Min Chen is a Professor of Scientific Visualization at the University of Oxford, affiliated with the Department of Engineering Science and Pembroke College. He holds fellowships from the British Computer Society, European Computer Graphics Association, and Learned Society of Wales. His career spans over three decades, with previous roles at Swansea University (1984–2011) and current leadership in visualization research. His research focuses on visualization theory, video visualization, visual analytics, and interdisciplinary applications in fields like epidemiology and cybersecurity. He has authored over 200 publications and led projects such as RAMPVIS during the COVID-19 pandemic. Key roles include editor-in-chief of Computer Graphics Forum and associate editor of IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics. Education: BSc and PhD in relevant fields (details not explicitly stated in texts). Awards include the VGTC Visualization Lifetime Achievement Award (2024). His work emphasizes the theoretical underpinnings of visualization and practical tools for data intelligence.
Prof. Dr. Philipp Sasse is a Professor at the Institute of Physiology I at the University of Bonn. His research focuses on understanding the mechanisms of cardiac arrhythmias and developing optogenetic tools for their study and treatment. The Sasse group pioneered optogenetic control of heart muscle in vivo and has contributed key advancements in cardiac optogenetics, including manipulating signaling cascades, fibroblast-cardiomyocyte coupling, and optogenetic defibrillation. Research interests include: Cardiac arrhythmia mechanisms and termination strategies Optogenetic tool development for in vivo applications Drug screening for pro/anti-arrhythmic effects Light-cell interactions in cardiac tissue Key achievements include demonstrating optogenetic pacing in mouse hearts (2015), optogenetic defibrillation (2016), and foundational work on Gs-signaling manipulation (2019). The lab's work bridges molecular mechanisms with translational therapeutic concepts. Collaborations include computational modeling (e.g., with Trayanova NA) and interdisciplinary approaches combining genetics, optics, and electrophysiology. Current efforts focus on red-shifted optogenetic systems and novel therapies for arrhythmia termination.
Akos Ledeczi is a Professor of Computer Science and Electrical and Computer Engineering at Vanderbilt University's School of Engineering. His research focuses on computer science education and wireless sensor networks (WSN) , with notable contributions to visual programming tools like NetsBlox and anti-poaching systems like WIPER. He holds a Ph.D. from Vanderbilt University and a Diploma from the Technical University of Budapest. His education initiatives include the NetsBlox platform for K-12 STEM education and a popular Coursera MOOC on introductory programming. In WSN, his team developed a countersniper system with real-time shooter localization and a wearable system for military applications. He is also a leader in Model Integrated Computing , creating tools like the Web-based Generic Modeling Environment. Recent work includes NSF-funded projects on cybersecurity education in middle schools and animal-borne acoustic monitoring. His awards include the ACM SenSys Test of Time Award (2014) and the Best Showpiece Award at IEEE VL/HCC (2021). Key grants and collaborations span NSF projects, Vodafone innovation programs, and the Cyber Makerspace initiative. His lab develops tools like DeepForge and RoboScape Online , emphasizing open-source and collaborative platforms. Students supervised include Devin Jean (K-12 tools), Gordon Stein (robotics simulations), and Brian Broll (NetsBlox extensions).
Jun Allard is a Professor at the University of California, Irvine, with joint appointments in the Department of Mathematics and Department of Physics and Astronomy. He is affiliated with the Center for Complex Biological Systems and the NSF-Simons Center for Multiscale Cell Fate Research. Education includes: Ph.D. Applied Mathematics, University of British Columbia (2011) M.Sc. Physics, Dalhousie University (2007) B.Sc. Mathematical Physics, Queen's University (2005) His research specializes in mathematical and computational modeling of cellular and biomolecular mechanics. Key interests include how cells utilize force, space, and time to solve problems, with applications in immune cell signaling, cytoskeletal dynamics, and intracellular transport. His work combines theoretical models with experimental collaborations to uncover fundamental biological mechanisms. Recent publications (2021-2025) predominantly focus on computational approaches to cellular processes, including molecular transport mechanisms, immune receptor dynamics, and cytoskeletal organization. These studies employ advanced stochastic modeling, biophysical simulations, and quantitative experimental methods to reveal principles governing cellular behavior. Scientific awards include: UCI Chancellor's Award for Distinguished Fostering of Undergraduate Research (2015) Emerging Diversity Scholar, National Center for Institutional Diversity (2016) Honorable Mention, NSF Graduate Research Fellowship (2012) He has advised over 12 doctoral students and leads the Allard Lab, which develops computational models for cell mechanics. Major grants include NSF awards for research on molecular-tether reactions (DMS-2052668), nanoparticle adhesion (CBET-1929565), and multiscale cell fate (DMS-1763272). The lab collaborates internationally with experimental groups and participates in interdisciplinary initiatives including the Chemical and Materials Physics program.
Prof. Tan Yap Peng is a Professor and Chair of the School of Electrical & Electronic Engineering at Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore. He holds the President's Chair in Electrical and Electronic Engineering and serves as Associate Vice President (Lifelong Learning – Postgraduate Programmes by Coursework). His research focuses on multimedia analysis, computer vision, machine learning, and data analytics. He earned his B.S. from National Taiwan University and M.A./Ph.D. from Princeton University. He has led major initiatives including the INFINITUS Infocomm Research Centre and contributed to IEEE technical committees. His over 200 publications span image/video processing, neural network robustness, and cross-modal systems. Awards include IEEE Fellow status. Education: B.S. Electrical Engineering (NTU), M.A./Ph.D. (Princeton) Research interests emphasize interactive digital media, content-based analysis, and AI-driven solutions for visual and signal processing. His work addresses challenges in adversarial attacks, video generation, and low-light image enhancement. He has held editorial roles at IEEE Transactions and EURASIP journals. Conference leadership includes chairs for ICME and ICIP. His contributions bridge academia and industry through collaborative research networks.
Robert Coulson is a Professor in the Department of Entomology at Texas A&M University, serving as Director of the Knowledge Engineering Laboratory (KEL). He holds academic appointments within the College of Agriculture & Life Sciences and is affiliated with Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension. His expertise spans Forest Entomology, Insect Ecology, Landscape Ecology, and Landscape-use Management. Education: B.S. Biology, Furman University M.S. Entomology, University of Georgia Ph.D. Entomology, University of Georgia Post-Doctorate, Institute of Ecology, University of Georgia Research Focus: Dr. Coulson’s transdisciplinary research addresses ecological and landscape-scale challenges, including insect impacts on forests, prairies, and urban environments. He co-founded the Knowledge Engineering Laboratory to integrate computer applications with ecological science, focusing on decision support systems for environmental management. Key areas include monarch butterfly conservation, roadkill modeling, and invasive species management (e.g., hemlock woolly adelgid). Awards & Recognition: Former Student Association Faculty Achievement Award for Research Award of Merit from Texas Forestry Association A. D. Hopkins Award (Southern Forest Insect Work Conference) J. E. Bussart Award and Fellow of Entomological Society of America Teaching & Publications: Teaches undergraduate forest protection and graduate landscape ecology courses. Authored textbooks Forest Entomology (1984) and Basic Landscape Ecology (2010). Secured $10.5M in research funding, with a Google Scholar h-index of 42 and 133 citations. Labs & Collaborations: Directs the Knowledge Engineering Laboratory (KEL), which develops computational tools for environmental problem-solving. Collaborates on projects involving GIS, ecological modeling, and conservation planning.
Michael Schatz is the Bloomberg Distinguished Professor of Computational Biology and Oncology at Johns Hopkins University, with joint appointments in the Department of Computer Science at the Whiting School of Engineering and the Department of Biology at the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences. He also serves as a member of the Cancer Prevention and Control Program at Johns Hopkins' Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center and maintains an adjunct position at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. Dr. Schatz's research focuses on computational biology and genomics, with particular expertise in DNA sequencing analysis and scalable computing solutions for genomic data. His work spans medical applications for understanding autism spectrum disorders and cancer, as well as agricultural applications for crop improvement. He founded and directs the Schatz Lab, which has developed numerous widely-used computational tools including NGMLR, Sniffles, Scalpel, GECCO, Ginkgo, FALCON, Assemblytics, CloudBurst, and Crossbow. His recent work has made significant contributions to understanding structural variations in cancer genomes, analyzing South Asian genomic diversity, and identifying genes responsible for size variations in nightshade plants like tomatoes and eggplants. Dr. Schatz has pioneered the use of cloud computing in genomics and remains at the forefront of developing algorithms for large-scale biological sequence analysis. Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Fellowship (2015) NSF CAREER Award (2014) Genome Technology's Young Investigator of the Year (2010) Winship Herr Award for Excellence in Teaching (twice) TIME100 recipient (2022) Dr. Schatz actively advises PhD students including Arun Das (recently defended) and Mahler Revsine (NSF GRFP fellow). He serves on editorial boards for Genome Biology, GigaScience, and Cell Systems, and regularly participates in major genomics conferences including the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory meetings. His lab continues to develop innovative computational approaches at the intersection of biotechnology and algorithmics, with applications spanning human health, agriculture, and evolutionary biology.
Dr. Pamela Carreno-Medrano is a Lecturer and Early Career Research Representative in the Department of Electrical and Computer Systems Engineering at Monash University. Her research focuses on Human-Robot Interaction (HRI), robot learning, and socially assistive robotics. She holds a PhD in Information & Communication Sciences (Université de Bretagne-Sud), Master's in Computer Science (École Nationale d’Ingénieurs de Brest), and a Bachelor's in Computer Systems Engineering (Universidad EAFIT). Her work emphasizes human-centered design for intelligent systems, including adaptive navigation algorithms, human-robot collaboration models, and affective computing applications. She leads projects on long-term human-robot interaction and has contributed to interdisciplinary studies on robot ethics and public space integration. Dr. Carreno-Medrano also serves as an Adjunct Lecturer at Universidad EAFIT and collaborates internationally on sustainable aging technologies through the ARC Training Centre for Optimal Ageing. Current research themes include aligning task representations between humans and robots, modeling non-goal-driven human behaviors, and socially aware navigation strategies. She actively supervises postgraduate students in HRI, offering projects on interactive robot learning and embodied AI systems.
Michael S. Barker is an Associate Professor and Associate Department Head in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Arizona. He leads the Bioinformatics Degree Program and has held academic roles since 2011. His research focuses on the origins of biodiversity through genomic events like polyploidy and hybridization, integrating computational tools with molecular and phylogenetic approaches. Education: Ph.D., Evolutionary Biology, Indiana University (2009) M.S., Botany, Miami University (2003) B.S., Biology, Denison University (2001) Research interests include genomic evolution, with studies on Brassica crops, Selaginella lycophytes, and macroevolutionary patterns across eukaryotes. His work bridges micro- and macroevolutionary scales to understand genome-driven diversity. Awards include the Botanical Society of America’s Emerging Leader Award (2016) and the NSERC-BRITE Postdoctoral Fellowship (2009–2010). He contributes to editorial roles, including editing a Special Issue on polyploidy in the American Journal of Botany . His lab collaborates widely, generating genomic data to explore evolutionary processes. While no specific grants or advising details are listed, his leadership roles highlight active mentorship and program development.
Dr. Hannah Carter is a Professor of Medicine at the University of California San Diego (UCSD), affiliated with the School of Medicine and the Department of Biomedical Informatics. She specializes in computational modeling of tumor genomics, focusing on how DNA mutations influence cellular processes and cancer development. Her research integrates high-dimensional genomic data to identify cancer drivers and improve precision medicine approaches. Education: MEng in Electrical and Computer Engineering (University of Louisville, 2004), PhD in Biomedical Engineering (Johns Hopkins University, 2012). Research interests include cancer genomics, bioinformatics tool development, and the application of network approaches to oncology. Key projects include NIH-funded studies on tumor mutation stratification and immune surveillance disruption in cancer. Publications span computational methods for variant analysis (e.g., CHASM toolkit) and mechanistic studies linking genomic changes to cellular behavior. Her work has been recognized through awards like the NIH Early Independence Award (2013) and the Azrieli Global Scholar distinction (2017). Labs and affiliations include the Division of Biomedical Informatics and Division of Medical Genetics at UCSD. She leads collaborative initiatives on genomic variation impacts in pancreatic beta cells and cancer-immune interactions.
Dora Biro is the Beverly Petterson Bishop and Charles W. Bishop Professor of Brain and Cognitive Sciences at the University of Rochester, serving as Interim Chair of the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences. Her research focuses on animal cognition, collective behavior, and decision-making in primates and other species. Key interests include navigation, tool use, social learning, and animal culture. She leads studies in Gorongosa National Park, Guinea-Bissau, and other野外 environments, employing deep learning technologies for behavior analysis and social network mapping. Research emphasizes primate behavioral ecology, particularly in chacma baboons and chimpanzees, exploring how environmental factors (e.g., predation, seasonality) shape social and foraging strategies. She investigates cumulative culture in animal groups, collective intelligence, and cognitive evolution through tool-use studies. Her work bridges neuroscience, ecology, and anthropology. Education: Not explicitly stated in provided text. Affiliations: School of Arts & Sciences, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, University of Rochester. Recent studies analyze leadership hierarchies in homing pigeons, collective learning dynamics, and the impact of human activity on wildlife behavior. She collaborates on projects involving genomic analysis of baboon populations and fossil records in Mozambique. Her lab integrates field observations with computational models to explore emergent behaviors in animal groups.
Kevin Flores is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mathematics at North Carolina State University (NC State), and Director of the Biomathematics Graduate Program. He leads the Flores Lab, focusing on developing mathematical and statistical methods for parameter estimation, uncertainty quantification, and forecasting in Precision Medicine, Environmental Toxicology, and Synthetic Biology. His work bridges computational approaches with biological systems analysis. Dr. Flores earned his PhD in 2009 from Arizona State University. His research groups include the Mathematical Biology cluster within the Department of Mathematics. His affiliations include Cox Hall 406D and the College of Sciences at NC State. Research interests emphasize interdisciplinary applications: (1) Mathematical Biology involving tumor heterogeneity, viral dynamics, and angiogenesis modeling; (2) Biostatistics focusing on parameter estimation in complex systems; and (3) Computational Tools for biomedical image analysis and machine learning in healthcare. His lab pioneered methods like biologically-informed neural networks and topological data analysis for biological systems. Recent work highlights include: (1) tumor spheroid modeling predicting clinical variability; (2) BK virus infection dynamics in transplant patients; (3) EEG-based brain-computer interface improvements using GANs; and (4) few-shot learning for plant phenotyping. His methodologies address challenges in sparse data scenarios and integrate mechanistic understanding with data-driven approaches. Awards and recognition : None explicitly listed in provided texts. Advising and grants: No specific advisees or grant details provided in texts. His lab's software tools support image segmentation and population modeling. Labs/teams: Directs the Flores Lab for Mathematical Biology at NC State, specializing in hybrid computational-experimental approaches. Collaborates across departments in biomathematics and engineering.
Mette S. Olufsen is a Professor in the Department of Mathematics at North Carolina State University (NC State), affiliated with the College of Sciences. She leads the Cardiovascular Dynamics Research Group and directs the DRUMS REU Program. Her research focuses on mathematical biology, cardiovascular physiology, and inverse problems, with expertise in differential equations and fluid mechanics applied to biomedical systems. Olufsen holds a PhD in Applied and Industrial Mathematics from Roskilde University (1998) and an MS in Mathematics and Computer Science from the same institution. Her work integrates computational models with experimental data to study cardiovascular, respiratory, and inflammatory systems. Notable projects include modeling pulmonary hypertension, autonomic cardiovascular control during orthostatic stress, and parameter optimization in single-ventricle patient models. She collaborates extensively on interdisciplinary projects, publishing in journals like Mathematical Biosciences and Biomechanics and Modeling in Mechanobiology . Her research groups span Control, Optimization, and Modeling; Mathematical Biology; and Numerical Analysis. She also contributes to educational initiatives through the REU program, fostering undergraduate research in biomathematics. Olufsen’s labs and teams focus on translating mathematical models into clinical applications, particularly in understanding cardiovascular dynamics under stress and disease. Her work bridges applied mathematics with biomedical engineering, emphasizing practical clinical relevance and parameter identifiability in complex biological systems.
Benjamin Adric Dunn is an Associate Professor in (Neural) Data Science at the Department of Mathematical Sciences, NTNU. His research focuses on computational neuroscience, systems neuroscience, and topological data analysis. He holds a PhD and postdoctoral experience from NTNU's Kavli Institute for Systems Neuroscience, an MS in Computational Engineering from Purdue University, and a BS in Applied Mathematics from the University of Connecticut. Previously, he worked as a Computational Methods Engineer at Pratt & Whitney, UTC. His work explores neural mechanisms underlying spatial navigation, grid cell dynamics, and neural coding in rodents. Key contributions include studies on toroidal representations in grid cells and cortical coding of 3D posture. Dunn has published extensively in journals like Nature , Science , and Neuron , with a focus on interdisciplinary methods combining topology, statistics, and neuroscience. He has collaborated on projects involving neural ensemble activity analysis and hidden variable modeling in biological data. Dunn’s research also addresses computational challenges in neuroscience, such as removing experimental variability in functional data.
Dmitry Korkin is a Professor of Computer Science at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) and holds the prestigious Harold L. Jurist '61 and Heather E. Jurist Dean's Professor title. He maintains strong interdisciplinary connections across campus, with formal affiliations in Bioinformatics & Computational Biology, Data Science, Biology & Biotechnology, and Mathematical Sciences departments. His educational background includes: Postdoctoral training in Bioinformatics & Computational Biology at the University of California, San Francisco (2007) PhD in Computer Science from the University of New Brunswick, Canada (2003) MS in Applied Mathematics from Moscow State University, Russia with High Distinction (1999) Professor Korkin leads an interdisciplinary research program at the intersection of computer science and biology. His lab specializes in applying machine learning, data mining, and massive data analytics to investigate molecular mechanisms underlying complex diseases including cancer, diabetes, and autism, as well as deadly infections like pandemic flu. The research integrates multi-omic, systems, and structural biology data to develop comprehensive models of disease mechanisms. A distinctive aspect of his work involves developing hardware-optimized algorithms for large-scale genome evolution analysis, enabling studies of animal and plant genomes at unprecedented scale. The lab maintains strong collaborative ties with experimental biologists to validate computational predictions through wet-lab experiments. His publication record demonstrates a clear evolution from foundational work in protein structure analysis toward increasingly complex systems biology applications. Early research focused on protein binding sites and structural classification, while more recent work addresses host-pathogen interactions and pandemic virus structure. The lab's work on SARS-CoV-2 represents a significant pivot toward immediate public health applications, developing what has been described as a 'periodic table' of structural elements for the virus. Key recognition: Harold L. Jurist '61 and Heather E. Jurist Dean's Professor Professor Korkin has secured multiple research grants including WPI President's Research Catalyst Grants and seed funding for early-stage projects. His work on SARS-CoV-2 structure was published in Viruses and featured in Nature Neuroscience. He maintains active collaborations both nationally and internationally, with research findings covered by major media outlets including Spectrum News 1, Phys.org, and Nautilus magazine. Notably, his lab's structural analysis of the COVID-19 virus led to a unique collaboration with Scottish artist Angela Palmer, resulting in a sculptural model displayed at the Oxford Museum of Natural History. He directs the Korkin Lab (korkinlab.org), which maintains a strong focus on computational approaches to biological problems. Beyond research, Professor Korkin has demonstrated significant humanitarian engagement, opening his home to the family of Ukrainian professor Vitaly Yurkiv amid the Russian invasion and working to help find academic positions for displaced Ukrainian scholars in the United States. His office is located in Unity Hall, Room UH460, and he can be reached at dkorkin@wpi.edu.
