Srijan Kumar is an Assistant Professor in the School of Computational Science and Engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology's College of Computing. His research focuses on data science, AI for security, and online safety, addressing challenges in detecting malicious users, misinformation, and enhancing AI robustness. His work has been deployed in platforms like Flipkart and Wikipedia, and recognized through awards such as the NSF CAREER and Forbes 30 Under 30. Education: B.Tech from Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur Ph.D. in Computer Science from University of Maryland, College Park Postdoctoral training at Stanford University Research Interests: Multi-modal/multi-lingual detection of harmful content and users Adversarial robustness of AI models Graph and network analysis for early detection Responsible recommender systems Awards & Grants: NSF CAREER Award (2023) Kavli Fellow (2022) Facebook/Adobe Faculty Awards NSF Convergence Accelerator Phase II grant ($5M) Advising & Labs: Leads the CLAWS Lab, advising over 20 students. Active in mentoring through conferences and NSF-funded projects.
Dr Denitsa Dineva is a Senior Lecturer in Marketing and Strategy at Cardiff Business School , specializing in digital marketing , consumer behavior , and brand strategy . With a PhD in Digital Marketing from Aberystwyth University, she brings both academic expertise and practical experience from commercial and non-profit sector marketing roles. Her research focuses on the complexities of digital and social media , particularly examining uncivil consumer interactions , brand content moderation , and digital brand engagement . Denitsa employs mixed methods , social media text analysis , and experimental research to understand brand-consumer dynamics in digital spaces. 2025: Brand-to-brand social media engagement analysis 2025: Communication accommodation in brand communities 2025: Schadenfreude in service recovery 2024: Brand engagement typology 2023: Platform moderation strategies 2023: Brand advertising withdrawal cases She has received multiple accolades including the IAA Impact Award (2025) and SIM Conference Best Paper (2024), while also securing £133,878 in research funding across projects on digital marketing and public value initiatives. Denitsa teaches Digital Marketing modules at BSc, MSc, and executive education levels, and currently supervises PhD research related to online brand communities , social media content moderation , and consumer engagement dynamics . She serves as Senior Personal Tutor and External Examiner at multiple universities.
Cristian Danescu-Niculescu-Mizil is an Associate Professor at the Department of Information Science , Cornell University . His research focuses on computational frameworks for social behavior analysis through large-scale natural language data , particularly in online communities and crisis counseling contexts. Recipient of WWW Best Paper Award (2013) and Yahoo! Key Scientific Challenges Award Co-developer of ConvoKit , a comprehensive conversational analysis toolkit Principal investigator in NLP for mental health , antisocial behavior detection , and linguistic coordination studies His work spans computational social science and human-centered AI , with recent publications in EMNLP 2025 , ACL 2025 , and CSCW 2025 focusing on conversation dynamics modeling , pivotal moment detection , and talk-time equity analysis . He has advised multiple PhD students who became faculty at Harvey Mudd , University of Michigan , and Thompson Reuters . Key scientific contributions : 2013 : WWW Best Paper - Power dynamics through linguistic coordination 2016 : IJCAI NLP & Journalism Best Paper - Gender bias quantification 2017 : ICWSM Best Paper - Trolling behavior analysis He teaches NLP and Social Interaction (INFO/CS 6742) and Language and Information (INFO/CS 4300) , with teaching resources including the Politeness Web App and ConvoWizard interactive tool featured in NPR's Weekend Edition . His work has been covered by New Scientist , NBC Today Show , and New York Times .
Michael J. Meurer is a Professor of Law at Boston University School of Law, holding the Abraham and Lillian Benton Scholar title. He holds an SB in Economics and Interdisciplinary Science from MIT, a JD cum laude from the University of Minnesota, and a PhD in Economics from the same institution. His research focuses on Intellectual Property & Economics , with emphasis on patent policy, antitrust, and high-tech industry regulation. He has received multiple Pew Charitable Trust Grant Ford Foundation Grant Olin Faculty Fellowship at Yale Law School AT&T Bell Labs Postdoctoral Fellowship His teaching includes core courses in Intellectual Property and Patent Law, alongside workshops for international scholars and policymakers. Meurer's recent publications analyze patent reform frameworks collusion dynamics in patent disputes economic models for nonobviousness costs of patent trolling copyright policy in digital markets innovation economics He actively contributes to antitrust symposiums and law & economics workshops, maintaining a dual focus on legal theory and empirical economic analysis.
Jeremy Blackburn is an Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Science at Binghamton University. He co-founded the International Data-driven Research for Advanced Modeling and Analysis Lab ( iDRAMA Lab ) and leads its Binghamton satellite. His research focuses on large-scale measurement and analysis of social media, particularly the behavior of malicious actors and disinformation campaigns.
Mustafa Bilgic is a Professor and Chair of the Computer Science Department at Illinois Institute of Technology, where he also directs the Master of Artificial Intelligence program and the Machine Learning Laboratory. His research focuses on machine learning, active learning, explainable AI, and probabilistic graphical models, with applications in healthcare, social media analysis, and biomedical engineering. He has received funding from NSF, NIH, and Samsung, among others. Education: PhD in Computer Science, University of Maryland at College Park (2010) M.S. in Computer Science, University of Maryland at College Park (2006) B.S. in Computer Science, University of Texas at Austin (2004, with High Honors and Special Honors) Research Highlights: Dr. Bilgic's work emphasizes AI ethics, algorithm transparency, and interactive machine learning systems. Notable projects include analyzing political news engagement dynamics and developing frameworks for eliminating explanation noise in AI models. His lab explores tools like OrganoID for tracking organoid growth and IDGI for improving model interpretability. Awards: NSF CAREER Award (2014) ACM SIGKDD Best Student Paper Award (2008) Illinois Tech College of Computing Teaching Excellence Award (2021) Teaching and Leadership: Bilgic teaches advanced courses in AI, machine learning, and data mining. He leads initiatives to bridge AI theory and practical applications, emphasizing interdisciplinary collaboration. His administrative roles include overseeing the AI master’s program and fostering innovation in computing education.
Professor Claire Hardaker is a leading scholar in Forensic Linguistics at Lancaster University's School of Social Sciences. Her research focuses on aggression, deception, and manipulation in computer-mediated communication (CMC) for evidential and intelligence purposes. Research interests include: Corpus linguistics methodologies Online trolling and impoliteness Vaccine discourse analysis Forensic applications of linguistic analysis Current projects include: "Forensic linguistics, Cybersecurity and Technology Research: Operations Suite" (2023-2026) "Questioning Vaccination Discourse (Quo VaDis)" (2021-2024) Contact: c.hardaker@lancaster.ac.uk
Rianne Conijn is an assistant professor in the Human-Technology Interaction group at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e), Netherlands. Her research bridges data-driven methodologies (machine learning, statistical modeling) with human-centered design to enhance learning analytics, explainable AI, and writing process analysis. She holds a joint PhD (cum laude) from Antwerp University and Tilburg University, and an MSc (cum laude) in Human-Technology Interaction from TU/e. Academic Background: MSc (2015, TU/e, cum laude), PhD (2020, Antwerp University & Tilburg University, cum laude). Research Focus: Learning analytics, keystroke logging, explainable AI for education, data dashboards, and self-regulated learning dynamics. Teaching: Courses in Advanced Research Methods, Human-AI Interaction, Behavioral Research Methods, and AI ethics in education. Her recent publications explore parallel language planning in writing, longitudinal self-regulated learning strategies, and generalizability of academic performance prediction models. She leads an NWO Veni project on Human-Centered AI in education, emphasizing tailored explanations for student-AI collaboration. Scientific awards include cum laude distinctions for her MSc and PhD, and the NWO Veni grant. Collaborative work spans institutions in the Netherlands, Norway, and the U.S., with applications in intelligent tutoring systems and ethical AI deployment in exams. Key trends across her work: integration of machine learning with educational theory, leveraging keystroke data for cognitive process insights, and prioritizing actionable, explainable AI systems for student support. Publications span journals like the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General , Computers and Education , and IEEE Transactions on Learning Technologies . Scientific Awards: NWO Veni grant for Human-Centered AI in education Cum laude for MSc and PhD Grants & Collaborations: National Science Foundation grants (2016868, 2302644) for biometric feedback in writing UK Research and Innovation grant (ES/W011832/1) for real-time AI scaffolding TU/e Boost! Program grant for self-regulated learning analysis Labs & Teams: EAISI Foundational (Eindhoven AI Systems Institute) Human Technology Interaction group at TU/e Collaboration with Norwegian Reading National Center (University of Stavanger) Project teams for Waterproof ITS and ProWrite grants
Asta Zelenkauskaite is a Professor of Communication and Graduate Faculty Member in the Department of Communication at Drexel University. She is affiliated with the Center for Science, Technology, and Society. Her research focuses on social media dynamics, misinformation, and digital communication practices, employing mixed-methods approaches to analyze emergent online behaviors. She holds a PhD in Mass Communication from Indiana University (2012). Education: PhD in Mass Communication, Indiana University, 2012 Research Interests: Social media research and user-generated content analysis Emergent online practices and ideological influence Disinformation, inauthentic behaviors, and post-truth challenges Macro- and micro-level studies of digital media landscapes Recent Work Trends: Dr. Zelenkauskaite’s recent publications emphasize AI’s role in content analysis, disinformation mitigation strategies, and cross-cultural climate change narratives. Her work bridges social science, information science, and linguistics to address societal challenges like vaccine hesitancy and digital misinformation. Awards/Grants: No specific awards listed, but her research has been supported by interdisciplinary grants focusing on AI ethics and digital media governance. Labs/Teams: Active in Drexel’s Center for Science, Technology, and Society, collaborating on projects addressing technology’s societal impacts. Her work often involves international partnerships, particularly in Eastern European contexts like Lithuania.
Josh Davis is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Journalism , College of Humanities , San Francisco State University. As a journalist, filmmaker, and educator, he has worked with institutions such as VICE News Tonight on HBO , The New York Times , NPR , and MediaStorm . He earned an M.A. in Journalism from UNC-Chapel Hill and has received numerous awards, including the Peabody Award and multiple Emmy Awards . Emmy and Peabody Award-winning documentary producer Expertise in visual journalism and documentary ethics Focus on social justice, criminal justice reform, and global issues Davis’s research interests center on multimedia storytelling and documentary production for social change. His work explores visual journalism as a tool to counter misinformation, amplify marginalized voices, and investigate systemic issues. Projects like Charlottesville: Race and Terror and Planet Money Makes A T-Shirt highlight his ability to blend investigative reporting with interactive media . Davis’s recent articles and documentaries focus on political conflict ( Charlottesville ), economic systems ( Planet Money ), and environmental ethics ( Fast Food for Polar Bears ). These works often integrate data visualization , personal narrative , and cross-cultural documentation . His scientific awards include: 2018 Peabody Award 2018 Emmy for Outstanding Coverage of Breaking News 2015 duPont-Columbia Silver Baton Multiple Pictures of the Year International and Webby Awards Davis has also advised graduate students and collaborated with institutions like CNN , The International Center of Photography , and UNC-Chapel Hill through the Roy H. Park fellowship and Carnegie-Knight News21 fellowship .
Xiuzhen Jenny Zhang is a Professor of Data Science at RMIT University , affiliated with the School of Computing Technologies. Her research bridges artificial intelligence, machine learning, and social media analysis, with a focus on text mining and trustworthy data science. Her recent publications highlight expertise in point-of-interest recommendation , misinformation detection , multi-task learning , and transformer-based NLP . Key trends include applications of large language models for social good, fairness in recommendation systems , and adversarial learning for robustness. Best Paper Award at TrustCom’12 Best Short Paper Award at ADCS’2009 She leads the Text And LanguagE (TALE) research group and has supervised over 20 PhD students. Research grants include Australian Research Council and Victoria state government funding.
Mike Schuster serves as Assistant Professor of Legal Studies at the University of Georgia's Terry College of Business since 2019, specializing in intellectual property and empirical legal studies with focus on technology-law intersections and equity issues. Education: LLM in Trade Regulation, New York University School of Law, 2009 JD, South Texas College of Law, 2007 BS in Chemical Engineering, University of Texas, 2002 Research Interests: Professor Schuster's work spans patent, copyright, and trademark law through empirical methodologies, investigating gender/race disparities in IP systems and legal challenges from AI/cannabis industries. His research bridges doctrinal analysis with quantitative data to expose systemic biases in patent prosecution and trademark registration while examining how legal uncertainty shapes business strategies in emerging markets. Publications: His 15 most recent publications (2019-2025) reveal consistent empirical rigor across intellectual property domains, with recurring themes including gender equity in inventorship, strategic obfuscation in patent filings, and fair use market measurement. These works appear in leading interdisciplinary journals and demonstrate methodological sophistication through corpus analysis, citation networks, and demographic statistics. Awards and Honors: 2025 Best Paper at Gender and Business Research Conference (Kinsey-Kelley Center) 2024 Ralph Hoeber Memorial Award for Excellence in Research 2024 Best Interdisciplinary Paper Award (Academy of Legal Studies in Business) 2024 Best Sports and Entertainment Law Paper 2023 Early Career Achievement Award 2022 Terry College Outstanding Teacher Award 2022 & 2021 Best Interdisciplinary Paper Awards Multiple 2019 Southeastern Academy honors Consecutive Richard W. Poole Research Excellence Awards (2017-2019) Advising and Grants: No specific information regarding student advising or grant funding appears in available sources. Labs and Teams: The source material contains no references to research laboratories or collaborative teams directed by Professor Schuster.
Michael Sirivianos is an Associate Professor at the Cyprus University of Technology (CUT), where he serves as Dean of the School of Engineering and Technology. He holds a PhD in Computer Science from Duke University (2010) and leads research in cybersecurity, disinformation detection, and social media analysis. He coordinates multiple EU-funded projects including ReCRED (Horizon 2020) and ENCASE (Marie Curie RISE), securing over €3M in research funding. Research Focus His work spans: Cybersafety : Detection of cyberbullying, hate speech, and inappropriate content targeting children Trust Systems : Device-centric authentication and blockchain applications Disinformation Analysis : Graph-based detection of fake news and state-sponsored manipulation Scalable Systems : Distributed databases and network infrastructure Achievements & Recognition Best Paper Award (2019) for work on state-sponsored disinformation Distinguished Paper (2018) for fringe web community analysis Spotlight Session recognition (2020) for child protection research Featured in NYT, Washington Post, and Wired for YouTube content analysis Leadership Co-directs the Network Systems Research Lab, serves on the Board of CYENS Centre of Excellence, and coordinates the Fact-check Cyprus Centre against Disinformation.
Kathryn Seigfried-Spellar serves as an Adjunct Professor in the cyberforensics program within the School of Applied and Creative Computing at Purdue University's Polytechnic Institute. She holds a prominent international reputation as an expert in the psychosocial and technological factors associated with cybercriminal behavior, with particular expertise in the criminological characteristics and grooming strategies of online child sex offenders. Her professional appointments include membership in the Tippecanoe High Tech Crime Unit and Special Deputy status for the Tippecanoe County Prosecutor's Office. Dr. Seigfried-Spellar completed her academic training at Purdue University, earning a PhD in Technology with concentration in Cyberforensics and Psychology (2011), an MA in Forensic Psychology from City University of New York, John Jay College of Criminal Justice (2007), and a BA in Psychology and Law and Society from Purdue University (2005). Her research interests focus on the psychological aspects of cybercrime, particularly the personality and motivation of cyberdeviants, child sexual exploitation, and behavioral analysis of digital evidence. Her work bridges the gap between psychological theory and digital forensics practice, with significant contributions to understanding online child sex offenders' behaviors and characteristics. She has conducted international research including a 2022-2023 Fulbright Scholar position at the University of Valencia, Spain, studying criminological differences in online child sex offenders, and has been awarded the International Fellows Award for Summer 2024 at the University of Adelaide, Australia. Dr. Seigfried-Spellar's scholarly contributions have been recognized with numerous awards including the 2023 Jefferson Award, 2022 University Faculty Scholar designation at Purdue, the 2022 Outstanding Early Career Achievement in Forensic Science Award from the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, and multiple Outstanding Research Awards from the Digital and Multimedia Sciences Section of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (2015-2018). She serves as the Chair of the Digital and Multimedia Sciences section of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences and is a Fellow of this organization. Her professional affiliations also include membership in the American Psychological Association, American Psychology-Law Society, and International Association of Law Enforcement Intelligence Analysts. In December 2023, she co-founded and co-organized the Child Sexual Abuse Reduction Research Network workshop at the University of Adelaide, bringing together academics, nonprofit institutions, and law enforcement professionals focused on combating online child sexual abuse.
Siva K. Balasubramanian is a distinguished academic leader serving as Professor of Marketing and Associate Dean of Accreditation & Research at Illinois Tech's Stuart School of Business . Holding the Harold L. Stuart Endowed Chair in Business , he directs graduate programs in Management Science & Analytics while maintaining active research in artificial intelligence and marketing communications. Education highlights: Ph.D. in Marketing from University at Buffalo, State University of New York M.B.A. in Marketing from Osmania University B.S. in Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry from Osmania University His research spans artificial intelligence , social media , product placements , and advanced measurement methods . With over 100 publications across marketing , neuroscience , and agricultural economics , his work examines how brands integrate into entertainment media and AI's societal impacts. Recent article trends reveal expertise in AI applications for healthcare logistics, social media influence on corporate responsibility, and cross-cultural marketing effectiveness. His 2024 commentary AI: The Land of Lingering Fear and Emergent Hope analyzes ethical AI regulation through the lens of human physiology and machine learning evolution. Scientific recognition includes: Fulbright Research Chair RBC Financial Group Chair of Electronic Commerce Research GMAC Research Institute Grant Pontikes Center Award Verizon instructional grant As a global consultant and corporate seminar leader , he bridges academic research with business strategy for Fortune 500 firms and government agencies. His 30+ year study of movie product placements demonstrates sustained impact in marketing communications research.
