Dave Arney is a Faculty Associate at the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society and an Instructor in Anaesthesia at Harvard Medical School. His work focuses on medical device interoperability, telemedicine, and digital health ecosystems. He holds a PhD in Computer Science from the University of Pennsylvania and a Master's in Public Health from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Research Interests: Development of open-source platforms like OpenICE for medical device integration Closed-loop control systems and autonomous medical technologies Standards development (ASTM, AAMI, ISO) for medical IoT Patient safety through interoperable telemedicine solutions Professional Contributions: Lead Engineer of the Medical Device Plug and Play Program at Massachusetts General Hospital NIH-funded OpenICE project leader Former FDA scholar-in-residence Future Work: Building digital health ecosystems prioritizing patient autonomy and privacy through enhanced metadata/provenance systems for medical IoT.
Dr. Chris Nicholls is a Lecturer in Engineering at Jesus College, University of Oxford, and a Junior Research Fellow at Trinity College. He holds a DPhil in Active Flow Control from the Oxford Thermofluids Institute (OTI) and has experience as a postdoctoral research assistant in the Active Flow Control group at OTI. Previously, he served as a stipendiary lectureship at St. John’s College during the 2019-20 academic year. His academic background includes an MEng and DPhil from Hertford College and Lincoln College, respectively. His research focuses on fluidic devices for aerospace applications, employing control theory and signal processing to analyze fluid dynamics. Key areas include fluidic oscillators, acoustic control of jets, and nonlinear flow dynamics. He teaches undergraduate courses in Mathematics and Electronic & Information Engineering at departmental and college levels. Recent work spans experimental and analytical studies of fluidic oscillators, jet dynamics under acoustic excitation, and closed-loop control systems for aerospace components. His contributions bridge traditional fluid mechanics with modern control methodologies. Dr. Nicholls collaborates with the Oxford Thermofluids Institute and maintains active involvement in engineering education, having taught third-year courses in the past. His work emphasizes practical applications of theoretical frameworks to real-world fluidic systems.
Daniel Rothman is a Professor of Geophysics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he has been a faculty member since 1986. He serves as Co-Director of the MIT Lorenz Center, a privately funded interdisciplinary research center devoted to learning how climate works, which he co-founded with Kerry Emanuel in 2011. His work spans multiple departments and disciplines at MIT, including the Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences (EAPS), where he contributes to research in geophysics, atmospheres, oceans, climate, and geology. Rothman received his AB in applied mathematics from Brown University and his PhD in geophysics from Stanford University. His academic journey began with a focus on seismology, but he has since expanded his research interests to encompass: Earth system dynamics Carbon cycle and climate interactions Biogeochemistry and geobiology Statistical and nonlinear physics Mathematical geoscience As a theoretical scientist, Rothman's research focuses on understanding how the organization of the natural world emerges from the interactions of life and the physical environment. He employs mathematics, statistical physics, and nonlinear dynamics to construct simple mathematical models that predict or explain observational data. His current work centers on the carbon cycle and its coupling to climate, exploring fundamental questions about how global biogeochemical cycles arise and evolve, their stability, and how they impact climate stability. This research has important implications for understanding current climate change and potential tipping points in the Earth system. Rothman's publication record reveals a consistent focus on using mathematical approaches to understand Earth's systems. His work shows progression from fluid dynamics and pattern formation to carbon cycle modeling and mass extinction analysis. A recurring theme is identifying characteristic patterns and thresholds in Earth's systems, particularly how carbon cycle disruptions correlate with mass extinction events. His recent work has focused on identifying critical thresholds in the carbon cycle that, when breached, could lead to catastrophic climate change. Daniel Rothman has received numerous prestigious awards for his contributions to science: Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science (2023) Levi L. Conant Prize, American Mathematical Society (2016) Fellow, American Geophysical Union (2014) Fellow, American Physical Society (2012) Fellow, Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study (2007-2008) Rothman has mentored numerous students throughout his career, supervising PhD students across multiple disciplines including Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Physics, Mechanical Engineering, and Mathematics. His research group has received significant funding for projects investigating Earth system dynamics and carbon cycle modeling. He has taught courses such as "Modeling Environmental Complexity" and "Nonlinear Dynamics: Chaos," training students in mathematical approaches to environmental problems. The Rothman research group operates within the Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences at MIT and is closely affiliated with the MIT Lorenz Center. His team combines theoretical approaches with data analysis to investigate complex Earth systems, frequently collaborating with researchers from physics, mathematics, biology, and oceanography. The group's work bridges disciplinary boundaries, applying concepts from statistical physics to understand biogeochemical cycles and Earth history.
Gregory Pavlak is an Assistant Professor of Architectural Engineering at The Pennsylvania State University. His research focuses on enhancing the intelligence and autonomy of building energy systems and generation technologies, with emphasis on thermal comfort, predictive control, and renewable energy integration. Pavlak is affiliated with the Institutes of Energy and the Environment (IEE), contributing to research themes in Integrated Energy Systems and Equitable Communities and the Built Environment . He leads projects such as Uncertainty-Aware Transactive Building Controls and Decentralized Control of Photovoltaic Systems , addressing challenges in energy efficiency, grid interaction, and occupant-centric building design. Pavlak's work has been recognized through seed grants and awards, including the 2020 Building Performance Award from the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). Publications: Over 20 peer-reviewed articles since 2019, focusing on building energy systems, control strategies, and smart grid integration. Grants: Principal investigator on IEE-funded projects and industry collaborations. Labs: Active contributor to the Center for Quantitative Imaging and Environmental Contaminants Analytical Laboratory . Pavlak's research bridges engineering and environmental science, aiming to advance zero-carbon building technologies through data-driven design and control methodologies.
Dr. Ethan Kung is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Clemson University, with a joint appointment in Bioengineering. His research focuses on interdisciplinary cardiovascular biomechanics, combining experimental, computational, and clinical approaches to advance medical device development and surgical planning. He holds a PhD and MS from Stanford University (Bioengineering) and a BS from Queen’s University (Electrical Engineering). Dr. Kung leads the PSCOPE hybrid modeling framework, supported by NSF CAREER funding, and collaborates with clinicians and industry partners. Education: PhD and MS in Bioengineering (Stanford University, 2010/2006); BS in Electrical Engineering (Queen’s University, 2003). Research interests span computational/experimental cardiovascular modeling, hardware-in-the-loop systems, image-based CFD, and pediatric congenital heart disease. His work emphasizes clinical translation and medical device innovation, with applications to Fontan palliation and ventricular assist devices. Key contributions include developing hybrid experimental-computational frameworks for cardiovascular device testing (PSCOPE), analyzing exercise physiology in Fontan patients, and modeling superior cavopulmonary circulation. Recent articles explore tunable neonatal shunts, hemodynamic device titration, and shear stress in bioreactor heart valves. Awards: NSF CAREER Award (2018). Funders include American Heart Association and Children’s Heart Foundation. Dr. Kung serves as Associate Editor for the ASME Journal of Biomechanical Engineering and chairs the ASME Bioengineering Division’s Executive Committee. His work bridges engineering and medicine, addressing critical challenges in congenital heart disease and cardiovascular surgery.
Ruth Varner is a Professor of Biogeochemistry at the University of New Hampshire (UNH), affiliated with the Department of Earth Sciences and the Earth Systems Research Center within the Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans, and Space. She holds a Ph.D. in Geochemistry and Earth Sciences from UNH, alongside an M.S. in Hydrology and a B.A. in Geology from Hartwick College. Her research focuses on trace gas emissions from terrestrial, aquatic, and human-managed ecosystems, with a long-term emphasis on methane dynamics in wetlands and permafrost peatlands. She collaborates with microbial ecologists, remote sensing experts, and modelers to address climate change impacts. Notable roles include directing UNH’s Leitzel Center (K-12 STEM teacher development), leading NSF-funded programs like the Northern Ecosystems REU and the CLOSES-GAP initiative (broadening geoscience participation), and co-directing the EMERGE Biological Integration Institute. Key research areas include biogeochemical processes in permafrost thaw, microbial interactions in wetlands, and scaling environmental processes globally. Recent articles highlight methane isotope dynamics, climate-driven carbon shifts, and microbial genomics in ecosystems. Awards include AGU recognition for mentoring. Teaching includes advanced courses like Biogeosciences of Earth Systems and Arctic seminars. Varner integrates undergraduates into research, emphasizing interdisciplinary outreach and underrepresented group engagement. Current projects explore Arctic lake methane emissions, phenolic inhibition of carbon mineralization, and permafrost carbon fate.
Sitaraman Krishnan is a Professor and Executive Officer in the Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering at Clarkson University’s Coulter School of Engineering & Applied Sciences. He leads research in functional materials for energy, environmental, and biomedical applications through the Center for Advanced Materials Processing (CAMP). His work integrates experimental and computational methods to develop polymer composites, electroactive materials, and sustainable catalysts. Education: Bachelor's in Chemical Technology from University Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai, India Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Lehigh University Research Interests: Focus on polymer nanocomposites, biomass valorization, electrochemical systems, and water desalination. His group explores ion transport in batteries, graphene-enhanced materials, and scalable biochar catalysts for waste-to-resource conversion. Recent advancements include redox-driven desalination and solar-integrated purification systems. Service & Outreach: Serves as Chief Faculty Advisor for Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society at Clarkson. Organizes AIChE sessions on product design and evaluates engineering program outcomes. Develops outreach courses to showcase chemical engineering’s role in solving societal challenges. Labs & Facilities: Directs research in CAMP, emphasizing interdisciplinary material development. Collaborates on projects involving advanced composites for energy storage, corrosion-resistant coatings, and biomedical polymers.
Fuminori Toyasaki is a Professor at the School of Administrative Studies (SAS) within York University's Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies. He holds a PhD in Management Science from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and has conducted postdoctoral research at McGill University. His academic roles include serving as a Board member for the College of Sustainable Operations at the Production and Operations Management Society (POMS), holding positions since 2008. Education: PhD (Management Science), University of Massachusetts Amherst; Postdoc at McGill University; Osaka University (BSc/MSc in Economics) His research focuses on supply chain management with emphases on humanitarian logistics, medical supply chains (vaccine production/procurement), and closed-loop systems. He uses optimization models (game theory, nonlinear programming) to address challenges like disaster relief coordination, e-waste recycling, and pharmaceutical R&D. His work has secured NSERC and CIHR funding, emphasizing applied research with societal impact. Key projects include designing reverse supply chains for post-disaster recovery, optimizing vaccine production capacity during pandemics, and analyzing modular product designs for circular economies. His agent-based modeling work explores humanitarian cooperation dynamics in disaster scenarios. Awards: 2021 York Research Award; multiple SAS Excellence awards in Teaching (2015-16) and Research (2015-16/2018-19) He advises on supply chain resilience in public health emergencies and environmental sustainability, contributing to both academic journals (e.g., FT50 list) and practitioner-oriented solutions. His lab focuses on operationalizing partnerships between private and humanitarian sectors for effective crisis responses.
Thanh Dang-Vu, MD PhD FAASM, is a Full Professor and Concordia University Research Chair in Sleep, Neuroimaging, and Cognitive Health at the Department of Health, Kinesiology and Applied Physiology. He holds affiliations with the Perform Centre, the Center for Studies in Behavioral Neurobiology, engAGE Research Center, and is an Adjunct Professor at McGill University. His clinical roles include Associate Director for Clinical Research at the Centre de Recherche de l’Institut Universitaire de Gériatrie de Montréal and Professeur Associé at Université de Montréal. Dr. Dang-Vu’s expertise spans sleep neurophysiology, neuroimaging, and clinical neurology. He completed his MD and PhD at the University of Liège, followed by postdoctoral training at Harvard Medical School and Université de Montréal. His research focuses on sleep mechanisms, cognitive health, and neurodegenerative diseases, leveraging EEG, fMRI, and biomarker analysis. Key areas include insomnia, hypersomnia, and the interplay between sleep and neurodegeneration. He has secured major grants from NSERC, CIHR, and the Weston Family Foundation, and has been honored with the Royal Society of Canada Fellowship, Young Investigator Awards from the Canadian Sleep Society and Sleep Research Society, and institutional accolades. His work has been published in high-impact journals like PNAS and Science , and featured in media such as Scientific American and Le Devoir . Research highlights include investigating sleep oscillations for memory consolidation, developing non-pharmacological interventions (e.g., rocking therapy), and advancing dementia prevention through web-based programs. He leads initiatives like the Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration in Aging and chairs the Hypersomnia Foundation’s Scientific Advisory Board.
Justin Jia is an Associate Professor at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville's Haslam College of Business, holding dual fellowships as the Wyatt Family Faculty Research Fellow and Alan R. Whitman Faculty Fellow. He is affiliated with the Department of Business Analytics & Statistics and previously served at Purdue University before joining Haslam in 2017. Dr. Jia earned his Ph.D. in Supply Chain Management from Penn State University. His research focuses on prescriptive analytics, healthcare supply chain optimization, e-operations, and inventory management. Notable contributions include work on mitigating drug shortages through contractual frameworks and dynamic sourcing strategies under uncertainty. His scientific honors include prestigious fellowships supporting his research endeavors. While specific advising and grant details are not provided, his work spans key journals like Management Science and Production and Operations Management . His articles collectively address critical issues in supply chain resilience, healthcare policy, and platform economics, demonstrating cross-disciplinary impact.
Nam Bui is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering at the University of Colorado Denver, where he founded and directs the Intelligent Networked Systems and Cybernetics Laboratory (InsCy Lab). His research focuses on developing intelligent cybernetic systems at the intersection of AI, machine learning, and embedded systems, with applications in mobile/wearable health monitoring and physiological sensing. His research interests span: Innovative sensing techniques for health monitoring Embedded intelligent systems leveraging AI/ML Wearable technology for physiological measurement Multidisciplinary approaches to medical cybernetics Analysis of recent publications reveals consistent themes in wearable health technology development, particularly focusing on non-invasive monitoring techniques for vital signs (blood pressure, respiration, glucose) using ear-worn and behind-ear devices. Key technical innovations include compressed sensing frameworks, closed-loop acoustic stimulation systems, and novel sensing modalities like polarization-based optical detection. Awards and Honors: Best Paper Awards at ACM MobiCom (2019, 2017) ACM SigMobile Research Highlights (2020) Communication of ACM Research Highlights (2021) Colorado OEDIT Award (2024) NASA MUREP Program Award (2024) NSF Sense Award (2024) DoD STTR Grant (2024) Teaching Innovation Award (2023) Dr. Bui actively advises graduate students including Anh-Huy Dinh and undergraduate researchers including Luis Carlos Gutierrez and Alejandro Cordova. His laboratory has secured multiple grants from NSF, NASA, DoD, and Colorado economic development programs. He directs the Intelligent Networked Systems and Cybernetics Laboratory (InsCy Lab), which focuses on practical intelligent systems for health monitoring. The lab emphasizes multidisciplinary collaboration and has developed technologies like in-ear blood pressure monitors and closed-loop sleep aid devices.
Alessio Moreschini is a Research Associate at the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Imperial College London, within the Faculty of Engineering. He holds a dual Ph.D. in Automatica (University of Rome "La Sapienza") and Systems and Control (Université Paris-Saclay), both awarded in 2021. His research focuses on nonlinear systems and control theory, with expertise in passivity-based control, sampled-data systems, and model order reduction. Moreschini is affiliated with the Control and Power Research Group at Imperial College. He previously served as a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Rome from 2021–2022. His academic roles include Associate Editorships for Automatica and the EUCA Conference Editorial Board, as well as membership in the IEEE CSS Technical Committee on Nonlinear Systems and Control, and the IFAC Technical Committee on Nonlinear Control Systems. Research interests span advanced control methodologies, including passivity theory, model reduction techniques, and their applications to electrical networks and robotics. His recent work emphasizes data-driven approaches, nonlinear system interpolation, and stabilization strategies for sampled-data systems.
Kristian Soltesz is a Senior Lecturer and Project Manager at the Department of Automatic Control, Lund University. He also serves as Programme Director for the Engineering Physics (M.Sc.Eng.) program and is affiliated with ELLIIT and multiple LTH/LU Profile Areas (AI & Digitalization, Engineering Health, Natural and Artificial Cognition). His work focuses on interdisciplinary applications of control engineering in healthcare and industry. Education: Background in automatic control (inferred from role). Research interests include data-driven modeling of cyberphysiological systems, such as automated drug delivery in anesthesia, hemodynamic stabilization in intensive care, and control systems for donor organ quality maintenance. He also explores industrial process control in mining and bioreactors. Recent work emphasizes closed-loop anesthesia systems and ex vivo organ perfusion models. Key projects include 'Functional ex vivo heart evaluation' (2023–2026) and 'Data-driven modeling for sustainable mining' (ongoing). Collaborates with clinical and industrial partners on applied control solutions. Labs/Teams: Involved with the Department of Automatic Control’s research groups and ELLIIT initiatives. Supervised 5 documented works to date.
Chloe Dedic is an Associate Professor at the University of Virginia School of Engineering and Applied Science, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. She holds a B.S. and Ph.D. from Iowa State University and serves as the UVA MAE Director for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Her research focuses on ultrafast laser diagnostics applied to hypersonic propulsion, clean energy conversion, and combustion systems. She develops advanced measurement techniques for harsh environments featuring extreme pressures, shock waves, and non-equilibrium flows. Recent publications demonstrate consistent focus on optical diagnostics for propulsion systems, with emerging themes in scramjet flowpath control and multi-physics measurement techniques combining spectroscopy with computational modeling. Awards: AFOSR Young Investigator Award (2021) NASA Early Career Faculty Award (2020) DARPA Young Faculty Award (2020) Virginia Space Grant Consortium New Investigator Award (2019) NSF Graduate Research Fellow (2012-2017) She teaches courses in Thermodynamics, Applied Engineering Optics, and Thermal Systems Analysis, and leads the Reacting Flow Lab where interdisciplinary teams collaborate on propulsion and energy conversion challenges.
Patrick Kanold, PhD is a Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Johns Hopkins University, co-director of the Biomedical Engineering PhD program, and affiliated with the Center for Hearing and Balance and Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute. His research focuses on understanding how sensory experience shapes cortical circuits during development and adulthood, particularly in the auditory system. Kanold employs advanced in vivo imaging, optogenetics, and electrophysiological techniques to study neuronal activity patterns and plasticity mechanisms. Education: PhD in Biomedical Engineering from Johns Hopkins (2000), Postdoctoral training in Neurobiology at Harvard Medical School (2000-2005). He holds Dipl.Ing. (MSE) in Electrical Engineering from Technische Universität Berlin. Research interests include systems neuroscience, brain development, neuroengineering, and neurophysiology. His lab investigates how early sensory experience influences cortical circuit formation, functional architecture of auditory cortex, and age-related changes in neural processing. Recent findings include studies on subplate circuits, auditory learning, and age-related hearing deficits. Publications span over 114 peer-reviewed articles in journals like Science, Nature, and Neuron, focusing on cortical circuitry, developmental neurobiology, and neurotechnological methods. His work bridges engineering and neuroscience to advance understanding of brain function and plasticity.
