B. L. Turner II is a Regents' Professor and Gilbert F. White Professor of Environment and Society at Arizona State University, affiliated with the School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning and the School of Sustainability. His work focuses on human-environment relationships, land system science, urban sustainability, and ancient Maya studies. Education: PhD in Geography from the University of Wisconsin-Madison (1974), MA and BS from the University of Texas at Austin. Research Interests: Land system architecture, tropical deforestation, urban heat islands, and sustainability science. His research has been supported by NSF, NASA, USDA, and others. Key contributions include studies on land change in the Southern Yucatán, vulnerability frameworks, and urban climate adaptation. Major Awards: Preston E. James Award, Sustainability Science Award, Fellowships from AAAS and NAS. Turner has advised over 50 doctoral students and contributed to interdisciplinary initiatives like the Central Arizona-Phoenix Long-Term Ecological Research (CAP LTER) and the Global Land Project.
Amartya Sanyal is a Tenure Track Assistant Professor at the Department of Computer Science (DIKU), University of Copenhagen, specializing in Machine Learning. He also serves as an Adjunct Professor at the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (2023–2025). His research focuses on critical areas of AI safety, data privacy, and robust learning. University: University of Copenhagen Department: Department of Computer Science Academic Rank: Assistant Professor Adjunct Role: IIT Kanpur (2023–2025) His work addresses challenges like differential privacy , data poisoning attacks , machine unlearning , and robust mixture learning . Recent publications analyze privacy-preserving techniques for large language models, fairness in collective action algorithms, and certified data release mechanisms. Amartya has received the Villum Young Investigator Award (2025). His research outputs emphasize online learning , adversarial robustness , and privacy-utility tradeoffs through rigorous theoretical frameworks and practical implementations. Scientific Award: Villum Young Investigator Award His collaborations span institutions like IIT Kanpur and involve interdisciplinary projects with industry partners. Current activities include talks on privacy with correlated data and machine unlearning advancements.
Fahui Wang is the Cyril & Tutta Vetter Alumni Professor in the Department of Geography & Anthropology at Louisiana State University (LSU). He holds a B.S. in Geography from Peking University (1988), an M.A. in Economics (1993), and a Ph.D. in City & Regional Planning (1995), both from The Ohio State University. His research focuses on spatially-integrated social sciences, public policy, and GIS applications in healthcare, urban planning, and public safety. He has authored/co-authored multiple influential books and peer-reviewed articles, including works on computational methods in GIS and healthcare accessibility analysis. Professor Wang’s work has been supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, and U.S. Departments of Housing and Urban Development and Justice. His accolades include LSU’s Distinguished Research Master Award (2023) and CPGIS Distinguished Scholar (2023). He teaches advanced courses in GIS, urban geography, and quantitative methods, and leads research initiatives in the LSU Geoscience department. His lab focuses on geospatial technologies for addressing societal challenges in healthcare access, urban planning, and crime analysis.
Dr Alison Powell is an Associate Professor in the Department of Media and Communications at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), serving as Programme Director for the MSc Media and Communications (Data and Society). Her research focuses on technology design, public sector technology, and digital futures. She is known for her book Undoing Optimization: Civic Action in Smart Cities (2021) and her participatory research method, data walking. From 2019–2023, she directed the JUST AI network, supported by the Ada Lovelace Institute and UKRI, advancing AI ethics research. Her work integrates critical theory, participatory methods, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Education: PhD in Communication from Concordia University (Canada), MA in Media Studies from Toronto Metropolitan University, and postdoctoral research at the Oxford Internet Institute. Prior to academia, she worked in the film and TV industry. Research interests include civic engagement in data-driven governance, ethical AI, and participatory urbanism. She has advised projects like Africa Just AI and Operationalising Ethics for AI, funded by Horizon Europe, AHRC, and the Open Society Foundations. Her articles address topics such as AI governance, urban light ecology, feminist research praxis, and the ethical implications of technology for marginalized communities. She contributes to blogs like Media@LSE and leads initiatives at Polis and the LSE’s Digital Futures for Children project. Grants and collaborations include work with Projects by IF, Open Rights Group, and the Human Data Interactions Network (EPSRC). She explores intersections of technology, justice, and sustainability, emphasizing equitable and inclusive innovation.
Prof. Dr. Gonzalo Guillén Gosálbez is a Full Professor at the Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences , ETH Zürich. He holds a PhD in Process Systems Engineering (UPC, 2005) and has held academic positions at Imperial College London (Reader), University of Manchester (Senior Lecturer), and Universitat Rovira i Virgili (Assistant/Associate Professor). His research focuses on Sustainable Chemical Processes , integrating life cycle assessment, optimization techniques, and planetary boundary analysis to evaluate and design low-carbon technologies. Current position: Full Professor, ETH Zürich (2019–present) Prior roles: Imperial College London (2016–2019), University of Manchester (2014–2016), URV Spain (2008–2014) Education: PhD (UPC, 2005), MEng/BEng (University of Murcia) His research explores CO2 valorization , green methanol synthesis , circular marine fuels , and planetary boundary compliance in energy and chemical systems. Recent work emphasizes machine learning for process modeling, single-atom catalysis , and decentralized ammonia production . Scientific contributions include 15+ peer-reviewed articles (2023–2025) in journals like Nature Chemical Engineering , ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering , and Energy & Environmental Science . Key themes: Optimization of hybrid fossil/renewable carbon systems Environmental impacts of energy transitions Catalyst design for sustainable chemistry Life cycle assessment of emerging technologies Awarded UPC Top Doctoral Student Award and Top National Student Award , he combines process systems engineering with sustainability metrics to address global challenges in chemical and energy systems.
Daniel E. Ho holds multiple prestigious positions at Stanford University: William Benjamin Scott and Luna M. Scott Professor of Law Professor of Political Science Professor of Computer Science (by courtesy) Senior Fellow, Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research Senior Fellow, Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence Faculty Fellow, Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences He serves on the National Artificial Intelligence Advisory Commission (NAIAC), as Senior Advisor on Responsible AI at the U.S. Department of Labor, and as a Public Member of the Administrative Conference of the United States (ACUS). Ho earned his J.D. from Yale Law School and Ph.D. from Harvard University, completing a clerkship with Judge Stephen F. Williams on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. His research bridges artificial intelligence, law, and public policy with emphasis on: Regulatory governance frameworks for AI systems Fairness and bias mitigation in algorithmic decision-making Environmental enforcement using satellite imagery and computer vision Methods for estimating racial disparities without direct demographic data Legal AI reliability and statutory research systems Analysis of his 2025 publications reveals a consistent focus on practical AI governance tools addressing real-world regulatory challenges. Key themes include developing benchmarks for legal applications, mitigating hallucination in legal AI tools, and creating systems for statutory research. His work demonstrates strong integration of technical AI methods with policy implementation, particularly in environmental enforcement and fairness assessment. As Director of the Regulation, Evaluation, and Governance Lab (RegLab), Ho leads interdisciplinary research partnerships with government agencies. While specific grant details aren't provided, RegLab's operational model indicates substantial research funding for policy-relevant AI projects. No student advisees are mentioned in available materials. Ho's leadership extends to national advisory roles where he shapes federal AI policy through evidence-based recommendations, particularly regarding environmental protection and civil rights enforcement mechanisms.
Professor Brent Mittelstadt is a leading academic in data ethics and AI governance at the University of Oxford's Oxford Internet Institute (OII), serving as Professor of Data Ethics and Policy and Director of Research. He coordinates the Governance of Emerging Technologies (GET) programme, focusing on ethics, law, and technology interplay. His work bridges academic research with policy impact, contributing frameworks like 'counterfactual explanations' and fairness metrics ('Conditional Demographic Disparity') used globally. He leads high-profile projects such as Trustworthiness Auditing for AI and A Right to Reasonable Inferences in Advertising and Financial Services. Research interests span AI ethics, medical ethics, technology governance, and non-discrimination law. He has pioneered ethical frameworks addressing algorithmic bias, GDPR compliance, and AI accountability. His work has influenced policy bodies like the UK Information Commissioner’s Office and the European Commission, and is implemented by tech giants such as Google and Microsoft. Awarded O2RB Excellence in Impact Awards (2018, 2021) and PLSC Best Paper (2019) Funded by Wellcome Trust, Sloan Foundation, and others Advisory roles for NHSx, GSK Consumer Healthcare, and regulatory bodies Recent work focuses on AI regulation (EU AI Act), generative AI ethics, and healthcare AI governance. He co-leads the OxonFair toolkit for algorithmic fairness and investigates societal impacts of deepfake proliferation and large language models.
Allison Koenecke is an Assistant Professor of Information Science at Cornell Tech and a field faculty member in Computer Science at Cornell University. Previously, she was a postdoctoral researcher at Microsoft Research New England and completed her PhD at Stanford University’s Institute for Computational & Mathematical Engineering. Her research focuses on algorithmic fairness, computational social science, and causal inference in public health, addressing disparities in automated systems like speech recognition and policy decision-making. Education : PhD, Stanford Institute for Computational & Mathematical Engineering MA/MS, Stanford University BA/BS, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Research Interests : Dr. Koenecke’s work bridges economics and computer science, emphasizing equity in AI systems. Key areas include: Algorithmic bias in speech recognition (e.g., racial disparities in voice assistants) Fairness in policy tools like environmental justice data systems Causal analysis in public health interventions Ethical implications of large language models in education Media & Impact : Her research has been featured in outlets like New York Times , Science , and Scientific American . Notable studies include exposing racial gaps in speech-to-text systems and advocating for inclusive dataset development. She also explores societal impacts of AI in education and governance. Awards : Sloan Research Fellow in Computer Science Forbes 30 Under 30 in Science NSF Awards Cornell CIS Teaching Excellence Award (2024) Teaching & Outreach : She teaches courses like Designing Fair Algorithms and Data Science for Global Development , emphasizing interdisciplinary collaboration. Her PhD Professionalization course addresses hidden curricula in academia. She advises on AI ethics for nonprofits, tech companies, and government agencies.
Jakob Merane is a postdoctoral researcher at ETH Zurich's Professorship of Law, Economics and Business, and a visiting researcher at the Max Planck Institute and Harvard Law School. He holds a Ph.D. from ETH Zurich and law degrees from the University of Basel, with additional studies in applied statistics. His research focuses on AI-driven legal enforcement, legal technology, and compliance-by-design approaches, leveraging computational and empirical methods. Merane's work includes developing tools like SwiLTra-Bench for multilingual legal translation and LEXam for benchmarking AI legal reasoning. He has contributed to GDPR compliance studies, automation of legal enforcement processes, and quantitative analyses of Swiss legal datasets. Awards include the 2024 Young Scholar Prize from the German Law and Economics Association. Teaching responsibilities include ETH's Law & Tech course since 2020, emphasizing AI regulation and interdisciplinary collaboration between law and computer science. Merane's research also addresses AI liability in medical contexts, digital advertising regulations, and ethical AI integration in legal systems. His work bridges legal theory with practical applications, aiming to enhance justice accessibility through technology.
Marcus Smith is an Associate Professor in Law at the Charles Sturt University , where he teaches LAW222 Technology Law and directs the Bachelor of Laws program. He holds advanced degrees from the Australian National University (PhD, LLM) and the University of Cambridge (MPhil). His research spans technology law and regulation , focusing on genomic data governance biometric identification AI ethics blockchain policy cybersecurity surveillance law He leads the Contemporary Threats to Australian Security research group and serves as Chief Investigator on an NHMRC-funded project (MRF2015531) addressing genomic dataset governance. His recent work analyzes algorithmic bias in facial recognition AI in healthcare blockchain's regulatory challenges post-pandemic cybercrime surveillance ethics data security frameworks He actively supervises PhD and honours students in technology law and contributes to law reform through submissions to international bodies like the UN Human Rights Council .
Deval Desai serves as Reader in International Economic Law at the University of Edinburgh's Edinburgh Law School, a position he has held since 2020 after serving as Lecturer from 2020-2023. His academic career includes research positions at Harvard Law School and the Geneva Graduate Institute. Dr. Desai also brings extensive practical experience from a decade working with the World Bank on rule of law and governance in sub-Saharan Africa, as well as advising the United Nations on rule of law issues. Dr. Desai's educational background includes an MA in History and French Literature from Oxford University, followed by legal training at City University/BPP Law School (PGDipL and PGDipLP), and advanced law degrees (LLM and SJD) from Harvard Law School. At Harvard, he held prestigious fellowships including the Byse Fellowship, Program on Negotiation Next Generation Fellowship, and Institute for Global Law and Policy Fellowship. MA (Oxon), History and French Literature PGDipL, PGDipLP, City University/BPP Law School LLM, Harvard Law School SJD, Harvard Law School Dr. Desai's research centers on law and development, administrative law and regulation, theories of the state, and patterns of knowledge and authority across the Global North and South. His work examines institutional reform processes, particularly how expertise and knowledge operate within rule of law initiatives. His interdisciplinary approach draws from legal and social theory, development studies, international relations, and performance studies, as evidenced in his monograph Expert Ignorance (Cambridge University Press). His recent work focuses on fiscal sociology, administrative law in the Global South, and the politics of social welfare provision. Dr. Desai's publications span leading journals in law, political science, and development studies, revealing a consistent focus on the intersections between legal institutions, governance, and development. His work demonstrates increasing engagement with comparative methodologies and critical perspectives on knowledge production in global governance. Recent articles show particular attention to fiscal policy, welfare systems, and responses to global crises like the Covid-19 pandemic, with comparative studies between India and European contexts. Dame Muriel Spark Medal (2024, Royal Society of Edinburgh) Chancellor's 'Rising Star' Award (2023, University of Edinburgh) Member of the Young Academy of Scotland Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts Fellow of the Young Academy of Europe Dr. Desai has secured significant research funding from diverse international sources, including a £2.1 million Swiss National Science Foundation Sinergia grant titled 'Reversing the Gaze: Towards Post-Comparative Area Studies' where he serves as PI. He also leads projects funded by the British Academy, University of Edinburgh's Big Ideas Accelerator, Scottish Funding Council, and Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office. His commitment to mentoring is evident through his recognition with the Susan Manning Award for Inspiring Mentor and his leadership in establishing programs like the Global Scholars' Academy at the Geneva Graduate Institute and the Global Justice summer school at CEU. As editor-in-chief of the Cambridge University Press book series 'Elements in Legal Theory and the Global South' and serving on multiple editorial boards, Dr. Desai plays a significant role in shaping scholarly discourse. His current research projects examine 'loss' in legal institutions guiding transitional processes, constitutional implications of fiscal arrangements in fragile contexts, and social welfare provision in India and Italy.
Sascha van Schendel is an Assistant Professor in Data Protection & Cybersecurity at the Department of Law & Markets, Erasmus School of Law, Erasmus University Rotterdam. She is affiliated with the Erasmus Centre of Law and Digitalization and contributes to the Sectorplan SSH-Breed research initiative on the influence of digitalization on work, prosperity, and entrepreneurship. Her research lies at the intersection of law, technology, and fundamental rights, with a focus on data protection, privacy, algorithmic governance, and the regulation of emerging technologies in public and environmental domains. She has published widely on topics including GDPR compliance, privacy by design, smart energy systems, AI in criminal justice, and the legal implications of predictive policing. The recent publications reflect a strong trend toward the regulation of data in public infrastructure (e.g., energy grids), algorithmic accountability in law enforcement, and the integration of legal and technical perspectives in privacy-preserving systems. Her work spans environmental law, criminal procedure, and digital constitutionalism, demonstrating interdisciplinary reach. Scientific Awards: No awards explicitly mentioned in the provided text. Advising and Grants: While no formal PhD or Master’s students are listed, Dr. van Schendel has been involved in significant research projects such as the NWO-funded Megamind project on smart energy grids, indicating experience with competitive grant funding. She actively collaborates with legal scholars and contributes to public policy debates, including responses to national legislation like the Dutch Cybersecurity Bill. Labs and Teams: She is a core member of the Erasmus Centre of Law and Digitalization, a research hub focusing on the legal challenges of digital transformation. Her work is embedded in interdisciplinary collaborations involving law, technology, and public policy experts.
Clio Andris is an Associate Professor at Georgia Tech, jointly appointed in the School of City and Regional Planning and the School of Interactive Computing. She directs the Friendly Cities Lab, focusing on mathematical models of social networks applied to urban planning, transportation, and geography. Her work integrates spatial analysis with visualization, emphasizing interdisciplinary collaboration. Education and Career: Andris earned a PhD in Urban Information Systems from MIT (2011), where she was an NDSEG Fellow. She held postdoctoral positions at Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology and the Santa Fe Institute. Prior to Georgia Tech, she was a faculty member at Penn State’s Department of Geography, affiliated with the GeoVISTA Center. Research Focus: Her research bridges social networks, geovisualization, and urban informatics. Key areas include spatial social network analysis, GIS applications for urban policy, and the impact of digital tools on civic engagement. She has developed innovative visual analytics tools like SNoMaN and ROBIN to democratize spatial data exploration. Awards: She received the NSF CAREER Award (2021) and NDSEG Fellowship (2011). Her lab is affiliated with the Center for Spatial Planning Analytics and Visualization (CSPAV) and the Information Visualization Lab. Labs and Collaborations: The Friendly Cities Lab focuses on socially just urban design through computational methods. Her work addresses issues like food security networks, pandemic impacts on biodiversity, and community mapping for activism. Grants and Outreach: Her NSF-funded projects emphasize public good applications, such as real-time pandemic risk communication and educational tools for migration data. She actively collaborates with non-profits and policymakers to translate research into actionable urban strategies.
Professor Helen Kennedy is a leading scholar in digital society at the School of Sociological Studies, Politics and International Relations , University of Sheffield . She holds the title of Professor of Digital Society and is Director of the £4 million ESRC Digital Good Network. A Fellow of the British Academy (FBA) and the Academy of Social Sciences (FacSS), her work bridges academia and public policy through collaborations with the BBC, DWP, and international media organizations. Her educational background includes a BA in English and American Studies from the University of Birmingham, an MA in Cultural Studies from the Birmingham Centre for Contemporary Cultural Studies (CCCS), and a PhD from the University of East London (2002) on digital identity and multimedia. Helen's research centers on digital inequality, datafication, algorithmic culture, data ethics, and public engagement with data . She investigates how non-expert publics experience and interpret data, visualizations, and AI, with a focus on fairness, transparency, and resistance. Her work also examines data visualization in society , particularly in news media, and the emotional and cultural dimensions of data engagement. Her recent publications reveal a consistent trend in exploring public perceptions of data practices , the politics of data visualization , and ethical dimensions of data use across journalism, public services, and digital platforms. Themes include trust, fairness, emotion, and the socio-political shaping of data systems. Fellow of the British Academy (FBA) Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences (FacSS) Helen has led numerous major grants from the ESRC, AHRC, Nuffield Foundation, and EPSRC , including projects like Living With Data , Generic Visuals in the News , and Seeing Data . She supervises PhD students on topics ranging from algorithmic bias to digital self-tracking and has completed 13 PhD supervisions. She actively collaborates with policy makers (DWP, BBC, DCMS) , media organizations (Financial Times, Reach PLC) , and NGOs to translate research into impact, particularly in web accessibility and data governance. She leads the Living With Data research programme and is involved in the Everyday Life and Critical Diversities and Science, Technology and Medicine in Society research groups. Her work with the ESRC Digital Good Network brings together academics, practitioners, and civil society to envision equitable digital futures.
Dr. Daniel Dutton is an Associate Professor in the Department of Community Health and Epidemiology at Dalhousie University's Faculty of Medicine, based at the Dalhousie Medicine New Brunswick campus in Saint John. His research focuses on how social environments influence health outcomes and the role of government policies in mitigating these impacts, particularly in areas like poverty, homelessness, and health economics. He holds adjunct roles at the University of New Brunswick (Sociology) and is the Scientific Director of APPTA, a hub bridging aging research and policy. He teaches courses in epidemiology, population health, and statistics. Education: PhD in Community Health Sciences (University of Calgary) MA in Economics (University of Calgary) BA Honours in Economics (Queen’s University) Research Interests: Dr. Dutton examines population-level health determinants, government policy effectiveness, and socioeconomic disparities. His work employs large datasets and econometric models to analyze topics such as homelessness incidence, healthcare cost savings through preventive measures, and the distributional impacts of public spending. Key Contributions: Scientific Director of the APPTA aging and technology hub. Co-founder of the IMPART research collaborative. Author of influential studies on Housing First programs, opioid prescribing patterns, and the fiscal benefits of guaranteed annual income policies. Advising & Grants: Supervises multiple MSc students and has collaborated on grants analyzing healthcare utilization in New Brunswick and Alberta. His work often intersects with policy-making, emphasizing actionable insights from quantitative research. Labs & Teams: Leads the Dutton Research Group, which uses mascot Odin the Saint Bernard to foster team cohesion. Active in interdisciplinary collaborations across public health, sociology, and economics.
