Dr. Iqbal Husain is the Director of the FREEDM Center and an ABB Distinguished Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at North Carolina State University. Previously, he served at the University of Akron for 17 years before joining NC State. He holds a Ph.D. (1993), M.S. (1989), and B.S. (1987) in Electrical Engineering from Texas A&M University and Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, respectively. His research focuses on power electronics, electric drives, and renewable energy systems, with applications in transportation, automotive, and aerospace. Notable contributions include advancements in electric machine design, inverter controls, and grid synchronization. He authored the textbook *Electric and Hybrid Vehicles: Design Fundamentals*, now in its third edition. Dr. Husain’s awards include the NSF CAREER Award (1997), SAE Vincent Bendix Award (2006), and IEEE Fellow (2009). His recent work includes developing AI-enabled tools for power grid cybersecurity and medium-voltage solid-state transformers for EV fast charging. He leads interdisciplinary projects at the FREEDM Systems Center, addressing challenges in clean energy and smart grid technologies.
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Lars Linsen is a full Professor of Computer Science at the Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität (WWU) Münster, leading the VISualization & graphIX (VISIX) group. His primary affiliation is the Institute of Computer Science within the Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science. He holds adjunct professorships at Jacobs University, Bremen, and has held previous academic roles including Full Professor at Jacobs University (2012–2017) and Associate/Assistant Professor roles in Germany and the U.S. His research focuses on interactive visual analysis, medical visualization, and scientific visualization, with applications in life sciences and engineering. Education: PhD (Dr.-Ing.) in Computer Science from Universität Karlsruhe (2001), M.Sc. (Diplom) in Computer Science (1997), B.Sc. (Vordiplom) in Computer Science (1994). Awards: IEEE Visualization Design Contest Winner (2008, 2022, 2018), Preis des Fördervereins des Forschungszentrum Informatik (2002). Research Highlights: Develops visualization tools for medical imaging (e.g., mass spectrometry imaging, MRI data analysis) and physical simulations (e.g., wildfire spread analysis, asteroid impact modeling). Active in EU-funded projects like Pig-Pro-QuO (surface coatings) and cells-in-motion initiatives. Supervised over 20 PhD/MS advisees, including notable graduates in medical visualization and simulation ensemble analysis. Publications: Over 100 peer-reviewed articles in top venues like IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics, Computers & Graphics, and EuroVis. Key works include SciVis contest-winning wildfire analysis frameworks and medical visualization tools for stenosis detection. Teaching: Offers courses on visualization, computer graphics, and computational science. Actively involved in thesis supervision and curriculum development at both WWU Münster and Jacobs University. Grants & Collaborations: Principal investigator on DFG-funded projects (e.g., hemodynamics simulations, ensemble visualization) and industry collaborations (e.g., Tascon GmbH for coating quality analysis). Member of the Cells-in-Motion Interfaculty Centre and CDH board at WWU.
Julie Dethier is a Research Fellow at the University of Liège, affiliated with the Faculty of Applied Sciences and Montefiore Institute. Her research bridges cellular neuroscience and network dynamics, with focus on pathological rhythms in Parkinson's disease and brain-machine interface development. She completed her Ph.D. in 2015 under Prof. Sepulchre's supervision. Her academic journey includes: Ph.D. in Systems and Modeling (2015), University of Liège with Princeton University research stay (2014-2015) Master of Science in Bioengineering (2011), Stanford University (Brains in Silicon lab) Master of Applied Sciences in Biomedical Engineering (2010, summa cum laude), University of Liège Bachelor of Applied Sciences (2008, summa cum laude), University of Liège Dr. Dethier investigates how cellular feedback mechanisms generate pathological beta oscillations in basal ganglia circuits, disrupting motor function in Parkinson's disease. Her computational approaches model the transition from unicellular rhythms to network-level oscillations, with implications for deep-brain stimulation therapies. She integrates electrophysiological data with dynamical systems theory to explain robustness and modulation in neural circuits. Her publication record demonstrates evolving expertise from brain-machine interface hardware (2011-2012) to fundamental neural mechanism studies (2013-2015). Key themes include spiking neural network decoders, cellular feedback loops, and pathological oscillation generation. Work spans computational modeling, neuromorphic engineering, and translational neuroscience with applications in neuroprosthetics. Major recognitions include: WBI excellence grant for Princeton research (2014) LEAR Foundation Fellowship for Cambridge research (2013) Audience Award at ULg thesis competition (2013) IEEE EMBS Best Poster Award (2011) Fulbright Honorary Fellowship and Rotary International Fellowship (2010) Funded by competitive F.R.S.-FNRS and international fellowships, her research involved cross-institutional collaboration with Princeton, Cambridge, and Stanford teams. While no formal advisees are listed, her publications reflect mentorship through co-supervised projects and conference presentations. Current work extends her doctoral thesis on multiscale neural dynamics. She maintains active ties with the Systems and Modeling Research Unit at Liège, Brains in Silicon lab at Stanford, and participates in Benelux neuroscience networks through the Montefiore Institute.
Filip Biljecki is an Assistant Professor jointly appointed at the Department of Architecture within the College of Design and Engineering and the Department of Real Estate at the NUS Business School, National University of Singapore. He is the founder and principal investigator of the NUS Urban Analytics Lab and was awarded the prestigious NUS Presidential Young Professorship in 2020. With over 150 peer-reviewed publications, his research bridges geomatic engineering, geospatial technologies, and urban data science to advance digital twins and data-driven urban planning. Dr. Biljecki's educational background includes: PhD in 3D GIS (cum laude), Delft University of Technology, Netherlands (2017) MSc in Geomatics, Delft University of Technology, Netherlands (2010) BSc in Geodesy and Geoinformatics, University of Zagreb, Croatia (2008) His research interests focus on emerging urban data sources, particularly urban imagery, and their application in 3D city modeling, digital twins, and GeoAI. He explores how crowdsourcing and open science can inform cutting-edge techniques for urban sensing and analytics at city-scale. His work significantly contributes to establishing smart cities through innovative methods that integrate recent advancements in computer science, geomatics, and urban data science. Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong focus on street view imagery applications for urban analytics, digital twin development, and geospatial AI. His research spans multiple domains including urban morphology, environmental assessment, public health applications, and urban comfort analysis. The interdisciplinary nature of his work is evident in collaborations with researchers from diverse fields, producing impactful studies that address complex urban challenges through innovative methodological approaches. His notable scientific achievements include: Annual Teaching Excellence Award (ATEA), 2025 College Educator Award AY2023/2024, 2025 Urban Informatics Paper of the Year Award, 2023 Top 2% scientists worldwide (Stanford University), 2021 Presidential Young Professorship (NUS), 2020 As an educator, Dr. Biljecki has supervised dozens of students leading to publications in leading journals and placements at top universities and organizations. He has delivered talks at over 120 universities and organizations worldwide including MIT, Stanford, Harvard, and ETH Zurich. His research is supported through various grants and affiliations including his role as Principal Investigator at the Future Cities Lab Global at the Singapore-ETH Centre. The NUS Urban Analytics Lab, which he established, brings together scholars from diverse disciplines to drive research on making cities smarter and more data-driven. The lab has developed innovative tools like ZenSVI for street view imagery analysis and has produced influential research on urban digital twins, urban morphology, and GeoAI applications. Through his leadership, the lab continues to pioneer methods that advance data-driven urban planning and smart city development.
Yang (Gilbert) Ye is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Northeastern University, joining in January 2025. His research focuses on human-AI/robot teaming, automation in engineering, and assistive technologies, with a particular emphasis on human-centric robotics and sensorimotor processes. He holds a PhD in Civil Engineering from the University of Florida (2024), advised by Dr. Eric Jing Du. **Affiliations**: Member of ASCE, IEEE, and HFES. His work integrates VR/AR, robotics (e.g., drones, exoskeletons), and AI to enhance civil engineering workflows and workforce training. He leads the Ye Lab, actively recruiting PhD students and postdocs with coding experience (Python/C++/C#) and backgrounds in engineering or computer science. **Key Research Themes**: Human-robot interaction, construction automation, exoskeleton training, and delayed feedback mitigation in teleoperation. Over 20 peer-reviewed publications in journals like ASCE JoCEN, IEEE Access, and Advanced Engineering Informatics. **Lab Opportunities**: PhD/postdoc applicants require strong academic records (GPA ≥3.5) and coding skills. Undergrad/master students can apply for thesis/research roles. Funding covers tuition, insurance, and stipends.
David Burton is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering at Monash University, Faculty of Engineering. He leads the Monash Wind Tunnel Research Platform (MWTRP), a major research facility supporting experimental and applied aerodynamics research across multiple industries. Research Interests: His expertise lies in experimental fluid dynamics, with a focus on wind engineering, industrial aerodynamics, and aero-acoustics. Key areas include building, vehicle, and sports aerodynamics, flow control, and the impact of wind storms and cyclones. He integrates experimental testing with numerical simulation, particularly in complex bluff body flows and sustainable engineering design. The recent publication trends reflect a strong emphasis on postcritical flow over rough and multiple cylinders, aerodynamic modeling in sports (especially cycling), and real-world applications such as freight train aerodynamics and cyclone resilience. His work combines rigorous experimentation with practical engineering solutions. Scientific Awards: No specific awards mentioned in the provided text. Advising and Grants: David Burton is accepting PhD students and actively supervises research projects. He has served as Primary Chief Investigator on significant research grants, including 'Wind and Water Loading of Flags in Cyclones' (2021–2022) and 'Wind Comfort Simulation and New Engineering Design Process' (2022–2023), demonstrating sustained external funding and project leadership. Labs and Teams: He manages the Monash Wind Tunnel Research Platform (MWTRP), an ISO9001-accredited facility featuring the largest wind tunnel of its type in the Southern Hemisphere. The platform includes CNC machining, rapid prototyping, and a multidisciplinary team of postgraduate students, designers, technical officers, and postdoctoral researchers, supporting collaborations across automotive, defense, construction, UAVs, wind energy, and sports sectors.
Jonathan Fan is an Associate Professor at Stanford University in the Department of Electrical Engineering. His teaching portfolio includes graduate and undergraduate courses in electromagnetics, integrated circuit fabrication, and specialized studies across all quarters. EE 242: Electromagnetic Waves (Autumn) EE 312: Integrated Circuit Fabrication Laboratory (Winter) ENGR 42/EE 42: Electromagnetics and Applications (Spring) 11 independent studies and thesis courses (EE 190, EE 191, EE 300, etc.) His research focuses on nanophotonics and metasurface engineering , with particular emphasis on inverse design methodologies, machine learning -driven photonic optimization, and machine learning in electromagnetic simulation. His recent publications demonstrate a strong trend toward deep learning-enabled photonic design and high-speed optimization of complex optical systems. His work spans metamaterial fabrication , nonlocal effects in metasurfaces, and multi-functional optical devices such as spaceplates for aberration correction. Key technical contributions include physics-augmented neural networks , reparameterization techniques for design constraints, and topology-optimized metasurfaces .
Xilin Liu is an Assistant Professor at the Edward S. Rogers Sr. Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering (University of Toronto) and the Center for Advancing Neurotechnological Innovation to Application (CRANIA) . He obtained his PhD from the University of Pennsylvania and previously worked at Qualcomm Inc. in California. Expertise in integrated circuits and systems for brain-machine interfaces , neuromodulation , and edge AI Published in top venues including Nature Electronics , IEEE JSSC , and ISSCC Recipient of multiple best paper awards and IEEE Senior Member His research spans three main themes: High-speed data converters for wireless/wireline communication IC design for neural interfacing Accelerating machine learning via hardware Recent publications focus on closed-loop neuromodulation , ultra-wideband transceivers , and flexible biomedical sensors . These works integrate analog IC design , edge AI , and real-time neural interfacing across medical rehabilitation , parkinson's monitoring , and memory research . Awards include: IEEE Solid-State Circuits Society Predoctoral Achievement Award (2016) Best Paper Award at BioCAS (2015) ECE Department Teaching Award (2022) Multiple conference best paper finalists His lab collaborates with UHN , EMBS , and global institutions while maintaining strong commitments to equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) in research practices.
Marcin Jurdzinski is an Associate Professor (Reader) in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Warwick , UK. He has been a faculty member since 2004 and is a core member of the Foundations of Computer Science and Discrete Mathematics and its Applications research groups. University: University of Warwick School: Faculty of Science Department: Department of Computer Science Position: Associate Professor (Reader) Email: Marcin.Jurdzinski@warwick.ac.uk Office: CS2.19 His research lies at the intersection of algorithms, game theory, automata, and logic , with a strong emphasis on formal verification , model checking , and theoretical computer science . He is best known for his foundational work on parity games , including the development of small progress measures and discrete strategy improvement algorithms. The recent publications reveal a consistent focus on computational complexity in games and verification. Key themes include stochastic games, timed automata, bisimilarity, and quantitative analysis . His work often bridges theoretical insights with practical verification challenges, especially in real-time and probabilistic systems. He has supervised several PhD students and hosted postdoctoral researchers such as Laure Daviaud and Alexander Kozachinskiy. He has led EPSRC-funded projects including Solving Parity Games in Theory and Practice and Counter Automata: Verification and Synthesis . PhD Students: Aditya Prakash, Thejaswini K. S., Michail Fasoulakis, John Fearnley, Michal Rutkowski, Ashutosh Trivedi Postdocs: Laure Daviaud, Alexander Kozachinskiy He is actively involved in the academic community, serving on the steering committee of the Highlights of Logic, Games and Automata conference and on program committees for major venues such as CONCUR, ICALP, and LICS. He has also organized workshops including FORMATS and ICALP co-located events.
Pauli Murto is a Professor and Head of the Department at Aalto University School of Business, Department of Economics. His research spans microeconomic theory, information economics, and game theory, with a focus on strategic decision-making under uncertainty. Aalto University School of Business, Espoo, Finland Member of Helsinki Graduate School of Economics Research Interests: Dr. Murto's work examines strategic timing in economic decisions, information aggregation in games, auction theory, and investment behavior under uncertainty. His publications address topics like: Common value auctions and affiliated signals Stepwise investment under multi-dimensional uncertainty Equilibrium delay and neighborly coordination Irreversible investment in oligopolistic markets Publications (2002–2024): His research appears in top journals like Review of Economic Studies , Theoretical Economics , Journal of Economic Theory , and RAND Journal of Economics , often collaborating with scholars such as Juuso Välimäki and Chang-Koo Chi. Contact: Available at pauli.murto@aalto.fi or +358 40 353 8174. Office located in Room V308, School of Business building, Aalto University.
Jacob D. Leshno is an Associate Professor of Economics and Robert H. Topel Faculty Scholar at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. His research employs game theory, applied mathematics, and microeconomic theory to study allocation mechanisms and marketplace design, with applications spanning school choice systems, patient assignments to nursing homes, and decentralized cryptocurrency protocols. Professor Leshno's academic background includes: PhD in Economics from Harvard University, completed under Nobel laureate Alvin Roth M.Sc. in Pure Mathematics from Tel Aviv University B.Sc. in Pure Mathematics from Tel Aviv University His research program centers on market design theory with two primary strands. The first focuses on matching markets, where he developed tractable cutoff characterizations that clarify market structures for college admissions and medical residency matching (NRMP). His work demonstrates how price discovery mechanisms can streamline inefficient processes like college applications and subsidized housing allocation. The second strand examines cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology, investigating how open-source computer code functions as market rules in decentralized systems. This research explores both the economic security of permissionless consensus and fundamental limitations of proof-of-work protocols. Professor Leshno's publications reveal a cohesive research trajectory applying economic theory to increasingly complex market structures. His work consistently bridges theoretical rigor with practical implementation, evolving from traditional matching markets to the frontier of decentralized digital systems. Publications in top journals like American Economic Review and Journal of Political Economy demonstrate both analytical depth and real-world relevance across education, healthcare, and financial technology sectors. Professor Leshno has received significant recognition for his contributions: ACM SIGecom Test of Time Award for foundational work in matching markets INFORMS Frederick W. Lanchester Prize for outstanding contributions to operations research Prior to Chicago Booth, Professor Leshno served as Assistant Professor at Columbia Business School and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Microsoft Research New England, following industry experience at Yahoo! and IBM. He teaches MBA courses in Competitive Strategy and Market Design, and developed a PhD seminar bridging computer science theory with economic principles for distributed systems. His research continues to influence both academic theory and practical implementations of market mechanisms across multiple sectors. Professor Leshno maintains active collaborations with leading researchers including Itai Ashlagi, Irene Lo, and Gur Huberman, advancing the theoretical foundations of market design while addressing contemporary challenges in digital marketplaces and allocation systems.
Professor Arcot Sowmya is a distinguished academic at the University of New South Wales, serving as Professor in the School of Computer Science and Engineering. With a strong background in both computer science and mathematics, she has established herself as a leading researcher in machine learning and computer vision applications, particularly in medical imaging and diagnostics. Dr. Sowmya earned her PhD in Computer Science from the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, along with an MTech in Computer Science, MSc in Mathematics, and BSc in Mathematics from the same institution. Her academic journey has positioned her at the intersection of theoretical computer science and practical medical applications. Her research interests span multiple domains with a primary focus on Machine Learning for Computer Vision . She has made significant contributions to learning object models, feature extraction, segmentation, and recognition techniques. Her work extends into medical image analysis, computer-aided diagnostics, high-resolution remote sensing, and biomedical informatics. More recently, she has applied similar techniques to social sciences domains, developing improved forecasting models for genocide and politicide. Her earlier work also includes contributions to real-time, concurrent, and embedded systems. Analyzing her recent publications reveals a strong trend toward medical applications of computer vision and deep learning. Her work spans from OCT-based glaucoma diagnosis to tumor segmentation, lung disease detection, and breast cancer prognosis. She has successfully bridged computer science with clinical medicine, developing practical tools for disease diagnosis and prediction that incorporate explainable AI approaches. Professor Sowmya's collaborative approach is evident in her extensive publication record across multiple journals and conferences. She has worked with researchers from diverse fields including ophthalmology, oncology, neurology, and public health, demonstrating the interdisciplinary nature of her research. Her laboratory work focuses on developing robust deep learning architectures for medical image analysis, with particular attention to segmentation networks, transformer models, and multimodal data fusion techniques. Her team has developed specialized networks for lung segmentation, tumor detection, and disease classification that address specific challenges in medical imaging.
Yogananda Isukapalli is a Teaching Professor and Vice Chair in the Computer Engineering Program at the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department , University of California, Santa Barbara . He joined the faculty in Winter 2017 after a career as a staff scientist at Broadcom (2010–2017), where he designed Wi-Fi chips (11n/11ac/11ax) and worked on underwater wireless communication models during a postdoctoral stint at Scripps Institution of Oceanography (2009–2010). His PhD in Communication Theory and Systems from UC San Diego (2009) forms the basis of his expertise in wireless systems and digital design .
Michel Versluis is a Full Professor at the University of Twente, Netherlands, specializing in Physical and Medical Acoustics within the Physics of Fluids group. His work focuses on microbubbles and microdroplets for medical imaging and therapy, as well as microfluidic applications in medicine and nanotechnology. University of Twente, Physics of Fluids group His research bridges physics and biomedical engineering, with publications in high-impact journals like PNAS and IEEE Transactions. Recent work emphasizes ultrasound-driven microbubble dynamics, additive manufacturing of flow phantoms, and deep learning for super-resolution imaging. 2025 publications: vascular phantoms, PROTEUS simulator, acoustic microbubble control 2024 innovations: 3D-printed medical devices, immunogenic cell death optimization Contact: m.versluis@utwente.nl
Shashi Shekhar is a Professor at the University of Minnesota, holding the distinguished titles of McKnight Distinguished University Professor and Distinguished University Teaching Professor. He serves as the ADC/CSE Chair and Director of the AI-LEAF Institute within the Department of Computer Science at the College of Science and Engineering. His research interests span multiple areas of spatial computing including spatial data science, spatial data mining, spatial databases, Geo-AI, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). His work has focused on developing scalable algorithms for eco-routing, evacuation route planning, and spatial pattern mining. He has made significant contributions to the field through his Spatial Databases textbook, the Encyclopedia of GIS which has seen over 192,918 downloads in 2017, and a spatial computing book for professionals. His research group has produced numerous PhD graduates dating back to 1993 through 2023. Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong focus on applying spatial computing to critical societal challenges including climate change mitigation through the AI-LEAF Institute, pandemic response through mobility data analysis, and sustainable transportation through eco-routing algorithms. His work bridges theoretical advances in spatial data science with practical applications in urban planning, emergency management, and environmental sustainability. Distinguished McKnight University Professor Distinguished University Teaching Professor UCGIS Education Award (2015) Graduate Education Award (2015) President of University Consortium for GIS (2017-2018) Computing Research Association Board Member (2016-2019) Professor Shekhar has advised over 30 PhD students since 1993, with his most recent graduate in 2023. He has secured significant research funding including a $20 million AI Institute grant focused on climate-smart agriculture and forestry. His Spatial Computing Research Group maintains active collaborations with government agencies and industry partners. The group has developed practical applications featured in media outlets including FoxTV coverage of evacuation route planning algorithms. Current research directions include applying AI techniques to address climate challenges through the AI-LEAF Institute and advancing spatial data science for polar regions through NSF-funded initiatives.
