Ting Lu is an Associate Professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in the School of Biomedical and Translational Sciences, focusing on microbial synthetic biology and systems biology. Their research bridges biology, engineering, and physics to reprogram cellular functionalities through gene regulatory networks. Ph.D. in Biophysics, University of California at San Diego (2007) B.S. in Physics, Zhejiang University (2002) Ting Lu's work explores microbial ecosystems, synthetic gene circuits, and their applications in biotechnology and medicine. By combining experimental approaches with mathematical modeling, they investigate bacterial communication networks, metabolic pathways, and spatial dynamics in microbial communities. Selected research trends include microbial consortia engineering for bioremediation and bioproduction, complexity reduction in microbiomes, and predictive modeling of synthetic gene networks. Their publications span high-impact journals such as Nature Communications , Nature Chemical Biology , and eLife . Fellow, American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (2022) Future Insight Prize (2021) Donald Biggar Willett Faculty Scholar (UIUC) (2020) NIH Maximizing Investigators' Research Award (2019) NSF CAREER Award (2015) AHA National Scientist Development Grant (2012) Ting Lu's lab has received grants from NIH, NSF, ONR, and industry partners. They offer undergraduate research opportunities in synthetic and systems biology, and teach advanced courses such as BIOE 430 - Intro Synthetic Biology and BIOE 432 - Systems Biology .
Gail E. Kaiser is a Professor of Computer Science and the Director of the Programming Systems Laboratory (PSL) in the Computer Science Department at Columbia University. She has been with Columbia University since 1985, becoming a full Professor in 1998. Prof. Kaiser's research spans software engineering, program analysis, software testing, and software security, with recent focus on addressing challenges in AI/ML systems testing and security. Prof. Kaiser received her PhD in Computer Science from Carnegie Mellon University in 1985 and her ScB in Computer Science and Engineering from MIT in 1979. Her dissertation at CMU was titled "Semantics for Structure Editing Environments" under advisor Nico Habermann, and at MIT she completed "Automatic Extension of an Augmented Transition Network Grammar for Morse Code Conversations" under advisor Al Vezza. Prof. Kaiser's research interests primarily focus on software engineering following a systems building approach, with recent emphasis on static and dynamic program analysis techniques to improve software reliability and security. Since 2005, she has investigated testing "non-testable" programs, particularly in machine learning, data mining, and scientific computing applications where traditional testing oracles are insufficient. She has developed novel techniques and tools for detecting bugs and verifying repairs in complex systems. Concurrently, she has worked on collaboration environments for computational scientists, creating knowledge sharing and domain-aware environments to support scientific workflows. Prof. Kaiser's recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on the intersection of software engineering and artificial intelligence. Her work addresses critical challenges in testing AI systems, code understanding through deep learning, vulnerability detection, and educational tools for computational thinking. There's a clear evolution from traditional software engineering topics toward AI/ML applications, with particular emphasis on metamorphic testing for non-testable systems, code similarity analysis, and educational applications. Prof. Kaiser has received numerous prestigious awards throughout her career: Distinguished Journal Award (10 Years) from 18th IEEE International Conference on Software Testing, Verification and Validation (ICST), April 2025 Best Research Paper Award at 24th IEEE International Conference on Source Code Analysis & Manipulation (SCAM), October 2024 Distinguished Reviewer Awards for ASE 2024 and FSE 2024 ACM SIGSOFT Distinguished Paper Award for "CONCORD: Clone-aware Contrastive Learning for Source Code", July 2023 Best Student Paper Award at ICCE 2021 Multiple ACM SIGSOFT Distinguished Paper Awards dating back to 2014 Presidential Young Investigator in Software Engineering and Software Systems from NSF (1988-1993) Prof. Kaiser has chaired Columbia's doctoral program since 1997 and served on editorial boards including IEEE Internet Computing and as a founding associate editor of ACM Transactions on Software Engineering and Methodology. Her lab has been continuously funded by major agencies including NSF, NIH, DARPA, ONR, NASA, and numerous companies. Current grants include significant NSF funding for secure containers architecture, learning semantics of code for software assurance, and finding semantic security bugs. As Director of the Programming Systems Laboratory (PSL), Prof. Kaiser leads research in software systems, program analysis, and software testing. The lab has developed numerous tools and techniques for software reliability and security, with recent focus on challenges in AI/ML systems. Her work bridges theoretical foundations with practical applications, often resulting in deployable tools that address real-world software engineering challenges.
Changxi Zheng is an Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Science at Columbia University's School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS). He directs Columbia's Computer Graphics Group (C2G2) within the Columbia Vision and Graphics Center (CVGC). After receiving his PhD from Cornell University, he joined the faculty of Computer Science Department at Columbia, where he has established himself as a leading researcher in computer graphics and scientific computing. Dr. Zheng's research spans multiple areas of applied computer science with a particular focus on computer graphics and scientific computing. His work centers around developing numerical models for simulating physical phenomena involving complex motions such as fluids, bubbles, and thin rods, along with their resulting acoustic waves. Leveraging computational insights from these models, he devises methods for improving tangible object creation, enabling novel human-computer interactions, and developing software tools for acoustic and photonic devices. His research has attracted significant public interest and media coverage, including projects like FontCode, AirCode, and Computational Metallophone Design. His recent publications reveal a strong interdisciplinary approach, bridging computer graphics, physics simulation, machine learning, and hardware design. His work demonstrates consistent innovation in computational methods for simulating physical phenomena and applying these techniques to practical problems in 3D printing, acoustic modeling, and interactive systems. The breadth of his research spans from fundamental physics-based simulations to practical applications in industry. Columbia SEAS Dean's Fellow (for advised students) NSF Graduate Research Fellow (for Ruilin Xu) Snap Research Fellow (for Rundi Wu) CKGSB Fellow (for Yun Fei) Adobe Research Fellow (for Gabriel Cirio) Marie Sklodowska-Curie Individual Fellow (for Rundi Wu) Best Paper Award at ACM International Conference on Multimedia (ACMMM), 2019 Dr. Zheng actively mentors a diverse group of students, including current PhD candidates and postdoctoral researchers. His research group has received support from various sources that enable their innovative work in computational graphics and physics-based simulation. He has supervised numerous successful students who have gone on to positions at leading technology companies including Adobe, Tencent, Facebook, and academic institutions. As director of Columbia's Computer Graphics Group (C2G2) within the Columbia Vision and Graphics Center (CVGC), Dr. Zheng leads a vibrant research team focused on advancing the state of the art in computer graphics, physics-based simulation, and their applications. The group maintains strong collaborations with industry partners and academic institutions worldwide, fostering an environment of innovation and practical application of theoretical concepts.
Michael O'Boyle is a Professor at the University of Edinburgh's School of Informatics, where he serves as Director of the ARM Research Centre of Excellence and the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Pervasive Parallelism. Holding an EPSRC Established Career Research Fellowship, he leads pioneering work in compiler technology for heterogeneous architectures, bridging theoretical advances with practical high-performance computing applications. Professor O'Boyle's research spans multiple cutting-edge areas including heterogeneous code discovery and optimization, neural machine translation for program synthesis, deep neural network system stack optimization, software-defined hardware, and compiler/architecture co-design. His approach integrates constraint analysis, program synthesis, and machine learning to address complex challenges in high-performance computing across diverse hardware platforms. His recent publications reveal a strong trend toward integrating machine learning with traditional compiler techniques, particularly in neural program synthesis, tensor optimization, and architecture-aware compilation. This work represents a paradigm shift in compiler design, moving from rule-based systems to learning-based approaches that can automatically adapt to diverse hardware targets. IEEE/ACM CGO 2025 Distinguished Paper Award for 'Tensorize: Fast Synthesis of Tensor Programs from Legacy Code' IEEE/ACM CGO 2024 Test of Time Award ACM GPCE 2023 Best Paper Award for 'C2TACO: Lifting Tensor Code to TACOM' ACM ASPLOS 2021 Distinguished Paper Award IEEE HPCA 2021 Best Paper Award for 'Prodigy: Improving the Memory Latency of Data-Indirect Irregular Workloads' Professor O'Boyle has successfully mentored numerous PhD students who have secured prominent positions in academia (including at Cambridge, Edinburgh, Leeds, and McGill) and industry (including Meta, NVIDIA, Qualcomm, Huawei, and Microsoft). His research is supported by significant funding from EPSRC, ARM, and European projects including Bonseyes and Transmuter, demonstrating strong international recognition and industry impact. He leads the influential Compiler and Architecture Design (CArD) Group at the University of Edinburgh and is a founder of the HiPEAC Network of Excellence, which has grown into a major European initiative connecting researchers and practitioners in high-performance and embedded computing.
Professor Mette Eilstrup-Sangiovanni serves as Senior Lecturer in International Studies within the Department of Politics and International Studies (POLIS) at the University of Cambridge and holds a Fellowship in International Relations at Sidney Sussex College. Her teaching portfolio encompasses International Organization, International Relations Theory, International Security, History and Theory of European Integration, and Research Design and Methodology, reflecting her dual institutional commitments. Her research program centers on International Security, International Organizations, and European Integration with specialized expertise in Global Governance and Transnational Networks. She investigates how formal and informal institutions shape security governance frameworks, weapons proliferation regimes, and European defense architectures through rigorous application of network theory. This analytical lens reveals critical insights into cooperation dynamics and institutional evolution within international security contexts. Publication analysis shows consistent thematic development from foundational work on balance-of-power theory (2008-2009) toward contemporary examinations of multipolarity's institutional impacts (2013-2014). Her scholarship demonstrates methodological continuity in applying network analysis to diverse security challenges, from terrorist organizations to EU defense policy, while maintaining focus on institutional interplay in global governance structures.
Marina Agranov is Professor of Economics at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), affiliated with the Division of Humanities and Social Sciences. She directs research through the Ronald and Maxine Linde Institute of Economic and Management Sciences, Center for Social Information Sciences (CSIS), and Center for Theoretical and Experimental Social Sciences (CTESS), and serves as Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER). Her academic credentials include a B.A. from St. Petersburg State Technical University (1999), M.A. from Tel Aviv University (2004), and Ph.D. from New York University (2010). She joined Caltech as Assistant Professor in 2010 and was promoted to full Professor in 2017. Agranov's research pioneers experimental and behavioral economics, focusing on strategic decision-making in bargaining games, social learning environments, network interactions, and information dynamics. Her work examines how individuals form beliefs and navigate tensions between personal goals and collective outcomes, often using controlled laboratory experiments to test theoretical predictions about human behavior under uncertainty. Her recent publications reveal a consistent methodological approach: blending game-theoretic models with experimental validation to investigate communication effects, randomization preferences, and institutional design. Key trends include analyzing how uncertainty impacts committee negotiations, how complexity influences egalitarian outcomes in legislative bargaining, and how information structures shape social learning on networks. Her scientific recognition includes: Associated Students of Caltech (ASCIT) Teaching Award (2017-18) Professor Agranov's research has secured significant institutional support through Caltech centers and NBER affiliation, with findings featured in major economics journals and Caltech news coverage including "Decision by Committee: How Uncertainty Shapes Negotiations" (December 2024) and "Experimental Economics in Theory and Practice" (July 2023). Her work on committee decision-making under uncertainty has direct implications for institutional design in political and corporate governance. She actively contributes to Caltech's research ecosystem through CSIS and CTESS, which facilitate interdisciplinary collaborations in social sciences and experimental methodology development.
Dr. Yi-Feng Chen is a Research Assistant Professor and Master's Supervisor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech) in Shenzhen, China. He joined SUSTech as a postdoctoral fellow in November 2020 and was promoted to Research Assistant Professor in February 2023. His academic journey includes interdisciplinary training across engineering, neuroscience, and biomedical applications. Dr. Chen's educational background includes: Ph.D. in Engineering from Wuhan University of Technology (2014-2017), supervised by Professor Quan Liu M.Sc. from Wuhan University of Technology (2011-2014), supervised by Professor Zhou Zude B.Sc. from Wuhan University of Technology (2007-2011) He also participated in exchange programs at Yuan Ze University in Taiwan (2012) and the University of Auckland in New Zealand (2015). Dr. Chen's research spans the intersection of biomedical engineering, neuroscience, and artificial intelligence, with particular focus on brain-computer interfaces and rehabilitation technologies. His work combines advanced signal processing techniques with clinical applications, especially in decoding neural signals for movement intention and monitoring brain states during anesthesia. His research has significant implications for neurorehabilitation, assistive technologies, and intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring. His recent publications demonstrate a clear trajectory toward increasingly sophisticated neural decoding techniques, with a focus on coordinated limb movements and practical rehabilitation applications. The work shows progression from basic EEG signal processing to complex bimanual movement decoding and robot-assisted rehabilitation systems, reflecting a translational research approach from basic science to clinical applications. Dr. Chen has secured significant research funding as principal investigator and core contributor on multiple projects: National Natural Science Foundation of China Youth Science Fund Project (2024-2026) Guangdong Natural Science Foundation General Project (2024-2026) Ministry of Science and Technology National Key R&D Program Project (2023-2026) Shenzhen Science and Technology Innovation Commission Key Project (2022-2025) As a Master's Supervisor, Dr. Chen mentors graduate students in biomedical engineering with focus on neural engineering and rehabilitation robotics. His laboratory collaborates closely with clinical partners to ensure research relevance to real-world medical challenges, particularly in neurorehabilitation and intraoperative monitoring.
Goran Strbac is a Professor of Energy Systems at Imperial College London's Faculty of Engineering, holding the Chair in Electrical Energy Systems. He leads the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering and directs the joint Imperial-Tsinghua Research Centre on Intelligent Power and Energy Systems. His roles include IPCC WG 3 Leading Author, OFGEM RIIO-2 Challenging Group Member, and member of multiple EU energy platforms. Strbac's research focuses on multi-energy systems integration, energy market design, renewable integration, distributed energy resources, and grid resilience. Notable contributions include whole-energy system modeling across operation and investment scales, market mechanisms for flexibility services, and security assessments for low-carbon infrastructure. His work emphasizes resilience and decarbonization, with over 500 publications and 4 co-authored books. He advises governments and regulatory bodies on energy policy, including contributions to UK Smart System Forum and European Technology and Innovation Platforms. His recent articles explore AI-driven grid optimization, hydrogen integration, and transactive energy systems. Strbac leads major initiatives like the UK Centre for Grid Scale Energy Storage and chairs resilience-focused research clusters. His research bridges academia and industry, informing policy through rigorous systems analysis and innovative modeling frameworks.
Mark Crowley is an Associate Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Waterloo, with a cross-appointment in the Cheriton School of Computer Science. He is a member of the Waterloo Artificial Intelligence Institute (WAII) and the Waterloo Institute for Complexity and Innovation (WICI), and serves as National Secretary of the Canadian Artificial Intelligence Association (CAIAC). His educational background includes a Ph.D. and M.Sc. in Computer Science from the University of British Columbia, where he worked in the Laboratory for Computational Intelligence, and a B.A. in Computer Science from York University. He completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Oregon State University working with Tom Dietterich's machine learning group. Crowley's research focuses on developing dependable and transparent algorithms to augment human decision-making in complex domains with multiple agents, spatial structure, or uncertainty. His work spans Reinforcement Learning , Deep Learning , Ensemble Methods , and Manifold Learning . He frequently collaborates with researchers in applied fields including Computational Sustainability, Sustainable Forest Management, Autonomous Driving, Medical Imaging, and Material Design. His research is motivated by both theoretical opportunities and real-world challenges such as forest fire management, automotive applications, and medical imaging. His recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on addressing challenges in reinforcement learning, particularly around observation costs, multi-agent systems, and causal representation learning. His work on ChemGymRL provides a significant contribution to digital chemistry and material design through reinforcement learning frameworks. The textbook Elements of Dimensionality Reduction and Manifold Learning represents a major contribution to the theoretical foundations of machine learning. Crowley actively supervises graduate students, with recent thesis completions including Shayan Shirahmadi Gale Bagi (PhD, Feb 2025) and Oleksandra Nahorna (MASc, Dec 2024). His lab, UWECEML (Waterloo ECE Machine Learning Lab), focuses on developing new algorithms at the intersection of Machine Learning, Optimization, and Probabilistic Modeling. He teaches courses including ECE 457C (Reinforcement Learning), ECE 657A (Data & Knowledge Modelling & Analysis), and ECE 457B (Fundamentals of Computational Intelligence). His blog Computationally Thinking explores AI, machine learning, and the societal impact of these technologies.
Bradley D. Olsen is a full professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he leads research at the intersection of polymer science, soft matter physics, and bioengineering. His work focuses on designing materials for critical applications in biotechnology, hemostasis, and sustainable polymer development while advancing fundamental understanding of polymer network mechanics and self-assembly. Education: Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering, University of California Berkeley (2007) S.B. in Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (2003) Olsen's research spans protein-based materials, block copolymer phase behavior, and mechanochemical hydrogels. He has pioneered methods for quantifying polymer network topology, developing hemostatic nanoparticles, and creating bio-inspired materials for selective biomolecular transport and medical applications. His recent publications emphasize data-driven approaches to polymer characterization and educational outreach in materials science. Scientific Awards: American Physical Society (APS) Fellow (2023) Fulbright Amazonia Scholar (2023) Alexander and I. Michael Kasser Chair in Chemical Engineering (2021) ACS Macro Letters Young Investigator Award (2021) MIT Committed to Caring Honor (2019) AIChE Owens Corning Early Career Award (2019) APS Dillon Medal (2018) Kavli Emerging Leader in Chemistry (2017) ACS Polymer Division Fellow (2016) Camille Dreyfus-Teacher Scholar (2015) Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellow (2014) NSF Career Grant (2013) NIH Postdoctoral Fellowship (2008-2009) Hertz Fellow (2003-2007) Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship (2002) Olsen has received significant grant support including NSF Career (2013) and AFOSR (2012) awards. His teaching activities include innovative international outreach like the 2025 soccer-themed science camp in Brazil. The Olsen Group at MIT explores advanced materials with applications ranging from trauma care to sustainable polymers.
Liming Feng is an Associate Professor at the Department of Industrial and Enterprise Systems Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and has served as Director of the Master of Science in Financial Engineering (MSFE) program since 2022. His academic career at the university spans from Assistant Professor (2006-2012) to his current role. He earned his Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering and Management Sciences from Northwestern University (2006), an M.S. in Mathematics from Northwestern University (2000), and a B.S. in Mathematics from Beijing Normal University (1997). Ph.D., Industrial Engineering and Management Sciences, Northwestern University, 2006 M.S., Mathematics, Northwestern University, 2000 B.S., Mathematics, Beijing Normal University, 1997 Feng’s research focuses on Financial Engineering, Stochastic Modeling, and Computational Methods. He has contributed extensively to quantitative finance, particularly in options pricing, portfolio optimization, and market impact models. His work leverages advanced numerical methods, Fourier transforms, and stochastic calculus to solve complex financial problems. The trends in his publications highlight expertise in Levy processes, jump diffusion models, and numerical algorithms for financial derivatives. He has developed innovative techniques for Bermudan options pricing, discretely monitored barrier options, and portfolio deleveraging strategies. His articles often intersect Operations Research with Financial Engineering, emphasizing computational efficiency and mathematical rigor. ISE Faculty Fellow (2025) INFORMS Financial Services Section Best Student Research Paper (2013) First runner-up of the 2012 Morgan Stanley Prize for Excellence in Financial Markets Feng has served on editorial boards for Operations Research Letters and Mathematical Finance . He has been recognized repeatedly for teaching excellence, including the Sharp Outstanding Teaching Award (2011, 2022) and multiple entries in the List of Teachers Ranked as Excellent by Their Students (2007-2024). He currently leads the MSFE program and contributes to curriculum development through courses like IE 522 (Statistical Methods in Finance) and IE 527 (MSFE Professional Development).
Lourens Waldorp is an Associate Professor at the University of Amsterdam within the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences , specifically the Department of Psychological Methods . His research focuses on network theory, causal inference, and statistical modeling in psychology and neuroscience. University of Amsterdam IAS Fellow (2024) His research interests include: Network psychometrics Causal inference in psychological models High-dimensional statistical methods Dynamical systems in psychopathology Graph theory applications Signal processing for biophysical data The trends in his recent publications center on causal modeling, network analysis of psychopathology, and statistical techniques for time-series data. He has developed methods for perturbation graphs, moderated network models, and dynamic intervention frameworks. Notable scientific awards : IAS Fellowship for 6 months (2024) He advises PhD students like Kyra Evers and collaborates with researchers across disciplines, including J. Haslbeck , D. Borsboom , and O. Ryan . His work intersects with network theory and clinical psychology .
Andrew Childs is a Professor at the University of Maryland, affiliated with the Department of Computer Science and the Institute for Advanced Computer Studies (UMIACS). He serves as Director of the NSF Quantum Leap Challenge Institute for Robust Quantum Simulation (RQS) and is a Fellow at the Joint Center for Quantum Information and Computer Science (QuICS). His research focuses on quantum algorithms for simulating physical systems, algebraic problems, and quantum walk protocols, with applications in quantum computing and computational complexity. University of Maryland Institute for Advanced Computer Studies (UMIACS) Joint Center for Quantum Information and Computer Science (QuICS) NSF Quantum Leap Challenge Institute for Robust Quantum Simulation Childs' research spans quantum simulation, quantum Fourier transform, phase estimation, and Hamiltonian dynamics. He has developed techniques to reduce quantum computational resources for simulating quantum systems and explored limitations of quantum computers through hidden subgroup problems and non-unitary dynamics. His publications cover diverse areas including quantum walk optimization, Hamiltonian simulation methods, and applications to cryptography and condensed matter physics. Recent works address spatial search algorithms, product formulas for commutators, and quantum routing protocols. As an educator, Childs has taught courses on quantum algorithms and information processing at both the University of Maryland and University of Waterloo, with lecture notes and materials spanning multiple years. Contact: amchilds@umd.edu | Office: ATL 3359 | Affiliated with University of Maryland's quantum research institutes.
Tom Rainforth is an Associate Professor of Statistical Machine Learning at the University of Oxford's Department of Statistics, leading the RainML Research Lab (rainml.uk). He holds a Tutorial Fellowship at Mansfield College and is Principal Investigator of the ERC Starting Grant 'Data-Driven Algorithms for Data Acquisition' (2024–2029). Previously, he held roles including a postdoc under Yee Whye Teh (2017–2019), Junior Research Fellow at Christ Church College (2019–2019), and Florence Nightingale Bicentennial Fellow (2020–2024). He earned his MEng in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Cambridge and his D.Phil from Oxford under Frank Wood and Michael Osborne, focusing on probabilistic programming and Monte Carlo methods. He briefly worked in Ferrari's Formula 1 team. Research Interests : Bayesian experimental design, probabilistic and data-efficient machine learning, active learning, deep learning (with a focus on probabilistic approaches), probabilistic programming, and Monte Carlo methods. His work emphasizes statistical efficiency and adaptive algorithms. Publications : Recent contributions span modern Bayesian experimental design, adaptive importance sampling (Daisee), and applications of probabilistic methods in LLMs and generative models. His research bridges theory and practice, addressing challenges in scalability and robustness. Awards : ERC Starting Grant (2024–2029), highlighting his leadership in foundational AI research. Advising & Grants : Supervises 15 graduate students, including work on Bayesian neural networks, generative flows, and experimental design. His ERC grant supports cutting-edge data-driven algorithm development. Labs & Teams : Directs the RainML Lab, which develops scalable Bayesian methods and probabilistic AI systems.
I-Hong Hou is a Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Texas A&M University, part of the College of Engineering. He holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from National Taiwan University (2004), and M.S./Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (2008/2011). His research focuses on wireless networks, cloud/edge computing, and machine learning with notable contributions to real-time systems and network optimization. Education : B.S., Electrical Engineering, National Taiwan University, 2004 M.S., Computer Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2008 Ph.D., Computer Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2011 Research Highlights : Hou’s work emphasizes Age of Information (AoI) , distributed learning, and scheduling algorithms for edge computing. He has pioneered frameworks integrating machine learning with network protocols, such as deep reinforcement learning for restless bandits and second-order optimization for wireless systems. His methods address real-time communication challenges in multi-hop networks and dynamic environments. Awards : Best Paper Awards at ACM MobiHoc (2017, 2020) Best Student Paper, WiOpt 2017 C.W. Gear Outstanding Graduate Student Award, UIUC Advising & Grants : Advised PhD student Siqi Fan (graduated 2024). His research has been supported by grants exploring edge-cloud reconfiguration, real-time video delivery, and neural Whittle index networks. Recent work includes optimizing freshness of information in multi-user systems and developing threshold-optimal policies for complex decision-making. Labs/Teams : Leads the Computer Engineering and Systems Group (CESG) at Texas A&M, collaborating on projects blending networking, machine learning, and distributed systems.
