David Heller is an Assistant Professor for Entrepreneurship, Finance, and Innovation at the School of Management, Politecnico di Milano . He is also an Affiliated Research Fellow at the Max Planck Institute for Innovation and Competition (Innovation and Entrepreneurship Research) since October 2024 and an Academic Coordinator for the Innovation School at the Norwegian School of Economics. His research integrates innovation economics , corporate finance , and entrepreneurship , with a focus on innovation finance and SME finance . Ph.D. in Economics (summa cum laude), Goethe University Frankfurt M.Sc. in International Economics and Economic Policy, Goethe University Frankfurt B.A. in Foreign Trade and International Management, HAW Hamburg Heller's scholarly contributions examine the intersection of intellectual property and debt financing , particularly for small and medium enterprises . His work on generative AI and startup productivity reveals how technological experience and human capital interact to create competitive advantages. Heller has received multiple awards, including the European Investment Fund Best Paper Award 2025 , Giorgio Pagliarani Best Paper Award 2024 , and the Erasmus Scholarship 2010 . His research has been presented at major conferences across Europe , North America , and Asia . He has supervised 23 Bachelor and 4 Master theeses and taught courses ranging from Ph.D.-level Advanced Microeconomic Theory to undergraduate Economics of Innovation . Heller is actively involved in the Innovation Growth Lab research network and collaborates with institutions like the European Patent Office and Deutsche Bundesbank .
Jason R.C. Nurse is a Reader in Cyber Security at the University of Kent , Director of Science and Research at CybSafe , Visiting Fellow in Defence and Security at Cranfield University , and Senior Research Fellow at Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) . His interdisciplinary research spans cyber security , privacy , and trust , integrating insights from computing , psychology , and computational social science . Research Interests : Nurse’s work examines how emerging technologies affect cyber security and privacy. He leads initiatives on risk management , human cyber risk , security awareness , and behavioral cybersecurity , contributing to debates on cyber insurance , ransomware harms , and domestic abuse via digital means . Publications and Collaborations : His recent work includes studies on human risk management , patching strategies , and cyber insurance , published in venues like Journal of Cybersecurity , ACM Digital Threats , and Computers & Security . He collaborates with institutions including the University of Oxford , CybSafe , and RUSI . Scientific Awards : Senior Research Fellow at RUSI, Associate Fellow at RUSI, Section Editor of Palgrave Encyclopedia of Cyberpsychology , and member of Google.org European Cybersecurity Seminars Advisory Committee. Students and Supervision : Supervised PhD students Clare M. Patterson and Enes Altuncu , as well as prize-winning projects on risk management and ransomware at the University of Kent. Regularly acts as an external examiner at institutions like the Open University and University of Bristol . Media and Public Engagement : A prominent voice in mainstream media, with contributions to The Wall Street Journal , BBC , The Washington Post , and The Guardian . Regular speaker at global conferences including RSA Conference , Infosecurity Europe , and London International Youth Science Forum .
Dr. Ben LeVan serves as Department Chair for Management, Marketing, and Entrepreneurship and Associate Professor of Business at Charleston Southern University's Hans A. Nielsen College of Business, where he also coordinates the M.S. in Human Resource Management program. His academic leadership spans both undergraduate and graduate business education with direct administrative responsibilities. Education PhD in Human Resource Development, University of Texas His research centers on Human Resource Management systems, specifically Leadership Development frameworks, Talent Acquisition strategies, and Performance Appraisal effectiveness across organizational contexts. Professional experience informs his scholarly focus on bridging academic theory with executive-level HR practice, particularly regarding employee engagement metrics and talent retention in diverse business environments. Publications reveal consistent investigation into performance appraisal systems, analyzing psychological reactions to evaluations and contextual utility differences between small enterprises and large corporations. This work demonstrates empirical attention to HR tool implementation challenges in real-world settings. Scientific Awards Esworthy Malcolm S. Knowles Dissertation of the Year Award Outstanding Business Faculty of the Year (College of Business) As program coordinator and department chair, Dr. LeVan oversees academic advising for business students while maintaining active industry engagement. His HR services firm PROPEL operates alongside university duties, though no specific research grants are documented. Professional affiliations include Society of Human Resource Management and Southern Management Association memberships. Dr. LeVan founded and presides over PROPEL HR Services, which implements his research in leadership development and talent management for external clients. His academic work integrates with this firm to deliver practical employee engagement solutions across corporate and nonprofit sectors.
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Stefan Lechner has been full Professor of Energy Economics and Energy Systems at the Technical University of Central Hesse (THM) , Giessen, since March 2015. He is affiliated with the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Energy Technology and the Institute THESA – Institute of Thermodynamics, Energy Process Engineering and Systems Analysis . Additionally, he leads the Laboratory for Energy Economics and is a core member of the Competence Center for Energy Technology and Energy Management (etem.THM) . Education & Career Dr.-Ing., Brandenburg University of Technology (BTU) Cottbus, 2012 – Dissertation on steam-fluidized-bed drying of lignite. Dipl.-Ing. (FH) Mechanical Engineering, Georg Agricola University of Applied Sciences Bochum, 2002 – specialising in Future Energies. Supplementary doctoral studies & economics coursework at BTU Cottbus and FernUniversität Hagen. Professional experience at Vattenfall (plant management, power-plant planning & R&D) and Kreisel Umwelttechnik (Head of Development) before entering academia. Research Interests Prof. Lechner’s work centres on the techno-economic analysis and optimisation of energy systems in transition . Core themes include renewable energy integration , thermal energy storage (particularly Carnot batteries using ceramic high-temperature stores), sector coupling between electricity, heat and mobility, and 5th-generation cold district-heating networks (5GDHC). Methodologically, he combines experimental thermal engineering with open-source simulation frameworks , agent-based demand modelling , and electricity-market modelling . Recent activities expand into waste-heat recovery from data centres and transcritical CO₂ heat-pump systems for low-temperature district heating, always targeting cost-effective, grid-friendly and sustainable solutions . Publication Trends Between 2017 and 2024 his output highlights a clear evolution from fundamental studies on pressurized steam fluidized-bed drying and lignite heat-transfer toward system-level analyses of storage-based sector coupling . A dominant cluster addresses Carnot batteries , covering high-temperature storage materials, gas-turbine re-conversion concepts, and demonstration results. Parallel streams examine GIS-based rooftop PV potential , agent-based settlement energy-demand modelling , and regulatory frameworks for cross-sector energy markets. Scientific Awards & Honours No specific awards are mentioned in the provided material. Research Funding & Teams Prof. Lechner has secured and coordinates projects worth > €10 million (THM share ≈ €6.5 million) funded by BMBF, BMWK/BMWi, Hessian ministries (HMWK, HMWEVW), WI-Bank and ERDF : LOEWE 3 DUWä (2025-2027) – transcritical CO₂ dual-use heat pumps for cold district heating. EnEff:Stadt FlexQuartier2 (2023-2027) – hybrid storage optimisation in Giessen’s Philosophenhöhe district. KNW-Plus (2022-2023) – design & online tool for cold local heating networks. Innovative waste-heat use from data centres (2022-2023). FlexQuartier Gießen (2018-2023) – integrated hybrid storage & sector coupling in a new-build district. Kommun:E (2018-2022) – municipal energy-supply transformation under Germany’s Energiewende. High-T-Stor (2017-2019) – cross-sector high-temperature storage for renewable balancing. FES (2019-2021) – Research Center for Energy Storage and Sector Coupling. These projects involve interdisciplinary consortia including municipalities, grid operators, SMEs, and research partners across Germany. Teaching & Academic Leadership He lectures in Energy Economics and Sector Coupling, Energy Markets, Heat Transfer, Renewable Energy Technology and Energy System Analysis . He also serves as Programme Manager for the part-time continuing-education M.Sc. Energy Efficiency Management (StudiumPlus, Wetzlar) and contributes to advanced master’s courses on energy law and thermodynamics.
Blerta Abazi Chaushi is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Business and Economics of the South East European University (SEEU) in Tetovo, North Macedonia. With a PhD in Economic Sciences (2017) and an MSc in Information Systems (2007), she combines expertise in economics and technology to study Information Systems , Artificial Intelligence in Education , and Digital Transformation in academic and public sectors. PhD in Economic Sciences (2012-2017), SEEU MSc in Information Systems (2006-2007), Indiana University BA in Business Administration (2001-2005), SEEU Her research focuses on ERP Systems , AI in Education , and Public Finance Analysis , with recent work examining the intersection of Agile Methodology , Digital Transformation , and Student Satisfaction in online learning environments. She has co-authored 15 recent publications spanning topics like Public Spending Impact , Business Analytics , and Emerging Technologies in SMEs . Blerta’s work bridges technology and policy, including studies on Microsoft Teams for Virtual Collaboration and AI Ethics in Academic Administration . Her career includes roles as a Systems Analyst at Indiana University and Program Coordinator for SEEU’s dual-degree program with the London School of Economics.
Professor Simon J E Taylor is a Professor of Computer Science and Vice Dean Research at the College of Engineering, Design and Physical Sciences, Brunel University London. He is Co-Director of the Modelling and Simulation Research Group and Adjunct Director of the Smart Technology Advancements for Health and Rehabilitation (STAHR) Centre. Research Interests: Modelling & Simulation Digital Infrastructures and Services Cloud Computing International Development Open Science His research focuses on high-performance simulation infrastructures, AI-based optimization, and open science applications in healthcare and industry. He has led international projects improving digital infrastructure across Africa and contributed to standards in simulation interoperability. Scientific Contributions & Leadership: Co-founder and former Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Simulation Chair of ACM SIGSIM (2005–2008) General Chair, IEEE/ACM 2025 Winter Simulation Conference Executive Chair, Simulation Exploration Experience (SEE) Member, Computer Simulation Archive steering committee PhD Supervision & Teaching: Professor Taylor has supervised over 20 doctoral students and examined more than 25 PhDs globally. He leads modules in distributed computing and has developed several postgraduate degrees. He is actively involved in undergraduate and postgraduate teaching, including NATCOR courses, and supports student internships. Research Grants & Projects: Framework Development of Simulation-Augmented Many Objective Optimization for Sustainable Supply Chains (MITRE Corporation, 2023) HIDALGO: HPC and Big Data Technologies for Global Systems (EU, 2018–2021) COLA: Cloud Orchestration at the Level of Application (EU, 2017–2019) CloudSME: Cloud-based simulation platform for manufacturing (EU, 2013–2015) Sci-GalA: Science Gateways and e-Infrastructures in Africa (EU, 2015–2017)
Timo Kretschmer M.A. is a Lecturer at HTWK Leipzig's Faculty of Architecture and Social Sciences, specializing in Building Information Modeling (BIM), computer-aided design, and architectural animation. He has been affiliated with the university since 2004, initially working in the Faculty of Civil Engineering before moving to the Faculty of Architecture and Social Sciences in 2014. As Webmaster of the IT organization and Member of the Faculty Council, he plays a significant role in the university's digital infrastructure. His research focuses on BIM implementation, digital building applications, and virtual construction monitoring. He has been involved in significant projects including the cooperative doctoral procedure with Leipzig University on the reconstruction of Max Klinger's 'Christus im Olymp' and the Saxon Ministry of Justice's model project (2007-2008). His current research (2023-2025) continues to advance digital methods in architectural practice. Kretschmer's publications and presentations demonstrate a clear trajectory from foundational BIM concepts to advanced implementation strategies. His 2024 handbook 'BIMcert Handbuch Grundlagenwissen openBIM' represents the culmination of his expertise, while his earlier works from 2004-2015 established his contributions to architectural history and education. His conference presentations since 2015 show increasing specialization in BIM competence development, data security, and interdisciplinary applications. Chairman of DIN NA 005-13-05 AA 'Professional Competence' Spokesperson for buildingSMART eV Specialist Group 'Certification' Member of buildingSMART International PCert Sub-Committee Member of CEN/TC 442/WG8 'Competence' Founding member of buildingSMART eV Regional Groups in Saxony and Central Germany As an active participant in professional organizations, Kretschmer contributes significantly to standardizing BIM competence frameworks. His work with the Saxony Chamber of Architects on the 'Digital Building Application' working group demonstrates his commitment to bridging academic research and professional practice. His jury work for the BIM Champions awards (2021-2025) further establishes his authority in the field. The IT infrastructure he helps maintain, including the BIMcloud system, supports numerous architectural design projects across the faculty.
Dr. Carmen Cox is an Associate Professor and Associate Dean - Faculty at Bond Business School, Bond University , where she specializes in Tourism & Hotel Marketing . Her research focuses on social media and consumer-generated content in tourism and hospitality, with a particular emphasis on small business digital transformation . She teaches Revenue Management, Marketing, Rooms Division Management , and Food and Beverage Management , and has supervised HDR students using methodologies like surveys, interviews , and content analysis . PhD in Tourism Management Graduate Certificate in Higher Education Bachelor of International Business Relations with Honours Certification in Hotel Industry Analytics Her research portfolio spans tourism destination marketing , consumer behavior , and revenue management , with recent work analyzing social media adoption by SMEs and the impact of user-generated content on travel decisions. Publications in journals like Journal of Hospitality Marketing & Management and Journal of Travel Research demonstrate her contributions to tourism economics, digital marketing , and service quality . Carmen is actively involved in case study development, professional workshops , and editorial board service for tourism journals.
Maya Dougoud is an Associate Professor at the School of Management Fribourg (HEG-FR), part of HES-SO University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland. She teaches intellectual property law to master's students in entrepreneurship, as well as ICT law with a focus on data protection and industrial and research data management in continuing education and EMBA classes. Since 2018, she has served as Data Protection Officer (DPO) at HES-SO//FR and as cantonal data respondent, demonstrating her expertise in regulatory compliance frameworks. Her educational background includes a Bachelor's and Master's degree from the University of Fribourg's Faculty of Law. She has professional experience at a bilingual law firm specializing in business law, the Public Prosecutor's Office, and SWITCH (which maintains secure research and education infrastructure in Switzerland). She has completed training at EPFL Innovation Park Innosuisse Start-up Training and certified the Oxford Women's Leadership Development Program. Dr. Dougoud's research interests span intellectual property law, ICT law, data protection, digital ethics, compliance, and gender equality in the digital transition. Her work often intersects with practical applications of law in technology and business contexts, particularly focusing on the implementation of data protection regulations, open science frameworks, and the impact of digitalization on inclusion. She is currently writing her dissertation at the University of Neuchâtel on "Open Science and Academic Freedom." Her recent research projects demonstrate her commitment to addressing contemporary challenges at the intersection of law, technology, and social inclusion, including Digital skills: IT security & digital ethics (supported by Swissuniversities P8), Gender equality and digital transition (supported by Swissuniversities P7), Regulatory Framework Open Access, Blockchain and IGP, Deep Dive Chalet, and Equality management and women engineers in SMEs. Her notable certifications and training include: Oxford Women's Leadership Development Program EPFL Innovation Park Innosuisse Start-up Training Didactic certificate/attestation Alongside her academic work, Dr. Dougoud is highly active in professional organizations and NGO work. She served as the youngest president of Women Lawyers Switzerland and holds leadership positions in other professional associations (Schweizer IT-Juristinnen) and historical associations (CH2021). She has founded several non-profit organizations focused on health (www.38-5.ch), equality (www.strukturelle.ch), and culture (ImproFR). Notably, she is one of the founders of the International Day Against Harassment for inclusion in the workplace (www.24may.org). Dr. Dougoud maintains a dual career as both an academic and a practicing lawyer in public and academic law, with a focus on compliance, digitalization, and inclusion. She also pursues personal entrepreneurial projects in mechanical engineering, mobile applications, and e-commerce, demonstrating her commitment to innovation across multiple sectors.
Claudio Linhares is a Senior Lecturer at Linnaeus University within the Department of Computer Science and Media Technology , Faculty of Technology in Växjö, Sweden. His work bridges theoretical research with practical applications in visualization and human-computer interaction. Teaching: Masters courses in Computational Network Analysis, Information Visualization, and Data Analysis Projects; Bachelor thesis supervision; Industry-focused Visual Analytics training Research: Focuses on information/network visualization, visual analytics, and human-in-the-loop AI with cross-sector applications in forestry and healthcare Projects: Leads the Smart Dat initiative for industrial digitalization and collaborates with the Information and Software Visualization (ISOVIS) research group His recent publications demonstrate interdisciplinary applications of visualization techniques, including fairness-aware urban planning tools and temporal network analysis frameworks. Current work explores topological persistence methods and augmented reality training systems for manufacturing SMEs. Linhares contributes to academic collaboration through active involvement in research groups and industry partnerships, while maintaining a teaching-focused role in both undergraduate and graduate programs.
Joo Yong Lowe is a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Management & Organisation within NUS Business School since 1998. He teaches organisational behavior to BBA and graduate students, while leading executive education programs in General Management, Strategic Human Resource Management, and AI for HR Leaders. As a former Head of the HRM Unit (2012-2014) and Harvard-trained case method instructor, he actively trains educators and contributes to international conferences on leadership topics. Current Programme Director: General Management Programme, Strategic HRM Programme, AI for HR Leaders Programme Former Programme Director: NUS International Business Talent Programme for Chinese undergraduates Research Focus: His work centers on organisational behavior, leadership development, and talent management within Asian contexts, particularly examining expatriate management , diversity policies , and non-traditional employment models . As Associate Editor of the Asian Case Research Journal, he has published case studies across diverse industries including pharmaceuticals, e-commerce, and healthcare. Key Case Study Trends: Recent publications emphasize cross-cultural leadership (Kuwait, China), diversity implementation (Rakuten), and innovative workforce strategies (Yamato Transport). These reflect his broader expertise in global HR practices and organizational development. Teaching Innovations: Specializing in case method pedagogy, he designs programs for SME leadership transformation and has contributed to executive education across Asia. His teaching spans both academic and professional audiences through undergraduate courses and high-impact executive training sessions.
Javier García Gómez-Die is an Adjunct Professor specializing in Image, Brand and Corporate Communication at the University of Alicante 's Department of Communication and Social Psychology. He coordinates the Corporate Brand Chair expansion and leads the UA_Brandscience research group. 15+ years of academic leadership Expert in brand strategies for SMEs International non-profit advisor His research focuses on transforming organizations through strategic branding, combining intangible asset strengthening with tangible productivity. He directs the SEPA Foundation and Ibero-Pan American Federation of Periodontology while advising SMEs globally. Education highlights: Bachelor of Information Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid Expert in Strategic Brand Management, ESADE Business School Expert in Corporate Reputation, Reputation Institute Executive Master in International Associations Management, Solvay Business School Executive Master in Leadership and Social Innovation, ESADE Business School
Philippe CHEREAU is an Associate Professor at SKEMA Business School (France) specializing in Strategic Management , Innovation Management , and Entrepreneurship Education . He has held academic positions at SKEMA since 2009 and serves as Director of SKEMA Advisory since 2024. His research focuses on strategy-business model alignment, innovation dynamics in SMEs, and entrepreneurial confidence measurement. Education: Ph.D. in Management Science (2012, Aix-Marseille University/SKEMA Business School) Key Appointments: Visiting Professor at University of Naples Federico II (Italy, since 2016), Mines ParisTech (France, 2012-2019), and IAE Aix-Marseille (France, 2011-2017) His research spans strategic posture theory , business model innovation , and entrepreneurial learning frameworks . He co-authored influential works on SME strategy-implementation alignment and developed the INNOSTRA™ Method for strategic transformation. His 2023 cross-cultural study on French/Chinese consumer responses to masstige strategies and 2025 research on corporate environmental commitment through performance feedback theory represent his latest contributions. Scientific Awards: Executive Education Excellence Award (2022, SKEMA) EFMD Case Writing Competition winner (2016) FNEGE-certified textbook recognition (2015) As Scientific Director for SKEMA's incubator (2012-2017) and co-author of the annual Entrepreneur Confidence Index for Challenges magazine (2021-2023), he bridges academic research with practical entrepreneurial support. His case studies (published in Harvard Business Publishing, Ivey, and CCMP) analyze strategic conflicts in luxury, agri-food, and fragrance industries.
F. Frank Chen is a Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) and holds the Lutcher Brown Distinguished Chair in Advanced Manufacturing. He is a Fellow of both the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) and the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE). Ph.D. & MS, University of Missouri-Columbia BS, Tunghai University (Taiwan) Dr. Chen specializes in flexible manufacturing, lean systems, and AI integration. His research spans predictive maintenance, computer vision for defect detection, cybersecurity in industrial IoT, and sustainable production. He actively combines AI (deep learning, NLP) with lean methodologies to optimize manufacturing and healthcare workflows. Recent publications focus on AI-enabled sustainability (waste reduction, parking efficiency), advanced diagnostics (cancer detection via CNNs, transformers), and cybersecurity enhancements. His work bridges theoretical innovation with practical applications in smart manufacturing and lean healthcare. Fellow, IISE (2019) Operational Excellence Division Teaching Award, IISE (2015) SME College of Fellows (2011) Dr. Chen leads the Flexible Manufacturing and Lean Systems Lab, contributing to AI-aided lean manufacturing, intrusion detection systems, and voice-of-customer extraction. His interdisciplinary approach impacts both industrial processes and healthcare diagnostics, emphasizing efficiency, sustainability, and technological integration.
Professor Krassen Stefanov Stefanov is a researcher at the Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics (FMI), Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski", with over 30 publications and leadership roles in 15 European Commission RTD projects. He holds a PhD in Computer Science from Sofia University and is a Cisco Certified Academy Instructor. 2003–2004: Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) Instructor, Birmingham, UK 2002: Euro Innovation Manager certification, Brno University of Technology 2000–2001: Cisco Certified Academy Instructor (CCAI and CCNA) 1996–1997: MSc in Educational and Training Systems Design, University of Twente 1977–1982: MSc in Mathematics and Computer Science, Sofia University His research focuses on Technology Enhanced Learning , Semantic Knowledge Systems , Mobile Applications , and Open Development Platforms . He specializes in designing educational programs, modeling social processes, and consulting SMEs on ICT adoption. His publications from 2010–2012 emphasize digital libraries , metadata repositories , serious games , and cloud-based learning networks , with a strong emphasis on lifelong competence development and ICT standardization . Scientific Awards Best Paper Award, 5th International ePortfolio 2007 Conference He has led projects like the Share.TEC portal and weSPOT cloud platform , contributing to teacher training, SME consulting, and European RTD initiatives. His work involves designing competence assessment models and service-oriented e-learning infrastructures . Labs & Teams Professor Stefanov is affiliated with FMI Researchers and has collaborated extensively in the TENCompetence network, developing open-source infrastructures for lifelong learning. He co-created the Share.TEC portal for educational resource sharing and contributed to the I*Teach methodology for teacher training.
