Magda Posani is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil Engineering at Aalto University, focusing on building physics, hygrothermal behavior of materials, and environmental sustainability. Her research explores the use of bio-based insulation, thermally massive stone and earth walls, and additive manufacturing techniques to enhance indoor comfort and address climate change challenges in Nordic regions. Integrated Master's Degree in 'Building Engineering and Architecture' from the University of Bologna (Italy) Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from the National Laboratory for Civil Engineering (LNEC) and the University of Porto (FEUP, Portugal) Postdoctoral Research at ETH Zürich (Switzerland) Her research integrates vernacular solutions with modern technology, such as combining additive manufacturing with super-hygroscopic materials to develop components for passive humidity regulation. She addresses critical issues like occupant comfort, health risks from improper humidity, and climate change impacts on traditional constructions. The articles highlight her work on low-carbon materials, 3D-printed building components, and strategies for enhancing hygrothermal performance in both modern and historic structures. Key themes include moisture buffering, thermal insulation compatibility, and climate-resilient renovation.
Jan Madsen is a Professor at DTU Compute, Technical University of Denmark, and Head of the Embedded Systems Engineering section. His research focuses on system-level modeling and design of embedded computing systems, particularly cyber-physical systems, microfluidic biochips, and synthetic biology applications. Develops design automation tools and methodologies for embedded systems Supervises numerous PhD students and leads major research projects Research Interests Key areas include: Embedded systems-on-a-chip Cyber-Physical Systems (Internet-of-Things) Microfluidic Lab-on-Chip devices Synthetic biology with molecular computing Design, modeling, and optimization of complex systems Scientific Awards DATE Fellow (2019) IEEE CEDA Outstanding Recognition (2019) DTU Scientific Advise Award (2013) Best Paper Awards at MECO (2013) and CASES (2009) Jorck’s Foundation Research Award (1995) Publications His 14+ journal papers and 115+ conference papers demonstrate expertise in: SystemC-based modeling frameworks Energy-aware sensor networks Self-healing eDNA architectures Microfluidic biochip synthesis RTOS modeling and MPSoC exploration
Ambuj K. Singh is a Distinguished Professor of Computer Science at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), with a part-time appointment in the Biomolecular Science and Engineering Program. He holds a PhD from the University of Texas at Austin (1989), an MS from Iowa State University (1984), and a BTech from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur (1982). His campus affiliations include the Center for Bio-Image Informatics, Information Network Academic Research Center, and IGERT on Network Science. PhD, University of Texas at Austin, 1989 M.S., Iowa State University, 1984 B.Tech., Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, 1982 Research interests span network science, machine learning, and bioinformatics, with a focus on graph-based methodologies. His work addresses: Data-centric modeling of dynamic networks Representation learning and explainability in graph neural networks Network analysis in social systems and biological networks Applications in drug discovery and brain sciences Geometry-preserving distance metrics for data integrity Recent publications highlight advancements in counterfactual explanations, GNN benchmarking, molecular graph pretraining, and self-attention for event detection. Scientific contributions include: Founding Acelot, Inc., an in silico drug discovery company Editorial roles at IEEE Transactions on Knowledge & Data Engineering and BMC Journal of Clinical Bioinformatics NSF-IGERT (2013-2018), ARL-funded Information Networks Academic Research Center (2009-2014), and US Army MURI grants Advising has involved mentoring over 50 graduate/postdoctoral students, including 30+ PhD candidates. He leads a multidisciplinary research group at UCSB and collaborates with off-campus entities like Acelot, Inc.
Dr. Zhu Lailai serves as Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the National University of Singapore (NUS), appointed in January 2020. His research bridges fundamental fluid mechanics with cutting-edge engineering applications through computational and theoretical approaches. Dr. Zhu holds a PhD from KTH Royal Institute of Technology (Sweden) and completed postdoctoral training at Princeton University. His research program centers on: Low-Reynolds-number fluid-structure interactions and bio-inspired adaptive systems Active matter dynamics (Janus colloids, active droplets, flagella/cilia) Intelligent fluids integrating machine learning for fluid dynamics Microrobotics with reinforcement learning-based chemotactic navigation Non-Newtonian/multiphase flows and microfluidics applications Analysis of his 2017-2025 publications reveals a clear trajectory toward AI-enhanced fluid mechanics, evolving from foundational theoretical models to machine learning integration. Recent work emphasizes foundation models for fluid dynamics prediction and topology-adaptive microrobotic navigation, demonstrating interdisciplinary convergence of physics, AI, and bionics. Scientific Awards: No major scientific awards specified in source materials Advising and Grants: While specific advisees and grants aren't detailed, his active publication record across high-impact journals (Nature Communications, Journal of Fluid Mechanics) indicates ongoing supervised research and likely grant funding through NUS and collaborative projects. Research Group: Dr. Zhu leads a computational/theoretical research team at NUS investigating active and intelligent fluids, with current projects on PCM thermal systems, microrobotic navigation, and active matter phase transitions, collaborating with experimentalists globally.
Dr. Ng How Yong is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, National University of Singapore (NUS). He specializes in membrane science and wastewater treatment technologies, with a focus on membrane fouling mitigation and bioelectrochemical systems. His research integrates membrane bioreactors, anaerobic/aerobic processes, and microbial sensors for sustainable water reclamation and industrial wastewater management. Education: BEng/MEng (Civil Engineering, NUS, 1997/2000), Ph.D. (Environmental Engineering, UC Berkeley, 2002) Research interests include membrane separation processes, microbial fuel cell-based sensors for heavy metal detection, and energy recovery from wastewater. He has pioneered advancements in anaerobic ceramic membrane bioreactors and forward osmosis technologies. Key contributions span over 50 peer-reviewed publications, focusing on optimizing biological treatment systems, understanding fouling mechanisms, and developing novel desalination processes. His work bridges fundamental science and engineering applications, addressing global water scarcity challenges. Awards: IWA Fellow (2012), NUS Young Researcher Award (2009), Singapore Youth Award (2008) Dr. Ng has led multiple international conferences, including the 8th IWA Specialist Conference on Membrane Technology (2017) and the 3rd Asia-Pacific Young Water Professional Conference (2010). He serves on editorial boards of Water Research , Journal of Water Reuse and Desalination , and the International Water Association committees.
John M. Woodley is a distinguished Professor in the Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU), where he leads research at the PROSYS - Process and Systems Engineering Centre and contributes to the DTU Microbes Initiative. With over 30 years of experience, he has established himself as a leading expert in biocatalysis and bioprocess engineering, with research spanning both theoretical and experimental work across multiple scales. His primary research interests focus on the interface of bioprocess engineering, process chemistry, and reaction engineering. Dr. Woodley's work encompasses multi-step biocatalysis (including systems biocatalysis and flow chemistry), downstream processing from biocatalytic reactors and fermentations (including ISPR), modeling tools for bioprocess assessment (thermodynamics, kinetics, process simulation, economic evaluation), and bio-oxidations (including oxygen supply methods). His enzymatic investigations particularly target alcohol oxidases, carbohydrate oxidases, cytochrome P450s, Baeyer-Villiger monooxygenases, and transaminases. His research portfolio demonstrates consistent innovation in sustainable chemical production, with particular emphasis on enzymatic synthesis of pharmaceuticals and chemicals from renewable resources. Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong focus on overcoming industrial implementation challenges, particularly regarding enzyme stability in various reactor environments, optimization of multi-enzyme systems, and scale-up methodologies for biocatalytic processes. Dr. Woodley actively supervises multiple PhD students and leads several significant research projects, including 'P450-based biocatalytic processes for the pharmaceutical industry' (2025-2028), 'Integrated model for up- and downstream bioprocess intensification' (2024-2027), and 'ENFACE: A tool for prediction of enzyme stability at gas-liquid interfaces' (2024-2027). His work has resulted in an impressive publication record of 781 research outputs across various formats, including journal articles, book chapters, and conference proceedings. His research group operates within the Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering at DTU, utilizing advanced facilities for biocatalysis research, including specialized reactor systems for studying gas-liquid interfaces, computational modeling resources, and laboratories for enzyme characterization and bioprocess development. Through his leadership in the PROSYS center, he contributes to DTU's strategic focus on sustainable process technologies and systems engineering.
Karen C. Cheung is a Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of British Columbia, with cross-appointments in the Faculty of Medicine and the School of Biomedical Engineering where she serves as Director of the Graduate Program. She holds her office in KAIS 3064 and can be reached at (604) 827-4114. Dr. Cheung received her BSc and PhD degrees in Bioengineering from the University of California, Berkeley in 1998 and 2002, respectively. From 2002-2005, she was a postdoctoral researcher at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne in Switzerland. She joined UBC in 2006 and has established herself as a leading researcher in biomedical microsystems. Her research spans multiple areas of biomedical engineering with particular focus on lab-on-a-chip systems for cell culture and characterization , inkjet printing for tissue engineering , and implantable neural interfaces . Her work integrates microfluidics, biosensors, and tissue engineering to create platforms that better mimic in vivo conditions for drug screening and disease modeling. Current projects include developing organ-on-a-chip models of the human airway for studying aerosol exposure effects, creating microscale tumor models for cancer research, and advancing silicon photonic biosensors for medical diagnostics. Dr. Cheung leads the Bio-Medical Micro Devices Laboratory at UBC, which houses multiple research teams working on cutting-edge biomedical technologies. Her lab has developed microfluidic platforms capable of precisely controlling oxygen levels around tumor spheroids to study cancer treatment responses under realistic physiological conditions. The lab also works on novel fabrication techniques for microelectrode arrays and tissue clearing protocols for 3D imaging of microtissues. As an educator, Dr. Cheung teaches several specialized courses including ELEC 361 (Molecules to Mechanisms), ELEC 464 (Nanotechnology and Nature), EECE 301 (Topics in Nanotechnology and Microsystems), ELEC 473 (Biological Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems), and ELEC 521 (Biomedical Microdevices). She has supervised numerous graduate students through their MASc, PhD, and postdoctoral work, with many alumni now holding academic positions or working in the biomedical industry. Her research is supported through multiple funding sources and collaborations with industry partners. Dr. Cheung is affiliated with several research centers including the Airway Centre, Bionics Network, Centre for Blood Research, and the Institute for Computing, Information and Cognitive Systems (ICICS) at UBC.
Kevin M. Lynch is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Northwestern University's McCormick School of Engineering, where he also serves as Director of the Center for Robotics and Biosystems. His research spans multiple domains of robotics, with particular expertise in dynamics, motion planning, and feedback control of mechanical systems. Dr. Lynch received his Ph.D. in Robotics from Carnegie Mellon University in 1996, with a thesis on "Nonprehensile Robotic Manipulation: Controllability and Planning" under advisor Prof. Matthew T. Mason. He earned his B.S.E. with honors in Electrical Engineering from Princeton University in 1989. His research interests focus on robotics, particularly dynamics, motion planning, and feedback control of mechanical systems. He investigates mechanics, planning, and control of robotic manipulation (juggling, throwing, pushing, rolling, vibration, etc.) and locomotion. His work also explores self-organizing systems, particularly decentralized control of mobile sensor networks and swarm robotics, underactuated dynamic systems, and physical human-robot interaction with industrial applications. Recent research has expanded into bio-inspired active electrosense, underwater robotics, control and optimization for robot swarms, swarm shape control, and functional electric stimulation. Dr. Lynch's recent publications demonstrate a strong trend toward rehabilitation robotics and human-robot interaction, particularly in lower-limb exoskeletons for gait training and rehabilitation. His work bridges fundamental robotics research with practical applications in healthcare, showing increasing integration of swarm robotics principles with human-centered design. The publications also reveal continued strong contributions to fundamental robotics theory, particularly in swarm formation control and manipulation dynamics. George Saridis Leadership Award in Robotics and Automation (2022) Harashima Award for Innovative Technologies (2017) IEEE Fellow (2010) Charles Deering McCormick Professor of Teaching Excellence (2007-10) Society of Automotive Engineers Ralph R. Teetor Educational Award (2007) Early Career Award in Robotics and Automation (2001) McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science Teacher Of The Year Award (1998-1999) NSF Career Award (1998) As Director of the Center for Robotics and Biosystems, Dr. Lynch oversees significant research grants and initiatives in robotics. He has made substantial contributions to robotics education through his "Modern Robotics" book and associated Coursera specialization, which has reached thousands of students worldwide. His professional service includes serving as Editor-in-Chief of IEEE Transactions on Robotics, where he oversaw a 90% increase in submissions during his tenure. Dr. Lynch leads research groups focusing on swarm robotics and rehabilitation robotics, with particular emphasis on the Center for Robotics and Biosystems at Northwestern University. His teams integrate expertise from mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, computer science, and rehabilitation medicine to develop innovative robotic systems for both industrial applications and healthcare solutions.
Associate Professor Ng Bing Feng leads research in Additive Manufacturing, Aerospace Engineering, and Thermofluids at Nanyang Technological University's School of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering. As Cluster Director for Smart & Sustainable Building Technologies at NTU's Energy Research Institute, he oversees projects spanning energy-efficient cooling technologies, advanced filtration systems, and bio-inspired materials. His interdisciplinary work integrates advanced manufacturing with environmental engineering, focusing on sustainable solutions for air quality management and thermal regulation. Current research explores radiative cooling technologies, acoustic agglomeration for emissions control, and crashworthy structures via biomimetic design. Professor Ng's publications demonstrate consistent innovation in multi-scale manufacturing and fluid dynamics, with growing emphasis on sustainable urban technologies. Methodologies combine experimental fluid dynamics with computational modeling and AI-driven design. Leadership Roles: Cluster Director, Energy Research Institute @ NTU Principal Investigator for multiple industry collaborations in sustainable materials Research Output: 42+ publications in high-impact journals Multiple patents in filtration technologies and cooling systems
Tanja Narancic is an Assistant Professor at the School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science at University College Dublin (UCD). She is also an academic collaborator at the Bioeconomy Research Centre BiOrbic, where she coordinates multiple research projects among PIs, PostDocs, PhD students, and designs projects proposed by industrial partners. Dr. Narancic earned her PhD in Applied Microbiology from the University of Belgrade, Serbia in 2012, followed by postdoctoral research at the Institute of Molecular Genetics and Genetic Engineering in Belgrade. In 2013, she joined University College Dublin as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow under Prof. Kevin O'Connor, where she investigated microbial metabolic pathways using proteomics, metabolomics, and synthetic biology tools as part of FP7 and H2020 projects. She became a Research Fellow at BiOrbic in 2019 before advancing to her current position as Assistant Professor. Her research focuses on elucidating bacterial metabolism and leveraging synthetic biology tools to exploit bacteria for producing high-value products. Key research areas include: Proteomics, Metabolomics, and Transcriptomics for microbial pathway analysis Metabolic engineering for bioproduction Biocatalysis and enzyme optimization Protein engineering and purification Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) production from waste streams Plastic upcycling and biodegradation technologies Dr. Narancic's publication record demonstrates a strong focus on converting plastic waste into valuable biodegradable materials through innovative biotechnological approaches. Her recent work has centered on developing microbial systems for upcycling polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyolefins, and other recalcitrant plastics into polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) and other high-value products. She has made significant contributions to understanding the metabolic pathways involved in plastic monomer conversion and has developed engineered strains with enhanced capabilities for plastic upcycling. As a principal investigator, Dr. Narancic leads multiple significant research projects including the Ad Astra Studentship (2023-2028), the UPLIFT project on sustainable plastics for food packaging (2021-2025), and the PROMOFER project (2024-2028) on optimizing PHB production. She also serves as a reviewer for numerous prestigious journals including Enzyme and Microbial Technology, Journal of Applied Microbiology, and Microbial Biotechnology. Her teaching portfolio includes coordination of multiple modules such as Bioprocessing, Metabolism and Disease, and SynBio for Bioeconomy, demonstrating her commitment to educating the next generation of scientists in both fundamental and applied aspects of biomolecular science.
Kaiyu Hang is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science at Rice University, where he directs the Robotics and Physical Interactions Lab (RobotΠ Lab). His research spans multiple domains of robotics with a focus on physical interaction systems. Before joining Rice, he completed his postdoc at Yale University, earned his Ph.D./M.Sc. at KTH Royal Institute of Technology, and received his B.Eng. from Xi'an Jiaotong University. His research interests include robotic manipulation, grasping, in-hand manipulation, optimization, planning, learning, estimation, and control systems. He develops algorithms that enable robots to physically interact with other robots, people, and the world across scales from small grasping tasks to large-scale dual-arm and multi-robot manipulation systems. His work has practical applications in factories, kitchens, hospitals, warehouses, and construction sites. His recent publications demonstrate strong trends in in-hand manipulation techniques, energy-efficient drone operations, and benchmarking frameworks for robotic grasping. The 2025 IROS papers accepted highlight his leadership in developing standardized competition frameworks for evaluating robotic manipulation capabilities across diverse hardware platforms. ASME Rising Star of Mechanical Engineering (2024) NSF CAREER Award (2023) Multiple finalist awards at IEEE-RAS Humanoids and ICRA conferences Junior Fellowship Award from Institute for Advanced Study, HKUST (2017-2018) As an educator, he has taught multiple robotics courses including COMP 462/562: Introduction to Modern Robotics and COMP 461: Senior Design in A Robotized World. He serves as Faculty Advisor for the Rice Robotics Club and participates in graduate admissions. His lab actively recruits Ph.D. students and offers research opportunities for undergraduate and master's students who have completed core robotics courses.
Dr. Jeremy Guest is the Levenick Professor in Civil and Environmental Engineering (and courtesy appointment in Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering) at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). He serves as Associate Director for Research at the Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment (iSEE) and leads the Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation (CABBI). His research focuses on advancing circular bioeconomies through sustainable sanitation systems, resource recovery from wastewater, and biofuel/bioproduct development from lignocellulosic biomass. Guest's work emphasizes Quantitative Sustainable Design (QSD) methodologies to bridge engineering innovation with policy and investment decisions. Education: PhD in Environmental Engineering (University of Michigan, 2012); MS (Virginia Tech, 2007); BS (Bucknell University, 2005). Research interests include wastewater treatment innovation, nutrient recovery, bioenergy systems design, and sustainable agriculture practices. Key contributions include the EcoRecover phosphorus recovery process, the QSDsan modeling platform, and leadership in CABBI's $262.5M DOE-funded initiative. Guest has secured funding from NSF, US EPA, USDA, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Recognitions include the NSF CAREER Award, 2021 James J. Morgan Early Career Award, and the Paul L. Busch Award. He advises over 15 graduate students and leads multiple high-impact projects like the NEWgenerator sanitation system and oilcane biorefinery integration. Lab/Group: Guest Research Group focuses on experimental, computational, and policy-oriented research to solve global sustainability challenges. Current projects address algae-based wastewater treatment, fecal sludge management in low-income regions, and precision fermentation systems development.
Dr. Kenneth Joseph is an Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the University at Buffalo , part of the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences . He serves as Associate Director of the Institute for Artificial Intelligence and Data Science and leads the Computation and Equity Lab (cubelab) , focusing on social inequality through computational measures and models. Education: PhD, MS, and BS in Societal Computing from Carnegie Mellon University (2016, 2012, 2010) Research Interests: Computational Social Science, Network Science, Gender Studies, and AI for Social Good Notable Work: Gender disparities in academia, predictive modeling for foster care and urban policy, and social media rumor analysis Awards: UB Exceptional Scholar—Young Investigator Award (2021) Advising: Mentored students like Yuhao Du, Jason Yan, Arjunil Pathak, and Navid Madani on projects spanning Twitter bios, foster youth services, and algorithmic fairness.
Amy R. Wu serves as Associate Professor in Mechanical and Materials Engineering at Queen's University and holds the Mitchell Professorship in Bio-inspired Robotics. She leads the Biomechanics x Robotics Laboratory (BxRL) and contributes to the Ingenuity Labs Research Institute. Her academic credentials include: Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan Postdoctoral Research, Biorobotics Laboratory, EPFL, Switzerland Dr. Wu's research bridges biomechanics and robotics to enhance legged mobility through innovations in human-robot interaction , exoskeleton design , and gait assistance . Her work focuses on developing robotic systems that adapt to human movement patterns, particularly for spinal cord injury rehabilitation and stability augmentation during walking. Analysis of her 2019-2023 publications reveals consistent advancement in exoskeleton control algorithms, gait stability metrics, and human adaptation studies. Key trends include modular exoskeleton systems (Symbitron), neuromuscular controllers for ankle assistance, and haptic feedback integration for motor learning enhancement. No scientific awards are documented in the provided materials. Dr. Wu mentors graduate students through BxRL, where her team conducts human subject testing and robotic development. Research is supported by institutional resources at Ingenuity Labs, though specific grant details remain unspecified. The Biomechanics x Robotics Laboratory operates within Queen's Ingenuity Labs Research Institute, facilitating interdisciplinary collaboration on projects like outdoor stability assessment, winter walking adaptations, and teleoperation interfaces for drone control.
John P.A. Ioannidis is the C.F. Rehnborg Professor in Disease Prevention and Professor of Medicine, Health Research and Policy, Biomedical Data Science, and Statistics at Stanford University. He is Co-Director of the Meta-Research Innovation Center at Stanford (METRICS) and an Einstein BIH Visiting Fellow at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin. His academic appointments span multiple departments and institutes at Stanford, including the Stanford Prevention Research Center, Biomedical Data Science, and Statistics. He is internationally recognized for his work in meta-research, evidence-based medicine, and research reproducibility. Ioannidis holds an MD and DSc in Biopathology from the National University of Athens, with training in internal medicine and infectious diseases from Harvard and Tufts. He previously chaired the Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology at the University of Ioannina Medical School and held adjunct positions at Harvard, Tufts, and Imperial College. He joined Stanford in 2010, where he launched the PhD program in Epidemiology & Clinical Research, the MS in Community Health & Prevention Research, and METRICS in 2014. His research focuses on improving research methods, appraising biases, enhancing reproducibility, and integrating evidence across scientific disciplines. He is a pioneer in meta-research, with seminal contributions on the reliability of published findings, statistical practices, and research synthesis. His influential 2005 paper, "Why Most Published Research Findings Are False," is the most-accessed article in PLoS history. His recent work examines peer review, data sharing, AI in medicine, and pandemic research impact, consistently advocating for transparency and methodological rigor. His publications span epidemiology, statistics, genomics, clinical trials, and meta-analysis, with a strong emphasis on bias detection, replication, and open science. Trends in his recent articles highlight concerns about research integrity, citation practices, peer review reform, and the scientific response to global health crises. Founders' Medal for Lifetime Contributions to Meta-science (2024) Honorary doctorates from McMaster, Thessaloniki, Edinburgh, Tilburg, Athens, and Rotterdam Elected member, US National Academy of Medicine (2018) Elected member, European Academy of Sciences and Arts (2015) President, Association of American Physicians (2023–2024) President, Society for Research Synthesis Methodology Gordon Award, NIH (2019) Chanchlani Global Health Award (2017) Highly Cited Researcher (Clarivate) in Clinical Medicine, Social Sciences, and Psychiatry Ioannidis has advised numerous students and mentored early-career researchers. He has served as Senior Advisor for Knowledge Integration at the National Cancer Institute (2012–2016) and Editor-in-Chief of the European Journal of Clinical Investigation (2010–2019). He has received over 700 invited lectures and is deeply involved in shaping research policy and scientific infrastructure. He leads METRICS, a hub for meta-research innovation, and is affiliated with multiple Stanford institutes, including Bio-X, the Cardiovascular Institute, and the Stanford Cancer Institute.
