Andres Arrieta is an Associate Professor in the School of Mechanical Engineering at Purdue University. His research focuses on adaptive structures, mechanical metamaterials, and programmable systems. He holds a PhD from the University of Bristol and conducted postdoctoral research at ETH Zurich. Education: Mechanical Engineer, Universidad de los Andes, 2006 PhD in Mechanical Engineering, University of Bristol, 2010 Postdoctoral Research Fellow, ETH Zurich, 2012 Research Interests: Adaptive Structures Multistable Systems Structural Nonlinearity Robotics & Mechanosensing Origami Engineering Awards: 2019 ASME Best Paper Award 2018 Gary Anderson Early Achievement Award 2012 ETH Postdoctoral Fellowship Labs: Directs the Programmable Structures Lab , exploring smart materials and morphing systems.
Prof. Dr. Dominik Schwarz is a faculty member at the Faculty of Physics , Bielefeld University. His research focuses on Cosmology and Particle Physics , particularly in the areas of Dark Energy , Dark Matter , Cosmological Inflation , and Large-Scale Structure Formation . He contributes to projects like the International LOFAR Telescope Consortium and the SFB-TRR 211 on strongly interacting matter. APART Fellow of Austrian Academy of Sciences Humboldt Fellow CERN Fellow His recent work explores the cosmic dipole anisotropy , axion density perturbations , and multi-wavelength cosmic web mapping . He also advances data science infrastructure through the PUNCH4NFDI consortium.
Phillip J. Ansell is an Associate Professor in the Department of Aerospace Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), affiliated with the Grainger College of Engineering. He directs the Center for Sustainable Aviation and the Center for High-Efficiency Electrical Technologies for Aircraft. His academic positions include Assistant Professor (2015–2021) and current role as Associate Professor since 2021. He teaches courses such as AE 416 (Applied Aerodynamics), AE 419 (Aircraft Flight Mechanics), and AE 515 (Wing Theory). Education: BS, The Pennsylvania State University, Aerospace Engineering, 2008 MS, UIUC, Aerospace Engineering, 2010 PhD, UIUC, Aerospace Engineering, 2013 Research Interests: Focuses on applied aerodynamics, sustainable aviation, distributed propulsion, flow control, and aircraft electrification. His work integrates experimental fluid mechanics and computational models to advance aviation sustainability. Key projects include hydrogen propulsion systems, cryogenics in aviation, and unsteady aerodynamics for rotorcraft. Research Contributions: Authored/co-authored books like Aircraft Cryogenics (Springer, 2024). His articles address sustainable aviation frameworks, hydrogen-electric propulsion, and high-lift aerodynamics. Recent trends emphasize decarbonization pathways and system-of-systems analysis. Awards & Honors: Dean's Award for Excellence in Research (2025) NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts Fellow (2025) AIAA Associate Fellow (2024) Forbes 30 Under 30 (2016) Advising & Grants: Advises graduate students on propulsion and aerodynamics. Secured grants from AFOSR, ARO, and NASA. Active in AIAA committees, including Electrified Aircraft Technology Technical Committee (Chair, 2020–2023). Labs & Teams: Leads the Aerodynamics and Unsteady Flows Research Group, using UIUC’s wind tunnel facilities. Collaborates on projects like the Five Circles of Sustainable Aviation framework and cryogenic propulsion systems.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sema Alaçam Doğan has been affiliated with Istanbul Technical University since 2014, serving as an Associate Professor in the Department of Architecture . She has held administrative roles including Deputy Head of Department and Erasmus Coordinator. Education : PhD in Informatics in Architectural Design (2008-2014), MS in Informatics in Architectural Design (2005-2008), and BS in Architecture (1999-2005) from Istanbul Technical University. Her research explores Computational Design , Artificial Intelligence in Architecture , and Sustainable Material Innovation . She investigates digital tools for heritage preservation, daylight optimization in BIM, and cognitive development in architecture students. Recent publications analyze AI-assisted design literacy , machine learning for Sinan mosques , and environmental comfort in Harran houses . Her work integrates algorithmic frameworks with sustainable practices. Scientific awards include multiple ITU Publication and Performance Awards (2021-2024), FABFEST Prizes , and the 2024 Artemis Educator Award from NASA. Active projects like "Physical Computation in Architectural Drawing" and "Robotic Fabrication with Recycled Wind Turbine Blades" demonstrate her leadership in computational and sustainable research.
Mo Mansouri is a Teaching Professor and Director of Graduate Studies at the Department of Systems and Enterprises, Charles V. Schaefer, Jr. School of Engineering and Science, Stevens Institute of Technology. He also serves as a Visiting Professor at the University of North-Eastern Norway, highlighting his international academic engagement. His leadership extends to directing Systems Engineering and Socio-technical Systems Programs, underscoring his central role in shaping academic and research initiatives in systems engineering. Education: PhD in Engineering Management, The George Washington University (2004) MS in Industrial Engineering, University of Tehran (1999) BS in Industrial Engineering, Sharif University of Technology (1997) Dr. Mansouri's research is centered on computational governance frameworks , resilience design , and behavioral modeling in complex socio-technical systems . His work applies systems thinking to urban systems, smart cities, infrastructure, and healthcare, with a strong emphasis on data-driven policy design and multi-stakeholder coordination. He investigates how real-time data, sensing, and analytics can inform governance in complex environments such as transportation, energy, and public health systems. His recent publications (2023–2024) reveal a strong trend toward AI and digital transformation in healthcare , electric and urban mobility systems , and pandemic and societal resilience . These works frequently employ systems thinking, systemigram modeling, and system of systems engineering methodologies, published in IEEE, INCOSE, and IARIA venues. The interdisciplinary nature of his research spans engineering, policy, and human behavior. Scientific Awards and Recognitions: While specific awards are not listed in the provided text, his leadership roles and extensive funding indicate high professional recognition. Advising and Grants: Dr. Mansouri has served as Principal Investigator (PI) or Co-PI on multiple high-value research grants totaling millions of dollars from DoD, Lockheed Martin, NED, and FAA. These projects focus on capability assessment, smart city dashboards, governance modeling, and social development. He mentors students through doctoral and master’s level courses and research, though specific advisee names are not provided. Labs and Research Teams: While specific lab names are not mentioned, his research is conducted within the Department of Systems and Enterprises at Stevens, involving collaborations with students and professionals in areas such as smart cities, healthcare systems, and infrastructure resilience. His work with international institutions and professional societies indicates active participation in global research networks.
Jan Skaloud serves as an Adjunct Professor at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), affiliated with the School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering (ENAC). He holds positions across multiple departments including SSIE (Institute of Earth Surface Dynamics), EDCE (Doctoral Program in Environmental Sciences and Engineering), and leads the Earth Sensing and Observation (ESO) Lab. His office is located at GC C2 397 in the EPFL campus in Lausanne, Switzerland. Dr. Skaloud's research expertise spans satellite positioning, inertial and integrated navigation systems, sensor orientation and calibration, attitude determination, mobile mapping, airborne laser scanning, and Kalman filtering techniques. His work bridges theoretical development with practical applications in UAV navigation, photogrammetry, and remote sensing. He teaches across three EPFL sections and two faculties, demonstrating his interdisciplinary approach to education. His publication record shows consistent contributions to the field, with recent work (2023-2025) focusing on vehicle dynamic model-based navigation for various UAV platforms, including delta-wing and fixed-wing drones. His research demonstrates a clear trajectory toward increasingly sophisticated navigation systems that integrate aerodynamic modeling with traditional sensor fusion approaches. This trend reflects the growing importance of model-based navigation in achieving higher precision and autonomy in UAV operations. 2021: Samuel Gamble Award for career contribution in photogrammetry & sensing (ISPRS) 2020: U.V. Helava Award for best paper in ISPRS Journal (2016-2019) 2017: Best Demo Award at IEEE International Workshop on Metrology & Aerospace 2014: Hansa Luftbild Award for best paper in PFG journal 2012: Karl Kraus Medal for best textbook in Photogrammetry 2009: GNSS Leader to Watch Innovation Award (GPS World) Dr. Skaloud has supervised numerous PhD students whose work focuses on advanced navigation systems, sensor calibration, and UAV applications. His research has received funding for projects involving direct georeferencing, mobile mapping systems, and UAV-based search and rescue operations. The ESO lab he directs serves as a hub for cutting-edge research in Earth observation technologies. The Earth Sensing and Observation Lab under Dr. Skaloud's direction brings together researchers working on navigation systems, sensor integration, and data processing techniques for geospatial applications. The lab maintains strong connections with industry partners and international research organizations, facilitating technology transfer and collaborative research projects.
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.
Leonardo Chamorro is a Professor in the Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), with affiliations in Earth Science and Environmental Change, Aerospace Engineering, and Civil and Environmental Engineering. His research focuses on fluid dynamics, renewable energy systems, and turbulence modeling. He holds a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from the University of Minnesota (2010) and has held academic positions at UIUC since 2013, advancing to Full Professor in 2024. Chamorro's work spans experimental and theoretical investigations of wind and hydrokinetic energy, geophysical flows, and particle dynamics. His research group, the Renewable Energy & Turbulent Environment Group (RE-TE-G), explores topics like tidal flow multifractality, vortex dynamics, and bio-inspired robotics. Key achievements include Nature and Lab on a Chip cover articles, and contributions to turbulence modeling for tidal energy systems. He has received awards such as the Best Paper Award in Energies (2018) and recognition for pandemic-related research (2021). His editorial roles include associate editorships at journals like Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy and Frontiers in Energy Research . Chamorro has supervised numerous graduate students and postdocs, contributing to over 150 peer-reviewed publications since 2009.
Dr. Nicholas Townsend is an Associate Professor at the University of Southampton, specializing in experimental hydrodynamics, marine renewable energy, and maritime robotics. He actively collaborates with the Southampton Marine and Maritime Institute and supervises PhD students in cutting-edge maritime research.
Yuri Bazilevs is the E. Paul Sorensen Professor of Engineering at Brown University's School of Engineering and Co-Director of the Mechanics of Undersea Science and Engineering Center. His research focuses on computational mechanics, isogeometric analysis, fluid-structure interaction, and high-performance computing. Prior to Brown, he held positions at UC San Diego, where he advanced to Full Professor in 2014 after a rapid tenure. He earned his PhD in 2006 and postdoc training in computational engineering at UT Austin's ICES. Research interests span computational fluid dynamics, solid mechanics, and advanced discretization methods like isogeometric analysis (IGA) and meshfree approaches. He has developed novel formulations for complex phenomena such as underwater explosions, composite material failure, and hypersonic flow dynamics. His work integrates cutting-edge numerical methods with practical engineering applications in aerospace, energy, and biomedical systems. Recent publications highlight advancements in IGA for architected materials, RKPM-based crack modeling, and stabilized formulations for compressible flows. His contributions bridge theoretical mechanics with computational innovation, addressing challenges in multiphysics coupling and large-scale simulations. Collaborations span academia and industry, emphasizing practical validation and real-world impact. Bazilevs' expertise includes variational multiscale methods, peridynamics for fracture mechanics, and immersive particle methods for fluid-structure interaction. His work has been applied to wind turbine aerodynamics, gas turbine optimization, and cardiovascular flow analysis. He actively contributes to computational infrastructure development, such as the tIGAr software framework for IGA automation.
Dr. Gary Scavone is a Professor and Department Chair in the Music department at McGill University's Schulich School of Music. He holds a PhD in Computer-Based Music Theory & Acoustics and MS in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University, alongside degrees from Syracuse University in Music and Electrical Engineering. His research focuses on music technology, including acoustic modeling, sound synthesis, and instrument design. He directs the Computational Acoustic Modeling Laboratory (CAML), which explores advanced techniques for simulating musical instruments and developing software tools. As a saxophonist, he specializes in contemporary concert music performance. Research interests include physically-based sound synthesis, wind instrument acoustics, and digital waveguide modeling. He has contributed to studies on brass and woodwind impedance measurements, violin soundpost dynamics, and free-reed instrument modeling. His work bridges engineering and artistry, with applications in music pedagogy, instrument design optimization, and virtual acoustic replication. Key contributions include open-source projects for wind instrument modeling and the development of tools for automated timbre assessment. His research often combines experimental methods with computational simulations, addressing challenges in both theoretical and applied music acoustics. Current projects focus on deep learning for friction modeling, impedance measurement systems, and cross-cultural instrument analysis.
Professor Behzad Fatahi is a distinguished academic in Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), specializing in geotechnical engineering, railway infrastructure, and sustainable construction technologies. With a career spanning over 16 years at UTS, he has served as Deputy Head of School - Teaching and Learning (2024-present), Head of Discipline (2020-2024), and School Research Coordinator (2012-2017). His research focuses on unsaturated soil mechanics , dynamic soil-structure interaction , and green infrastructure solutions . Academic Appointments : Professor (2024-present), Associate Professor (2017-2024), Senior Lecturer (2011-2017), Lecturer (2008-2011) Research Leadership : Supervised 21 PhD students to completion, developed groundbreaking techniques for landfill waste reuse and tyre-derived aggregates in railway construction His work on seismic resilience of LNG tanks and bioengineered soil stabilization has received international recognition, including the 2023 Best Research Paper Award at the Australasian Association for Engineering Education conference. Professor Fatahi's industry experience includes geotechnical engineering roles at Coffey International and SES Engineering prior to academia. Key Research Contributions : Developed green corridor models for railway lines using coupled flow-deformation equations Pioneered AI-integrated teaching frameworks for civil engineering education Advanced machine learning techniques for intelligent compaction and structural buckling analysis As a Category 1 supervisor , he mentors graduate researchers in Civil Engineering , Geomechanics , and Earthquake Engineering . His peer-reviewed work (>240 publications) demonstrates technical excellence and innovation across multiple geotechnical domains.
Professor Gregor Verbic is a faculty member at the University of Sydney in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering , where he serves as Director of the Centre for Future Energy Networks . Previously, he held an assistant professor position at the University of Ljubljana and was a NATO-NSERC Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Waterloo. His career spans academic research, industry leadership as Head of Interenergo's Investment Department, and extensive collaboration with IEEE. PhD in Electrical Engineering (University of Ljubljana) Senior IEEE Member Research Interests focus on transforming power systems to zero-carbon grids through: Aggregation and control of distributed energy resources (DERs) Frequency control with wind generation and electric vehicles Stochastic optimization for multi-energy systems Smart home energy management with phase change materials Notable Contributions include: 2006 IEEE prize paper for voltage instability prediction 2010-2024: 15 recent publications on DER coordination, network tariffs, and low-inertia grid stability Teaching includes courses on: ELEC3203/ELEC9203: Electricity Networks ELEC5213: Engineering Optimisation ELEC5206: Sustainable Energy Systems Labs & Initiatives Centre for Future Energy Networks The Net Zero Institute
Sahar Pirooz Azad is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Waterloo. She holds a PEng designation and specializes in power systems engineering, particularly in HVDC systems and grid stability. Previously, she served as an Assistant Professor at the University of Alberta (2015–2017) and conducted postdoctoral research at the University of Toronto’s CAPE Centre and KU Leuven in Belgium. Her research focuses on enhancing power grid stability through advanced control schemes for HVDC grids, converter modeling, and fault protection mechanisms. Dr. Azad’s work addresses challenges in multi-terminal HVDC systems, offshore wind grid integration, and multi-vendor system compatibility. She has taught courses like Power System Protection and Relaying (ECE 765) and Electromechanical Energy Conversion (ECE 260), reflecting her expertise in both theoretical and applied electrical engineering. Her recent publications emphasize innovative protection schemes for HVDC grids, fault detection algorithms using signal processing (e.g., Hilbert-Huang Transform), and robust controller designs for multi-vendor VSC systems. These contributions aim to improve grid reliability, fault resilience, and renewable energy integration efficiency. Dr. Azad is actively recruiting graduate students and holds Sole-Supervisory Privilege Status (SSPS) at Waterloo. Her research has been supported by European Commission-funded projects like MEDOW and leverages interdisciplinary approaches to tackle modern grid challenges.
Professor Raja Ayyanar is a faculty member in the School of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering at Arizona State University (ASU), where he has served since 2000. He holds a Ph.D. in Power Electronics from the University of Minnesota (2000), an M.S. from the Indian Institute of Science (1995), and a B.E. in Electrical Engineering from PSG College of Technology (1989). His research focuses on power electronics, renewable energy systems (including PV and wind integration), electric vehicles, motor drives, and wide bandgap devices. Notable contributions include advancements in DC-DC converters, power conversion for renewable energy interfaces, and high-frequency power electronics. He has published over 200 journal/conference papers and holds 8 U.S. patents. Ayyanar is a Fellow of the IEEE and has received the Office of Naval Research Young Investigator Award (2005). He leads or participates in major research initiatives, including the ACEPS Center and the Power Systems Engineering Research Center (PSERC). His work spans industry collaborations with entities like Sandia National Labs, Intel, and BP Solar. He teaches advanced courses in power electronics and has advised numerous students. His grants include projects on smart grid technologies, inverter reliability standards, and high-penetration renewable integration. He is affiliated with ASU’s Center for Efficient Vehicles and Sustainable Transportation Systems (EV-STS). Education: Ph.D. Power Electronics, University of Minnesota, 2000 M.S. Power Electronics, Indian Institute of Science, 1995 B.E. Electrical Engineering, PSG College of Technology, 1989 Affiliations: Professor, Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering Professor, PSERC and EV-STS Centers Grants & Projects: Over 60 grants from NSF, DOE, ONR, and industry partners Recent projects include dynamic sub-transmission-distribution co-simulation and EV/HEV traction drives
