Nancy Pollard is a Professor at Carnegie Mellon University, affiliated with both the Robotics Institute and the Computer Science Department. Her research focuses on understanding physical interaction with the environment through robotics and computer graphics, particularly in areas like dexterous manipulation, human motion analysis, and soft robotics. She explores how human examples can inform robot control policies and create natural-looking animations. Her work bridges robotics and graphics to solve challenges such as optimizing motion for humanoid robots and improving the realism of animated hands. Key projects include developing fast physically plausible motion techniques, studying hand motion complexity, and creating intuitive tools for modeling hand-object interactions. She also investigates the physical correctness thresholds in graphics and the design of affordable soft robotic hands for real-world applications like agriculture. Recent publications highlight advancements in motion retargeting for anthropomorphic manipulations, co-optimization of soft robotic hand design and control, and frameworks for sensor placement in soft hands. Her research emphasizes human-inspired approaches to robotics and the application of biomechanical insights to improve robotic dexterity. Pollard advises students such as Arjun Lakshmipathy and collaborates on projects involving both academic and industrial applications. Her work has been supported by grants focused on robotics design and simulation-based manipulation capture.
Rogério de Lemos is a Senior Lecturer in Computing Science and Director of Postgraduate Research (PGR) at the School of Computing, University of Kent. He previously served as an invited assistant professor at the University of Coimbra, Portugal, and as a Senior Research Associate at the Centre for Software Reliability (CSR) at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK. Dr. de Lemos' research focuses on architecting resilient systems, particularly in resilient AI, self-adaptive software systems, and authorization infrastructures. He belongs to both the Programming Languages and Systems Group and the Cyber Security Group at the University of Kent. His specific research interests include: Software engineering for self-adaptive systems assurances and resilience evaluation Dynamic generation of processes Handling insider threats using self-adaptive authorization Architectural abstractions for fault tolerance Verification and validation of dependable software architectures Software development for safety-critical systems Dependability and bioinspired computing His publication trends show increasing emphasis on practical applications of self-adaptive systems in cyber security contexts, with recent work spanning network traffic analysis, cryptographic function detection, and cloud-edge security architectures. His research bridges theoretical foundations with practical implementations, particularly in cyber security and resilient systems architecture. Dr. de Lemos currently leads the "Collaborative and Confidential Information Sharing and Analysis for Cyber Protection" project funded by the European Union's Horizon 2020 Programme. His past projects include "ADAAS: Assuring Dependability in Architecture-based Adaptive Systems" and multiple collaborations with NCR on sensor fusion and fault tolerance. As Director of Postgraduate Research, he oversees the School of Computing's research degree programs and likely supervises PhD students in resilient systems and cyber security, though specific student names are not listed in the available information.
Dominique Chen is a Professor at Waseda University's School of Culture, Media and Society since 2022, previously serving as Associate Professor from 2017-2022. A French national born in 1981, he holds a Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Informatics from the University of Tokyo (2013). His work bridges technology, art, and human experience with a focus on digital well-being and more-than-human relationships. Chen's research interests include human-microbe interaction, neo-cybernetics, and the design of systems that foster mutual care between humans and non-human entities. His work with the Nukabot project exemplifies this interdisciplinary approach, exploring how fermentation processes can serve as metaphors for communication and relationship building. He leads the Ferment Media Research group, investigating how fermentation principles apply to digital cultures and communication systems. His recent publications reveal a consistent focus on designing for well-being in digital societies, with particular attention to translation processes, human-microbe relationships, and the creation of systems that support co-adaptive interaction. The Nukabot research series demonstrates how traditional fermentation practices can inform novel interaction paradigms that acknowledge and incorporate more-than-human perspectives. Best Paper Honorable Mention (2024) - ACM Synlogue with Aizuchi-bot ACM SIGGRAPH Special Prize (2023) - Nukabot Best of AppStore 2015/2016 - Picsee/Syncle applications Good Design Award (2008) - Creative Commons Japan Super Creator certification (2009) - IPA Exploratory IT Program Chen has advised numerous projects through his leadership of Ferment Media Research and has served on various committees including the Good Design Award jury (2016-), Yomiuri Shimbun Reading Committee, and advisory boards for art and design institutions. His work extends beyond academia through his founding of Divideal Inc. (acquired by Smart News in 2018) and Creative Commons Japan (now Commonsphere). His laboratory, Ferment Media Research, explores interdisciplinary connections between fermentation processes, digital systems, and human relationships, creating installations like Nukabot that facilitate human-microbe interaction and Last Words/TypeTrace that examines writing processes and communication.
Peng Xiong is a Professor in the Department of Physics at Florida State University, with a research focus on electron and spin transport in low-dimensional quantum materials. He is affiliated with the Integrative NanoScience Institute (INSI) and has made significant contributions to mesoscale physics, spintronics, and organic/solid-state hybrid systems. B.S. in Physics (1987, University of Science and Technology of China) Ph.D. in Physics (1993, Brown University) Postdoctoral Fellowship (1993-1997, University of California at San Diego) Research Interests: Mesoscale Physics: Quantum phase transitions and fluctuation effects in 2D and 1D systems, semiconductor nanowires, carbon nanotubes, and nano-magnetism. Spintronics: Spin-polarized transport in hybrid structures (ferromagnet/normal metal, ferromagnet/superconductor, ferromagnet/semiconductor), magnetic semiconductors, and spin injection/detection. Organic/Solid-State Hybrids: Nanoscale biosensors utilizing magnetic and electrical principles, bio-mechanical devices, organic/solid interfaces, and template-directed nanostructure self-assembly. Publication Trends: His recent work spans superconducting fluctuations in ultrathin films, chirality-induced spin transport in semiconductors, interplay between structural chirality and spin-orbital effects, ion migration dynamics in 1D hybrids, quantum interference in nanowire loops, and modulation of nanomaterial properties through surface defect engineering. These studies often combine material synthesis, nanofabrication, cryogenic transport, and tunneling measurements. Scientific Recognition: Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellowship (1998) University Teaching Award (2003) PAI Award for Excellence (2004) Developing Scholar Award (2007) Fellow of the American Physical Society (2012) Advising Legacy: He has mentored numerous graduate students including Jeffrey Parker (Ph.D. 2003) Yongqing Li (Ph.D. 2003) Tianhan Liu (Ph.D. 2021) Jacob Hudis (Ph.D. 2021) and continues to guide current candidates like Yuwaraj Adhikari and Zhenqi Hua. Experimental Facilities: The lab at FSU features advanced equipment for nano-fabrication, including clean rooms, mask aligners, and thin film deposition systems. Cryogenic capabilities extend to dilution refrigerators (15 mK) and He3/He4 cryostats for ultralow-temperature studies of magnetic and superconducting systems.
Dr. Thomas E. Doyle is an Associate Professor at the McMaster School of Biomedical Engineering and the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering at McMaster University. His research focuses on biomedical signal processing, human-computer interfacing (HCI), and machine learning applications for healthcare augmentation, rehabilitation, and enhancement. He holds a Ph.D. from Western Ontario, Canada, and teaches courses like COMPENG 2DI4 (Logic Design). His work bridges cybernetics and clinical applications, emphasizing AI-driven solutions for medical diagnostics, patient monitoring, and space exploration. Education: B.E.Sc, B.Sc, M.E.Sc, Ph.D. from Western Ontario, Canada Recent Projects: Developed AI systems for remote healthcare diagnostics (2023) Collaborated with NASA on medical emergency simulators for deep space missions (2017–2023) Led ventilator development efforts for local hospitals during the pandemic (2020) His research interests span machine learning for mental health diagnostics, trust quantification in medical AI, and extended reality (XR) for medical training. He emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches, integrating computational methods with healthcare challenges. Recent publications highlight applications in pediatric emergency care, chronic pain management, and reliable medical device design. Dr. Doyle actively engages in educational initiatives, including first-year engineering pedagogy and experiential learning programs. He has received funding for projects such as the Educating the Engineer of 2025 (EtE-25) awards and contributes to initiatives like the Digital & Smart Systems and Health & Bio-innovation research clusters at McMaster.
Marcos Cruz is Professor of Innovative Environments at The Bartlett School of Architecture, University College London (UCL), where he leads research in bio-integrated design. He runs Bio-ID with Dr. Brenda Parker, a multidisciplinary research platform investigating design driven by biotechnology, computation, materials, and fabrication. Previously, he served as Director of The Bartlett from 2010-2014 and founded the BiotA Lab (2014-2018). His academic career spans multiple institutions including University College London (where he ran MArch Unit 20 for 19 years), University of Westminster (2008-2010), UCLA (2010), and IAAC (2014-present). Professor Cruz holds a Licenciatura from ESAP Porto, a Masters with distinction from UCL, and a PhD from UCL (2007), sponsored by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology. His doctoral research on 'Neoplasmatic Architecture' earned him the RIBA President's Research Award in 2008. He is a registered architect with both the Architects Registration Board (ARB) and the Portuguese Architecture Chamber. His primary research area is Bio-Integrated Design, which explores how biotechnology and computation can reshape our built environment in response to climate change. This work goes beyond using nature as inspiration; instead, it treats nature as the medium for a multi-layered design approach. His key research project, Poikilohydric Living Walls, investigates integrating growth systems directly on building facades using algae and mosses that can switch photosynthetic activity on and off without additional maintenance. Another significant research area is The Body in Architecture, which examines the relationship between human flesh and architectural flesh, proposing a 'thick embodied flesh' that creates truly inhabitable architectural interfaces. His recent publications demonstrate a strong progression toward integrating living systems directly into building materials and facades. The research spans from microbial to tectonic scales, with increasing focus on biomaterials, robotic fabrication, and sustainable design approaches that actively participate in urban ecosystems rather than merely responding to them. RIBA President's Research Award (2008) for 'Neoplasmatic Architecture' Multiple Best Unit awards at Bartlett Summer Show (awarded by Thom Mayne, Paul Finch, Richard Rogers, Claude Parent, and Ross Lovegrove) Work part of permanent collection at FRAC Orleans Exhibitions at Venice and São Paulo Biennales Professor Cruz has supervised numerous PhD students through UCL's Research-by-Design programme and currently directs the MArch/MSc in Bio-Integrated Design. His research has been supported by EPSRC and involves industrial partners including Laing O'Rourke, Pennine Stone Limited, and Amorim, with academic partners at UCL Biochemical Engineering, University of Coimbra, and IST Tomar. He co-founded MAM-ARCH London (formerly marcosandmarjan) in 2000, whose work has built buildings and pavilions, won international competitions including the Kunsthaus Graz, and been exhibited globally. His practice represents a significant bridge between architectural design and biological systems, positioning him at the forefront of bio-integrated architectural research.
Ashis K. Patra is a full-time Professor in the Department of Chemistry at the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IIT Kanpur). After obtaining his Ph.D. from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore in 2008, he carried out post-doctoral research at Harvard University and the University of Georgia before joining IIT Kanpur in 2012. Education & Academic Training Ph.D. (2008), Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore M.Sc. (2002), The University of Burdwan Research Interests Professor Patra leads an interdisciplinary program that sits at the interface of inorganic chemistry, chemical biology, and medicinal chemistry. His work is organized into three principal thrusts: Therapeutic Applications of Metal Complexes: Design and mechanistic evaluation of cytotoxic transition-metal complexes that target nucleic acids and proteins, aiming to overcome multidrug resistance in cancer. Nitric Oxide Delivery from Transition Metal Nitrosyls: Development of photo- and redox-triggered metal nitrosyl complexes for controlled NO release to biological targets such as hemoglobin, myoglobin, and glutathione. Luminescent Lanthanide Complexes: Synthesis and photophysical characterization of Eu(III) and Tb(III) complexes that serve as luminescent probes and theranostic agents. Research Output & Impact His group has published extensively in leading journals including Dalton Transactions , Inorganic Chemistry , Chemical Science , and Journal of Inorganic Biochemistry . The collective work demonstrates a clear trajectory from fundamental coordination chemistry to translational applications in drug delivery and bioimaging, with recurring themes of redox control, light activation, and biological targeting. Scientific Awards & Fellowships CSIR Junior & Senior Research Fellowships (2001, 2003) West Bengal SLET Qualification (2001) International Travel Grants from CSIR & INSA (2006) DST Fast-Track Fellowship for Young Scientists (2013) Erasmus Mundus NAMASTE Scholarship for Academic Staff (2014) JSPS Invitation Fellowship (2016) Teaching & Mentoring Professor Patra teaches core and advanced courses in inorganic chemistry, including Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory, Bioinorganic Chemistry, and Frontiers in Inorganic Chemistry. He actively mentors Ph.D. and master’s students (full list available on his lab website ) and has established the Laboratory of Inorganic Chemical Biology in the Old Core Lab complex at IIT Kanpur.
Prof Aaron Thean is the Deputy President (Academic Affairs) and Provost at the National University of Singapore (NUS). Formerly, he served as Dean of the College of Design and Engineering at NUS and held senior roles at IMEC (Belgium) as Vice President of Logic Technologies and Director of Logic Devices Research. His expertise spans advanced semiconductor device technologies, including FinFETs, nanowire FETs, III-V/Ge channels, and emerging beyond-CMOS architectures. He holds degrees from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (B.Sc., M.Sc., Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering) and has published over 300 papers with 50+ patents. His awards include the Gregory Stillman Award (2001) and Compound Semiconductor Innovation Award (2014). Research interests focus on semiconductor innovation, device-process co-optimization (DTCO), and monolithic 3D integration. Notable contributions include industry-first Gate-First HKMG technologies, advanced strained silicon platforms, and neuromorphic computing hardware. His work bridges academia and industry through collaborations with Qualcomm, IBM, and foundry partners. Current initiatives emphasize energy-efficient computing and wearable sensor systems. Prof Thean’s leadership spans NUS-wide academic strategy and global research partnerships. His technical legacy includes foundational advancements in transistor scaling, low-power CMOS design, and AI-driven failure analysis methodologies.
Leonardo Chamorro is a Professor in the Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), with affiliations in Earth Science and Environmental Change, Aerospace Engineering, and Civil and Environmental Engineering. His research focuses on fluid dynamics, renewable energy systems, and turbulence modeling. He holds a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from the University of Minnesota (2010) and has held academic positions at UIUC since 2013, advancing to Full Professor in 2024. Chamorro's work spans experimental and theoretical investigations of wind and hydrokinetic energy, geophysical flows, and particle dynamics. His research group, the Renewable Energy & Turbulent Environment Group (RE-TE-G), explores topics like tidal flow multifractality, vortex dynamics, and bio-inspired robotics. Key achievements include Nature and Lab on a Chip cover articles, and contributions to turbulence modeling for tidal energy systems. He has received awards such as the Best Paper Award in Energies (2018) and recognition for pandemic-related research (2021). His editorial roles include associate editorships at journals like Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy and Frontiers in Energy Research . Chamorro has supervised numerous graduate students and postdocs, contributing to over 150 peer-reviewed publications since 2009.
W. Hong Yeo is a Professor in the Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering and Program Faculty in Bioengineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology, where he also directs the WISH Center. He holds adjunct appointments in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering. Previously, he was an Assistant Professor at Virginia Commonwealth University (2014-2016) and a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign's Beckman Institute. Dr. Yeo's research integrates nanomechanics, soft materials, and nano-microfabrication to develop bio-interfaced systems. Key areas include: Flexible Bioelectronics : Wearable/implantable sensors for health monitoring Human-Machine Interfaces : Neural prosthetics and soft robotics Translational Nanoengineering : Nanoparticle biosensing and diagnostics His publications (2023-2025) demonstrate strong focus on wireless health technologies, including multi-modal wearable systems, implantable sensors for cardiovascular/neurological monitoring, and AI-integrated diagnostics. Trends show increasing emphasis on closed-loop therapeutic systems and scalable manufacturing. Awards & Recognition : BMES Innovation and Career Development Award Virginia Commercialization Award Blavatnik Award Nominee NSF Summer Institute Fellowship Research funding sources include MEDARVA Foundation, NIH, DARPA, and industry partners like CooperVision. He leads the Center for Human-Centric Interfaces & Engineering , developing next-generation bio-interfaced systems.
Rahul Sarpeshkar is a Professor of Engineering, Microbiology & Immunology, Physics, and Molecular & Systems Biology at Dartmouth College, holding the Thomas E. Kurtz Professorship and chairing the Neukom Computational Science Cluster. His research bridges analog circuits with quantum physics, synthetic biology, and ultra-low-power systems. BS in Electrical Engineering and Physics from MIT (1995) PhD in Computation and Neural Systems from Caltech (1998) His research focuses on analog synthetic biology , quantum circuit design , and bio-inspired supercomputing , emphasizing noise, thermodynamics, and energy efficiency. He develops cytomorphic chips to model biochemical networks and quantum-inspired circuits for spectrum analysis. Recent work integrates quantum and classical computation for biological simulations, drug cocktail formulation , and ATP energy measurement in living cells. Patents highlight innovations in quantum emulation and medical devices. Scientific awards include: Fellow, National Academy of Inventors (2018) IEEE Fellow (2018) NSF CAREER Award ONR Young Investigator Award Packard Fellow Award Junior Bose Teaching Award, MIT He leads a wet lab for synthetic microbial circuit implementation and a dry lab for quantum and nanoelectronics, mentoring a multidisciplinary team of physicists, bioengineers, and computer scientists.
Philip Poole is a Professor of Plant Microbiology at the University of Oxford's Department of Plant Sciences and Senior Research Fellow at Somerville College. His research focuses on plant-microbe interactions, nitrogen fixation, and rhizosphere microbiology. He has led major international projects including the BBSRC-NSF Synthetic Symbioses program (2014-2019) and the India-UK Nitrogen Fixation Consortium (2016-2019). With 26 grants as PI from the UK's BBSRC, he has secured over £10.5 million in funding. His work includes pioneering bacterial Lux biosensors for metabolite analysis, transcriptomics under sterile conditions, and metatranscriptomics in soil to study microbiome-plant interactions. Current projects model nitrogen fixation biochemistry in legume nodules and investigate rhizobia lifecycle transitions from rhizosphere colonization to symbiotic bacteroid differentiation. He co-directs the Oxford Centre for Plants for the 21st Century and serves on editorial/advisory boards for Microbiology UK, The Journal of Bacteriology, and Pivot Bio. His contributions include elucidating the ammonia-alanine pathway for nitrogen secretion and demonstrating symbiotic auxotrophy dependencies in bacteroids. Key achievements include developing global mutagenesis strategies (INSeq) and advancing understanding of microbial community structures in the rhizosphere. His research integrates molecular, genetic, and systems biology approaches to address global challenges in sustainable agriculture.
Dr James Herbert-Read is an Associate Professor and Whitten Lecturer in Marine Biology at the Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge. He serves as Deputy Head of Department (Postgraduate Education) and leads the Marine Behavioural Ecology Group. His research focuses on understanding how animals, particularly marine organisms, collect and process information from their environments to make behavioral decisions, with emphasis on social interactions, adaptation mechanisms, and ecological constraints. His group employs theoretical frameworks, controlled experiments, and quantitative field studies to investigate behavioral diversity in marine species. Key themes include collective behavior, predator-prey dynamics, camouflage strategies, and the impacts of environmental stressors on animal decision-making. Recent publications highlight work on lionfish vocalization mechanisms, cuttlefish camouflage, citizen science applications in marine research, and behavioral responses to visual and acoustic noise. Scientific awards and affiliations include: Whitten Lecturer in Marine Biology Associate Professor, University of Cambridge He has supervised research projects on topics such as: Social attraction in invasive fish species Evolution of coordinated movement Neurophysiological basis for leadership in shoals Maternal effects on offspring exploration
Prof. Silvia Vignolini is a leading researcher in sustainable and bio-inspired materials. Since January 2023, she has served as Director at the Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces , where she leads the department of Sustainable and Bio-inspired Materials . Her academic career includes a Lecturer in Physics at University College London (2013-2017) and a Professor of Biomaterials and Sustainability at the University of Cambridge (2020-2022). Education: University of Florence (Physics, PhD) Postdoctoral Research: University of Florence , University of Cambridge Her research bridges chemistry , soft matter physics , optics , and biology , focusing on the self-assembly of natural materials into functional architectures. She pioneered work on cellulose-based photonic materials with applications in displays, pigments, and radiative cooling. The selected articles highlight her work on cellulose nanocrystals , structural coloration , and sustainable fabrication techniques . Key trends include mechanochromic hydroxypropyl cellulose systems, bio-inspired light management, and applications in microalgae growth and bacterial symbiosis. Scientific Awards : Philip Leverhululme Prize (2019) ACS Lectureship in Sustainable Chemistry (2018) Ipazia Prize for Women in Science (2012) PhD Thesis Award (University of Florence, 2009) At the Max Planck Institute, her interdisciplinary research group explores bio-inspired design principles for sustainable materials, combining experimental and computational approaches to create functional materials from natural resources.
Professor Guoxiu Wang is a Distinguished Professor and Industry Laureate Fellow at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), leading the Centre for Clean Energy Technology. His expertise spans battery technologies, materials chemistry, and electrochemistry, with a focus on lithium-ion, sodium-ion, and other advanced energy storage systems. He holds prestigious fellowships, including from the Royal Society of Chemistry and the European Academy of Sciences. His research has been recognized through numerous awards, including being listed as a Highly Cited Researcher since 2018. Research Interests: Professor Wang’s work addresses challenges in energy storage through innovative materials design, including electrode materials for sodium-ion and lithium-sulfur batteries, MXenes, and electrolyte development. His team explores strategies to enhance battery performance, such as heterostructure engineering and defect-rich catalysts. Publications & Impact: With over 750 refereed papers, including in Nature Energy , Advanced Materials , and Angewandte Chemie , his work has garnered >78,000 citations (H-index 153/165). Recent trends focus on sodium-ion battery materials, MXene-based capacitors, and sustainable energy solutions like osmotic energy harvesting. Awards & Leadership: Awards include Fellowships from the Royal Society of Chemistry (2017), International Society of Electrochemistry (2018), and European Academy of Sciences (2020). He serves as an Associate Editor for Energy Storage Materials and Electrochemical Energy Reviews , and leads international collaborations, including a Royal Society Wolfson Visiting Fellowship at the University of Manchester (2024–2026). Grants & Supervision: Secured significant external grants, with active supervision of PhD/Masters students in battery technologies. His labs prioritize sustainable energy solutions and advanced material synthesis. Labs & Teams: Directs the Centre for Clean Energy Technology, fostering interdisciplinary research to advance clean energy technologies, from novel battery designs to electrochemical catalysts for CO2 and nitrate conversion.
