Mirco Musolesi is a Full Professor of Computer Science at both University College London (UCL) and the University of Bologna. He leads the Machine Intelligence Lab at UCL, part of the UCL Centre for Artificial Intelligence. His research focuses on Machine Learning, Generative AI, and computational models of human behavior, with applications in ubiquitous systems and societal impacts of AI. Education: PhD in Computer Science from UCL (2007) and Laurea in Electronic Engineering from the University of Bologna (2002). Previous roles include positions at the University of Birmingham, Dartmouth College, and the Alan Turing Institute. Research spans multi-agent systems, reinforcement learning, and AI ethics. Notable awards include ACM UbiComp 10-Year Impact Award (2020/2024) and the NetExplorateur/UNESCO Top 100 Innovations (2011). His work on EmotionSense and CenceMe applications has been recognized with Test-of-Time awards. Recent publications (2024-2025) address moral alignment in AI agents, multi-agent environmental policy simulations, and creativity in LLMs. His labs explore AI-driven solutions for urban systems and ethical decision-making frameworks.
Miles M. Ishigaki serves as Professor of Music in the Department of Music within California State University, Fresno's College of Arts and Humanities. He has taught applied clarinet, chamber music, music theory, and music appreciation at Fresno State since 1987 while directing the university clarinet choir. From 1989-2017, he held the position of state chair for the National Association of College Wind and Percussion Instructors, demonstrating sustained institutional commitment. His academic credentials include: Doctor of Musical Arts in Performance, University of Oklahoma (1988) Doctoral study in Music Performance, University of Arizona (1981-1982) Master of Music in Performance, Colorado State University (1981) Dual Bachelor's degrees: Music Education and Music Performance, University of Northern Colorado (1978) Dr. Ishigaki's research centers on the dialectic between intuition and analytical understanding in musical performance, particularly regarding clarinet repertoire. His seminal work documents interpretive approaches of legendary clarinetists including Larry Combs, Stanley Hasty, and Leon Russianoff, focusing on Stravinsky's Three Pieces for Solo Clarinet. His collaborative research with Dr. Michael Rogers bridges music theory and performance practice, revealing how structural analysis informs expressive execution. This scholarly trajectory consistently examines the cognitive and technical dimensions of artistic mastery. His publications from 1988-2017 reveal evolving emphases from symposium documentation and performance analysis toward technology integration in music education, culminating in the 2017 Music Fundamentals ebook. Collectively, his work establishes clarinet pedagogy as both scientific discipline and artistic practice, with growing attention to digital learning environments while maintaining core focus on interpretive authenticity. His recognitions include: 2013 Provost's Teaching Award in Technology for innovative digital pedagogy 2006 Honorary Alumnus distinction from University of Northern Colorado Dr. Ishigaki has mentored exceptional students who have earned Fulbright Scholarships, McNair Doctoral grants, and participation in national honor ensembles. His studio consistently produces competition winners while he maintains active performance engagements with regional orchestras and international venues. Beyond academia, he serves as COO of I&M, Inc., applying sustainable technology principles to water and energy systems, demonstrating interdisciplinary impact beyond music. As founder of both the West Coast Clarinet Congress and Fresno State Faculty Clarinet Quartet, he cultivates professional communities while maintaining Yamaha Artist status. His community outreach through organizations like the Japanese American Citizen's League and Valley Children's Hospital reflects deep civic engagement alongside scholarly pursuits.
Manfred Einsiedler is a Professor in the Department of Mathematics at ETH Zurich, Switzerland, with office HG G 64.2 at Rämistrasse 101, 8092 Zurich. He teaches undergraduate and graduate courses including Linear Algebra (HS 2019), Analysis I/II, and Functional Analysis I/II, using his co-authored textbook Functional Analysis, Spectral Theory, and Applications . His research centers on dynamical and equidistribution problems in homogeneous spaces, with focus on closed horocycle orbits, geodesic orbits on the modular surface, and measure rigidity. Key contributions include work on effective equidistribution, entropy methods, and connections between ergodic theory and number theory. He has co-authored foundational texts: Ergodic Theory with a view towards Number Theory and Functional Analysis, Spectral Theory, and Applications in Springer's Graduate Texts in Mathematics series, alongside multiple in-progress volumes on entropy, homogeneous dynamics, and unitary representations. Recent publications explore integer points on spheres, rigidity of invariant measures, and Diophantine approximation on fractals, emphasizing collaborations with Lindenstrauss, Ward, Margulis, and Venkatesh. His work demonstrates consistent focus on homogeneous dynamics with applications to arithmetic problems, particularly through effective methods and measure classification theorems. While no specific awards or student lists are documented in the source, his extensive publication record and textbook authorship establish significant scholarly impact.
Professor Holly Thorpe is a Professor of Sociology in Te Huataki Waiora / School of Health at the University of Waikato, specializing in Sport and Human Movement. She serves as Associate Dean Research in the Division of Health PVC Office and is an internationally recognized sociologist of sport, physical culture and gender whose work has earned prestigious fellowships and awards including Fulbright, Leverhulme, and Royal Society honors. Her educational background includes a PhD from the University of Waikato and Papa Reo Level 1 certification from Te Wananga o Aotearoa, reflecting both academic excellence and cultural engagement with Māori language and knowledge systems. Professor Thorpe's research centers on equity and inclusion in sporting cultures, with particular attention to women's health and wellbeing, sport and gender, and the impact of social media on athletic experiences. She employs critical and feminist theoretical frameworks with expertise in qualitative methods to examine how sport, physical activity, and health intersect in rapidly changing social landscapes. Her work spans gender studies, feminist methodologies, sports science, sociology of health, and digital media studies within sporting contexts, with a strong commitment to community-engaged research. Her extensive publication record reveals consistent thematic focus on contemporary issues including menstruation in sport, digital technologies and athlete experiences, pandemic impacts on wellbeing, and the gendered dimensions of mega-sport events. Her work frequently employs intersectional analysis and collaborates across disciplines to address complex questions about embodiment, identity, and social change in sporting cultures, particularly as they relate to women and marginalized communities. Professor Thorpe's significant scholarly recognition includes: Royal Society Early Career Research Excellence Award for Social Sciences (2018) Fellow of the North American Society for the Sociology of Sport (2018) Royal Society James Cook Fellowship for a two-year project focused on women's wellbeing through and beyond pandemic (2021) She actively supervises students and has secured substantial research funding including the Te Punaha Matatini CORE Research Institute project 'Youth Wellbeing in Uncertain Times: The Voices of Rangatahi from Flood-Effected Tairāwhiti Gisborne' (2023-2025). Professor Thorpe collaborates extensively with international and national sports organizations including the International Olympic Committee, High Performance New Zealand, Sport New Zealand, Skateistan, and Voice in Sport to ensure her research has real-world impact on policy and practice. She serves as Series co-editor for 'New Femininities in Digital, Physical and Sporting Cultures' and maintains active media engagement through The Conversation and other outlets. Professor Thorpe leads several significant research initiatives including 'Reimagining Fields of Play' (2023) and co-organized the 'Gender, Health and Wellbeing Symposium' (2022), demonstrating her commitment to creating spaces for critical dialogue about sport, gender, and health while advancing culturally responsive methodologies that center Indigenous and diverse perspectives.
Karl Henrik Johansson is a Professor at the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, Sweden, where he also serves as the Founding Director of Digital Futures. He is a Fellow of both IEEE and the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences, and has held leadership positions including Immediate Past President of the European Control Association and IEEE Control Systems Society Vice President Diversity, Outreach & Development. Dr. Johansson earned his MSc in Electrical Engineering and PhD in Automatic Control from Lund University. His academic journey includes visiting positions at prestigious institutions such as UC Berkeley, Caltech, and NTU. His research focuses on networked control systems and cyber-physical systems with applications in transportation, energy, and automation networks. His work investigates fundamental challenges in connecting physical world systems through communication networks, exploring how wireless communication and sensor technology can enhance system robustness, reliability, energy efficiency, and safety. Current research directions include security of cyber-physical systems, distributed optimization, multi-agent systems, and applications to intelligent transportation and energy networks. Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong focus on distributed optimization algorithms, secure networked control, multi-agent systems, and applications to transportation and energy networks. His work increasingly integrates machine learning techniques with traditional control theory, addressing challenges in privacy-preserving distributed computation, resilient state estimation, and resource allocation in complex networked systems. IEEE Control Systems Society Hendrik W. Bode Lecture Prize (2024) Swedish Research Council Distinguished Professor (2018-2027) Wallenberg Scholar (2009-2026) IFAC Young Author Prize IEEE CSS Distinguished Lecturer (2017-2019) IFAC Outstanding Service Award IEEE Fellow Dr. Johansson has supervised over 100 postdocs and PhD students, with many now holding prominent positions at institutions worldwide. His research has been supported by significant grants including the Swedish Research Council Distinguished Professor Grant (2018-2027), multiple Wallenberg Foundation grants, and numerous EU and national research projects. He has directed major research centers including ACCESS Linnaeus Centre (2009-2016) and Strategic Research Area ICT TNG (2013-2020). His research group operates within the Digital Futures initiative and maintains strong connections with industry partners through projects like the Integrated Transport Research Lab (supported by Scania and Ericsson) and Smart Mobility Lab. The group actively collaborates with international institutions and participates in major EU-funded projects addressing challenges in cyber-physical systems, transportation, and energy networks.
Christian Moormann serves as Director and Full Professor of the Institute of Geotechnics at the University of Stuttgart, where he has held his position since 2010. His leadership extends to national and international geotechnical organizations, including serving as Chairman of the German Geotechnical Society (DGGT) since 2022. His educational background includes a distinguished Diplom in Civil Engineering from Leibniz University Hannover (1989-1994), followed by doctoral studies at TU Darmstadt where he earned his Dr.-Ing. with distinction in 2002 for research on soil-groundwater interaction in deep excavations. He completed his habilitation at TU Darmstadt in 2009 on optimization of geotechnical composite structures. Professor Moormann's research spans the critical intersection of theoretical geomechanics and practical engineering applications. His work focuses on material behavior of semi-solid and variable-strength rocks, numerical methods in geotechnics, and reliability analyses for geotechnical composite structures. He has made significant contributions to deep foundation systems, pile-raft foundations, and the application of geosynthetics in construction. His recent work increasingly addresses sustainable applications including near-surface geothermal energy systems and innovative ground improvement techniques. With over 350 publications throughout his career, Moormann's scholarly output demonstrates consistent focus on practical geotechnical challenges. His publication themes reveal evolving emphasis from fundamental soil mechanics to complex system behavior, with growing attention to sustainability and reliability-based design approaches in geotechnical engineering. Professor Moormann holds numerous leadership positions that reflect his standing in the field: Chairman of the German Geotechnical Society (DGGT) since 2022 Head of the "Earth and Foundation Engineering" section of DGGT since 2018 German Delegate to Eurocode 7 Technical Committee (TC 250/SC 7) Chair of the DIN Standards Committee "Piles" (NABau 005-05-07) Member of the Professional Image Committee of ISSMGE His professional activities extend to significant consulting work through his own firm "Prof. Moormann Geotechnik Consult" established in 2010, and leadership of the PÜZ certification office. Moormann serves as an officially appointed expert for earthworks, foundation engineering, and rock engineering. His work on developing practical engineering standards through multiple DIN committees and Eurocode 7 implementation demonstrates his commitment to bridging academic research with practical engineering applications. The Institute of Geotechnics under Professor Moormann's leadership maintains strong connections with industry through its COMMAS program and extensive field testing capabilities. His team actively participates in developing practical engineering solutions for complex geotechnical challenges, particularly in deep foundation systems, excavation support, and sustainable geotechnical applications including geothermal energy systems.
Julio Parra-Martinez is a Permanent Professor at the Institut des Hautes Études Scientifiques (IHES) since 2024. Originally from Spain, he completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Valencia, followed by a MASt in Applied Mathematics from the University of Cambridge in 2015, and a PhD in Physics from UCLA in 2020. Prior to joining IHES, he was a Sherman Fairchild Prize Postdoctoral Fellow at Caltech for three years and an Assistant Professor at the University of British Columbia for one year. His educational background includes: Undergraduate: University of Valencia, Spain MASt in Applied Mathematics: University of Cambridge (2015) PhD in Physics: University of California Los Angeles (2020) Parra-Martinez is a theoretical physicist specializing in quantum field theory, scattering amplitudes, gravitation, effective field theories, and string theory. His recent work focuses on importing techniques from particle physics to classical general relativity, with applications to gravitational-wave and black-hole physics. He has made significant contributions to understanding how scattering amplitude techniques, originally developed for particle colliders, can be applied to gravitational systems. His research bridges the gap between quantum field theory and classical gravity, particularly in the context of binary black hole systems and gravitational wave emission. His publication record shows a consistent focus on using scattering amplitude methods to tackle problems in gravitational physics. Over the past five years, he has published extensively on post-Minkowskian expansions, gravitational waveforms, soft theorems, and connections between quantum field theory and classical gravity. His work often involves collaborations with leading researchers in the field and demonstrates how techniques from particle physics can be adapted to gravitational systems, particularly in the context of extreme mass ratio binaries and gravitational wave physics. Among his notable scientific achievements are: Mayhew Prize (2015) Fulbright Fellowship (2015-2020) Sherman Fairchild Prize Postdoctoral Fellowship Parra-Martinez is actively involved in the theoretical physics community, with numerous upcoming seminars, talks, and lectures scheduled through 2026 at institutions worldwide including ICTP Trieste, Universidade de Sao Paulo, University of Southampton, and others. His research program continues to explore the connections between particle physics techniques and gravitational physics, with particular emphasis on gravitational wave astronomy and black hole physics.
Fulong Wu holds the prestigious Bartlett Chair of Planning at University College London's Bartlett School of Planning since 2011. This distinguished position has previously been held by notable figures including Sir Patrick Abercrombie, Sir William Holford, Lord Richard Llewelyn-Davies, Sir Peter Hall, and Mike Batty FRS. Professor Wu's appointment represents a significant moment for the school to redefine planning discipline in global terms for a new generation. Wu received his BSc and MSc degrees from Nanjing University and completed his PhD at the University of Hong Kong. Prior to joining UCL, he taught at the Universities of Southampton and Cardiff. His academic journey reflects a deep commitment to urban planning scholarship with a specific focus on Chinese urban contexts. BSc, Nanjing University MSc, Nanjing University PhD, University of Hong Kong Professor Wu's research centers on urban development in China and its social and sustainable challenges. His work critically examines the Chinese model of urban governance, state entrepreneurialism, and the financialization of Chinese cities. He has made significant contributions to understanding migration patterns, spatial inequalities, suburbanization, neighborhood governance, and urban poverty in Chinese cities. His research provides valuable insights that challenge Western-centric planning theories while enriching global urban studies with Chinese perspectives. His recent publications reveal a clear trend toward analyzing the evolving relationship between statecraft and urban governance in China, particularly in the context of post-pandemic recovery and financialization processes. A significant portion of his recent work examines how Chinese cities manage crises, with several studies focusing on the Shanghai lockdown experience. His ERC-funded project on rethinking China's model of governance serves as an intellectual anchor for much of this research, demonstrating how Chinese urban governance represents both a distinctive model and a critical lens for understanding global urban transformations. Professor Wu's scholarly recognition includes: Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences (2016) ESRC 2013 Outstanding International Impact Award Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (2002) British Academy Fellow As Principal Investigator of a European Research Council (ERC) Advanced Grant project titled 'Rethinking China's Model of Governance,' Professor Wu leads significant research funding that supports his team's work. He co-founded and coordinates the China Planning Research Group (CPRG) at UCL with Professor Fangzhu Zhang, which has become an influential research cluster generating substantial impact within and beyond the university. His mentorship extends to supervising PhD students and collaborating with early-career researchers on China-focused urban studies. The China Planning Research Group (CPRG), jointly coordinated by Professor Wu and Professor Zhang, serves as a vital hub for research on Chinese urban development. This group has produced influential work on topics including rural migrants in urban China, Chinese land and housing development, urban neighborhoods, and regional governance systems. The CPRG's research output has significant policy implications and contributes to global debates about alternative urban development models beyond neoliberal paradigms.
Leslie Valiant is the T. Jefferson Coolidge Professor of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics in Harvard University's School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, where he has held a faculty position since 1982. A foundational figure in theoretical computer science, his work bridges artificial and natural computational phenomena across multiple disciplines. His academic background includes education at: King's College, Cambridge Imperial College, London Ph.D. in Computer Science from Warwick University (1974) Valiant's research spans computational complexity , machine learning theory , parallel systems , and computational neuroscience . He pioneered the PAC (Probably Approximately Correct) learning framework that established computational learning theory as a rigorous field. His holographic algorithms work revealed deep connections between computational complexity and statistical physics, while his neuroidal model and evolvability theory provide computational explanations for cognitive processes and biological evolution. Current investigations focus on cortical computation primitives and knowledge infusion architectures. His publication trends show increasing integration of neuroscience with computational theory since 2010, with dominant themes in holographic computation (2006-2018), cortical modeling (2012-2018), and evolvability (2009-2017). The work consistently applies computational complexity analysis to biological and cognitive systems. Major recognitions include: Nevanlinna Prize (1986) for mathematical aspects of computer science Knuth Award (1997) for foundational algorithms contributions EATCS Award (2008) for theoretical computer science impact Turing Award (2010) for computational learning theory and complexity Fellowship in the Royal Society and National Academy of Sciences Valiant's research has been supported by NSF and international grants enabling cross-disciplinary work in computational neuroscience and evolutionary algorithms. While specific advisees aren't documented in source materials, his theoretical frameworks have shaped generations of researchers in machine learning and complexity theory. His current research group explores neuroidal architectures for cognitive computation, investigating how cortical circuits achieve robust information processing through in-circuit testing methodologies. Ongoing projects aim to identify fundamental computational primitives in neural systems and develop biologically inspired AI frameworks.
Oscar Tomico Plasencia is an Associate Professor at the Department of Industrial Design at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e), specializing in Design Research Methodologies for Posthuman Sustainability. His research challenges anthropocentric design paradigms by positioning designers within complex ecological systems and exploring collaborations with non-human actors like plants. Education: MSc in Industrial Engineering and PhD cum laude from Polytechnic University of Catalonia (Spain). Prior Roles: Assistant Professor at TU/e (2007–2023), Head of Industrial Design Bachelor’s program at ELISAVA (Spain), Co-director of Design for Emerging Futures Master Program, and Co-editor-in-chief of Temes de Disseny Journal . His research focuses on decentering human agency in design through First-person methodologies for ecological engagement Design practices for multi-species cohabitation Regenerative socio-ecological-technical systems Critical fabulation with non-human stakeholders Temporal analysis of design events Recent publications analyze plant studios as dynamic constituencies (2025), backyard practices for urban sustainability (2025), and nature-entangled methodological repositories (2024). His work emphasizes transparency in experimental design processes and ecological accountability. Scientific Awards & Funding: NSERC Discovery Grant #RGPIN-2023-04600 SSHRC Insight Grant #435-2024-0783 Collaborative projects involve institutions across Spain, Japan, Sweden, and New Zealand. He leads the Making With… research group at TU/e and contributes to the EAISI (Eindhoven Artificial Intelligence Systems Institute).
Professor John L Provis is a leading expert in cement materials science at the University of Sheffield 's School of Chemical, Materials and Biological Engineering. He also holds a Visiting Professor position at Luleå University of Technology's Building Materials division. PhD in Chemical Engineering (University of Melbourne) 2013 RILEM Robert L'Hermite Medal 2015 Honorary Doctorate from Hasselt University Editor-in-Chief of Materials and Structures His research focuses on alkali-activated materials and geopolymer binders for sustainable construction, with key themes in chemical speciation , waste immobilization , and novel cement systems for nuclear applications. Recent publications highlight 15 representative articles spanning topics: Radiation-resistant cementitious matrices Geopolymer synthesis for heavy metal containment Thermodynamic modeling of binder systems Corrosion mechanisms in alkali-activated concretes Low-carbon cement alternatives Microstructural analysis via advanced spectroscopy Scientific Recognition : RILEM Robert L'Hermite Medal recipient Hasselt University Honorary Doctorate Editorial leadership roles in major journals Contact: j.provis@sheffield.ac.uk | Sir Robert Hadfield Building, University of Sheffield
Professor Inderjeet Parmar is a distinguished academic at City St George's, University of London, where he serves as Associate Dean for Research (2023-2026). He is a leading scholar in international relations, political science, and US foreign policy studies with a particular focus on Anglo-American relations, elites, and the role of race and empire in shaping global power structures. Professor Parmar completed his undergraduate studies in Sociology at the London School of Economics and pursued Political Sociology at the University of London. He earned his doctorate from the University of Manchester in political science and international relations. Prior to joining City, University of London in 2012, he taught at the University of Manchester from 1991 to 2012, where he served as Head of the Department of Government from 2006 to 2009. His research interests center on the history, politics and sociology of Anglo-American foreign policy elites over the past century, with particular attention to organizations such as philanthropic foundations, think tanks, policy research institutes, and university foreign affairs institutes. Professor Parmar has authored three books, including Foundations of the American Century: Ford, Carnegie, and Rockefeller Foundations in the Rise of American Power (2012), which critically examines how major American foundations shaped US foreign policy and global power structures. He is currently working on Presidents and Prime Ministers at War: Race, Empire and Elitism in Anglo-American Wars from Korea to the Wars on Terror , a critical analysis of the post-1945 liberal international order. Professor Parmar's scholarly output demonstrates a consistent focus on the intersections of race, empire, and elite power structures in international relations. His recent publications examine the crisis of the US-led world order, Trump's impact on global politics, transnational elite knowledge networks, and the racial dimensions of international relations theory, reflecting his commitment to challenging conventional narratives about American power. He has held significant leadership roles including past president, chair, and vice chair of the British International Studies Association. His scholarly influence extends through prestigious visiting positions at LSE (2019-2022), Oxford's Rothermere American Institute (2019-20), and Princeton University (2013-2014), as well as earlier fellowships at Princeton and Oxford (1998, 1999, 2010). As an educator, Professor Parmar teaches undergraduate courses on US Foreign Policy, Theories of Global Politics, and Foreign Policy Analysis, as well as postgraduate courses on US Foreign Policy. He supervises doctoral students working on topics related to American elite networks, US-Latin American military relations, and the political incorporation of Black America. Professor Parmar is actively engaged with the public through frequent media appearances on Al Jazeera, CNN, BBC, RT, TRT, TalkRadio, and Sputnik. He is also a regular columnist for The Wire, where he provides critical analysis of contemporary political issues from his distinctive scholarly perspective.
Professor Gavan McNally is a distinguished behavioral neuroscientist at the University of New South Wales, where he serves as a Professor in the School of Psychology. He is actively engaged in research on the fundamental behavioral and brain mechanisms for learning and motivation, with applications to clinical conditions such as addictions, anxiety disorders, and mood disorders. McNally holds several prestigious editorial positions, including Editor-in-Chief of Neurobiology of Learning & Memory and Senior Editor of The Journal of Neuroscience. He also serves as President-Elect of the European Behavioral Pharmacology Society and is a Member of the Australian Research Council College of Experts. McNally's research interests span behavioral neuroscience, focusing on how fundamental brain mechanisms apply to clinical conditions. He employs a systems neuroscience approach, combining well-controlled behavioral approaches with optogenetics, chemogenetics, in vivo calcium imaging, and whole brain circuit mapping in both normal and transgenic animals. His work bridges basic science with clinical applications through collaborations with colleagues at University of Sydney, Sydney Local Health District, Monash University, and Turning Point. McNally's research particularly examines the cellular, circuit, and systems level mechanisms underlying learning, motivation, and their dysregulation in disorders like addiction. His laboratory investigates how these mechanisms translate to human conditions, with a strong emphasis on developing new treatments for psychological disorders. His extensive publication record demonstrates a clear trajectory in understanding punishment learning, addiction mechanisms, and the neural circuits underlying motivated behavior. Recent work has increasingly focused on the cognitive pathways to punishment insensitivity, the role of specific neural circuits in addiction, and translational approaches to understanding maladaptive behaviors. McNally's research bridges animal models with human studies, creating a comprehensive understanding of the neural mechanisms that govern learning and motivation, with particular attention to how these processes go awry in addiction and other psychological disorders. 2008 QEII Fellow, Australian Research Council 2009 Association for Psychological Science, International Rising Star 2010 Fellow, Association for Psychological Science 2010 UNSW Faculty of Science Staff Excellence Award for Research and Training 2011 Pavlovian Research Award, The Pavlovian Society 2012 Future Fellow (Level 3), Australian Research Council 2016 D.G. Marquis Behavioral Neuroscience Award, American Psychological Association 2017 Fellow, American Psychological Association 2019 Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences in Australia 2021 D.G. Marquis Behavioral Neuroscience Award, American Psychological Association 2022 Ross Day Plenary Lecturer, Australasian Brain and Psychological Sciences 2023 European Behavioural Pharmacology Society Plenary Lecturer 2024 Elspeth McLachlan Plenary Lecturer, Australasian Neuroscience Society 2024 D.G. Marquis Behavioral Neuroscience Award, American Psychological Association Professor McNally actively supervises several students including Bixuan Lin, Si Yin Lui, Hannah Machet, Bart Cooley, Kelly Zhuang, and Alexandra Gregory. His current research is supported by significant funding including an Australian Research Council Discovery Project (2024-2026) on "Risky choices: From cells and circuits to computations and behaviour," another Discovery Project (2025-2028) on "Multimodal mapping of punishment learning," and NHMRC grants including a Synergy Grant on "Linking clinical and basic science discovery to find new treatments for alcohol-use disorder" and an Ideas Grant on "Novel pathways to abstinence from alcohol seeking." These projects reflect his commitment to both fundamental neuroscience and translational applications for treating psychological conditions. His teaching responsibilities include PSYC2081 Learning & Physiological Psychology and PSYC3051 Physiological Psychology. McNally's laboratory employs advanced techniques including optogenetics, chemogenetics, in vivo calcium imaging, and whole brain circuit mapping to investigate the neural mechanisms underlying learning, motivation, and their dysregulation in disorders. His team works at the intersection of basic neuroscience and clinical applications, with strong collaborations across multiple institutions to translate fundamental findings into potential treatments for addiction and other psychological disorders. The lab has made significant contributions to understanding the role of brain regions like the ventral pallidum, paraventricular thalamus, and nucleus accumbens in addiction, fear learning, and punishment sensitivity.
Paul Barford serves as Department Chair and Carl de Boor Professor in the Computer Sciences Department at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he founded and directs the Wisconsin Advanced Internet Laboratory and participates in the networking research group. Education B.S. in Electrical Engineering, University of Illinois Ph.D. in Computer Science, Boston University Research Focus : His work centers on computer networking and communications , emphasizing Internet data measurement, protocol analysis, and topological structure. He extensively investigates Internet security domains including fraud detection, traffic anomaly identification, malicious attack analysis, and intrusion systems—bridging theoretical frameworks with real-world security challenges. Research Support : Funded by NSF, DHS, ARO, Cisco, and Intel, his projects drive innovation in network infrastructure security and measurement methodologies. Awards & Honors EPSRC Visiting Fellowship Professional Leadership : Served as Program Committee Chair for ACM SIGCOMM (2013), ACM SIGMETRICS (2010), and ACM IMC (2006). Held board positions at National Lambdarail, editorial roles at IEEE/ACM Transactions on Networking, and co-chaired the GENI Instrumentation and Measurement Working Group. Prior industry experience includes founding Nemean Networks (acquired by Qualys) and Mdotlabs (acquired by comScore), where he served as Chief Scientist.
Dr. Feras Dayoub is a Senior Lecturer at the School of Computer and Mathematical Sciences (Faculty of Sciences, Engineering and Technology) at the University of Adelaide , specializing in Embodied AI and Robotic Vision within the Australian Institute for Machine Learning (AIML) . He co-directs the CROSSING French-Australian laboratory for human-autonomous agent teaming and holds an Adjunct position at the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) , serving as an Associate Investigator at its Centre for Robotics . Previously, he was a Chief Investigator at the ARC Centre of Excellence for Robotic Vision . His research focuses on advancing reliable deployment of computer vision and machine learning on mobile robots in real-world environments. Applied projects include agricultural automation , environmental conservation , and autonomous infrastructure monitoring . He has published extensively on topics like object detection , domain adaptation , 3D representation learning , and vision-language navigation , with a particular emphasis on robustness in dynamic and partially observed environments. Dr. Dayoub is also an educator specializing in programming , computer vision , and robotic perception . He contributes to open-source robotics research through tools like AARK (Autonomous Racing Toolkit) and has led teams developing solutions for precision agriculture (e.g., Deepfruits fruit detection system) and environmental monitoring (e.g., Crown-Of-Thorns starfish detection ). Key Collaborations : CROSSING Lab, QUT Centre for Robotics Research Themes : Embodied AI, Robust Perception, Domain Adaptation
