technology-service intersections and cross-national consumer behavior comparisons. Key awards: 2024 Highly Cited Researcher (Web of Science) Sejong University Distinguished Professor (2023-2025) Research.com Top 4 Business Scientist in Korea (2024) SciVal Top 3 Author in Korean Business Research (2018-2023) Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award (2018) Hwang directs the Gwang603 Laboratory and serves as Head of Sejong University's Smart FM Track under the LINC+ industry-university cooperation program. His leadership extends to editorial roles in major hospitality journals where he frequently reviews submissions on technology adoption and consumer behavior. Current research initiatives focus on human-robot service interactions and sustainable foodservice innovations.
Gabriele Bavota is an Associate Professor at the Software Institute of Università della Svizzera Italiana (USI) in Lugano, Switzerland. He leads the SEART (Software Engineering Advanced Research Team) group and serves as Principal Investigator for the DEVINTA ERC starting grant focused on developer intelligence through mining software artifacts. Dr. Bavota's research spans Software Quality, Empirical Software Engineering, and Mining Software Repositories. His work has evolved from foundational studies on code smells and technical debt to cutting-edge research at the intersection of artificial intelligence and software development. He has made significant contributions to understanding API usage patterns, software quality metrics, and developer behavior through empirical studies of large software repositories. His recent publications reveal a strong focus on AI-assisted software development, with extensive research examining code generation, code summarization, and code review automation using large language models. He has also expanded his research to include quality assurance in game development (detecting game stuttering and low engagement events) and voice user interface testing. His work consistently bridges theoretical insights with practical applications for software developers. ACM SIGSOFT Distinguished Paper Award for API compatibility research (MSR 2019) ACM SIGSOFT Distinguished Paper Award for Hugging Face model documentation study (ICPC 2024) ACM SIGSOFT Distinguished Artifact Award for deep learning fault taxonomy (ICSE 2020) As an active member of the software engineering research community, Dr. Bavota serves on program committees for major conferences including ICSE, ASE, FSE, and MSR. He has held leadership roles such as Program Co-Chair for ICSME 2023 and Vision/Reflection Track Co-Chair for ICSE. His SEART research group develops practical tools like the SEART Data Hub that streamline large-scale source code mining and preprocessing for empirical software engineering research.
Thomas Bjørner is an Associate Professor at Aalborg University's Department of Architecture, Design and Media Technology within The Technical Faculty of IT and Design. He serves as Head of the Media Innovation & Game Research (Me-Ga) unit and co-founded the research network for qualitative methods (since 2007) with 40+ company collaborations. Specializes in qualitative/mixed methods for technology evaluation Teaches PhD courses in advanced qualitative methods EU expert evaluator for research grants His research focuses on gamified learning , VR for social communication , and technology acceptance studies , often addressing UN Sustainable Development Goals. Recent projects include: Audio-only VR for blind gamers Generative AI integration in education Plastic crisis awareness games Smart city implementation barriers Scientific Awards: Serious Game Competition Award (2022) International conference prizes (2020, 2018) With over 121 publications including two textbooks, his work emphasizes applied qualitative methods with improved validity in technology contexts, particularly for youth education and media research.
