Professor Damian Damianov holds the Chair in Finance at Durham University Business School. His research examines asset pricing anomalies, housing market dynamics, and household financial behavior, with particular focus on boom-bust cycles in real estate and cryptocurrency markets. Methodologies combine econometric analysis with behavioral experiments to study price formation mechanisms. Recent work investigates housing affordability policies, wealth accumulation pathways, and cross-market contagion effects. His laboratory develops novel experimental designs to test auction mechanisms and fundraising strategies for charitable organizations. Current projects analyze: (1) Property tax compliance in shared occupancy arrangements; (2) Uncertainty transmission across cryptocurrency markets; (3) Lifecycle models of household wealth management.
Dr. Jingyun Wang is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science at Durham University. Previously, she held an Assistant Professor position at Kyushu University, Japan. Her primary affiliations include the Centre for Neurodiversity & Development and the Artificial Intelligence and Human Systems Group (AIHS), as well as the Pedagogical Innovation in Computer Science Group (PICS). She is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and has led or contributed to research projects funded by JSPS, JST, NICT, Innovate UK, and industry partners. Her research focuses on AI-driven educational technologies, including AI-based feedback systems, computational thinking education, game-based learning, and ontology techniques. She actively contributes to editorial boards (e.g., Computers & Education: Artificial Intelligence ) and serves as a conference chair for AIED, ICCE, and LTLE. Current research includes adaptive learning systems for mathematics education, serious games for cybersecurity training, and visualization tools for e-learning. Her scientific contributions span over 50 peer-reviewed publications, with recent work emphasizing learning analytics, multimodal systems, and digital health interventions. She advises multiple PhD students and mentors in professional recognition pathways. Key projects include developing the BETTER speech training system, the MEMORABLE cybersecurity game framework, and ontology-based language learning platforms.
Sreedhar Bharath is the Richard C. Kraemer Professor of Finance at Arizona State University's W. P. Carey School of Business, where he has been since 2010. He holds a Ph.D. from New York University, an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, and a B.Tech. from the Indian Institute of Technology Madras. His research focuses on Corporate Finance, Banking, and Credit Risk, with publications in leading journals like the Journal of Finance and Review of Financial Studies. Notable works include analyses of corporate bond liquidity risk, private equity exits, and creditor recoveries during industry distress. Awards: LECG Best Paper Award (2007), Journal of Financial Economics Best Paper (2007), Crowell Memorial Prize (2012). Teaching: Courses include Risk Management in Banks, AI in Finance, and Corporate Finance. Research Activity: Explores banking relationships, debt structure, and governance impacts on corporate finance decisions.
Dr. Victoria C. P. Chen is a Professor in the Industrial, Manufacturing, and Systems Engineering (IMSE) department at The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA), where she has served since 2002. She previously held positions at the Georgia Institute of Technology from 1993-2001. Dr. Chen has held several leadership roles at UTA, including Interim Department Chair (2012-2014), Director of the Center on Stochastic Modeling, Optimization, & Statistics (COSMOS) (2008-2012, and again from 2017-present), and Director of Doctoral Studies (2019-present). She was also the George & Elizabeth Pickett Professor from 2015-2017 and was inducted into the UT Arlington Academy of Distinguished Teachers in 2019. Dr. Chen is actively involved with INFORMS (Institute for Operations Research and the Management Science), where she currently serves as Secretary on the Executive Board. Dr. Chen earned her B.S. in Mathematical Sciences from The Johns Hopkins University, and her M.S. and Ph.D. in Operations Research and Industrial Engineering from Cornell University. Her academic journey includes visiting professorships at the University of Genoa, Italy, and Iowa State University. Dr. Chen's research utilizes statistical perspectives to create new methodologies for operations research problems appearing in engineering and science. Her expertise includes the design of experiments, statistical modeling, and data mining, particularly for computer experiments and stochastic optimization. Through her statistics-based approach, she has developed computationally-tractable decision-making methods for many high-dimensional complex systems. Her work spans multiple domains including sustainability, energy, water management, healthcare, and law enforcement. Specific application areas include inventory forecasting, airline optimization, water reservoir networks, wastewater treatment, air quality monitoring, green building design, nurse assignment systems, and pain management programs. Her recent publications demonstrate continued innovation in mixed integer programming for electric vehicle charging stations, vacuum ultraviolet spectroscopy prediction, and sustainable building education. Senior Member, Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS) (2024) Data Mining Prize (Lifetime Achievement Award), INFORMS Society on Data Mining (2023) College of Engineering Teaching Award, UT Arlington (2021) Third Place Award, C3.ai COVID-19 Grand Challenge (2020) Academy of Distinguished Teachers, University of Texas at Arlington (2019) George & Elizabeth Pickett Professorship (2015-2017) As an educator and mentor, Dr. Chen has advised over 25 doctoral students across diverse research topics in operations research and systems engineering. She has secured substantial research funding from multiple sources including the National Science Foundation (over $1.5 million in active projects), Environmental Protection Agency, National Institute of Justice, and industry partners like Luminant and Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. Her current research projects focus on decision analytics for sustainable urban environments, optimization for Texas water management, and statistical methods for pain management programs. She has served as Principal Investigator or Co-PI on more than 20 externally funded research projects totaling over $3 million in funding. Dr. Chen co-founded the Center on Stochastic Modeling, Optimization, & Statistics (COSMOS) at UTA with Dr. H. W. Corley. This research center brings together faculty and students from multiple disciplines to address complex problems through advanced statistical and optimization methods. She also leads interdisciplinary research teams working on projects related to sustainable infrastructure, energy systems, and healthcare optimization, frequently collaborating with researchers from civil engineering, environmental science, and medical fields.
Yolanda Vidal Segui is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mathematics at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC), affiliated with the Escola d'Enginyeria de Barcelona Est (EEBE). Her research focuses on wind energy systems, predictive maintenance, and structural health monitoring of wind turbines. She leads projects in the CoDAlab and WinTurCoM research groups, specializing in data-driven models, condition monitoring, and failure prognosis. Her work integrates machine learning, mathematical modeling, and sensor technology to enhance turbine reliability and energy efficiency. Dr. Vidal holds a PhD in Applied Mathematics and has authored over 350 publications. Her contributions include advancements in SCADA data analysis, vibration-based diagnostics, and AI-driven condition monitoring systems. She has received several accolades, including the WindEurope Technology Workshop recognition and the IFIT Distinction in Mechanism and Machine Science. Her research bridges academia and industry, addressing challenges in offshore wind turbine integrity and maintenance strategies. Active in professional service, she serves on conference committees and editorial boards (e.g., Mechanical Systems and Signal Processing, Wind Energy). Her work emphasizes sustainable energy solutions and has been applied in real-world scenarios like the Alpha Ventus wind farm. She also contributes to educational initiatives, developing innovative teaching materials for engineering students.
Vassilios Tzerpos is an Associate Professor at the Lassonde School of Engineering, York University, where he has been since 2001. He holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Toronto (2001). His research focuses on audio processing for musical applications, deep learning, digital signal processing, machine listening, and software engineering education. He directs the APTLY lab exploring music-technology intersections and leads the LaSSoftE lab developing socially-oriented software solutions. Education: Ph.D. in Computer Science, University of Toronto, 2001 Research Highlights: Dr. Tzerpos' work spans music information retrieval (e.g., automatic music classification), synthetic speech detection using neural networks, and software engineering pedagogy. His recent projects include Music-STAR for audio re-instrumentation and OER-based learning path creation systems. He has pioneered methods in design pattern detection and software clustering evaluation. Grants & Labs: Leads two research groups: APTLY (music-tech) and LaSSoftE (social impact software). Active in developing adaptive cybersecurity solutions against DoS attacks and refining software architecture recovery techniques. Key Themes in Publications: Recent work emphasizes machine learning applications in music technology and cybersecurity, with foundational contributions to software clustering methodologies and design pattern detection algorithms. His work bridges theoretical computer science with practical applications in education and creative industries.
FANG Yuan is a tenured Associate Professor at the School of Computing and Information Systems (SCIS), Singapore Management University (SMU). He holds the prestigious Lee Kong Chian Fellowship and leads research in artificial intelligence and data science. His institutional affiliation includes: School of Computing and Information Systems, Singapore Management University Education: Ph.D. in Computer Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (2014) Bachelor of Computing (First Class Honors), National University of Singapore (2009) - Top student in Computer Science Research Focus: Dr. FANG specializes in data mining, machine learning, and AI with emphasis on graph learning, information networks, recommendation systems, and knowledge graph applications. His work bridges theoretical foundations with practical applications in social analytics, biomedical informatics, and digital transformation, often employing advanced neural network architectures. Publication Trends: Recent works (2024-2025) demonstrate strong focus on graph machine learning innovations, including graph foundation models, prompt-based learning for dynamic graphs, and LLM-graph integrations. Key themes include few-shot/zero-shot learning, non-homophilic graph processing, and applications in recommendation systems, bioinformatics, and NLP. Methodological advancements frequently involve contrastive learning, transformer architectures, and explainable AI techniques. Awards & Honors: Lee Kong Chian Fellow World's Top 2% Scientist (2024) by Stanford/Elsevier #1 Most Influential Paper at WWW'23 (GraphPrompt) - Paper Digest (2024-09) Top 5 Most Influential Papers at WWW'23 (GraphPrompt) - Paper Digest (2024-05) Top Computer Science Graduate, NUS (2009) Student Advising: Currently advises doctoral candidates including DONG Viet Hoang, LIU Ran, and NIU Yudong. Recently supervised Dr. Zhongzhou Liu's successful PhD defense (2024) on trustworthy recommendation systems. Professional Engagement: Regularly organizes tutorials at premier venues (WWW, KDD) and delivers invited talks internationally on graph learning advancements. Leads multiple research projects in collaboration with industry partners.
Matthew Holden is an Associate Professor in the School of Computer Science at Carleton University. He holds a PhD (2018) and MSc (2014) from Queen's University and a BScH (2012) from Western University. His research focuses on Surgical Data Science, applying machine learning to surgical time-series data from operating rooms and simulations to improve patient outcomes and surgical training. Key areas include real-time decision support, performance assessment, and surgical efficiency through domain-knowledge integration. Research interests emphasize machine learning for surgical workflows, skill assessment via sensor data (e.g., motion tracking, EEG), and computer-assisted interventions. Notable work includes automated proficiency evaluation in cataract surgery, ultrasound-guided procedures, and neurosurgical training. His contributions span medical robotics, surgical education, and clinical decision support systems. Publications highlight advancements in surgical workflow anticipation, tool detection, and skill metrics across domains like ophthalmology, emergency medicine, and neurology. Holden advocates for interdisciplinary approaches combining computational methods with clinical expertise to enhance healthcare delivery.
Bo Wu is an Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Science at Colorado School of Mines. His research focuses on compilers and programming systems, particularly program optimizations for heterogeneous computing and emerging architectures, with applications in machine learning and graph processing. He joined Mines in 2014 after earning a Ph.D. from The College of William and Mary and earlier degrees from Central South University in China. Education : B.S. in Computational Science and Technology (Central South University, 2005) M.S. in Computer Science (Central South University, 2008) Ph.D. in Computer Science (The College of William and Mary, 2014) Research Interests : Wu's work emphasizes enhancing data locality in heterogeneous systems, GPU scheduling, and optimizing applications for emerging architectures. His contributions include frameworks like GraphZero for efficient graph mining and FLEP for GPU preemption. Awards & Grants : NSF SPX Award (2018) NSF CAREER Award (2018) Supercomputing Best Paper Award (2015) Multiple NSF grants for GPU-related research Advising & Grants : Wu has led several NSF-funded projects and actively participates in conference program committees (e.g., PPoPP, SC, ICS). His research spans compiler optimizations, parallel computing, and high-performance systems. Labs & Teams : While specific labs aren’t named, his work involves collaborations on GPU-based systems, graph processing frameworks, and compiler toolchains.
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.
LEE Mong Li is a Professor of Computer Science at the National University of Singapore (NUS) and serves as Director of the NUS Centre for Trusted Internet and Community. She holds a Ph.D., M.Sc., and B.Sc. (First Class Honours) in Computer Science from NUS, where she was awarded the IEEE Singapore Information Technology Gold Medal as the top Computer Science student in 1989. Her academic career includes a visiting fellowship at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (1999) and consultancy with QUIQ USA (2000). Her research spans Data Management, Spatio-temporal Databases, Biomedical Informatics, and Retinal Image Analysis . She has pioneered work in data cleaning, data fusion, and analysis of semistructured data, with applications in social media analytics and healthcare. Her recent publications demonstrate strong interdisciplinary focus, particularly in AI-driven medical diagnostics including diabetic retinopathy screening and chronic kidney disease detection from retinal images. She co-authored foundational books on 'Designing Semi-structured Database' and 'Temporal and Spatio-Temporal Data Mining'. Her 150+ publications in major database conferences and journals reflect leadership in both theoretical and applied research. Recent work shows significant emphasis on Medical AI applications (retinal analysis, kidney disease prediction) Temporal fact verification systems Misinformation detection in multimodal environments Privacy challenges in large language models Key honors include: Singapore's President Technology Award (2014) for co-inventing an AI system screening eye conditions IEEE Singapore Information Technology Gold Medal (1989) She actively contributes to government-funded multidisciplinary projects building practical deployable systems. Her leadership extends to program committees of prestigious database conferences and directing the NUS Centre for Trusted Internet and Community. She teaches BT5110 Data Management and Warehousing and has co-developed an AI system for diabetic retinopathy screening deployed in Singapore's national teleophthalmology program.
Pietro Liò is Full Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Technology at the University of Cambridge, where he leads research in Artificial Intelligence and Computational Biology as part of the AI group and the Cambridge Centre for AI in Medicine. He holds additional affiliations as Fellow and Council member of Clare Hall College, member of Ellis (European Lab for Learning & Intelligent Systems), and member of Academia Europaea. Professor Liò earned dual PhDs in Complex Systems and Non Linear Dynamics from the University of Florence and in Theoretical Genetics from the University of Pavia, Italy. His educational background bridges theoretical computer science with biological sciences, forming the foundation for his interdisciplinary research approach. His research focuses on developing Artificial Intelligence and Computational Biology models to understand disease complexity and advance personalized medicine. Current work emphasizes Graph Neural Network modeling for integrating multi-scale, multi-omics, and multi-physics data; combining deep learning with mechanistic approaches; explainability in medical AI; and developing AI-based medical digital twins and personal decision support systems. His work spans from fundamental algorithm development to clinical applications, with particular emphasis on translating computational advances into medical solutions. Analysis of his recent publications reveals strong activity in geometric deep learning , explainable AI for healthcare , and multi-omics integration , with increasing focus on clinically applicable tools that maintain both predictive power and interpretability. Member of Academia Europaea Listed among Top Italian Scientists by VIA-Academy Professor Liò has mentored over 40 PhD students and postdoctoral researchers, including notable names such as Petar Velickovic, David Buterez, and Chaitanya Joshi. His research is supported through collaborations with the Cambridge Centre for AI in Medicine and various international partnerships. He serves on departmental committees including Student Complaints and Postdoc Mentoring, and has completed equality and diversity training essentials. He leads research within the Artificial Intelligence group at Cambridge, focusing on creating computational frameworks that bridge biological complexity with clinical applications through advanced machine learning techniques.
Richard Allen is a Professor and the Class of 1954 Endowed Chair at the University of California, Berkeley, serving as Director of the Berkeley Seismological Laboratory. His work focuses on seismology, earthquake early warning systems, and seismic hazard mitigation. Research interests include earthquake rupture mechanisms, regional seismic structure and dynamics, mantle upwelling processes, fault interaction analysis, stress modeling in seismology, and machine learning applications in seismic data analysis. He pioneered smartphone-based seismic networks like MyShake and advanced technologies such as distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) for offshore monitoring. His recent publications highlight trends in earthquake early warning algorithms (EPIC, bEPIC), real-time ground-motion modeling, ShakeAlert system performance, and integration of multimodal data (e.g., social media, LLMs, DAS) for hazard mitigation. Collaborative efforts include global smartphone networks and cloud computing for seismic datasets. Allen leads the Berkeley Seismological Laboratory, driving innovations in seismic monitoring, structural health assessment, and public alerting systems to enhance disaster resilience.
Chris Russell is the Dieter Schwarz Associate Professor of AI, Government & Policy at the Oxford Internet Institute (OII), University of Oxford. His work bridges computer vision, machine learning, and ethical AI governance. He leads the Governance of Emerging Technologies programme, focusing on algorithmic accountability, transparency, and fairness. Prior roles include Group Leader at the Alan Turing Institute and Reader at the University of Surrey. Russell’s research has been recognized with awards, including the ICRA Best Paper Prize for autonomous driving mapping work. Research interests span algorithmic fairness, explainable AI, and responsible AI design. Notable projects include collaborations with the British Antarctic Foundation on climate modeling and causal approaches to algorithmic fairness. His work with Sandra Wachter and Brent Mittelstadt informs GDPR guidelines and tools like TensorFlow’s 'What-if Tool.' Current projects include advancing medical machine learning for inflammatory arthritis prediction and governance frameworks for emerging tech. Russell advises PhD students on socio-technical AI evaluations and teaches courses in machine learning and AI ethics. Recent publications address deepfake proliferation, LLM regulation, and fairness in foundational models. He co-leads initiatives like the Digital Good Network to align tech development with societal benefit.
Jianjun (Jan) Shi is the Carolyn J. Stewart Chair and Professor at the H. Milton Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISyE) and holds a joint appointment with the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology. He previously served as the G. Lawton and Louise G. Johnson Chair Professor of Engineering at the University of Michigan. His research focuses on system informatics and control for manufacturing and service systems, with notable contributions to quality improvement, cyber-physical systems, and data-driven methodologies. B.S. & M.S. in Electrical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology (1984–1987) Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan (1992) Dr. Shi’s research interests include process modeling, control systems, and quality engineering. He pioneered methodologies for in-process quality improvement and developed advanced frameworks for high-dimensional data analysis in manufacturing. His work integrates statistical methods, machine learning, and system informatics to enhance operational efficiency and product quality. He has published over 150 peer-reviewed papers and secured $19 million+ in research grants from NSF, DOE, and industry partners. His lab, the System Informatics and Control Group, collaborates with automotive, aerospace, and pharmaceutical sectors. Shi leads initiatives such as the Quality Science Center at the Chinese Academy of Sciences and serves on editorial boards of journals like IIE Transactions and ASME Transactions . Recipient of the IIE Albert G. Holzman Distinguished Educator Award (2011) Fellow of INFORMS, ASME, and IIE Academician of the International Academy for Quality Shi advises 26 Ph.D. graduates, many of whom hold faculty positions or leadership roles in industry. His research group’s innovations have been implemented in global manufacturing systems, yielding significant economic impacts. Current work includes 4D printing, cyber-physical system resilience, and federated learning for industrial data.
