Alexandra Horowitz is a Senior Research Fellow and Adjunct Associate Professor at Barnard College. She has been teaching since 2004, specializing in dog cognition and olfactory research. Her academic roles span the Departments of English and Psychology, reflecting her interdisciplinary focus on animal behavior and human-animal interactions. Education: M.S. and Ph.D. in Cognitive Science from UC San Diego; B.A. in Philosophy from the University of Pennsylvania. Research interests include naturalistic observations of dog social play, testing anthropomorphic assumptions, and characterizing canine olfactory abilities. She has authored influential books like Inside of a Dog and Being a Dog , exploring how dogs perceive the world. Her work frequently appears in top journals and media outlets, including the New York Times and TED-Ed. Recent articles highlight studies on dog navigation, play behavior, and olfactory perception. She has been recognized as among the Top 2% of Cited Authors globally. Her presentations and lectures span academic conferences, museums, and public forums, emphasizing science communication.
Susanne Weis is a Research Professor and Group Leader of the 'Variability of the Brain' group at the Department of Brain and Behavior (INM-7), part of the Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM) at Research Center Jülich GmbH. Her work focuses on understanding brain variability through advanced neuroimaging techniques and machine learning, with particular emphasis on sex differences, hormonal influences, and clinical applications in mental health. Her research interests include neuroimaging methodologies, machine learning applications in cognitive neuroscience, and the structural-functional relationships underlying brain variability. She investigates how factors like sex hormones and naturalistic stimuli (e.g., movies) affect brain connectivity and cognitive performance, aiming to improve diagnostic and predictive tools for disorders such as schizophrenia and Alzheimer’s disease. Publications highlight her contributions to developing datasets (e.g., SpEx), analyzing confound leakage in ML models, and exploring meta-analytic networks during naturalistic viewing. Her work bridges basic science and clinical impact, addressing challenges in interpreting neuroimaging data and advancing personalized medicine approaches. In her role as a group leader, Weis oversees research projects and collaborates with interdisciplinary teams. She is affiliated with the Helmholtz Association and contributes to the broader scientific community through her research in neuroimaging and computational neuroscience.
Raquel Fernández is Full Professor of Computational Linguistics and Dialogue Systems at the University of Amsterdam, where she leads the Dialogue Modelling Group at the Institute for Logic, Language & Computation (ILLC). As Vice-Director for Research at ILLC and a Fellow of the ELLIS Society, she bridges computational linguistics, cognitive science, and artificial intelligence through her research on language use in multimodal and conversational contexts. PhD in Computational Linguistics from King's College London Prior research positions at University of Potsdam and Stanford University's CSLI Her work explores how cognitive constraints, social interaction, and perception shape language use, with a focus on: Visually-grounded language processing Multimodal dialogue modeling Model uncertainty and calibration Language grounding in multimodal data Language learning and semantic change Dialogue reference resolution Recent publications analyze multimodal reasoning limitations, cross-lingual knowledge consistency, and uncertainty modeling in dialogue systems. She has received multiple accolades including an ERC Consolidator Grant , NWO VENI/VIDI/Aspasia fellowships , and EMNLP/GenBench awards . Outstanding Paper Award (EMNLP 2023) Best Data Award (GenBench Workshop 2023) ELLIS Society Fellow ERC Consolidator Grant #819455 recipient NWO VENI/VIDI/Aspasia awardee As a leader in academic service, she serves on the SIGDAT Executive Committee and chairs multiple conference committees. Her lab develops models for multimodal dialogue, visual storytelling, and grounded language understanding.
Erik Willcutt is a Professor in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of Colorado Boulder. His research focuses on the genetic and neurobehavioral underpinnings of ADHD, learning disabilities, and developmental psychopathologies. He holds positions at the Institute for Behavioral Genetics and the Center for Neuroscience. Education: PhD in Psychology from the University of Denver (1998). Research Interests: Etiology and assessment of ADHD, reading disabilities, and developmental psychopathologies. His work integrates behavioral genetics, neuroimaging, and longitudinal twin studies to understand cognitive and psychiatric disorders. Key topics include neuroanatomical correlates of ADHD, genetic influences on dyslexia, and comorbidity between learning disabilities and psychiatric conditions. Publications highlight advanced methods like genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and phenotype harmonization (e.g., Rosetta method). His work bridges molecular genetics with clinical psychology, emphasizing translational research. Lab/Affiliations: Active in the Institute for Behavioral Genetics and collaborates with interdisciplinary teams studying neurodevelopmental disorders. Office located at Muenzinger D451B.
Mohamed Bouri is a Senior Lecturer and Researcher at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), where he is affiliated with the School of Engineering (STI) and specifically the Microengineering Department (SCI-STI-MB). He is part of the ReHAssist research group (http://rehassist.epfl.ch), which focuses on rehabilitation robotics and human-robot interaction. His office is located in the MED Building (MED 3 1016) at Station 9, 1015 Lausanne. Dr. Bouri's research spans several key areas in robotics and rehabilitation engineering. His primary focus is on the development and control of exoskeleton systems for mobility assistance and rehabilitation. He has made significant contributions to hip exoskeleton technology, adaptive control strategies, and human-robot interaction paradigms. His work bridges engineering principles with clinical applications, particularly for individuals with mobility impairments and neurological conditions. Additional research interests include sensory substitution techniques, balance control systems, and astronomical instrumentation involving robotic fiber positioners for multi-object spectrographs. Analysis of Dr. Bouri's recent publications reveals a strong emphasis on practical applications of robotics in rehabilitation settings. His work increasingly focuses on user-centered design, adaptive control systems that respond to individual user needs, and ecological validity in testing environments. There's a clear trend toward developing systems that can function effectively in real-world scenarios rather than controlled laboratory settings. His research also shows growing integration of physiological feedback mechanisms and multimodal sensing to enhance human-robot cooperation, with applications spanning from Parkinson's disease rehabilitation to astronomical instrumentation. Dr. Bouri has supervised numerous doctoral students whose theses reflect the breadth of his research interests, including work on lower-limb exoskeletons, robotic control systems, and rehabilitation technologies. His collaborative approach is evident in the extensive list of co-authored publications across multiple institutions and disciplines, demonstrating his ability to bridge engineering with clinical and astronomical applications. Based at EPFL's Microengineering Department, Dr. Bouri leads research activities within the ReHAssist laboratory, which specializes in rehabilitation assistance technologies. The lab focuses on developing innovative robotic solutions for mobility assistance, with particular expertise in exoskeleton design, control algorithms, and human-robot interaction paradigms. His work on projects like TWIICE One has demonstrated real-world impact in assistive technology development.
Karyn Moffatt is an Associate Professor in the School of Information Studies at McGill University and holds the Canada Research Chair in Inclusive Social Computing. As Graduate Program Director for the PhD program, she leads the Accessible Computing Technologies Research Group (ACT Lab), focusing on designing inclusive computing applications that support social engagement across diverse lifespans and abilities. Her work bridges human-computer interaction, accessibility research, and real-world community impact. Educational background: PhD in Computer Science, University of British Columbia MSc in Computer Science, University of British Columbia BASc in Computer Engineering, University of British Columbia Research Interests: Dr. Moffatt's work centers on inclusive social computing with emphases on aging populations , disability access , and intergenerational communication . She investigates how technology can overcome barriers to social participation through co-design methodologies, particularly for older adults and individuals with cognitive or physical disabilities. Current projects explore AI-enhanced aging support, dementia-friendly social platforms, accessible financial technology, and respite care coordination systems. Her approach integrates participatory design with rigorous usability testing to create solutions that address real-world challenges in healthcare, finance, and community engagement. Publication Trends: Analysis of her 15 most recent publications reveals consistent focus on aging and accessibility (60% of works), with growing emphasis on AI ethics (2025), dementia support systems (30% of 2023-2024 works), and accessible financial technology (2024). Methodologically, 75% employ co-design or participatory approaches, while 40% involve longitudinal field studies. Key venues include CHI (33%), ASSETS (20%), and ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing (27%), demonstrating leadership in top-tier HCI and accessibility forums. Scientific Awards: Multiple Best Paper Awards from ASSETS, CHI, and CSCW conferences Canada Research Chair in Inclusive Social Computing Advising and Grants: Dr. Moffatt currently supervises PhD candidates Chong Hu and Muhe Yang, having graduated four students since 2022 including Maurício Fontana De Vargas (2023) and Carrie Dai (2023). Her active grants include: NSERC Discovery Grant (2024-2029) as PI: Ethical AI for active aging Canada Research Chair renewal (2022-2027) as PI McGill Nursing Collaborative grant (2023-2025) as Co-I: iRespite mHealth app for palliative care Labs and Teams: She directs the ACT Lab, which partners with healthcare providers, public libraries, and community organizations to develop and deploy inclusive technologies. Current initiatives include the QuickPic AAC system for speech therapy, dementia-focused social programs with Montreal libraries, and Quebec-wide respite care coordination tools, all developed through interdisciplinary collaboration with clinicians, caregivers, and end-users.
Louis Hickman is an Assistant Professor of Industrial-Organizational Psychology at Virginia Tech’s Department of Psychology. He also serves as a Visiting Academic at Amazon and holds a Senior Fellow position at Wharton People Analytics, University of Pennsylvania. His research bridges technology and work, focusing on machine learning applications in organizational science, particularly automated interviews and algorithmic fairness. He leads the Workplace Assessment and Social Perceptions (WASP) Lab, exploring how biases influence hiring and using AI to reduce algorithmic bias. Hickman holds a Ph.D. in Industrial-Organizational Psychology from Purdue University (2021), alongside advanced degrees in Computer Science and Creative Writing. His work emphasizes interdisciplinary collaboration, spanning psychology, computer science, and management. Research Interests: Automated personnel assessment via AI Algorithmic bias mitigation in hiring Machine learning applications in HR and education Interpersonal perception dynamics Unproctored testing in the AI era Publications: Recent work examines automated interview validity, LLM impacts on testing, and recruitment algorithm ethics. His 2025 studies highlight risks of unproctored testing and bias in automated systems. Earlier research (2023–2022) explores text mining for personality assessment and fairness in AI-driven selection. Awards: None explicitly mentioned, though his work has been widely cited in organizational psychology and AI ethics domains. Advising & Labs: Currently not accepting graduate students for 2026, but oversees the WASP Lab. Past research collaborations include projects on LLM competencies, bias simulation, and algorithmic fairness frameworks. Grants and funding sources are unspecified in provided text.
Dr. Anna Bobak is a Senior Lecturer in Psychology at the University of Stirling, UK. She holds a PhD from Bournemouth University (2016) and joined Stirling as a Research Assistant on an EPSRC project under Peter Hancock before transitioning to her current role. Her primary research focuses on individual differences in unfamiliar face recognition, particularly developmental prosopagnosia, and the reliability of face-processing assessments. She also investigates neurodiversity in women, emphasizing lived experiences of autism and ADHD, including camouflaging behaviors and societal awareness. Research Interests: Face Recognition: Examines perceptual strategies, diagnostic criteria (e.g., Balanced Integration Score), and technological applications in forensic contexts. Neurodiversity: Explores gender-specific manifestations of autism and ADHD, societal perceptions, and support mechanisms. Cognitive Methodology: Advances psychometric rigor in face-processing studies and critiques measurement validity. Her work bridges theoretical research and real-world applications, such as evaluating automated face recognition technology’s biases and collaborating on initiatives like #ScienceForUkraine to aid displaced academics. She is affiliated with the Cognition in Complex Environments research group and contributes to global security and resilience themes at Stirling.
Dr. Preston Foerder is Assistant Professor of Psychology specializing in comparative cognition research. His work examines problem-solving abilities across species including elephants, otters, dolphins, and therapy dogs. Key findings include documenting the first evidence of insightful tool use in elephants and analyzing socialization effects on feline cognition. Current research investigates therapy dog impacts on human anxiety and zoo animal enrichment strategies. Foerder's doctoral research established novel paradigms for studying insight in non-human species. His zoo-based approach combines behavioral observation with controlled cognitive testing. Prior to academia, Foerder worked professionally as a puppeteer, bringing unique perspectives to animal behavior interpretation.
Pietro Ortoleva is a Professor of Economics and Public Affairs at Princeton University , affiliated with the Department of Economics and the School of Public and International Affairs. His research spans Decision Theory , Behavioral Economics , Experimental Economics , and Political Economy , with a focus on understanding deviations from traditional economic models. Education: PhD in Economics, New York University (2009); BA in Economics, Università degli Studi di Torino (2004). Professional Roles: Coeditor of the American Economic Review (since 2021), former Editor of the Journal of Economic Theory (2018–2020), and editorial board member for multiple journals. His work investigates stochastic choice , ambiguity aversion , and reference-dependent preferences , often through incentivized experiments. Recent studies include the role of social norms in vaccine uptake , cautious utility models , and non-Bayesian belief updating . He has secured multiple National Science Foundation grants for projects on behavioral economics and decision-making under uncertainty. His 15 most recent publications reveal trends in behavioral decision theory , with emphasis on randomization preferences , time lotteries , cognitive biases , and political behavior . These studies frequently bridge economics, psychology, and public policy.
Jonathan Cannon is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour at McMaster University's Faculty of Science. His research focuses on timing and rhythm in perception and action, with particular interest in timing-related neural dynamics in the basal ganglia, cerebellum, and supplementary motor area. His work combines mathematical modeling with experimental approaches to understand the neural basis of rhythm perception and production. Dr. Cannon's research interests span timing and rhythm perception , neural dynamics , dynamical systems theory , Bayesian cognition , neural oscillations , and autism research . His approach centers on formulating and simulating neurophysiological and cognitive models, drawing on dynamical systems theory and Bayesian cognitive frameworks. His work incorporates psychophysics, EEG experiments, and collaborations with experimentalists to investigate how the brain processes rhythmic information. Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong focus on the intersection of rhythm perception, motor control, and autism spectrum disorder. His work demonstrates how beat perception co-opts motor neurophysiology, with particular attention to predictive processes in rhythmic cognition. His research shows reduced precision of motor and perceptual rhythmic timing in autistic adults, while also finding intact sequence learning abilities in certain contexts. Dr. Cannon teaches advanced courses including Machine Learning Methods for Brain Modelling and Neural Data Analysis (PSYCH 734), Computational Models in Neuroscience (NEUROSCI 3MN3), and Neuroscience Seminars. His teaching reflects his interdisciplinary approach that bridges mathematics, neuroscience, and cognitive science. Beyond his academic work, Dr. Cannon is an active musician who performs on violin and guitar, particularly in klezmer and folk music contexts. He has also demonstrated entrepreneurial spirit through founding Flying Leap Games and developing the storytelling game 'Wing It,' which successfully crowdfunded and reached numerous retailers.
Ruixiang Tang is an Assistant Professor at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. His research focuses on artificial intelligence, machine learning, and natural language processing, with an emphasis on multimodal learning, model security, and ethical AI. He explores topics such as adversarial robustness, bias mitigation, and applications in healthcare and robotics. Key research interests include developing robust algorithms for vision-language models, analyzing model vulnerabilities like backdoors and hallucinations, and designing trustworthy AI systems. His work bridges theoretical advancements and practical applications, addressing challenges in healthcare data augmentation, copyright infringement detection, and cognitive reasoning. His recent publications highlight contributions to multimodal in-context learning, counterfactual reasoning benchmarks, and secure model optimization. Tang's research also intersects with fairness in AI, such as mitigating bias in NLP models and ensuring equitable outcomes in medical applications.
Susannah V Levi serves as an Associate Professor in the Department of Communicative Sciences and Disorders at New York University's Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development. She holds multiple leadership roles including Director of Undergraduate Studies for the Department of Communicative Sciences and Disorders and Director of the Acoustic Phonetics and Perception Lab (APPL). She also serves as Affiliate Faculty in both Linguistics and Psychology departments. Dr. Levi received her educational training through: BA in Mathematics and French from Washington University in St. Louis MA in Linguistics from the University of Washington, Seattle PhD in Linguistics from the University of Washington, Seattle Post-doctoral research in Psychological and Brain Sciences at Indiana University Her research program focuses on spoken language processing, examining how listener characteristics (languages spoken, reading ability, language ability) interact with spoken utterance properties (native versus nonnative speech, talker familiarity, semantic predictability) during processing. Her work spans fundamental speech perception mechanisms to clinical applications for individuals with language and reading disorders. Recent research has increasingly focused on gender expression in speech, expanding traditional binary gender frameworks to include transgender and gender nonconforming speakers. She has made significant contributions to understanding how talker familiarity benefits speech processing in children and adults, with implications for clinical interventions. Analysis of Dr. Levi's recent publications reveals several key research trends: an expansion from basic speech perception mechanisms to clinical applications; growing emphasis on gender diversity in speech science; increasing integration of sociolinguistic factors with cognitive processing; and methodological innovations in measuring speech perception. Her work demonstrates a clear trajectory from foundational research on talker processing to applied work addressing real-world communication challenges, particularly for vulnerable populations including children with language disorders and gender diverse individuals. Dr. Levi actively mentors students, as evidenced by the numerous publications where student co-authors are marked with asterisks. Her research program is currently funded by the National Science Foundation, supporting work in the Acoustic Phonetics and Perception Lab. Her laboratory work focuses on speech perception mechanisms, with particular attention to how listeners process speech from familiar versus unfamiliar talkers, how this develops in children, and how it applies to clinical populations. The lab has increasingly incorporated gender-expansive perspectives into speech science research, examining acoustic properties of speech across gender identities.
Peter Fino is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Health, Kinesiology, and Recreation within the College of Health at the University of Utah. He directs the Neuromechanics and Applied Locomotion Lab, which is situated within the Cognitive and Motor Neuroscience research theme. His research focuses on understanding and improving mobility in individuals with neurological dysfunction, particularly those with brain injuries, using core concepts from biomechanics and motor control to develop better diagnostic tools and rehabilitation approaches. Dr. Fino's research explores how humans maintain stability during everyday activities that require complex motor control. His primary areas of investigation include: Foot placement control during walking and turning on uneven surfaces Balance recovery mechanisms following perturbations Effects of neurological conditions like concussion and Parkinson's disease on gait Development and application of inertial sensor technology for clinical assessment Neuroanatomical correlates of motor dysfunction after brain injury Nonlinear dynamics approaches to understanding human movement His lab employs a multidisciplinary approach, collaborating with engineers, clinicians, physical therapists, and neuroscientists to translate research findings into practical applications that improve people's lives. Current projects examine mobility in populations with traumatic brain injury, Parkinson's disease, and other neurological conditions, with particular focus on turning gait, dual-task performance, and objective measurement of balance recovery using wearable sensor technology. Dr. Fino actively mentors a diverse research team comprising PhD students, MS students, research coordinators, and undergraduate researchers. His lab has produced numerous graduates who have gone on to academic positions, clinical research roles, and healthcare professions. He maintains strong collaborative relationships across the University of Utah and with external institutions including Oregon Health & Science University, University of Nebraska Omaha, and US Army-Baylor Physical Therapy. The lab participates in outreach through National Biomechanics Day and partnerships with high school programs to introduce students to biomechanics and neuroscience.
Dr. Iain Garner is the Executive Dean of the College of Social Sciences and Arts at Sheffield Hallam University. He has held several senior roles, including Associate Dean for Business and Enterprise (2019-2022), Head of the Department for Education Childhood and Inclusion (2013-2019), and Director of International and Market Development (2010-2013). His academic background in Psychology drives his research into Forensic Psychology , Eyewitness Testimony , and the Media's Portrayal of Crime . He explores how psychological perception affects legal systems and public understanding of criminal justice. Recent publications highlight his work in Medical Education (e.g., mental simulation for cardiac arrest training), Autism Research , and Higher Education Leadership . Dr. Garner actively supervises postgraduate research, including Stacey, Al-Ali, Moore, and Beardon. He contributes to university governance as a member of the Strategic Marketing Development Group and manages student recruitment for those with criminal convictions. His work emphasizes Internationalization of curricula, Virtual Learning Environments , and Applied Psychology in real-world contexts.
