Jacob Eyferth is an Associate Professor at the University of Chicago, jointly appointed in the Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations, the Department of History, and the College. His research focuses on the social and cultural history of twentieth-century China, particularly rural communities, gender dynamics, and the intersection of technology and everyday life. Key research themes include the impact of industrialization, collectivization, and revolution on non-elite populations, with an emphasis on rural women's labor and cultural resistance. His current project explores cotton production, clothing, and gender during China's socialist era. Eating Rice from Bamboo Roots (2009) How China Works (2006) Rural Development in Transitional China (2004) He received the 2011 Joseph Levenson Prize for his first book. Eyferth has taught courses on topics such as class inequality, everyday life under socialism, and revolutionary China, and has held postdoctoral fellowships at Oxford, Harvard, and Rutgers.
Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyUnited States
Kaiming He is an Associate Professor with tenure in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), holding the Douglas Ross (1954) Career Development Professor of Software Technology chair. He also works part-time as a Distinguished Scientist at Google DeepMind. Prior to joining MIT in 2024, he was a research scientist at Facebook AI Research (FAIR) from 2016 to 2024, and a researcher at Microsoft Research Asia (MSRA) from 2011 to 2016. Dr. He received his PhD from the Chinese University of Hong Kong in 2011 and his Bachelor of Science from Tsinghua University in 2007. His academic journey reflects a strong foundation in computer science and engineering that has led to transformative contributions in artificial intelligence. His research primarily focuses on computer vision and deep learning, with pioneering work on deep residual networks (ResNets), visual object detection and segmentation, and self-supervised learning. He is best known for his work on Deep Residual Networks (ResNets), recognized as the most-cited paper of the twenty-first century. The residual connections he pioneered are now fundamental components in modern deep learning architectures including Transformers, AlphaGo Zero, AlphaFold, and various generative AI models. His recent publications demonstrate continued innovation across generative models, transformer architectures, and cross-disciplinary AI applications. His work bridges theoretical advances in neural network design with practical implementations that address real-world challenges in physics, biology, and other scientific domains. PAMI Young Researcher Award (2018) Best Paper Award, CVPR (2009, 2016) Best Paper Award, ICCV (2017) Best Student Paper Award, ICCV (2017) Everingham Prize, ICCV (2021) Most-cited paper of the twenty-first century Dr. He advises graduate students including Jake Austin, Xingjian Bai, and Mingyang Deng, and teaches advanced courses such as "6.S978: Deep Generative Models" (Fall 2024) and "6.8300/6.8301: Advances in Computer Vision" (Spring 2024). His research group actively explores how AI can serve as a unifying framework across scientific disciplines, breaking down traditional barriers between fields through shared methodologies and tools.
Darryl Jones is Professor at Griffith University's Centre for Planetary Health and Food Security, specializing in behavioral ecology and human-wildlife interactions. His research examines urban ecosystems, wildlife conflict resolution, and conservation strategies, with particular emphasis on bird ecology and road infrastructure impacts. Professor Jones has authored influential books including 'Feeding the Birds at Your Table' and 'A Clouded Leopard in the Middle of the Road' that bridge scientific research and public engagement. His work explores: Wildlife responses to urbanization Bird feeding practices and consequences Road ecology and mitigation design Human dimensions of conservation Koala-vehicle collision patterns Recent publications document COVID-19's impact on global bird feeding behaviors, analyze 20-year trends in koala road mortality, and evaluate LED streetlight effects on urban wildlife. He leads research on dingo population viability in Fraser Island and develops innovative wildlife monitoring technologies like the open-source WildWID RFID system. Professor Jones collaborates extensively with government agencies on conservation policy and has secured funding for projects examining wildlife crossing infrastructure effectiveness. His research informs evidence-based approaches to human-wildlife coexistence in rapidly changing landscapes.
University of California , Santa Barbara (UCSB)United States
Mary Bucholtz is a Professor in the Department of Linguistics at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB). She holds affiliations with multiple departments including Anthropology, Feminist Studies, Spanish and Portuguese, the Gevirtz Graduate School of Education, Comparative Literature, and Latin American and Iberian Studies. Her research integrates sociocultural linguistics with anthropological, gender, and social justice frameworks. Education: PhD in Linguistics, University of California, Berkeley (1997) Bucholtz's work examines how language shapes and is shaped by social identities, particularly among youth, through dimensions like race, gender, and cultural practices. She emphasizes community-centered research , linguistic activism , and interdisciplinary methodologies to address systemic inequalities. Recent publications explore affective agency in Latinx youth, educational equity, and antiracist linguistics. Her collaborative projects often involve partnerships with educational institutions and youth communities in California, focusing on translanguaging , Black language justice , and raciolinguistic ideologies . Grants from the National Science Foundation, Spencer Foundation, and Wenner-Gren Foundation support her research. She co-edited the open-access volumes Decolonizing Linguistics and Inclusion in Linguistics (Oxford University Press, 2024), alongside authoring White Kids: Language, Race, and Styles of Youth Identity (Cambridge, 2011) and Talking College: Making Space for Black Language Practices in Higher Education (Teachers College Press, 2022).
Royal Holloway, University of LondonUnited Kingdom
Katherine Brickell is Professor of Human Geography at Royal Holloway, University of London (RHUL), where she serves as Research Lead for the Department of Geography. She is editor of the journal Gender, Place and Culture and former Chair of the RGS-IBG Gender and Feminist Geographies Research Group. Her work spans social, political, development, urban and legal geography with a feminist orientation. Brickell's research centers on three interconnected themes: home and home unmaking, labor precarity, and feminist legal geographies. Her longstanding interest in the domestic sphere and home unmaking aims to reaffirm the home as a political entity. Her monograph Home SOS: Gender, Violence and Survival in Crisis Ordinary Cambodia brings together 15 years of research on domestic violence and forced eviction. Since 2017, she has conducted collaborative work in London and Dublin on modular housing for homeless families. She has also led significant research on labor conditions in Cambodia, including the ESRC-DFID funded 'Blood Bricks' project (2016-2019) studying climate change impacts on rural families migrating to brick kilns. Her recent publications reveal a strong focus on debt, microfinance, and climate vulnerability in Cambodia, with multiple 2022-2024 articles examining how over-indebtedness intersects with social reproduction and climate adaptation. Her work consistently applies feminist lenses to understand spatial dimensions of power, particularly in Southeast Asia. Brickell has published in top journals including Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers , Progress in Human Geography , Antipode , and Annals of the American Association of Geographers . Gill Memorial Award (2014) Philip Leverhulme Prize (2016) Times Higher Education Research Project of the Year (2020) Brickell has supervised numerous doctoral students and mentored postdoctoral fellows working on topics including remittances during COVID-19, climate mobilities, moral geographies of garment work, and women's experiences with domestic violence. Her research has been funded by ESRC-DFID, UKRI GCRF, and the Urban Studies Foundation, among others. She collaborates extensively with colleagues in Cambodia and across Europe, with current projects examining climate resilience, credit-taking, and nutrition in Cambodia and South India, as well as the economic impacts of the pandemic on Cambodian garment workers.
Richard J. Aldrich is a Professor of International Security at the University of Warwick. His research focuses on intelligence, cybersecurity, and digital politics, with notable contributions to understanding historical and modern security challenges. He has led major projects including the AHRC-funded study on the CIA and U.S. foreign policy, and co-edits journals like Intelligence and National Security . Aldrich advises governments on records management and declassification, notably assisting the German Bundestag inquiry into the NSA 'Snowden' affair. He holds a Distinguished Scholar award from the International Studies Association and has published extensively, including the acclaimed GCHQ: Centenary Edition . Teaching modules include 'Vigilant State: The Politics of Intelligence' and 'Cybersecurity: War, Spies, Crime, and Protest on the Internet.'
Nancy Margaret Reid is a University Professor of Statistical Sciences at the University of Toronto, holding the Canada Research Chair in Statistical Theory and Applications. She has served as Scientific Director of the Canadian Statistical Sciences Institute (2015–2019) and led the Department of Statistical Sciences as Chair (1997–2002). Her research focuses on theoretical statistics, particularly likelihood inference and foundational aspects of statistical methodology. Reid earned her PhD from Stanford University (1979) under Rupert G. Miller, with Brad Efron and Vernon Johns on her committee. Reid's accolades include Fellowships from the Royal Society, Royal Society of Canada, and National Academy of Sciences, as well as the Guy Medal in Gold (2022) and David R. Cox Award (2023). She has authored influential books like *Theory of the Design of Experiments* and contributed to courses on mathematical statistics and likelihood inference. Active in academic service, she teaches graduate-level courses and has advised numerous students and postdocs in theoretical and applied statistical research.
Scott D. Sagan is the Caroline S.G. Munro Professor of Political Science at Stanford University and a Senior Fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies. He serves as Co-Director of the Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC) and holds the position of Bass University Fellow in Undergraduate Education. Sagan also co-chairs the American Academy of Arts and Sciences' Committee on International Security Studies, demonstrating his significant influence in the field of international security. Sagan received his Ph.D. in Political Science from Harvard University in 1983 and his B.A. in Government from Oberlin College in 1977. Prior to joining Stanford, he taught at Harvard University and served as special assistant to the director of the Organization of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the Pentagon, providing him with valuable practical experience in defense policy. Professor Sagan's research primarily focuses on nuclear weapons policy, international security, arms control, and nonproliferation. His work examines the organizational, political, and ethical dimensions of nuclear strategy, with particular attention to the risks of nuclear accidents, the effectiveness of nonproliferation policies, and public attitudes toward nuclear weapons use. He has pioneered important theoretical frameworks regarding the organizational causes of nuclear accidents and the normative constraints on nuclear weapons use. Sagan's publications reveal a consistent focus on nuclear deterrence theory, the organizational aspects of nuclear command and control, and the ethical dimensions of nuclear weapons policy. His work bridges theoretical analysis with practical policy implications, often challenging conventional wisdom about nuclear strategy and proliferation. Recent publications show increasing attention to public opinion on nuclear weapons use, the evolving nature of nuclear deterrence in the contemporary security environment, and the relationship between international law and nuclear strategy. Thérèse Delpech Memorial Award (2022) Susan Strange Award, International Studies Association (2017) William and Katherine Estes Award, National Academy of Sciences (2015) International Security Studies Section Distinguished Scholar Award (2013) Stanford's Dean's Award for Distinguished Teaching (1998-99) Stanford's Hoagland Prize for Undergraduate Teaching (1996) International Studies Association's Innovative Teaching Award (2008) Monterey Institute for International Studies' Nonproliferation Education Award (2009) Sagan has been instrumental in shaping the research agenda at CISAC, mentoring numerous students and junior scholars in the field of international security. His work has been supported by various research grants from foundations and government agencies focused on nuclear security issues. At Stanford, he has led numerous research initiatives examining nuclear weapons policy, arms control, and nonproliferation challenges. As Co-Director of CISAC, Sagan oversees one of the world's leading research centers on international security, nuclear policy, and arms control. The center brings together scholars, practitioners, and students to address pressing security challenges through interdisciplinary research, policy-relevant analysis, and educational programs. Under his leadership, CISAC has maintained its position as a premier institution for security studies research and policy engagement.
Dr. Dong Nguyen is an Associate Professor in Leadership Management and Change in Education at Durham University's School of Education. He serves as Director of the Master’s Programme in Educational Leadership and Change, which focuses on leadership, management, and research in education. Additionally, he is Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Educational Management (IJEM), a core journal in educational leadership. His career includes roles as a lecturer (Assistant Professor) and Programme Leader at the University of Glasgow, a Research Associate at Nanyang Technological University, and a teacher in Vietnam. Nguyen’s research emphasizes building leadership capacity in the Global South, comparative education studies, and innovation in education. He has led projects such as an impact evaluation of a Rwanda school leadership development program (2023–2026) funded by VVOB and a review of school leadership’s role in teacher retention funded by the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF). His work explores leadership practices across sectors like education, business, and healthcare, with a focus on equitable systems and professional learning. Nguyen has received a Discretionary Award from Durham University (2023) and has delivered numerous invited talks, including at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (2024), the Asian Conference on Business and Economic Studies (2024), and Stockholm institutions (2023). He has served as an external examiner for UK universities (e.g., Leeds, Newcastle) and evaluator for grants like UK Research & Innovation and Swiss National Science Foundation. His supervision focuses on topics like school leadership, inter-organizational collaboration, and professional development. Nguyen’s recent articles highlight leadership’s role in teacher retention, autonomy, and PLCs in the Global South. He advocates for leadership practices that foster teacher collaboration, instructional support, and participatory decision-making, particularly in contexts like Singapore and Vietnam. His funded projects and editorial roles underscore his commitment to evidence-based educational policy and practice.
Prof. Dr. Ahmet Taşağıl is a prominent historian specializing in Turkic studies, Eurasian history, and pre-Islamic cultures. He holds the rank of Professor at Yeditepe University's Faculty of Arts and Sciences, History Department, since 2015, and previously served at Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University. His academic journey includes a PhD from Istanbul University (1989-1991) and extensive research on ancient Turkic empires like the Gokturks and Huns. Education: PhD in General Turkish History (Istanbul University), MSc in Medieval History (Istanbul University), BA in History (Istanbul University). Affiliations: Currently at Yeditepe University; previously at Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University and Kirgizistan-Türkiye Manas Üniversitesi. Research Interests : Focuses on early Turkic states (Gokturks, Huns, Uyghurs), cross-cultural relations between Turkic and Chinese empires, shamanism, and pre-Islamic Turkic societies. His work bridges archaeology, ethnohistory, and political analysis, with a particular emphasis on primary sources like Chinese records and Orkhon inscriptions. Publications : Over 50 books and articles, including seminal works like Kök Tengri’nin Çocukları , Avrasya'nın Sekiz Asrı Çengizoğulları , and İslamiyet Öncesi Türkler . His research often examines the socio-political structures of nomadic empires and their legacy in Eurasian history. Awards : Recipient of the Moğalistan Devlet Onur Madalyası, Muğla Sıtkı Koçman Tarih Ödülü, and numerous academic honors. His contributions to Turkic cultural heritage are widely recognized internationally. Grants & Projects : Led projects on Central Asian archaeology, cultural atlas of the Turkic world, and historical studies of Siberian tribes. Collaborated with institutions in Kazakhstan, Russia, and Turkey. Teaching : Offers courses on pre-Islamic Turkic history, Eurasian empires, and historical methodology in Turkish and English.
Kamalika Chaudhuri is a Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), and also serves as a Director and Research Scientist with the FAIR team at Meta AI. Her research focuses on the foundations of trustworthy machine learning, including robust machine learning, learning with privacy, and out-of-distribution generalization. Dr. Chaudhuri has earned her PhD from UC Berkeley in 2007 with a dissertation on "Learning Mixtures of Distributions." Her academic journey has led her to become a leading researcher in machine learning theory with a particular emphasis on privacy and robustness. Her research interests span machine learning foundations with a strong focus on trustworthy AI . She investigates problems at the intersection of differential privacy , adversarial robustness , and out-of-distribution generalization . Her work addresses critical challenges in developing machine learning systems that maintain privacy while preserving utility, resist adversarial attacks, and generalize effectively beyond training data distributions. She has pioneered approaches in privacy-preserving machine learning, robust learning theory, and methods for detecting and mitigating data memorization in models. An analysis of her recent publications (2024-2025) reveals a strong focus on the intersection of privacy, security, and machine learning. Her work spans differential privacy mechanisms, membership inference attacks, memorization detection, and fairness certification. She has been particularly active in developing methods for privacy-preserving foundation models, with several papers on differentially private computer vision and language models. Her research demonstrates a consistent thread of addressing fundamental challenges in trustworthy AI while developing practical solutions that balance privacy, accuracy, and utility. Best Award at the ICLR 2024 Workshop on Privacy Regulation and Protection in Machine Learning Distinguished Paper Award at IEEE Conference on Secure and Trustworthy Machine Learning (SaTML), 2024 Dr. Chaudhuri has advised numerous PhD students who have gone on to prominent positions at Google, DeepMind, Microsoft Research, and other leading AI institutions. Her group maintains an active research blog with guest posts from UCSD researchers. She has served in significant leadership roles including General Chair for ICML 2022 and Program Co-Chair for both ICML 2019 and AISTATS 2019, where she pioneered initiatives to improve reproducibility in machine learning research. Her research group at UCSD focuses on trustworthy machine learning, with current projects spanning privacy-preserving AI, robustness against adversarial attacks, and methods for ensuring reliable out-of-distribution generalization. The group collaborates closely with the FAIR team at Meta AI, where Dr. Chaudhuri serves as a Research Scientist.
J. Zico Kolter is a Professor and Director of the Machine Learning Department at the School of Computer Science , Carnegie Mellon University. His research focuses on advancing deep learning algorithms to enhance their robustness, safety, and understanding of data impact on model functionality. Current Courses: 15-780 Graduate Artificial Intelligence (Spring 2024), 10-714 Deep Learning Systems Former Courses: 15-688 Practical Data Science, 15-780 Graduate Artificial Intelligence (Spring 2017), 15-884 Computational Methods for the Smart Grid He has led tutorials on Implicit Layers (NeurIPS 2020) and Adversarial Robustness (NeurIPS 2018), along with educational resources like a linear algebra refresher.
Elena Agapie is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Informatics at the Donald Bren School of Information & Computer Sciences, University of California, Irvine. Her research lies at the intersection of human-computer interaction (HCI), health, and behavior change, focusing on designing technologies that support individuals in adopting and maintaining healthy behaviors through human-centered approaches. She is affiliated with the Connected Learning Lab and the Institute for Future Health at UCI. Her educational background includes a PhD in Human Centered Design and Engineering from the University of Washington, an MS in Computer Science from Harvard University, and a BS in Computer Science from Jacobs University Bremen in Germany. She has also conducted research at Microsoft Research, FXPAL, Intel Labs, and NASA Jet Propulsion Lab. Elena's research focuses on designing tools that integrate evidence-based behavioral interventions with user needs, particularly in mental health, chronic disease management, and social support systems. She explores how technology can support therapist-client collaboration, enable tailored health interventions, and leverage crowd expertise for personalized behavior change plans. Her work often involves participatory design, qualitative studies, and prototyping of interactive systems for diverse populations, including youth, hospitalized patients, and underserved communities. Her recent publications, primarily in top-tier venues like CHI and CSCW, reflect a strong trend toward social computing in health, longitudinal behavior support, and the design of inclusive digital health tools. Key themes include goal setting, conversational agents, social sharing in health tracking, and cross-disciplinary collaboration in health technology development. Best Paper Award (top 1%) at CHI 2017 Honorable Mention Best Paper Award (top 5%) at CHI 2016 Best Paper Award (top 1%) at HCOMP 2015 Honorable Mention Best Paper Award (top 5%) at CHI 2013 Elena has been funded by the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, and UCI internal grants. She actively mentors PhD students including Bruna Oewel, Meeshu Agnihotri, and Mehreen Masood, and is currently recruiting students interested in HCI, health, and behavior change. She previously led the outreach program in the HCDE department at the University of Washington, creating workshops that introduced K–12 students to engineering and human-centered design, reaching over 2,000 students across public schools and community events. She runs initiatives to broaden participation in computing and advises undergraduate students in outreach and curriculum development. Her lab collaborates with clinical partners and interdisciplinary teams to ensure real-world impact of her research.
Dr. Silvia VESCO is an Associate Professor in the Department of Asian and North African Studies at Ca' Foscari University of Venice, where she specializes in Japanese art history, particularly Edo-period visual culture, ukiyo-e prints, illustrated books, and the works of Katsushika Hokusai. She is actively involved in research, teaching, and cultural curation, with a strong focus on Italian collections of Japanese art and cross-cultural artistic dialogues between Japan and the West. Education: PhD in History of Indian and East Asian Art, Ca' Foscari University of Venice (1999) Master in Art & Archaeology, SOAS, University of London (1995) Degree in Oriental Languages and Literatures, University of Venice (1993, with honors) Her research interests encompass Japanese aesthetics, museum studies, and the global reception of Japanese art. She has led major digitization projects for the Museum of Oriental Art in Venice and contributed to the development of its new museological framework. Her scholarly work reveals a consistent focus on Hokusai, Edo-period print culture, and the philosophical dimensions of Japanese visual forms. The recent publications highlight a deep engagement with Hokusai’s pedagogical works, the aesthetics of emptiness, and contemporary reflections on nature in post-Fukushima Japan. Her interdisciplinary approach bridges art history, cultural studies, and museum practice. Scientific Recognition: Finalist, Premio Nazionale per la divulgazione scientifica 'Giancarlo Dosi' (2020) Japan Foundation Fellowship (1997) Postgraduate scholarship from the University of Venice (1994) She has supervised numerous MA theses, served on PhD committees, and mentored students in Japanese art history. Her research has been supported by grants from the Japan Foundation and institutional collaborations with museums and cultural centers. She is a referee for VQR, Edizioni Ca' Foscari, and international journals, and serves on the scientific committees of several academic and museum publications. Labs and Teams: Scientific Committee, Museum of Oriental Art, Ca' Pesaro, Venice Scientific Committee, Edizioni Ca' Foscari Coordinator, Scientific Committee for Ca' Foscari Japanese Studies, Arts and Literature Member of the editorial board of 'Venezia Arti' and 'Quaderni del Polo museale del Veneto'
Virginia Smith is the Leonardo Associate Professor of Machine Learning at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU), with a courtesy appointment in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. She holds a Ph.D. from UC Berkeley and undergraduate degrees from the University of Virginia. Her research focuses on developing efficient, privacy-preserving machine learning systems, particularly in federated learning, distributed optimization, and resource-constrained settings. Key areas include federated learning frameworks like CoCoA and Ditto, unlearning algorithms, and privacy amplification techniques. Smith's work bridges theory and practice, addressing challenges such as data heterogeneity, fairness, and robustness. She has led initiatives like the LEAF benchmark for federated learning and has contributed to open-source tools for scalable ML systems. Her awards include the Sloan Research Fellowship, Samsung AI Researcher of the Year (2023), and an NSF CAREER Award. She is actively involved in curriculum development, teaching courses on federated learning and large-scale ML at CMU. Her research group explores cutting-edge topics like federated optimization with sparse communication, unlearning in LLMs, and secure ML pipelines. Collaborations span academia and industry, with applications in healthcare, IoT systems, and AI safety. Smith serves as Program Chair for ICML 2025 and frequently contributes to workshops on federated learning and trustworthy AI.
