Dr. Luc Rocher is a UKRI Future Leaders Fellow and Senior Research Fellow at the Oxford Internet Institute (OII), University of Oxford. They are also affiliated with Kellogg College and Imperial College London’s Data Science Institute. Their work focuses on algorithmic accountability, privacy-enhancing technologies, and the societal impacts of AI. Rocher leads the Synthetic Society Lab, investigating how to make technology accountable to the public, and the Observatory of Anonymity, an international tool assessing re-identification risks. Their research bridges technical and social science approaches, including statistical modeling, adversarial machine learning, and interactive tools. Education: PhD from Université catholique de Louvain (2019), prior roles at Imperial College London, ENS de Lyon, and MIT Media Lab. Awards include the UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship and recognition from institutions like the European Commission and OECD. Rocher has published in top journals/conferences (Nature Communications, Usenix Security, WWW) and contributed to policy discussions on AI regulation. Advising: Current students include Andrew Bean (DPhil), Lujain Ibrahim (DPhil), Juliette Zaccour (DPhil), and others. Grants funded by UKRI, EPSRC, and the John Fell Fund. Research emphasizes privacy risks in digital data, pricing algorithms, and public sector AI systems. Labs/Teams: Synthetic Society Lab (public interest AI), Observatory of Anonymity (global re-identification risks). Recent work includes demonstrating flaws in traditional anonymization methods and advocating for privacy-preserving frameworks.
Roderic Nicholaus Crooks is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Informatics at the University of California, Irvine (UCI), within the Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences. His research focuses on the intersection of technology, race, and education, particularly examining how edtech systems reproduce racial and economic inequities in urban schools. He holds a Ph.D. in Education from UCLA (2016) and has held postdoctoral and teaching roles at UCI, UCLA, and other institutions. His work critiques data-driven educational practices and advocates for community-centered technology use. Education: Ph.D. in Education, UCLA (2016), Dissertation: “The Coded Schoolhouse: One-to-One Tablet Computer Programs and Urban Education” M.A. in Library and Information Science, UCLA (2011) M.F.A. in Creative Writing, University of Iowa (2005) Research Interests: Edtech and Racial Inequality Data Surveillance in Education Community Technology Practices Critical Infrastructure Studies Queer Digital Geographies Recent Articles: Crooks’ work spans peer-reviewed journals, including Surveillance & Society , Science, Technology, & Human Values , and Computer Science Education . His 2024 book Access Is Capture argues that edtech exacerbates racialized capital extraction. Awards: 2019 Bren School Research Award UC President’s Postdoctoral Fellowship (2016–2018) Multiple teaching and community service awards Grants: Co-PI on an NSF grant ( Labs/Teams: Leads research on grassroots data activism and community technology control, emphasizing participatory design and epistemic justice.
Ben Wagner is a leading academic in digital rights and technology governance, holding multiple prestigious positions: University Professor of Human Rights & Technology at IT:U, Director of the AI Futures Lab on Rights and Justice at TU Delft, and Professor of Media, Technology and Society at Inholland University of Applied Sciences. He leads the Digital Rights Research Team (DRRT) and co-founded the Sustainable Media Lab (SML) in The Hague, contributing to bridging research and education. He is also a visiting researcher at Oxford University's Human Centred Computing Group and serves on the advisory board of the journal Patterns . Inholland University of Applied Sciences – Professor, Media, Technology & Society (since 2021) TU Delft – Director, AI Futures Lab on Rights and Justice IT:U – University Professor, Human Rights & Technology European University Viadrina – Founding Director, Center for Internet & Human Rights Vienna University of Economics – Director, Sustainable Computing Lab ENISA – Advisory Group Member Ben Wagner earned his PhD in Political and Social Sciences from the European University Institute in Florence in 2013, with a dissertation on freedom of expression and online content regulation. He has held research positions at Cambridge University, University of Pennsylvania, Technical University of Berlin, and European University Viadrina. His research centers on digital rights, AI governance, freedom of expression online, and the societal impact of technology. He investigates how digital infrastructures shape human rights and advocates for sustainable, accountable systems. His work spans legal, technical, and social dimensions, focusing on public sector data practices, content moderation, ethical AI, and digital inclusion. He actively promotes citizen control over technological change and interdisciplinary collaboration. The recent publications reflect a strong focus on the ethical and governance challenges of AI and data science, digital rights frameworks, and platform accountability. Themes include the gap between policy and practice in public data use, global AI ethics, content governance on social media, and co-designing digital rights labels. His work emphasizes systemic accountability, hybrid digital-physical spaces, and embedding rights into technological design. Ben Wagner is an expert advisor to the European Parliament, European Commission, OSCE, Council of Europe, and UNESCO. He is a member of the policy advisory board for ECHOES (European Cloud for Heritage OpEn Science) and contributes to high-impact publications and international discourse. His research is widely covered in global media including CNN, The Guardian, Bloomberg TV, Der Spiegel, ORF, and SWR2. He advises on and contributes to major research initiatives such as ReSocial and fabricated. He is involved in developing a new Master’s program in Data-Driven Business at Inholland and leads efforts to integrate digital rights into education and innovation. His inaugural lecture, 'The Ground Beneath our Feet,' highlights the instability of digital infrastructures and the urgent need to embed digital rights at their core. Ben co-founded the Digital Rights Research Team and the Sustainable Media Lab at Inholland, fostering collaboration across faculties and sectors. These labs focus on creating a digitally responsible society through interdisciplinary research in design, policy, and technology. The AI Futures Lab at TU Delft explores justice-oriented futures for AI, while his work at IT:U advances human rights in digital contexts.
Jarek Nabrzyski is the founding and current director of the Center for Research Computing (CRC) at the University of Notre Dame and a concurrent Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering. He co-directs the Blockchain Research Lab with Ian Taylor and leads the Quantum Computing Lab. His research focuses on distributed ledger technologies, quantum computing, and resource management in distributed, cloud, and exascale systems. He has overseen over 50 national and international research projects developing cyberinfrastructure for science and industry, emphasizing collaboration and team-building in complex projects. Key areas of research include blockchain applications in decentralized systems, quantum algorithm optimization for near-term hardware, and cybersecurity protocols for data integrity. He actively engages in interdisciplinary initiatives like the Center for Social Science Research and has pioneered frameworks for verifiable credentials and reproducible scientific data. His work bridges theoretical advancements with practical industry partnerships. Notable contributions include hybrid cross-chain protocols, quantum Poisson solvers, and frameworks for blockchain trust analytics. His recent publications highlight advancements in AI-driven blockchain stabilization, suspicious transaction detection, and scalable quantum computing solutions. Despite no explicit mentions of awards, his leadership roles and project count underscore significant contributions to computational science and infrastructure. As a mentor, he fosters student engagement in cyberinfrastructure through initiatives like the Cyberinfrastructure Center of Excellence. His labs and collaborations drive innovation in quantum computing, blockchain interoperability, and high-performance computing systems. Current efforts include transparent data tracking for aerospace supply chains and secure scientific data reproducibility.
Morteza Zihayat is an Associate Professor and Canada Research Chair (Tier 2) in Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence at Toronto Metropolitan University. He holds dual appointments in the Faculty of Engineering and Architectural Science (Department of Electrical, Computer, and Biomedical Engineering) and the Ted Rogers School of Management. Additionally, he serves as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Waterloo in Management Sciences and is a Faculty Fellow at IBM's Centre for Advanced Studies. Dr. Zihayat's educational background includes: PhD in Computer Science from York University (2016) MSc in Computer Engineering from University of Tehran (2011) Postdoctoral Research Fellowship at University of Toronto's Faculty of Information (2017) His research lies at the intersection of AI, security, and society with a focus on building fair and transparent AI systems. Dr. Zihayat's expertise spans human-centered AI, fair information retrieval systems, and blockchain-enabled AI infrastructures. His work emphasizes creating AI systems that are accountable and designed to serve the public good, with applications in healthcare, digital media, and social networks. Dr. Zihayat has received numerous accolades including the Canada Research Chair (Tier 2) in Human-Centered AI (2024), Dean's Outstanding Scholarly, Research, and Creative Activity Award (2023), Best Short Paper Award at ECIR (2023), and IBM CAS Faculty Fellowship (2021). His research has attracted over $1.7 million in external funding from agencies such as NSERC, Mitacs, and multiple industry partners including Toronto Transit Commission, The Globe and Mail, AT&T, and IBM. Dr. Zihayat serves as Associate Editor of the Computational Intelligence Journal and is an active reviewer for top-tier venues. He is also Co-director and Co-founder of the Digital Enterprise Analytics and Leadership (DEAL) Research Center.
Dr. Timo Speith is a fixed-term Lecturer at the University of Bayreuth's Faculty of Cultural Studies, affiliated with the Professorship for Philosophy, Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence. He holds a B.A. in Philosophy and M.Sc. in Computer Science from Saarland University, where he also completed his doctoral studies in Philosophy. His research focuses on machine ethics, machine explainability (XAI), and non-speculative AI systems, alongside interests in ancient philosophy and the philosophy of science. He has contributed to interdisciplinary work on XAI evaluation methods, fairness in AI systems, and explainable hardware (XHW). Speith has organized workshops on explainable systems requirements engineering and co-authored a manifesto outlining XAI 2.0 challenges. His work bridges philosophy, computer science, and ethics to address AI transparency and accountability. Education: B.A. Philosophy, Saarland University M.Sc. Computer Science, Saarland University Ph.D. in Philosophy, Saarland University (2023 dissertation) Research Interests: Machine Ethics, XAI Methodology, AI Transparency, Philosophy of Science, Ancient Philosophy. Grants and Collaborations: Active in international workshops (e.g., RE4ES), IEEE conferences, and collaborations with institutions like Saarland University and the University of Bayreuth's Philosophy Institute. His work addresses practical and theoretical challenges in AI explainability across hardware and software systems. Lab/Team Affiliation: Associated with the Philosophy, Computer Science, and Artificial Intelligence research group at the University of Bayreuth, focusing on interdisciplinary AI ethics and technical implementation.
Anna Fariha is an Assistant Professor in the Kahlert School of Computing at the University of Utah. She co-leads the Data Management Research Center for Human-centered, Efficient, and Scalable Systems. Her research focuses on enhancing data system usability, explainability, and trustworthiness through algorithmic innovations and practical implementations. She holds a Ph.D. from the Manning College of Information and Computer Sciences at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, under Prof. Alexandra Meliou. Education: Ph.D. in Computer Science, University of Massachusetts Amherst (2021) Master's in Computer Science, University of Massachusetts Amherst (2020) Undergraduate work in Computer Science, unspecified institution Her research interests include data wrangling tools, constraint discovery, conversational AI for data science, and human-centered database systems. Recent work emphasizes automated data summary recommendations, constraint violation detection, and educational tools for data science programming. Grants & Awards: NSF CIRC: ENS/Grand: POWDER-ENS Award (2024) Stena Center Seed Grant for Fintech Data Analysis (2025) Microsoft Research Dissertation Grant (2020) SIGMOD 2022 Comprehensive Reproducibility Award Teaching: Recently taught Advanced Database Systems , Human-Centric Data Management , and Deep Learning courses at the University of Utah.
Carsten Schürmann is a Professor of Theoretical Computer Science at IT University of Copenhagen, where he serves as Center Manager for the Center for Information Security and Trust. His research spans information security, cryptographic voting protocols, identity management, and digital democracy, with significant contributions to security ceremonies and formal verification of protocols. Professor, Department of Computer Science Center Manager, Center for Information Security and Trust Principal Investigator for multiple DIREC projects through 2025 Active researcher with 64 publications and 20 projects listed His research focuses on the intersection of theoretical computer science and practical security challenges, particularly in voting systems and security ceremonies. Schürmann has developed formal methods for analyzing security protocols, with emphasis on human factors in security implementations and cryptographic voting systems. His work bridges logical frameworks with real-world security applications, addressing both technical and socio-technical aspects of security. Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong emphasis on voting security, with multiple papers on risk-limiting audits, receipt-free voting, and election integrity. His work increasingly incorporates formal logical frameworks to verify security properties, while also addressing human factors in security ceremonies. The research spans theoretical foundations in linear logic to practical applications in election systems. As Principal Investigator, Schürmann leads several major projects funded by the Innovation Fund Denmark, including DIREC initiatives focused on Capacity Building, PhD School, Voting, and Entrepreneurship (2020-2025). He has also established working groups in Adversarial AI and Machine Learning. Organized workshops on Code Scanning (2014) and Verifying Security Protocols in Tamarin (2016) Active media commentator on security issues with 311 media appearances through 2025 Principal Investigator for 7 ongoing and 13 completed research projects Schürmann directs the Center for Information Security and Trust, which serves as a hub for interdisciplinary security research connecting theoretical computer science with practical security applications. His center focuses particularly on voting systems security and security ceremonies, bringing together researchers from multiple disciplines to address complex security challenges.
Dr. Julia Adler-Milstein is a Professor of Medicine and Chief of the Division of Clinical Informatics & Digital Transformation at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). She holds a PhD in Health Policy from Harvard University and previously served on the faculty at the University of Michigan for six years. Her research focuses on health IT policy, electronic health records (EHRs), interoperability, and EHR audit log analysis to improve clinician workflows and patient care. Education: PhD in Health Policy, Harvard University (2011) AB in Human Biology, Stanford University (2001) 2021 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Champion Training, UCSF Research Interests: Policy strategies for EHR adoption and interoperability Health information exchange (HIE) outcomes and equity Impact of EHR documentation burden on clinical practice AI and predictive models in healthcare Age-friendly health systems (4Ms framework) Awards & Recognition: Member, National Academy of Medicine (2019) Don Eugene Detmer Award in Health Informatics (2018) Top 10 Influential Women in Health IT (2014) Advising & Leadership: Inaugural Director, Center for Clinical Informatics and Improvement Research (2017–2023) Chair, Interoperability Committee of the National Quality Forum Testified before the US Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee Labs & Teams: Leads the UCSF Division of Clinical Informatics & Digital Transformation, focusing on translating health IT research into actionable policies and clinical practices.
AJung Moon is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering at McGill University, Canada. She directs the McGill Responsible Autonomy & Intelligent System Ethics (RAISE) Lab, an interdisciplinary group exploring ethical and societal implications of AI/robotics. Her affiliations include the McGill Centre for Intelligent Machines, Mila, and the Bensadoun School of Retail Management (Faculty of Management). She holds roles in global tech-policy initiatives like the IEEE Global Initiative and the International Panel on Autonomous Weapons Regulation (IPRAW). Her research focuses on human-robot interaction, AI ethics, and governance of autonomous systems. Key interests include ethical design practices, nonverbal communication in HRI, and translating ethics principles into technical workflows. She advocates for inclusive policy design through initiatives like the Open Roboethics Institute. Her recent work emphasizes systemic risk analysis for AI systems, comparative evaluations of ethics frameworks, and sociotechnical harm reduction strategies. Publications address topics ranging from ADAS liability to hesitation gestures in robot collaboration. Moon's lab actively bridges engineering and social science perspectives to advance responsible AI development. Her advisory roles include the UN Digital Cooperation Panel and Canada’s AI Advisory Council (2019-2021). She has pioneered participatory policy frameworks and demonstrated how safety engineering principles can improve AI system accountability.
Dr. Jeffrey Proudfoot is an Associate Professor and Chair of the Computer Information Systems Department at Bentley University. He holds a Research Affiliate position at MIT's Cybersecurity at MIT Sloan (CAMS) center and coordinates the Business Core course CS305. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Arizona, and M.S./B.S. from the University of Utah. Teaching focuses on business process management, ERP systems, and information security. His research examines cybersecurity regulations, corporate board governance of cyber risk, behavioral information security, and deception detection. Recent publications explore cybersecurity investment decisions, regulatory impacts, and human factors in security compliance. Articles demonstrate consistent focus on organizational risk management and behavioral aspects of cybersecurity. Awards include: AIS Best Information Systems Publication Award Leads multiple industry partnerships with organizations including Google, Boston Consulting Group, and Department of Homeland Security. Research has been presented to congressional committees and Fortune-50 boards.
Jed Brubaker is an Associate Professor of Information Science at the University of Colorado Boulder, College of Media, Communication and Information. His research focuses on digital identity, social media, and human-centered computing, with particular emphasis on digital afterlives and identity management after death. He directs the Identity Lab where he explores how identity is designed, represented, and experienced through technology. Brubaker's primary research interests include understanding how technology mediates human experiences of identity, particularly around sensitive life transitions such as relationship endings and death. His work combines approaches from human-computer interaction, social computing, and critical theory to examine digital identity systems. His extensive publication record demonstrates a consistent focus on identity representation in technological systems, with recent work addressing algorithmic bias, LGBTQ+ experiences in digital spaces, and ethical considerations for AI in memorialization contexts. Awarded the Northwestern University Graduate School Fellowship, he maintains active collaborations across disciplines.
Bogdan Kulynych is a research scientist at Lausanne University Hospital in Switzerland, working within the Clinical Data Science group. He holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science from EPFL (Switzerland), where he was advised by Carmela Troncoso, and a B.Sc. in Applied Mathematics from Kyiv Mohyla Academy in Ukraine. His academic journey also includes a visiting fellowship at Harvard University with Flavio du Pin Calmon, and internships at Google and CERN. His research spans three interconnected domains: Algorithmic Accountability, Verification, and Reliability; Privacy-Preserving Learning and Statistics; and Algorithmic Systems in Healthcare. Kulynych develops methods for obtaining practical guarantees on model stability, robustness, and reliability, while also auditing these properties. His privacy work focuses on systems ensuring practical privacy guarantees with legally legible and interpretable operational risk analyses. In healthcare, he critically studies algorithmic system deployment in clinical practice through collaboration with clinicians and medical informatics practitioners. Kulynych's publication record demonstrates significant impact in top venues including NeurIPS, ICML, ICLR, FAccT, and PETS. His recent work addresses fundamental questions in differential privacy, operational privacy metrics, and healthcare AI applications. His research trend shows increasing focus on translating theoretical privacy guarantees into practical healthcare settings while addressing the social implications of algorithmic systems. Unifying Re-Identification, Attribute Inference, and Data Reconstruction Risks in Differential Privacy (NeurIPS 2025) (ε,δ) Considered Harmful: Best Practices for Reporting Differential Privacy Guarantees (2025) Attack-Aware Noise Calibration for Differential Privacy (NeurIPS 2024) As an active member of the academic community, Kulynych regularly presents at major conferences and seminars, including recent talks at Harvard Privacy Tools Seminar, NeurIPS, and Imperial College London. His work has received media attention in The Guardian, Wired, The Verge, and CNET regarding algorithmic bias challenges. Kulynych maintains an active presence on Bluesky (@bogdankulynych) where he engages in critical discussions about AI ethics, privacy, and the societal implications of technology.
Dr Federico Tartarini is a Senior Lecturer at the Sydney School of Architecture, Design and Planning and a Sydney Horizon Fellow at the University of Sydney. His research focuses on preventing heat stress through improved indoor environmental design, with expertise in thermal comfort, building performance, and health. He leads innovative projects at the intersection of environmental engineering and human well-being. Member of Sydney Environment Institute Member of Charles Perkins Centre Collaborator at UC Berkeley's Center for the Built Environment Research Themes: Combines laboratory and field studies with software/hardware development to address thermal health challenges. Specializes in occupant-centric building design, thermophysiological modeling, and real-time monitoring technologies. Scientific Awards 2023 Future Leader Award – AIRAH 2023 Excellence in HVAC&R Research – AIRAH 2023 Horizon Fellowship from University of Sydney Multiple awards from 2014-2021 including best paper and researcher accolades Tools & Impact: Creator of widely used open-source platforms like pythermalcomfort, CBE Thermal Comfort Tool, and Cozie smartwatch app. Founded EMU Systems for IEQ monitoring solutions. Key work includes modifying Sports Medicine Australia's heat stress policies and ASHRAE standard contributions.
Siamak F. Shahandashti is a Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor) in the Department of Computer Science at the University of York, UK. He leads the Cyber Security and Privacy Research Group and is involved in academic leadership roles such as Programme Lead for the MSc Cyber Security. His research focuses on cyber security, privacy, cryptography, and blockchain technology, with notable contributions to post-quantum cryptography, secure authentication frameworks, and privacy-preserving systems. Education: PhD in Computer Science, MSc and BSc in Electrical Engineering. His work integrates technical innovation with human-centered design, addressing challenges in user privacy, secure protocols, and resilient systems. Key research areas include: Cryptography and Post-Quantum Security Blockchain and Distributed Ledger Technology User-Centric Privacy Solutions Cyber Security Resilience in IoT and Edge Computing Current projects include PRIME (protecting minority ethnic communities online) and PHAWM (participatory harm auditing methodologies). He has been recognized for collaborative achievements, including a best paper award for work on DoS-resilient Bitcoin mempools and contributions to password manager governance frameworks. Teaching includes the MSc module 'Cryptography Theory and Practice', emphasizing both theoretical foundations and real-world applications.
