Agnes Desolneux is a CNRS Research Director at the Borelli Centre (formerly CMLA) and a Professor attached to the Mathematics Department at ENS Paris-Saclay. Education: PhD in Applied Mathematics (2000) from ENS Cachan Habilitation in Applied Mathematics (2010) from Université Paris Descartes Her research focuses on image analysis via statistical methods , particularly a contrario approaches, image restoration, texture synthesis, Determinantal Point Processes (DPP), optimal transport, Gaussian mixtures, geometry of random field excursions, shot-noise models, and mathematical modeling of visual perception through Gestalt theory. The articles extracted reflect her expertise in applied mathematics and computer vision , with recent works (2025-2020) on optimal transport algorithms, DPP applications, multiscale texture analysis, and stochastic modeling in medical imaging. Keywords span machine learning, probability theory, medical imaging, and computer vision . She has no listed scientific awards but has authored influential works including the book From Gestalt Theory to Image Analysis: A Probabilistic Approach (Springer, 2008) and Pattern Theory: the stochastic analysis of real-world signals (AK Peters, 2010).
Hanbyul Joo is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at Seoul National University (SNU). Prior to joining SNU, he was a Research Scientist at Facebook AI Research (FAIR) in Menlo Park. He completed his Ph.D. in the Robotics Institute at Carnegie Mellon University, working with Yaser Sheikh, and received his M.S. in Electrical Engineering and B.S. in Computer Science from KAIST, Korea. Dr. Joo's educational journey began at KAIST, where he earned both his Bachelor's and Master's degrees. He then pursued his Ph.D. at Carnegie Mellon University's Robotics Institute, completing his dissertation titled "Sensing, Measuring, and Modeling Social Signals in Nonverbal Communication." His doctoral work focused on developing the Panoptic Studio, a unique sensing system with over 500 synchronized cameras for capturing social interactions. Dr. Joo's research primarily focuses on endowing machines and robots with the ability to perceive and understand human behaviors in 3D . His goal is to build "social Artificial Intelligence" that can interact with humans using social signals (body languages). He pursues this direction using data-driven methods where data is collected by measuring the wide spectrum of social signals transmitted during interpersonal social interaction. His research spans computer vision, machine learning, computer graphics, and robotics , with particular emphasis on 3D human pose estimation, human-object interaction, and social signal processing. His recent publications demonstrate a clear trend toward leveraging diffusion models for 3D reconstruction and generation tasks, with a focus on human-centric applications. His work bridges the gap between 2D image understanding and 3D scene reconstruction, often utilizing pre-trained models to overcome data limitations. The research consistently addresses fundamental challenges in understanding human behavior, interaction with objects, and social dynamics in 3D space. Dr. Joo is a recipient of several prestigious awards including the Samsung Scholarship and the CVPR Best Student Paper Award in 2018 . His paper "Total Capture: A 3D Deformation Model for Tracking Faces, Hands, and Bodies" received this honor at CVPR 2018. His research has been widely recognized in top computer vision and AI conferences, with multiple oral presentations at venues like CVPR, ICCV, and ECCV. Dr. Joo actively mentors a large group of students, with approximately 15 current students working toward MS/PhD degrees under his supervision. His lab, the SNU VCLab, focuses on cutting-edge research in computer vision and graphics. He has secured significant research funding through his work, though specific grant details aren't provided on his website. Dr. Joo frequently serves as an area chair for major conferences including CVPR, ICCV, and NeurIPS, demonstrating his standing in the academic community. Dr. Joo leads the SNU VCLab, which has developed several notable datasets and tools including SNU ParaHome, FrankMocap, and the CMU Panoptic Studio Dataset. His lab maintains strong industry connections, with students interning at leading companies like Meta. The lab's research focuses on building the infrastructure and algorithms needed for social AI, with an emphasis on practical applications that can be deployed in real-world settings.
Jim Smith is a Professor in Interactive Artificial Intelligence at the University of the West of England (UWE), Bristol, affiliated with the School of Computing and Creative Technologies and the Department of Computer Science and Creative Technologies. He serves as Director of the Computer Science Research Centre and leads the AI@UWE theme. His research is supported by UKRI, Innovate UK, and partnerships with organizations including Health Data Research UK, Office for National Statistics, NHS Scotland, and DSTL. University: University of the West of England School: School of Computing and Creative Technologies Department: Department of Computer Science and Creative Technologies Role: Professor in Interactive Artificial Intelligence Leadership: Director, Computer Science Research Centre Research Interests : Jim Smith's work focuses on Interactive Artificial Intelligence, particularly at the intersection of AI and privacy preservation when using sensitive data for public good. His research includes statistical disclosure control, privacy leakage from AI models, evolutionary computation, machine learning, and systems that learn through human interaction or self-adaptation. He explores how AI can automate privacy checks in research outputs and assess vulnerabilities in trained models. Recent Publications : His recent work spans AI privacy in trusted research environments (e.g., SACRO, SDC-Reboot), dialogue act classification, human-robot interaction, and visualization of deep learning models. Themes include privacy-preserving AI, automated disclosure control, interactive machine learning, and neuromorphic computing. Machine Learning & Privacy Evolutionary Computation Interactive AI Systems Human-Computer Interaction Statistical Disclosure Control Federated Learning Security Scientific Awards : No specific awards are mentioned in the provided texts. Advising and Grants : He currently supervises PhD students on topics including spatio-temporal air quality modeling, federated learning privacy, and threat detection in mobile networks. He leads Innovate UK and UKRI-funded projects such as SACRO and SDC-Reboot, focusing on AI-driven solutions for data confidentiality in public sector research. Interactive Machine Learning for Claim Settlement (Innovate UK) SDC-Reboot (DARE UK/Health Data Research UK) Threat Identification in Mobile Networks (Ribbon Communications) Labs and Teams : He leads the AI@UWE initiative and the Computer Science Research Centre at UWE. His work involves collaboration through DARE UK and open-source development via the AI-SDC GitHub organization, which hosts tools from SACRO and GRAIMATTER projects.
James R. Fienup is the Robert E. Hopkins Professor of Optics at the University of Rochester's Institute of Optics, with additional appointments as Distinguished Scientist at the Laboratory for Laser Energetics, Professor at the Center for Visual Science, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Affiliated Faculty at the Goergen Institute for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence. His office is located at Wilmot 410, 275 Hutchison Rd., Rochester, NY. Education PhD in Applied Physics from Stanford University (1975) MS in Applied Physics from Stanford University (1972) BA in Physics & Mathematics (magna cum laude) from Holy Cross College (1970) Research Focus Professor Fienup's research specializes in imaging science , with emphasis on phase retrieval algorithms, unconventional imaging techniques, and wavefront sensing. His work spans computational methods for image reconstruction, sparse-aperture systems, and synthetic-aperture imaging. Recent innovations include applying machine learning to wavefront control and developing advanced digital holography techniques for 3D imaging through atmospheric turbulence. Publication Trends His recent articles (2018-2024) demonstrate a strong focus on computational imaging techniques, particularly phase retrieval algorithms applied to optical metrology and wavefront correction. Key themes include multi-plane digital holography, coronagraphic wavefront control for astronomical applications, machine learning-enhanced sensing, and novel approaches for segmented-aperture systems. His work consistently bridges theoretical optics with practical instrumentation challenges. Awards and Honors Lifetime Achievement Award, Hajim School of Engineering (2019) Emmett N. Leith Medal, Optical Society of America (2013) National Academy of Engineering Member (2012) Distinguished Visiting Scientist, JPL (2009) Fellow of OSA and SPIE International Prize in Optics (1983) Rudolf Kingslake Medal (1979) NSF Graduate Fellow (1970-1972) Professional Activities Professor Fienup has served as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of the Optical Society of America A (1998-2003) and held editorial roles at Applied Optics and Optics Letters . He consults for NASA (James Webb Space Telescope, Hubble), national laboratories, and aerospace companies, and holds five patents in optical systems design.
Prashant Mehta is a Professor of Mechanical Science and Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign , affiliated with the Coordinated Science Laboratory . His research focuses on controlled interacting particle systems and machine learning applications , particularly in human activity recognition using motion sensors. Education: Ph.D. in Mathematics, Cornell University (2004) M.S. in Electrical & Computer Engineering, University of Massachusetts Amherst (1996) B.E. in Electrical & Electronics Engineering, Birla Institute of Technology & Sciences (1993) Mehta's work has pioneered the feedback particle filter (FPF) algorithm for nonlinear estimation, applied in robotic systems and gesture recognition. His research spans control of combustion instabilities in jet engines, mean-field games , and dynamical systems in aerospace engineering. His publications emphasize nonlinear control theory and stochastic filtering , with recent trends in sensor data pattern recognition and cyber-physical systems . He has received multiple scientific awards , including the MURI award for the Cyberoctopus project and Excellence in Undergraduate Advising Awards . Scientific Honors: MURI Award (2019) for Cyberoctopus Excellence in Undergraduate Advising (2010, 2008) Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award (1994) Senior Member, IEEE Control Systems Society Member, ASME Energy Systems Subcommittee Member, SIAM Dynamical Systems Group Mehta has supervised students like Jin Kim (IEEE CDC Best Student Paper, 2019) and co-founded the startup Rithmio , acquired by Bosch Sensortec . His laboratory develops gesture-detection filters for applications in soft robotics and human-machine interfaces .
Arkadi Nemirovski is the John P. Hunter, Jr. Chair and Professor at the H. Milton Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Georgia Tech. He holds a Ph.D. in Mathematics (1974) from Moscow State University, a Doctor of Sciences in Mathematics (1990) from the USSR Supreme Attestation Board, and an honorary Doctor of Mathematics from the University of Waterloo (2009). Ph.D. in Mathematics, Moscow State University (1974) Doctor of Sciences in Mathematics, USSR Supreme Attestation Board (1990) Doctor of Mathematics (Honoris Causa), University of Waterloo (2009) His research focuses on Optimization Theory and Algorithms , with emphasis on complexity analysis, efficient methods for nonlinear convex programs, robust optimization, optimization under uncertainty, and applications in engineering and nonparametric statistics. He has pioneered advancements in interior-point methods, semidefinite programming, and stochastic approximation, shaping modern convex optimization. His article trends highlight a trajectory from foundational interior-point algorithms (1990s) to robust optimization (2000s) and recent works on first-order methods, polyhedral estimates, and applications in machine learning, signal processing, and tomography. Key subfields include matrix norms , large-scale optimization , and stochastic uncertainty handling . Scientific awards include: 1982 Fulkerson Prize (joint with L. Khachiyan and D. Yudin) 1991 Dantzig Prize (joint with M. Grotschel) 2003 John von Neumann Theory Prize (joint with M. Todd) 2017 Member, National Academy of Engineering 2018 Fellow, American Academy of Arts and Sciences 2020 Norbert Wiener Prize (joint with M. Berger) He has supervised students like Dmitry Gabelev (polynomial-time cutting plane algorithms), Daureen Steinberg (matrix norms in robust optimization), and Eitan Rubinstein (SVMs via advanced optimization), with their works later formalized in academic journals.
Professor Alessandra Russo leads the Structured and Probabilistic Knowledge Engineering (SPIKE) research group at Imperial College London's Department of Computing. With expertise spanning computational logic, symbolic machine learning, and neuro-symbolic AI, she develops foundational AI techniques applied to security, network management, healthcare, and adaptive systems. Professor Russo holds a PhD in Computing from Imperial College London and an MSc in Computer Science from Ionian University. Her research pioneers logic-based learning systems for intelligent adaptive technologies, with projects including declarative networking for security management, privacy-preserving federated learning, and hybrid neuro-symbolic approaches for robust reasoning. Her current work focuses on developing interpretable AI systems through neuro-symbolic integration, creating frameworks that combine neural networks with symbolic reasoning for explainable decision-making. Recent publications explore rule learning from knowledge graphs, transformer-based world models, and formal methods for representation learning. Professor Russo teaches courses on Logic-Based Learning and AI Applications, and has received the Google PhD Fellowship for her research contributions. She mentors numerous PhD students in areas spanning theoretical foundations and practical applications of computational logic and machine learning.
Phoon Kok Kwang is a Distinguished Professor and Vice Provost (Academic Personnel) at the National University of Singapore (NUS). He specializes in geotechnical engineering, focusing on statistical and data-driven methods for decision-making in civil infrastructure. His work has significantly influenced international standards like ISO2394 and earned over 10,000 citations (h-index 47). He is a Fellow of ASCE, IES, and the Singapore Academy of Engineering. Education: PhD in Civil Engineering from Cornell University (USA). Professional qualifications include Professional Engineer (Singapore) and ASEAN Chartered Professional Engineer. Research Interests: Reliability-based design, probabilistic modeling of geotechnical parameters, uncertainty quantification in geotechnical systems, and computational methods in geomechanics. His recent work emphasizes Bayesian machine learning for site-specific modeling and statistical characterization of geotechnical data. Awards & Honors Norman Medal (ASCE) – 2005 John Booker Medal – 2014 Humboldt Research Award – 2017 Luojia Distinguished Visiting Professor (Wuhan University) – 2018–2022 Advising & Grants Edited 3 books including Reliability of Geotechnical Structures in ISO2394 . Led special issues in Georisk and Underground Space . Spearheaded initiatives like the 6th International Symposium on Reliability Engineering (2018). Served as editor for major journals including Journal of Risk and Uncertainty in Engineering Systems . Labs & Teams Founded the Georisk journal and leads research groups focused on computational geomechanics and probabilistic site characterization at NUS.
Peter Doerschuk is a Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Cornell University's College of Engineering. He joined Cornell in July 2006 after serving on the faculty at Purdue University in both Electrical and Computer Engineering and Biomedical Engineering. His educational background includes: B.S. in Electrical Engineering, MIT (1977) M.S. in Electrical Engineering, MIT (1979) Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, MIT (1985) M.D., Harvard Medical School (1987) Peter Doerschuk's research focuses on biological and medical systems through the lens of computational nonlinear stochastic systems. His work spans biomedical imaging , signal and image processing , statistical modeling , and computational inverse problems in biophysics . He develops high-performance algorithms and software systems that integrate accurate physical models with computational efficiency. His research addresses problems across multiple spatial scales—from 3D virus reconstruction using electron microscopy to modeling whole-body ethanol pharmacokinetics. The recent publications highlight a strong trend in computational biomedical imaging and physiological modeling . Key areas include 3D reconstruction of heterogeneous biological structures, cryo-EM dynamics analysis, and physiologically based pharmacokinetic modeling. The work consistently combines advanced statistical and machine learning methods with domain-specific physical models, particularly in virology and neurovascular physiology. His scientific awards and honors include: Fellow, American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE) University Faculty Scholar, Purdue University Motorola Excellence in Teaching Award Ernst A. Guillemin Thesis Prize (MIT) Department of Biomedical Engineering Faculty Service Award (Purdue) Dr. Doerschuk has advised graduate students, including Keyuan Xu, whose M.Eng. thesis at MIT received the prestigious Ernst A. Guillemin Thesis Prize. His research has been supported through academic grants and collaborations with institutions such as The Scripps Research Institute and Indiana University School of Medicine. He has developed parallel software systems for high-performance computing applications in biophysics and biomedical signal processing. His research has involved collaboration with multiple labs and teams, including work with Professor J. E. Johnson at The Scripps Research Institute on virus structure determination and with Professor S. J. O’Connor at Indiana University on ethanol pharmacokinetics modeling. These interdisciplinary teams integrate expertise in engineering, medicine, and computational science to solve complex biomedical problems.
Faez Ahmed is an Associate Professor at the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he serves as the Doherty Chair in Ocean Utilization. He leads the Design Computation and Digital Engineering (DeCoDE) Lab, focusing on integrating machine learning and optimization with engineering design to enhance human-AI collaboration and accelerate design processes. Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering, University of Maryland College Park (2019) B.Tech.-M.Tech., Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (2012) His research interests include generative design methodologies, AI-driven optimization techniques, and the development of algorithms that facilitate collaboration between human designers and artificial intelligence systems. This interdisciplinary work spans applications in automotive design , ship hull synthesis , and wind turbine optimization , with a strong emphasis on creating open-source tools and datasets for the engineering community. Recent publications demonstrate his lab's leadership in fields such as 3D CAD generation , multimodal design datasets , and constraint-aware generative models . These works often address challenges in design space exploration , performance prediction , and data-driven design frameworks . Scientific Awards NSF CAREER Award (2025) ASME Young Investigator Award (2024) Google Research Scholar Award (2024) 3M Non-Tenured Faculty Award (2022) University of Maryland Alumni Research Award (2022) Faez Ahmed's lab has trained numerous Ph.D. candidates and postdoctoral researchers, fostering a collaborative research environment that bridges mechanical engineering , artificial intelligence , and computational methods . The DeCoDE Lab actively engages with industry partners and academic institutions, contributing to large-scale datasets and benchmarks that power the next generation of engineering design research.
Vasileios Mavroeidis is an Associate Professor in Digital Security at the Department of Informatics, University of Oslo (UiO). He specializes in security automation and orchestration (SOAR) and cyber threat intelligence (CTI) representation, reasoning, and sharing. He actively contributes to European cybersecurity initiatives, including Horizon Europe, Connecting Europe Facility, and the European Defense Fund, and serves as the primary representative of UiO at the OASIS standards development organization since 2017. Role : Associate Professor Department : Digital Security (SEC), University of Oslo Standardization Involvement : Chairman of OASIS Threat Actor Context (TAC), Leading Contributor to CACAO and OpenC2 Projects : Concordia, CyberHunt, JCOP (Joint Cyber Security Operations Platform), Oslo Analytics, P4C (Partnership for Cybersecurity) His research focuses on cyber threat intelligence (CTI), exploring its taxonomies, sharing standards (STIX, CACAO), and ontologies, with contributions to the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA) Cybersecurity Playbooks task force. He analyzes quantum computing's impact on cryptography, develops automated threat detection systems using machine learning (e.g., recurrent neural networks for malware-generated domains), and investigates privacy issues under GDPR. Recent publications highlight his work on LLMs for code stylometry , neurosymbolic AI for cyber defense , and knowledge management systems for CACAO playbooks . His articles span 2017–2025, emphasizing formal verification, biometric data protection, and incident response automation. He collaborates with organizations like OASIS (Threat Actor Context, CACAO, OpenC2) and FIRST (Traffic Light Protocol), and participates in European research projects. His work includes standardization efforts in cybersecurity playbooks , MITRE ATT&CK representation, and quantum-resistant cryptography .
Seth Lloyd is a Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), with adjunct appointments at the Santa Fe Institute since 1988 and as a Fellow at the Institute for Scientific Interchange since 2000. His research spans quantum information science, quantum control theory, and complex systems analysis. His educational background includes: B.A. from Harvard University (1982) M. from the University of Cambridge (1984) Ph.D. from Rockefeller University (1988) Lloyd's work focuses on quantum computation, quantum communications, and quantum limits to control and sensing. He has pioneered research in quantum algorithms, quantum metrology, and applications of quantum information to complex biological and physical systems. His research bridges theoretical physics, computer science, and engineering, with over 200 publications and two patents in quantum information processing. Analysis of his recent publications reveals dominant trends in quantum machine learning, quantum metrology, and quantum communication protocols, with increasing interdisciplinary applications in quantum biology and quantum gravity. His work consistently explores fundamental limits of quantum information processing. His scientific awards include: Lindbergh Fellow (1994) Finmeccanica Professorship (1996) Edgerton Prize (2001) Fellow of the American Physical Society (2007) Quantum Communication, Measurement, and Computation Prize (2012) Lloyd serves on the editorial board of Quantum Information Processing and holds significant MIT service roles including Course 2 Undergraduate Committee coordinator and membership on the Institute Foreign Scholarships Committee. He teaches advanced courses in quantum information, dynamics, and computational methods, shaping the next generation of quantum scientists and engineers. As a member of the American Physical Society, he maintains active research collaborations across quantum information science, with ongoing work in quantum algorithms and quantum-enhanced sensing technologies.
Prof. Dr. Raphael Sznitman serves as Director of the ARTORG Center for Biomedical Engineering Research and Head of the Artificial Intelligence in Medical Imaging group at the University of Bern, Switzerland, holding a Full Professor position in AI for Medical Imaging since 2015. Education: PhD in Computer Science, Johns Hopkins University (2011) MSc in Computer Science, Johns Hopkins University (2009) BSc in Cognitive Systems, University of British Columbia (2007) Research Interests: Sznitman's work centers on computational vision , probabilistic methods , and statistical learning applied to medical imaging challenges. His group develops AI algorithms for ophthalmic diagnostics, surgical robotics, and medical image analysis, with emphasis on OCT, surgical phase recognition, and domain adaptation techniques. Key application areas include retinal disease detection and cataract surgery automation. Publication Trends: His 2021-2025 publications reveal concentrated efforts in deep learning for medical imaging , particularly in ophthalmology (OCT analysis) and surgical video understanding. Emerging themes include LLM applications for clinical monitoring, unsupervised out-of-distribution detection for surgical safety, and physics-informed AI for multimodal medical data fusion. Research Leadership: As ARTORG Center Director, Sznitman oversees interdisciplinary research bridging computer science and clinical medicine. His group collaborates extensively with Bern University Hospital clinicians on translational projects, securing funding for AI-driven diagnostic tools and surgical assistance systems. Current initiatives focus on real-time intraoperative guidance and spaceflight ophthalmology applications. Laboratory: The Artificial Intelligence in Medical Imaging group operates within ARTORG's dedicated facilities, maintaining partnerships with surgical robotics labs and ophthalmology departments for clinical validation of AI systems. Their work integrates multimodal data streams including OCT, VR perimetry, and surgical video feeds.
Patrick Willems is a full Professor at KU Leuven's Faculty of Engineering Sciences, Department of Civil Engineering. He serves as the head of the Hydraulics Subdivision within the Hydraulics and Geotechnics unit. Professor Willems holds multiple significant roles including chairman of the ADS Bureau, member of the Faculty Council of Engineering Sciences, and participant in the Leuven One Health Institute and KU Leuven Institute for Urban Studies (LUSI). His work addresses critical global water management challenges through advanced hydrological modeling and climate change adaptation strategies. Professor Willems' research spans several critical areas in water resources engineering. His primary expertise includes urban hydrology and river engineering, statistical hydrology with focus on flood prediction and risk analysis, integrated river basin management, precipitation analysis, and climate change impacts on hydrological extremes. He employs both traditional hydrological modeling approaches and innovative machine learning techniques to develop practical solutions for flood warning systems, urban water management, and climate adaptation planning. His research integrates statistical methods, numerical modeling, and data science to address complex water management problems across multiple geographical contexts. Professor Willems leads multiple major international research projects examining hydrological extremes in transboundary river basins, natural climate adaptation measures, hydrological modeling of peatland areas, and deep learning-based prediction of hydrological extremes. His work spans various geographical contexts including Belgium, Vietnam, Bolivia, Tanzania, and the Congo Basin, demonstrating both local relevance and global applicability of his research. Within KU Leuven, Professor Willems teaches diverse courses including Environmental Problems and Techniques, Statistics and Data Science, Stochastic Hydrology, Urban and River Hydrology and Hydraulics, River Modeling, and Probability and Statistics. He also leads the Hydraulic Engineering Project course and an Artificial Intelligence Project course, reflecting his commitment to integrating traditional engineering knowledge with modern computational approaches. As head of the Hydraulics Subdivision, he oversees research activities focused on developing advanced water engineering tools and methodologies that bridge theoretical advancements with practical applications for water management authorities.
Axel Gandy is a Professor of Statistics at the Department of Mathematics, Imperial College London. He serves as Director of the EPSRC CDT in Modern Statistics and Statistical Machine Learning , overseeing PhD supervision and advanced statistical training.
