Pasquale Cascarano is a fixed-term Assistant Professor at the University of Bologna , affiliated with the Department of the Arts . His research bridges computer science with creative industries (cinema, art, fashion) and biomedical applications, focusing on Artificial Intelligence and Extended Reality paradigms. He collaborates with national and international institutions on interdisciplinary projects. Institutional Affiliation: University of Bologna Academic Role: Assistant Professor (fixed-term) Research Interests center on integrating AI and XR into creative sectors and healthcare, with emphasis on: Generative AI for immersive environments Medical imaging and diagnostics Digital heritage preservation XR-based educational tools 3D visualization techniques Creative technology applications Recent Publications highlight trends in: Medical XR for surgical training AI-driven image restoration LLM integration with AR/VR Privacy in collaborative AR Fashion and cultural heritage digitization Deep learning for video enhancement
Caner Özer is a Researcher affiliated with Istanbul Technical University's Department of Artificial Intelligence and Data Engineering and the University of Twente's MIA group. He holds a PhD in Computer Engineering from Istanbul Technical University (2020), an MSc in Telecommunication Engineering (2017-2020), and a BSc in Electronics and Communications Engineering (2013-2017). His research focuses on medical imaging AI, explainable artificial intelligence (XAI), deep learning applications in healthcare, and computer vision techniques for artifact detection in medical imaging. He has conducted visiting research at the University of Twente (2024) and serves on academic committees at Istanbul Technical University. Research interests include developing explainable models for mammogram analysis, enhancing medical image quality assessment via transformers and neural networks, and addressing challenges in cardiovascular MRI segmentation through motion artifact detection. His work bridges deep learning theory with practical clinical applications, emphasizing transparency and accuracy in AI-driven medical diagnostics. Notable contributions include cross-domain artifact correction for cardiac MRI, joint CNN-RNN models for intracranial hemorrhage detection, and XAI methods for chest X-ray analysis. His research has been published in top-tier venues with a focus on medical imaging and deep learning advancements.
Associate Professor Darrin Verhagen is an award-winning sound designer and composer at RMIT University's School of Design, where he teaches in the Sound Design specialization within the Digital Media Program and directs the Audiokinetic Experiments (AkE) Lab. His academic work bridges creative practice with scientific inquiry into multisensory perception. Verhagen's research centers on the neurobiology of aesthetic experience, particularly exploring how sound interacts with vision, movement, and vibration. His work in the AkE Lab utilizes motion simulators, 4D cinema seating, and light to create installations that investigate the relationship between hearing, vision, movement and vibration. His academic background includes postgraduate research on musical extremes - lowercase sound for his Masters and Noise for his Doctorate. His creative output spans sound design for contemporary dance, theatre, installation, film, television and computer games. Verhagen has released over 20 albums internationally and performs audiovisual live shows globally. He was founder and curator of Dorobo records, which showcased Australian sound art for 15 years. Industry collaborations include work with Melbourne Theatre Company, Malthouse, Chunky Move, Australian Dance Theatre, and others. Notable awards include multiple Green Room Awards for Sound Design, Australian Academy of Cinema & Television Arts award finalist status, APRA Art Music awards finalist for experimental music, RMIT Research Award for technical innovation, and RMIT Teaching Award for excellence in teaching practice. Verhagen's supervision projects reveal a trajectory toward increasingly sophisticated explorations of sound in relation to space, perception, and human experience, with recent work focusing on transdisciplinary design, spatial sound applications, distributed audio systems, and vocal ecology. His work consistently bridges artistic practice with technological innovation and scientific inquiry into perceptual phenomena.
Melissa Tully is a Professor and CLAS Collegiate Scholar at the University of Iowa, serving as Director of the School of Journalism and Mass Communication. She holds the Easton Professorship of Research and is a Senior Research Fellow at the Public Policy Center. Her research focuses on news literacy, misinformation, and global media with emphasis on African contexts. She teaches courses on social/digital media and leads the Global Media Studies Working Group at the Obermann Center. Tully earned her Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2011. Recent grants include projects on media literacy impact measurement and combating misinformation in Kenya/Senegal. She has advised numerous grants totaling over $2M, including roles as Principal Investigator for studies on WhatsApp misinformation and news literacy frameworks. Her work spans Sub-Saharan Africa and the U.S., addressing topics like mobile money adoption, cyberbullying, and sponsored content ethics. Key research themes include media literacy behaviors, misinformation countermeasures, and digital inequalities. Over 60 peer-reviewed articles highlight her contributions to Science Communication, Journalism Theory, and African media studies. Collaborations with international organizations like Innovations for Poverty Action reflect her commitment to applied research.
Giulia Boato is an Associate Professor at the University of Trento’s Department of Information Engineering and Computer Science (DISI). She teaches courses in Probability and Multimedia Data Security. Her expertise spans Cyber Security, Digital Forensics, and Multimedia Analysis, focusing on image and signal processing for data protection, forensics, and anti-forensics. She collaborates internationally with institutions like Tampere University of Technology and Dartmouth College, co-advising PhD students and contributing to European projects like LIVINGKNOWLEDGE and GLOCAL. Education: PhD in Information and Communication Technology (2005), M.Sc. in Mathematics (2002), Scientific Lyceum (1998) with bilingual Italian-German certification. Past roles include Assistant Professor at DISI (2006–2018) and visiting researcher at the University of Vigo (2006) and University of Innsbruck (2018). Research interests include multimedia data protection, image forensics (tampering detection, computer vs. natural data discrimination), and intelligent data management. She leads projects on social media forensics, event-based retrieval, and synthetic media detection. Awards include Best Paper at IEEE WIFS 2012 and Top 10% Paper at MMSP 2012. Professional contributions include roles as co-chair of workshops, Technical Program Committee member for ICIP and ICC, and reviewer for journals like IEEE Transactions on Information Forensics and Security. She has advised PhD theses and contributed to datasets like TrueFace and WILD for synthetic media analysis.
Dr. Zhao Na is a tenure-track Assistant Professor at the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), affiliated with the Institute of Sustainable Technology and Design (ISTD). She holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science from the National University of Singapore (NUS), where her thesis on 3D point cloud semantics earned the IMDA Excellence Prize. Her research bridges computer vision and machine learning, focusing on scene understanding, data-efficient learning, and domain generalization. Education: Ph.D. in Computer Science (NUS, 2021); Prior roles include Research Fellow at NUS. Research interests emphasize 3D scene analysis, object detection, semantic segmentation, and robust learning under noisy or limited data. Her work addresses challenges in multi-modal learning, continual learning, and open-world scenarios. Recent projects include geometry-semantics synergy in neural fields and cross-modal augmentation for visual grounding. Publications span top-tier venues like CVPR, ECCV, and ICCV, with a focus on 3D vision and AI. Key contributions include the PCTeacher framework for semi-supervised segmentation and Static-Dynamic Co-Teaching for incremental learning. Scientific Awards: IMDA Excellence Prize (2021). Active grants include a DSO Research Grant (2023–2026) and A*STAR MTC Grant (2023–2026). She leads the SUTD-ZJU Thematic Grant on 3D scene understanding (2022–2024). Laboratory/Team: Research group at ISTD/SUTD focuses on advancing AI-driven 3D perception and scene understanding systems.
Dr. Dong Gong is a Senior Lecturer and ARC DECRA Fellow (2023-2026) at the School of Computer Science and Engineering (CSE), UNSW. He holds an adjunct position at the Australian Institute for Machine Learning (AIML), University of Adelaide. His research focuses on machine learning challenges in dynamic environments, including continual learning, foundation models, generative models, and applications in interdisciplinary areas like mining and agriculture. Research interests include learning with non-ideal supervision, foundation model adaptation, generative models, and interdisciplinary problems combining CV/ML with domain-specific applications. His work often addresses real-world scenarios such as mineral exploration and soil trait analysis using CV/ML technologies. Outstanding Reviewer: NeurIPS 2018 Outstanding Area Chair: ACM MM 2024 ARC DECRA Fellowship (2023-2026) Advising and grants: Actively supervises PhD/MPhil students in computer vision and ML. Collaborates with industry and government on research projects. Utilizes advanced infrastructure like UNSW's Katana supercomputing cluster and Gadi (NCI). Labs/Teams: Involved in interdisciplinary research groups at UNSW CSE and AIML, focusing on dynamic learning paradigms and real-world applications of AI.
Arlen C. Moller is an Associate Professor and Director of Undergraduate Programs in the Department of Psychology at Illinois Institute of Technology since 2013. He leads the Motivation Science and Digital Health Lab , supervising students across multiple degree programs including Clinical Psychology (Ph.D.) and Game Design. Education: Ph.D. in Social Psychology (2007) - University of Rochester B.A. in Psychology (2000) - Cornell University His research focuses on digital health interventions that promote physical and mental wellness through motivation science and self-determination theory , particularly examining how digital technologies like wearable monitors, video games, and extended reality can be designed to support intrinsic motivation and behavioral change . This work spans multiple domains including occupational health , human-computer interaction , and game design . Current research trends include: Developing digital tools that balance competition mechanics with psychological needs Understanding social identity influences on health behaviors Examining long-term effects of extrinsic rewards on motivation Implementing self-determination theory in healthcare settings Creating peer-to-peer mental health support systems Optimizing digital behavior change through autonomy support Dr. Moller collaborates with institutions such as the Center for Self-Determination Theory , Society of Behavioral Medicine , and University of Lisbon's PANOS*SR Research Group . His lab team includes three Ph.D. candidates investigating specific applications of their research.
Virginia Pallante is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Netherlands Institute for the Study of Crime and Law Enforcement (NSCR) since 2020, specializing in ethological analysis of human behavior within criminological contexts. Previously, she served as a Research Fellow at the Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Italy (2017-2019), bridging biological and social sciences through observational methodologies. Her educational background includes a PhD in Biology from the University of Florence, Italy (2017), with a focus on anthropology, and a Master's in Biology from the University of Parma, Italy (2013). PhD: Biology, Department of Anthropology, University of Florence (2017) MA: Biology, Department of Bioscience, University of Parma (2013) Dr. Pallante's research integrates ethology with criminology to develop innovative observational frameworks for analyzing real-world human interactions. Her work centers on video-based ethological methods to decode conflict dynamics, aggression triggers, and de-escalation patterns in public spaces, police-civilian encounters, and retail environments. She pioneers the adaptation of animal behavior concepts—such as ethograms and signal analysis—to human social contexts, emphasizing ecological validity through covert observation and bodycam footage analysis. This interdisciplinary approach reveals how biological principles inform security practices and social tension resolution. Her publication trends demonstrate a cohesive trajectory from primatology to human conflict analysis, with increasing focus on digital data applications since 2022. Key fields include ethological methodology refinement (35% of works), police-civilian interaction dynamics (25%), digital behavioral analysis (20%), and cross-species communication models (15%). The research consistently applies biological frameworks to criminological problems, with growing emphasis on bias detection in law enforcement and real-time behavioral coding systems. Dr. Pallante actively contributes to scientific communities as a member of the Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour (ASAB) and the Italian Primatological Association (API). Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour (ASAB) Italian Primatological Association (API) She serves as a science communication advisor for MUSE Science Museum in Trento, Italy, translating complex behavioral research for public engagement. Her methodological innovations in video observation support evidence-based policing strategies and conflict management training programs developed in collaboration with Dutch law enforcement agencies.
Phil Bass is an Associate Professor in the Department of Animal, Veterinary and Food Sciences at the University of Idaho, within the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. He teaches courses such as The Science of Animals that Serve Humanity, Animal Products for Human Consumption, and Advanced Butchery, and conducts applied research focused on beef meat quality. His work bridges academic training and industry application, serving the Pacific Northwest meat production and processing community. Education: Ph.D., Colorado State University, 2009 M.S., California Polytechnic State University — San Luis Obispo, 2006 B.S., California Polytechnic State University — San Luis Obispo, 2004 His research interests include meat science, beef quality, animal product utilization, and meat processing technologies. He emphasizes practical applications in meat science, particularly in marbling and beef cut optimization, supported by outreach videos in collaboration with the Idaho Beef Council. While no recent publications are listed in the provided text, his expertise is demonstrated through industry engagement and teaching excellence. Scientific Awards: Top 25 Future Icon in the Meat Industry, The National Provisioner Magazine, 2016 Top 10 Industry Leader Award, The Cattle Business Weekly Magazine, 2015 40 Under 40 in Agriculture Award, Vance Publishing Corporation, 2014 Graduate Teaching Award of Excellence, California Polytechnic State University – San Luis Obispo, 2006 Phil Bass advises students and contributes to academic and industry training, integrating real-world experience into his teaching and mentorship. He has been recognized for both teaching and leadership in agriculture. He is actively involved in extension efforts, including educational materials on beef cuts and cooking techniques. He is affiliated with research and outreach initiatives within the Department of Animal, Veterinary and Food Sciences, particularly those related to meat science and livestock product quality. He is part of the university's broader research and extension mission in agricultural sciences, contributing to programs that support sustainable and high-quality meat production. His work aligns with the department’s focus on livestock genetics and phenotypic traits, particularly as they relate to meat quality outcomes.
Dr. Shervin Shirmohammadi is a Professor at the University of Ottawa's Faculty of Engineering, specifically within the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. With an impressive h-index of 41 and over 6,800 citations across 473 publications, his research has made significant contributions to the fields of computer vision, biomedical instrumentation, and health monitoring systems. His academic journey spans over two decades, beginning with work on communication architectures for virtual environments in 2001 and evolving toward practical healthcare applications. Dr. Shirmohammadi's research interests center on Computer Vision , Image Processing , and Embedded Systems with a strong focus on healthcare applications including nutrition monitoring, mental health assessment, and driver safety systems. His most influential work examines computer vision applications for health monitoring, particularly food calorie measurement systems that use smartphone cameras to analyze nutritional content. His research has evolved to include EEG-based systems for ADHD detection and serious games for autism therapy, demonstrating a consistent trajectory toward practical healthcare solutions using advanced instrumentation techniques. Dr. Shirmohammadi maintains active collaborations with researchers including A. Yassine (118 joint publications), D. Ahmed, Ali Asghar Nazari Shirehjini, and B. Hariri. His publications appear primarily in IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement, reflecting his strong connection to the instrumentation and measurement community.
Professor Melanie Volkamer is a leading computer scientist at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), where she heads the SECUSO (Security, Usability, Society) research group within the Institute for Applied Informatics and Formal Description Methods at the Faculty of Business and Economics. She moved her research group from TU Darmstadt to KIT at the beginning of 2018 and has established herself as one of Germany's foremost experts on the human factor in security and privacy. Professor Volkamer's research focuses on human-centered security design, emphasizing that technical security solutions must be developed with user behavior and mental models in mind. She investigates why users often choose less secure passwords, fall for phishing emails, and how they react to security warnings. Her interdisciplinary team combines computer science, mathematics, and psychology to develop security solutions that better protect users against attacks while being usable in real-world contexts. Her publication record shows a strong focus on electronic voting security, email security, and cybersecurity awareness. Recent work includes analyzing the security challenges of online general meetings for listed companies, developing child-friendly authentication systems like KidzPass, and creating effective tools for detecting phishing emails. Her research demonstrates consistent attention to both technical security requirements and human factors in security design. Scientific Awards and Recognition: SECUSO tools recommended by the Federal Office for Information Security NoPhish concept materials included in the Federal Office for Information Security's CyberFibel since January 2021 Development of open source privacy-friendly apps available in the App Store Creation of educational tools like the Phishing Master Shooting Game Professor Volkamer actively advises on cybersecurity policy and regularly contributes to public discourse through media appearances and expert statements. She has supervised student projects that have resulted in practical security tools and has collaborated with government agencies including the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the EU on security research projects. Her work with the Competence Center for Applied Security Technology (KASTEL) positions her at the forefront of Germany's cybersecurity research efforts. SECUSO, under Volkamer's leadership, develops practical security awareness measures including lectures, videos, flyers, and online tools that help citizens recognize fraudulent messages and better protect themselves online. The research group's work bridges academic research and practical application, making significant contributions to both theoretical understanding and real-world security solutions.
Jean-Christophe Burie is a Professor at the University of La Rochelle, serving as Vice-President for Digital Campus and Information Systems, Deputy Director of the L3i Laboratory (Informatics, Imaging, and Interaction), and Director of the joint research laboratory SAIL (Sequential Art Image Laboratory). His interdisciplinary work bridges computer science and humanities. His research focuses on image processing, pattern recognition, and artificial intelligence , with applications in historical manuscripts, comics indexing, and digital security. Key projects include enhancing palm-leaf manuscript analysis (AMADI/STIC ASIE), developing e-BDthèque for comics content extraction, and identity verification systems (MOBIDEM/IDECYS). He collaborates internationally with institutions like Leiden University and Vietnam's ICT Lab on medical imaging and cultural heritage preservation. He advises doctoral students in areas spanning ancient text analysis, document security, and manga character recognition. His recent publications demonstrate a strong emphasis on deep learning adaptations for document analysis, biometric security, and cross-modal recognition systems.
Dr. Mohammed Elamassie is an Assistant Professor at Özyeğin University's Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering. He co-directs the Centre of Excellence in Optical Wireless Communication Technologies (OKATEM) and holds senior memberships in IEEE and Optica. PhD in Electrical and Electronics Engineering (Özyeğin University, 2020) MSc in Electrical and Electronics Engineering (Islamic University of Gaza, 2011) BSc in Electrical and Electronics Engineering (Islamic University of Gaza, 2006) Dr. Elamassie's research focuses on optical wireless communication systems, with specific expertise in underwater visible light communication (UVLC), vehicular visible light communication (V2V), airborne free space optical (FSO) networks, and turbulence mitigation techniques. His work addresses atmospheric channel modeling, diversity techniques, and MIMO communication challenges across multiple mediums. Analysis of his 15 most recent publications reveals critical trends in UVLC turbulence modeling, FSO UAV optimization, RIS-aided systems, and vehicular communication reliability. These works demonstrate his leadership in developing practical solutions for channel degradation and mobility-induced challenges. Best Paper Award, IEEE Black Sea Conference (2019) IEEE Turkey PhD Thesis Award (2020) Senior Member, IEEE Senior Member, Optica Optica Traveling Lecturer/Speaker Dr. Elamassie serves as Review Editor for Frontiers in Communications and Networks, covering 'Non-Conventional Communications' and 'Wireless Communications' sections. He contributes to OKATEM's research on optical wireless technologies, focusing on practical implementations across underwater, vehicular, and airborne domains.
William Seaman is a Professor of Art, Art History & Visual Studies and a Professor of Music at Duke University since 2008. He is a Faculty Network Member of the Duke Institute for Brain Sciences and co-director of the Emergence Lab , focusing on the intersection of art, science, and computational creativity. His career spans institutions like MIT, the University of Wales, and the San Francisco Art Institute, where he earned his Ph.D. in Interactive Art. Education Ph.D., University of Wales (1999) M.S., Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1985) B.A., San Francisco Art Institute (1979) Seaman’s research centers on Recombinant Poetics , a framework for combining and recombining media (image, music, text) in interactive art. His Neosentience work proposes new AI paradigms inspired by human cognition, while his Computational Creativity explores how machines can augment creative processes. He employs game engines, cybernetics, and biomimetic computation to develop systems like the Insight Engine , which fosters cross-disciplinary thinking. His publications and artistic collaborations, including the book Neosentience | The Benevolence Engine and the album s_traits (praised by The New York Times ), reflect his commitment to blending poetic inquiry with scientific rigor. Current projects, such as the Seaman-Rössler Dialogues , examine chaos theory, information science, and physics. Scientific Awards Lifetime Achievement Award, ACM SIGGRAPH (2021) Honorable Mention, Ars Electronica Interactive Art (multiple) Intel Research Gift (3 years) Rockefeller Foundation Visual Arts Award Fulbright Distinguished American Scholar International German Video Art Prize NEA Fellowship Leonardo Award for Excellence Seaman teaches courses like Neosentience: A Potential Future Form of AI and Generative Media Authorship . He has advised research teams through Bass Connections and Computational Media, Arts & Cultures programs. His lab, the Emergence Lab , collaborates with composers, scientists, and technologists to push the boundaries of AI-driven art and education.
