Professor Guy Brown is Chair of Computer Science at the University of Sheffield's School of Computer Science. He holds a BSc in Applied Science (1984), PhD in Computer Science (1992), and MEd in Teaching and Learning (1997). His research focuses on Computational Auditory Scene Analysis (CASA), noise-robust speech recognition, auditory modeling, and binaural processing. Research interests include: Machine hearing systems for sound source separation Reverberation-robust speech processing Auditory scene analysis models for normal/impaired hearing Applications in robotics and healthcare technologies Publication trends show recent focus on deep learning approaches for biomedical applications including sleep apnea detection, respiratory sound analysis, and multimodal health monitoring systems using neural networks. Honors include: University Senate Award for Excellence in Teaching (2014) Microsoft Software Engineering Innovation Award (2013) He leads doctoral supervision for 15+ students and has secured research funding from EPSRC, Innovate UK, EU FP7, and AHRC. Manages the Speech and Hearing research group and has held visiting positions at international institutions including LIMSI-CNRS and ATR Japan.
Chenliang Xu is an Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Rochester, affiliated with the Goergen Institute for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (GIDS-AI). His research focuses on computer vision, audio-visual learning, and trustworthy AI. He holds a PhD from the University of Michigan (2016), with prior degrees from Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics and the University at Buffalo. Notable awards include the Best Paper Award at ACCV 2024 and the James P. Wilmot Distinguished Professorship. His work spans interdisciplinary topics such as video understanding, multimodal reasoning, and robust AI. Key research contributions include audio-visual scene synthesis, bias mitigation in models, and applications in public health. He has secured over $3M in grants, including NIH funding for AI-driven video description tools and public health initiatives. Prof. Xu advises a dynamic research group with 11 PhD students and numerous collaborators. His lab explores cutting-edge projects like egocentric audio-visual understanding, generative AI for avatars, and multimodal defense mechanisms. He teaches courses in machine vision, deep learning, and advanced computer vision.
Xavier Alameda-Pineda is a Research Director at Inria Grenoble Rhône-Alpes, where he leads the RobotLearn Team. He is affiliated with Université Grenoble Alpes and has been a key member of the Perception team. His work integrates machine learning, computer vision, and audio processing for scene understanding and human-robot interaction. Research Interests: His research lies at the intersection of multimodal machine learning and social behavior analysis. He focuses on developing algorithms for understanding human behavior in natural settings using audio-visual signals, with applications in robotics and AI companions. His work emphasizes real-world challenges such as noisy data, missing modalities, and dynamic environments. Publication Trends: His recent publications reflect a consistent focus on multimodal fusion, particularly combining vision and audio for social scene analysis. Themes include group behavior recognition, sound source separation, and cross-modal learning, often applied in robotics contexts. Scientific Awards: SIGMM Rising Star Award 2018 IEEE TMM Outstanding Associate Editor Award 2022 ACM TOMM Best Paper Award 2020 Best Paper Award, ACM MM 2015 Best Scientific Paper Award, ICPR 2016 Best Student Paper Award, IEEE WASPAA 2015 Outstanding Paper Award, ICMI 2011 Novel Technology Paper Award Finalist, IROS 2017 Advising and Grants: Xavier has mentored students and early-career researchers, evidenced by co-authored student papers. He coordinated the H2020 SPRING project on socially pertinent robots in gerontological healthcare and co-leads an AI chair on audio-visual perception for companion robots, indicating leadership in funded research initiatives. Labs and Teams: He is the leader of the RobotLearn Team at Inria and was previously part of the Perception team. He has also collaborated with the Multimodal and Human Understanding Group at the University of Trento.
Professor Jon Barker is a faculty member at the University of Sheffield , where he holds a Personal Chair in the School of Computer Science . He leads the Speech and Hearing (SpandH) research group and co-founded the CHiME international workshop series on robust speech recognition. Education : PhD in Computer Science (University of Sheffield, 1999); BA in Electrical and Information Sciences (Cambridge University). Research Focus : His work bridges machine listening and human auditory perception , with key contributions to noise-robust speech recognition , speech intelligibility prediction , and hearing aid signal processing for speech and music. Recent projects include the Clarity Challenges and Cadenza Challenges , large-scale machine learning initiatives to improve accessibility for hearing-impaired users. Publication Trends : Recent articles emphasize machine learning for hearing aid optimization , dysarthric speech recognition , audio-visual integration , and music demixing algorithms . Collaborations span speech processing, psychoacoustics, and biomedical engineering. Scientific Awards : EURASIP Best Paper Award (2009) ISCA Best Paper Award (2008) Grants and Leadership : He has secured major EPSRC grants including EnhanceMusic (2022-2026) and Challenges to Revolutionise Hearing Device Processing (2019-2025). He co-led the TAPAS Marie Curie Training Network (2017-2022) and led projects like AV-COGHEAR (2015-2018) and CHiME (2009-2012). Labs and Teams : Barker collaborates closely with the Speech and Hearing Research Group and contributes to international initiatives like the CHiME Workshop . His lab develops open datasets such as the Clarity Speech Corpus and Audio-Visual Lombard Corpus .
Herbert Buchner is a researcher affiliated with the University of Cambridge in the Information Engineering Division , focusing on Machine Learning for Signal Processing and Human-Machine Interfaces . Research Interests : Acoustic scene analysis, biomedical interfaces, haptic systems, wave-domain adaptive filtering, and sensor networks. Applications : Speech recognition, wavefield synthesis, active noise control, and full-duplex communication systems. His work explores TRINICON (a framework for broadband adaptive MIMO filtering), blind source separation, and wave-domain filtering, emphasizing theoretical rigor and real-time implementation. Key Awards : Best Paper Award at ITG Conference on Speech Communication (2008) Best Student Paper Award at IEEE Intl. Workshop on Acoustic Echo and Noise Control (2001) Publications highlight 15 recent articles in areas like: Wave-Domain Adaptive Filtering Blind Source Separation for Convolutive Mixtures Robust Extended Multidelay Filters Multichannel Acoustic Echo Cancellation Active Room Compensation Biomedical Signal Processing
Konrad Kowalczyk is an Associate Professor at AGH University of Science and Technology in Krakow, Poland, where he heads the Signal Processing Group within the Faculty of Computer Science, Electronics and Telecommunications. With extensive international experience from institutions including Queen's University Belfast, Stanford University, and Fraunhofer Institute, he has established himself as a leading researcher in audio and speech signal processing. His academic journey includes B.Eng. and M.Sc. degrees from AGH University (2005), a Ph.D. from Queen's University Belfast (2009), and a Habilitation in ICT from AGH University (2020). B.Eng. and M.Sc. in Electronics and Telecommunications, AGH University of Krakow (2005) Ph.D. in Electronics, Queen's University Belfast, UK (2009) Habilitation (D.Sc.) in Information and Communication Technology, AGH University of Krakow (2020) Kowalczyk's research spans multiple cutting-edge areas in audio processing, with particular focus on speech and audio signal processing enhanced by machine learning techniques. His work integrates deep neural networks with traditional signal processing methods to address challenges in array signal processing , speech enhancement , and speaker recognition . The research group he leads explores innovative applications in distributed signal processing for IoT , acoustic event detection , and spatial audio rendering , bridging theoretical advances with practical implementations. His recent publications demonstrate a clear trend toward integrating deep learning with traditional signal processing techniques, particularly in speaker diarization, source separation, and robust speech recognition. The research increasingly focuses on real-world applications requiring reverberation-robust processing , distributed microphone array systems , and end-to-end neural architectures that can operate in challenging acoustic environments. There's a noticeable shift toward more complex, integrated systems that combine multiple signal processing tasks. Stanislaw Staszic Medal for best graduate of AGH (2005) IEEE Best Student Paper Contest finalist (2007) AES Student Technical Paper Award winner (2008) Best Student Paper Award at IWAENC conference (2014) Best Paper Awards at IEEE SPA conferences (2016, 2019) Polish Ministry of Science Scholarship for Distinguished Young Scientists (2016-2019) Prime Minister Award for outstanding scientific achievements (2020) As Principal Investigator, Kowalczyk leads multiple significant research projects including "Acoustic Intelligence" (2024-2028) funded by National Science Center, and "Deep extraction for robust speech recognition" (2023-2028). He has successfully secured funding from prestigious programs including First TEAM from the Foundation for Polish Science, and EU FP7 projects. His research group actively supervises Ph.D., M.Sc., and B.Eng. students, with strong connections to international institutions including Aalto University and IEEE Signal Processing Society. The research output includes numerous journal publications, conference papers, patents, and software implementations that have advanced the field of audio signal processing. Kowalczyk leads the Signal Processing Group at AGH University, which focuses on developing innovative solutions for speech and audio processing challenges. The group maintains strong collaborations with international institutions including Aalto University (Finland), and participates in European research initiatives. Their work spans theoretical development through practical implementation, with applications ranging from medical voice assistants to distributed acoustic sensor networks.
Mark Plumbley is a Professor of Signal Processing at the Centre for Vision, Speech and Signal Processing (CVSSP) within the School of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering at the University of Surrey. He holds an EPSRC Fellowship in 'AI for Sound' and has led major research initiatives, including the DCASE challenges. His work focuses on AI-driven analysis of acoustic scenes and events, with contributions to machine learning, audio source separation, and sparse representations. Previously, he was Director of the Centre for Digital Music at Queen Mary University of London and Head of the School of Computer Science at Surrey. Education: PhD in Neural Networks (1991). Academic roles include Professorships at King’s College London (1991–2002) and Queen Mary University of London (2002–2014). Research spans audio event detection, sound scene classification, and generative AI for audio synthesis. He leads projects like the EPSRC-funded 'Making Sense of Sounds' and 'Musical Audio Repurposing using Source Separation', and co-edited the Springer book on Computational Analysis of Sound Scenes and Events. Research Interests: AI for Sound: Machine learning applied to real-world audio analysis. Acoustic Scene and Event Recognition: Developing models for sound classification and localization. Generative Audio Models: Text-to-audio systems and diffusion models for sound synthesis. Healthcare Applications: Audio-based diagnostics and bioacoustic signal processing. Grants and Awards: EPSRC Fellowships, EU-funded networks (SpaRTaN, MacSeNet), and Fellowships from IET and IEEE. Notable awards include the IEEE Young Author Best Paper Award (co-authored with students) and leadership in the DCASE community. Labs and Collaborations: CVSSP at Surrey, collaborations with BBC R&D, and interdisciplinary projects on urban soundscapes and noise pollution (UK Acoustics Network Plus).
Slim Essid is a Full Professor at Télécom Paris, leading the Audio Data Analysis and Signal Processing (ADASP) group. He holds a Doctorat (Ph.D.) and Habilitation from Université Pierre et Marie Curie (UPMC). With 15+ years of research experience, he has advised 15 PhD graduates and currently co-advises 10 others. His work focuses on machine learning, signal processing, and multimodal systems, publishing over 150 peer-reviewed papers. He serves as a reviewer for top journals/conferences (e.g., IEEE Transactions) and research funding agencies. Education: State Engineering Degree, École Nationale d’Ingénieurs de Tunis (2001) M.Sc. (D.E.A.) in Digital Communication Systems, École Nationale Supérieure des Télécommunications, Paris (2002) Ph.D., Université Pierre et Marie Curie (2005) Habilitation (HDR), UPMC (2015) Research Interests: Multimodal learning, self-supervised representations, audio-visual segmentation, music structure analysis, domain generalization, and speech enhancement. Recent publications highlight innovations like TACO (training-free sound-prompted segmentation) and CLOUDS (domain-generalized semantic segmentation framework using foundation models). His work bridges audio processing with vision and language models, emphasizing unsupervised/zero-shot approaches. Key achievements include state-of-the-art methods in sound event detection, speaker diarization, and music segmentation. He collaborates with 14 post-docs and leads projects funded by French/EU agencies.
Hao-Wen Dong is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Performing Arts Technology at the University of Michigan, with an affiliation to the Computer Science and Engineering Department. His research focuses on Human-Centered Generative AI for content creation, emphasizing music, audio, and video domains. He holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science from UCSD, advised by Julian McAuley and Taylor Berg-Kirkpatrick. Affiliations: University of Michigan (Primary), UCSD (Ph.D.), National Taiwan University (B.S.) Research Pillars: Generative AI models for new domains, AI-assisted creative tools, and multimodal content creation His work spans music generation (e.g., MuseGAN), audio synthesis (e.g., ViolinDiff), and multimodal systems (e.g., TeaserGen). He has led over 25+ publications in top venues like ISMIR, ICASSP, and ICLR. He advises students in interdisciplinary projects and teaches courses on AI Music and Generative AI for Music/Audio Creation. Notable awards include the Doctoral Award for Excellence in Research (2024) and Rising Stars in AI (2024).
Konstantinos Gryllias is a Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at KU Leuven's Faculty of Engineering Sciences. He leads research in the Mechatronic System Dynamics (LMSD) unit at the Arenberg campus. His academic affiliations extend across multiple KU Leuven institutes including Leuven.AI, Leuven.AM (Additive Manufacturing), and the Gravitation Institute. He serves on important governance bodies as a member of the Faculty Council of Engineering Sciences, Faculty Doctoral Committee of Engineering Sciences, and Departmental Council of Mechanical Engineering. Dr. Gryllias specializes in signal processing, fault detection and diagnosis of rotating machinery, condition monitoring, and machine learning applications in structural health monitoring. His research spans linear and nonlinear vibrations, anomaly detection, rotordynamics, and pattern recognition. His work bridges theoretical signal processing with practical engineering applications in wind turbines, marine propulsion systems, and industrial machinery. His recent publications demonstrate strong focus on deep learning approaches for wind turbine anomaly detection, bearing diagnostics, stern bearing lubrication optimization, and structural health monitoring using advanced signal processing techniques. The research shows increasing integration of explainable AI methods with traditional vibration analysis. Dr. Gryllias teaches advanced courses including Monitoring & Prognostics, Structural Dynamics, Smart Sensing Technologies, and Applied AI perspectives. His teaching portfolio reflects the interdisciplinary nature of his research, connecting mechanical engineering fundamentals with cutting-edge AI methodologies. He currently leads multiple research projects through 2025-2029, primarily as Promotor, focusing on fault detection in gears using fiber optic sensors, multi-sensor monitoring of drivelines, physics-inspired machine learning for condition monitoring, and digital twin applications for wind turbine efficiency improvement.
Renzo Arina is a Tenured Associate Professor at the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (DIMEAS) at the Polytechnic University of Turin . His academic career spans decades of contributions to Aeroacoustics and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) . Research Interests : Numerical simulation of flow-induced noise Drag reduction techniques for vehicle optimization Computational methods for aeroacoustic modeling Boundary layer dynamics and separation control Research Projects : Erasmus Mundus Master in Aeroacoustics (2024–2025): Member of research group Aerodynamic Optimization of Vehicles (2016): Scientific Director for industrial efficiency Detailed Numerical Modeling of Airborne Sound Field (2013–2016): EU-funded research Discontinuous Galerkin Method for Aeroacoustics (2010–2012): National PRIN project Advising : Supervises PhD candidates Daniele Fabbri (Mechanical Engineering, 2023–ongoing) and Francesco Bellelli (Aerospace Engineering, 2022–ongoing) Labs & Teams : Member of the Boundary Layer Flow, Separation and Control research group at DIMEAS
Douglas W. Carter is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical, Materials, and Aerospace Engineering at the Armour College of Engineering, Illinois Institute of Technology. He leads the Experimental Turbulent Flows Lab, focusing on advanced experimental techniques for fluid dynamics research. Education: Ph.D., University of Minnesota, 2019 M.S., University of Minnesota, 2017 B.S., University of New Hampshire, 2014 Research Interests: Dr. Carter investigates experimental turbulent flows, particle-turbulence interactions, and noise generation in separated flows. His expertise spans particle tracking velocimetry, hypersonics, compressible flows, and data-driven methods for fluid systems. Research emphasizes experimental validation of turbulence models and development of novel diagnostic tools like FLEET velocimetry. Publications: Recent work explores hypersonic flow diagnostics, pressure reconstruction in stalled airfoils, and turbulence cascade dynamics. Publications demonstrate consistent focus on experimental fluid mechanics, high-speed flow measurements, and low-order modeling for aerodynamic prediction. Laboratory: The Experimental Turbulent Flows Lab (Rettaliata Engineering Center) develops cutting-edge techniques for turbulent flow analysis, including multi-scale imaging and optical diagnostics for high-speed applications.
Cheng Zhi Huang is the Robert N. Noyce Career Development Professor and Assistant Professor at MIT, holding a shared appointment between the departments of Music and Theater Arts and Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS). His work bridges artificial intelligence, music technology, and computer science to advance human-AI collaboration in musical creativity. Huang leads research in generative models for music composition, real-time interactive systems, and expressive performance synthesis. His contributions include tools like ReaLJam for AI-assisted jamming and the MAESTRO dataset for piano performance modeling. His research interests span AI-driven music generation, human-AI interaction frameworks, and culturally-aware music technologies. Notable projects include The Bach Doodle—an accessible web-based composition tool—and MIDI-DDSP for detailed performance control. Huang’s work emphasizes ethical and creative applications of AI in arts, fostering collaborations between musicians, engineers, and computer scientists. His publications highlight advancements in hierarchical generative modeling, source separation techniques, and co-creation interfaces for novices. Huang’s research has been showcased in venues like TISMIR and IEEE conferences, reflecting his interdisciplinary impact on music technology and machine learning.
Magdalena Fuentes is an Assistant Professor of Music Technology and Integrated Design & Media at New York University (NYU), affiliated with the Music and Audio Research Lab (MARL) and the Integrated Design & Media (IDM) programs. She holds a Ph.D. from Université Paris Saclay (France) and a B.Eng. in Electrical Engineering from Universidad de la República (Uruguay). Her research focuses on Machine Listening, Human-Centered Machine Learning, and Multimodal Representation Learning, with applications to Music Information Retrieval and Environmental Sound Analysis. Previously, she served as a Postdoctoral Faculty Fellow at NYU’s MARL and Center for Urban Science and Progress (CUSP). Her work bridges technical innovation with cultural and societal contexts, particularly in underrepresented music traditions like Brazilian percussion and Candomblé rituals. She has developed open-source tools such as Soundata to ensure reproducible audio dataset usage. Her research outputs span audio-visual synchronization (e.g., SONIQUE), environmental sound monitoring (e.g., SONYC projects), and rhythm analysis frameworks (e.g., Carat toolbox). These contributions highlight her dual focus on advancing machine learning techniques while maintaining human-centric and culturally sensitive applications.
Josh Reiss is a Professor of Audio Engineering at Queen Mary University of London (QMUL), part of the School of Electronic Engineering and Computer Science . He holds additional roles including President-Elect and Fellow of the Audio Engineering Society (AES), and Visiting Professor at Birmingham City University. His research focuses on audio signal processing, procedural audio, and intelligent music production. He earned degrees including BSc in Physics, BSc in Mathematics, and a PhD. Research & Awards : Reiss has published over 200 papers, authored books like Intelligent Music Production , and received awards such as the AES Board of Governors Award (2009, 2010) and Best JAES Paper 2016. His work spans sound synthesis, dynamic range compression, and live audio systems. Teaching & Industry : Teaches modules like Artificial Intelligence and Sound Design. Co-founded startups LandR (AI mixing), Tonz, and Nemisindo. Leads the Centre for Digital Music at QMUL, advancing research in audio technology. Labs & Teams : Active in the Centre for Digital Music, collaborating on projects like the Open Multitrack Testbed and semantic audio evaluation tools.
