Fanny Yang is an Assistant Professor in the Computer Science Department at ETH Zurich . She previously held postdoctoral positions at Stanford University and a Junior Fellowship at the Institute for Theoretical Studies at ETH Zurich, advised by Nicolai Meinshausen . Her PhD was completed at the EECS Department of UC Berkeley , supervised by Martin Wainwright . Research Interests : Theoretical foundations of machine learning and statistics , particularly focusing on overparameterized models and high-dimensional data . Developing trustworthy ML models with emphasis on distributional robustness , domain generalization , and interpretability . Applications in medical diagnostics and treatment effect analysis , aiming to address reliability issues in real-world domains. Recent Work Trends : 2025 Articles : Theoretical analysis of semi-supervised multi-objective learning , test-time scaling with verifiers, and foundation models for efficient randomized experiments . 2024 Articles : Studies on robust mixture learning , privacy-preserving data synthesis via optimal transport , confounding quantification in causal inference , and semi-private learning frameworks. 2023 Articles : Investigations into active vs. passive learning in high dimensions, inductive bias in noisy interpolation , and semi-supervised novelty detection using model ensembles .
Dr. Guillermo Amador is an Assistant Professor in the Experimental Zoology department at Wageningen University & Research. His research focuses on understanding how animals interact with complex environments through locomotion, adhesion, and fluid dynamics. He investigates biological systems like insects, plants, and marine organisms to inspire bio-engineered solutions for robotics, microfluidics, and material science. Amador received his PhD in Mechanical Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology (USA), followed by postdoctoral research at the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems (Germany) and a Marie Sklodowska-Curie fellowship at TU Delft (Netherlands). His expertise spans biophysics, biomaterials, and biomechanics, with a focus on self-cleaning mechanisms and bioadhesion. He collaborates with the 4TU consortium on Dutch Soft Robotics to develop bio-inspired designs. His work bridges fundamental biology with engineering applications, emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches to solve challenges in robotics and environmental science. Amador teaches courses including Biomimetics and Functional Zoology , integrating his research into education. His research highlights include studies on cuttlefish suction cups, stick insect adhesion, and pollen transport mechanisms in pollinators.
Bo Dai is an Assistant Professor at the School of Computational Science and Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, and a Staff Research Scientist at Google DeepMind. His research focuses on Agent AI, Generative Models, and Representation Learning, aiming to create decision-making agents through world modeling. He holds a Ph.D. from Georgia Tech (2013–2018) and previously worked at Google Brain. Dai has authored numerous influential papers in top conferences like NeurIPS, ICML, and ICLR, and received the AISTATS Best Paper Award (2016). Education: Ph.D., School of Computational Science and Engineering, Georgia Tech (2013–2018) Research Interests: Reinforcement Learning and Representation Learning for decision-making agents Generative Models and their integration with Agent AI Provable and scalable algorithms for real-world applications His work bridges theory and practice, emphasizing spectral representations and provable guarantees in complex systems. Key Article Trends: His recent work emphasizes scalable spectral methods for multi-agent systems, diffusion policies, and representation-based techniques in reinforcement learning. He also explores LLM alignment and sim-to-real transfer learning. Awards: AISTATS Best Paper Award (2016) NeurIPS Workshop Best Paper (2017) Ross Fellowship (2011–2012) Advising & Grants: Supervises 6 current Ph.D. and M.S. students. Active in organizing workshops on reinforcement learning and serves as an Area Chair for top conferences. Labs & Software: Leads development of Representation-based Reinforcement Learning and Repr-Control toolboxes for nonlinear control and stochastic systems.
Trevor Campbell is an Associate Professor in the Department of Statistics at the University of British Columbia (UBC), Vancouver. He holds a Ph.D. in Machine Learning and Statistics from MIT and a B.A.Sc. in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Toronto. His research focuses on automated, scalable Bayesian inference algorithms, Bayesian nonparametrics, and streaming data analysis. Campbell is a core contributor to probabilistic programming tools like Pigeons.jl and has developed influential methods for coreset-based Bayesian inference. Education : Ph.D. in Machine Learning and Statistics (2016), MIT M.S. in Aeronautics and Astronautics (2013), MIT B.A.Sc. in Aerospace Engineering (2011), University of Toronto Research Interests : His work emphasizes scalable Bayesian computation, including variational inference, MCMC optimization, and coresets. He develops algorithms that balance statistical accuracy with computational efficiency, particularly for large-scale datasets. His recent work explores adaptive samplers (e.g., AutoStep, autoMALA) and theoretical guarantees for coreset methods. Applications span astrophysics, materials science, and network analysis. Awards & Grants : NSERC Discovery Grant (2025) Blackwell-Rosenbluth Award (2021) PIMS Early Career Award (2023) Google Perception Academic Funding (2020) Advising & Labs : He supervises a team of PhD and M.Sc. students at UBC, focusing on Bayesian methodology and computational tools. His lab collaborates with institutions like SFU and MIT on projects involving distributed sampling and probabilistic modeling. He co-organizes workshops on Bayesian computation and serves on editorial boards for Bayesian Analysis and TMLR.
LEONG Tze Yun is a Professor in the Department of Computer Science at the School of Computing, National University of Singapore (NUS). She holds S.B., S.M., and Ph.D. degrees in Computer Science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Her academic career spans both research and industry experience, with significant contributions to the fields of artificial intelligence and health informatics. Dr. Leong's educational background includes: Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology S.M. in Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology S.B. in Computer Science & Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Her primary research interests focus on responsible AI, dynamic decision-making, neurocognitive modeling, reinforcement learning, artificial general intelligence, and biomedical and health informatics. Her work bridges the gap between theoretical AI development and practical healthcare applications, with an emphasis on ethical considerations and human-centered design. She directs the Medical Computing Laboratory at NUS, a multidisciplinary research program exploring human-aware decision modeling in complex environments. Analysis of her recent publications reveals a strong trend toward responsible AI development, with significant contributions to reinforcement learning techniques, causal inference methods, and applications of AI in healthcare. Her work increasingly integrates ethical considerations with technical AI development, particularly evident in her 2024 publications on medical AI and human values. Her scientific recognition includes: Fellow of the American College of Medical Informatics (ACMI) Founding Fellow of the International Academy of Health Sciences Informatics (IAHSI) Member of Eta Kappa Nu (Honor Society for Electrical Engineers) Dr. Leong has supervised numerous doctoral and master's students throughout her career, many of whom have gone on to prominent positions at institutions like Google, Netflix, Mayo Clinic, and academic institutions worldwide. Her advisory work extends to significant policy development, including contributions to WHO guidance on ethics and governance of AI for health. She currently serves on the World Health Organization (WHO) Expert Group on Ethics and Governance of AI for Health, the World Economic Forum (WEF) AI Governance Alliance, and the Advisory Council on AI in Uzbekistan. Her laboratory work focuses on developing adaptive systems that evolve with changing technical functionalities, system infrastructures, usage patterns, and operational contexts, with applications spanning prediction and decision analytics, human-aware robotics, game artificial intelligence, personalized education, and assistive care for elderly with neurocognitive disorders.
Petros Koumoutsakos is the Herbert S. Winokur, Jr. Professor of Computing in Science and Engineering at Harvard University's School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS), where he also serves as Area Chair for Applied Mathematics. His research integrates machine learning with computational science to advance understanding of complex systems, including fluid dynamics, turbulence modeling, and biomedical applications. He leads the CSE Lab, focusing on high-performance computing and interdisciplinary collaborations such as a recent study with Citadel Securities and Google Cloud to simulate heart disease in cloud environments. Key research interests include reinforcement learning for turbulence closures, generative models for PDE solutions, and physics-informed AI for biomedical imaging and wildfire prediction. He was awarded the PRACE HPC Excellence Award (2023) for contributions to high-performance computing. His work bridges computational methods with real-world applications, emphasizing interpretability and scalability in multiscale systems. Grants & Collaborations: Leadership in multi-institutional projects, including turbulence modeling via reinforcement learning and cloud-based HPC studies. Labs/Teams: Director of the CSE Lab, advancing AI, computational fluid dynamics, and biomedical simulations.
Jelani Nelson is a Professor and Department Chair in the UC Berkeley EECS Department (College of Engineering). His work focuses on theoretical computer science , particularly algorithms , data streams , dimensionality reduction , and privacy-preserving computation . Advising : Current students include Ishaq Aden-Ali, Xin Lyu, Mihir Singhal, and Hongxun Wu (co-advised with leading researchers). Education : PhD from MIT (George M. Sprowls Award), M.Eng from MIT. Research Highlights : Developed foundational results in Johnson-Lindenstrauss dimensionality reduction (optimality, sparse embeddings). Advancements in differential privacy (lower bounds, private mean estimation, threshold learning). Pioneering work on streaming algorithms for heavy hitters, norm estimation, and graph problems. Innovations in compressed sensing and oblivious subspace embeddings . Scientific Awards : PODS Best Paper Award (2011, 2022) IBM Pat Goldberg Memorial Best Paper Award (2011) George M. Sprowls Award for MIT doctoral thesis (2009) NeurIPS 2020 Spotlight Presentation
Mark Crowley is an Associate Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Waterloo, with a cross-appointment in the Cheriton School of Computer Science. He is a member of the Waterloo Artificial Intelligence Institute (WAII) and the Waterloo Institute for Complexity and Innovation (WICI), and serves as National Secretary of the Canadian Artificial Intelligence Association (CAIAC). His educational background includes a Ph.D. and M.Sc. in Computer Science from the University of British Columbia, where he worked in the Laboratory for Computational Intelligence, and a B.A. in Computer Science from York University. He completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Oregon State University working with Tom Dietterich's machine learning group. Crowley's research focuses on developing dependable and transparent algorithms to augment human decision-making in complex domains with multiple agents, spatial structure, or uncertainty. His work spans Reinforcement Learning , Deep Learning , Ensemble Methods , and Manifold Learning . He frequently collaborates with researchers in applied fields including Computational Sustainability, Sustainable Forest Management, Autonomous Driving, Medical Imaging, and Material Design. His research is motivated by both theoretical opportunities and real-world challenges such as forest fire management, automotive applications, and medical imaging. His recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on addressing challenges in reinforcement learning, particularly around observation costs, multi-agent systems, and causal representation learning. His work on ChemGymRL provides a significant contribution to digital chemistry and material design through reinforcement learning frameworks. The textbook Elements of Dimensionality Reduction and Manifold Learning represents a major contribution to the theoretical foundations of machine learning. Crowley actively supervises graduate students, with recent thesis completions including Shayan Shirahmadi Gale Bagi (PhD, Feb 2025) and Oleksandra Nahorna (MASc, Dec 2024). His lab, UWECEML (Waterloo ECE Machine Learning Lab), focuses on developing new algorithms at the intersection of Machine Learning, Optimization, and Probabilistic Modeling. He teaches courses including ECE 457C (Reinforcement Learning), ECE 657A (Data & Knowledge Modelling & Analysis), and ECE 457B (Fundamentals of Computational Intelligence). His blog Computationally Thinking explores AI, machine learning, and the societal impact of these technologies.
Dr. Nienke Smit is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Education at Utrecht University's Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences. Her research focuses on scaffolding processes, adaptive teaching, and classroom observational research from a complex dynamic systems perspective. Specializes in teacher-student interaction Expert in adaptive instruction and observational methods Collaborates with Data Science department Develops tools for classroom observation Research interests include language learning and teaching , judgment and decision-making in education , and professional development of teachers . She leads projects like Eye Get It (joint attention in classrooms) and a replication study on adaptive instruction effectiveness. Her work applies dynamic systems theory to second language development and foreign language pedagogy. Recent publications address translanguaging in multilingual classrooms, replication studies , and process-oriented research . She teaches at Utrecht's Graduate School of Teaching and works on initiatives to reduce teacher shortages through improved training programs.
Joseph Bentsman is a Professor in the Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign's Grainger College of Engineering. He also holds affiliate appointments in the Department of Aerospace Engineering (since 2015) and the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (since 2018). His academic journey began with an M.S. from Byelorussian Polytechnic Institute in Minsk, USSR (1979), followed by a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Illinois Institute of Technology (1984). Professor Bentsman's research focuses on control of nonlinear and distributed parameter systems, nonlinear oscillations, network control, stability theory, and stochastic multiscale methods. He pioneered a new class of dynamical systems with active singularities that admit control actions during singular phases of motion, which represent a novel category of hybrid systems characterized by impulsively controlled discrete transitions. His recent work has expanded into biomedical applications, particularly thermophysical modeling of tissue during electrosurgery and control of phase change processes. His recent publications (2021-2024) reveal a strong trend toward biomedical applications of control theory, particularly in modeling heat conduction in biological tissues, electrosurgical processes, and phase change phenomena. Approximately 60% of his recent work focuses on biomedical applications, while the remainder continues his foundational work on nonlinear control systems, distributed parameter systems, and systems with active singularities. Key subfields include Stefan problems, enthalpy-based control, telegraph equation modeling, and PDE-based control of complex physical processes. NSF Presidential Young Investigator Award (1989) Life Fellow of American Society of Mechanical Engineers Life Senior Member of IEEE IEEE Control Systems Society Technical Committee Chair on Power Generation (2015-2019) International Society of Automation POWID Achievement Award (2014) 2018 AIST Computer Applications Best Paper Award Featured in 'People in Control', IEEE Control Systems Magazine (2018) Professor Bentsman has been instrumental in developing educational approaches that integrate signal processing, instrumentation, control, and machine learning, as evidenced by his two textbooks. His work on the steel continuous casting process, particularly the mold oscillation system, has led to practical industrial applications. He has also made significant contributions to power plant control systems and boiler/turbine control. His research group appears to focus on both theoretical control systems development and practical implementation in industrial and biomedical settings, with strong connections to steel manufacturing, power generation, and medical device industries.
Andreas Rietbrock is Professor and Director of the Geophysical Institute (GPI) at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) , Germany, where he also serves as Dean of Studies for Geophysics . He is a leading expert in earthquake seismology, seismic tomography, and subduction zone dynamics, with a strong focus on integrating advanced observational techniques and computational methods. Education: While specific degrees are not listed in the provided text, his extensive publication record and leadership roles indicate advanced academic training in geophysics and seismology. Research Interests: His work spans a wide range of topics including: Seismic imaging of subduction zones (e.g., Nazca, Lesser Antilles) Earthquake rupture dynamics and fault mechanics Volcanic seismology and magma transport Full waveform inversion and AI-enhanced seismic analysis Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) applications Induced seismicity and reservoir monitoring Research Trends: His recent publications (2022–2025) emphasize the use of dense seismic arrays, AI-based data processing, and multi-method tomography to study complex tectonic environments. Key themes include high-resolution imaging of slab structures, fluid migration in subduction zones, and the integration of DAS and machine learning for seismic monitoring. Scientific Contributions: Andreas has led major international projects such as the ANTICS Large-N deployment in Albania and the VoiLA project in the Lesser Antilles. He has published extensively in top-tier journals like Nature , Geophysical Research Letters , and Journal of Geophysical Research , with over 200 peer-reviewed articles. Teaching and Supervision: He teaches courses such as "Introduction to Geophysics II", "Seismology", and "Current Topics in Seismology and Risk". While specific student names are not listed, his role as Dean and principal investigator on numerous projects indicates active supervision of graduate students and postdocs. Labs and Teams: He leads the seismology group at GPI, coordinating large-scale deployments of seismic instruments, including ocean-bottom seismometers and fiber-optic DAS systems. His team collaborates globally with institutions in Europe, South America, and Asia.
Dr. Aria Fallah, MD, is an Assistant Professor in Neurosurgery at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), with secondary appointments in Health Policy and Management. His research focuses on Evidence-Based Surgery , Clinical Trials , and Meta-Analyses for pediatric epilepsy surgery outcomes, including prognostic tools and comparative effectiveness studies . He actively participates in international collaborations like the CTSI and has published extensively in journals such as Epilepsia , Neurology , and Clinical Neurophysiology . University: University of California, Los Angeles Department: Neurosurgery Email: afallah@mednet.ucla.edu Dr. Fallah’s research integrates machine learning and deep learning to analyze high-frequency oscillations in epilepsy, aiming to refine diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. His recent work includes developing tools like PyHFO for oscillation detection and HOPS calculator for predicting seizure freedom after hemispherectomy. His publications highlight collaborations across institutions in pediatric epilepsy surgery , hemimegalencephaly , and thalamic neuromodulation . While no explicit awards or student advisement are listed, his contributions span clinical trials , neuroimmunology , and global neurosurgery initiatives , including work in Haiti.
Kathryn Roeder is the UPMC University Professor of Statistics and Life Sciences at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU), affiliated with the Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences and the Departments of Statistics & Data Science and Computational Biology. Her research focuses on developing statistical methods for genetic and genomic data, particularly in identifying autism risk genes and analyzing single-cell multi-omic data. She earned her Ph.D. in Statistics from Penn State University and has been at CMU since 1994, previously serving as Vice Provost for Faculty (2015–2019). Education: Ph.D. in Statistics, Penn State University (1988) B.S. in Wildlife Resources, University of Idaho (1982) Research Interests: Her work integrates modern statistical techniques (high-dimensional statistics, machine learning, networks) to study complex diseases like autism and schizophrenia. Recent efforts include tools for analyzing single-cell RNA-seq and proteomic data, such as UNICORN, DAWN, and SCEPTRE. Key Awards: COPSS Distinguished Achievement Award (2020) National Academy of Sciences Member (2019) COPSS Presidents’ Award (1997) AAAS Fellow (2020) Advising & Grants: She has advised over 20 Ph.D. students, many contributing to landmark studies in autism genetics. Her grants include NIH funding for projects like the Autism Sequencing Consortium. Current research teams focus on computational biology and statistical genetics. Labs & Collaborations: Her lab develops software tools (e.g., TADA, MIND) and collaborates with the Autism Sequencing Consortium and iPSYCH-BROAD Consortium on large-scale genomic studies.
Richard J. Cook is a University Professor and Mathematics Faculty Research Chair in the Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science at the University of Waterloo. He holds cross-appointments at the School of Public Health and Health Systems at the University of Waterloo and the Faculty of Health Sciences at McMaster University. Previously, he held a Tier I Canada Research Chair in Statistical Methods for Health Research from 2005 to 2019. His educational background includes: BSc in Statistics from McMaster University MMath in Mathematics from University of Waterloo PhD in Statistics from University of Waterloo Professor Cook's research focuses on developing and applying statistical methods for public health research. His primary areas of interest include the analysis of life history data, longitudinal data analysis, methods for incomplete data, clinical trial design, and multivariate analysis. His work provides critical methodological frameworks for understanding disease progression and evaluating interventions in complex health settings. He has made significant contributions to the development of multistate models for disease processes and methods for handling interval-censored data. His extensive publication record demonstrates consistent focus on methodological innovations addressing real-world health research challenges. Recent work emphasizes estimand specification in clinical trials, transportability of research findings, and causal inference methods. His research bridges theoretical statistics with practical applications in autoimmune diseases, transfusion medicine, and public health. Professor Cook has received significant professional recognition: Tier I Canada Research Chair in Statistical Methods for Health Research (2005-2019) Mathematics Faculty Research Chair at University of Waterloo His students have earned prestigious awards including multiple Pierre-Robillard Awards, ISCB Student Conference Awards, and ENAR Distinguished Student Paper Awards, with notable achievements like Dr. Shu (Joy) Jiang being named in the Forbes Top 30 Under 30 North America (2023) for Healthcare. Professor Cook has advised numerous graduate students throughout his career, with many going on to successful academic and industry positions. His research has been supported by various grants, and he collaborates extensively with researchers in rheumatology, transfusion medicine, and public health through affiliations with the Centre for Prognosis Studies in Rheumatic Diseases, the International Psoriasis and Arthritis Research Team, and the McMaster Centre for Transfusion Research. He leads a vibrant research team that includes research associates, post-doctoral fellows, and graduate students working on cutting-edge statistical methodology. His research group maintains strong connections with multiple institutions and research centers focused on health outcomes and disease progression.
Kostas Bekris is a Professor in the Department of Computer Science at Rutgers University, specializing in Robotics and Artificial Intelligence. His research focuses on motion planning, autonomous manipulation, and robot control, with notable contributions to tensegrity robotics, perception-driven systems, and large-scale package handling. He leads a team conducting groundbreaking work in robotics, supported by grants from NSF, NASA, and industry collaborators like ExxonMobil. His group emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches, combining machine learning, topological methods, and differentiable physics modeling to advance robot capabilities in complex environments. Education details are not explicitly stated in the provided texts, but his academic career has included significant mentorship of PhD students and postdoctoral researchers. Key projects involve vision-driven manipulation pipelines, obstacle detection systems (PROBE), and resilient robot designs inspired by biological structures. He has been recognized for his work through prestigious awards including the NASA Early Career Grant and multiple NSF grants, as well as team achievements in robotics competitions like the Amazon Picking Challenge. Research interests span robotics subfields such as: Autonomous manipulation in cluttered environments Learning-based control for dynamic systems Topological data analysis for motion reasoning Tensegrity and soft robotics architectures Sim-to-real transfer in robotic tasks His team's work has produced open-source software tools and datasets, advancing benchmarks in manipulation and perception. Recent articles emphasize scalable solutions for industrial automation and robust navigation strategies in unstructured settings. Scientific achievements include: Development of PROBE for proprioceptive obstacle detection Advances in differentiable physics engines for tensegrity systems NSF-funded projects on robotic rearrangement and modular morphologies Advising contributions span over a decade, with current advisees focusing on topics like non-prehensile manipulation and large-scale storage optimization. Collaborations with industry (e.g., ExxonMobil) and academic partners (Yale University) reflect his commitment to applied robotics research. Labs and teams under his leadership include the Rutgers CS Robotics Group, contributing to projects like the ARIAC challenge platform and packing/industrial automation systems. Future work targets improved robot resilience in disaster scenarios and enhanced human-robot collaboration paradigms.
