Dr. Siqi Ma is a Senior Lecturer at the UNSW Institute for Cyber Security (IFCYBER) within the School of Systems & Computing at the University of New South Wales (UNSW). He previously served as a Lecturer at the University of Queensland's School of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering (ITEE). He holds a Ph.D. in Information Systems from Singapore Management University (2018) and was a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Data61, CSIRO. He also visited Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) in 2015. Current Role: Senior Lecturer, UNSW Institute for Cyber Security Former Role: Lecturer, University of Queensland Education: Ph.D. (Singapore Management University), Postdoc (Data61, CSIRO) His research spans automated vulnerability detection, mobile security, IoT security, network authentication, and graph-based adversarial robustness. Recent work focuses on drone configuration bugs, Android malware analysis via GNNs, federated learning privacy, and credential leakage in open-source projects. Key trends in his 2024-2025 publications include automated security analysis for embedded systems, deepfake detection in multimedia, and privacy-preserving mechanisms for distributed networks. He collaborates with institutions like Purdue University, Singapore Management University, and CSIRO Data61.
Professor Clinton Fookes is a faculty member at the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) within the School of Electrical Engineering & Robotics . His research focuses on leveraging computer vision and artificial intelligence to develop automated systems that understand, anticipate, and interact with human behaviors, with applications in medical diagnostics, autonomous vehicles, defense, and industrial efficiency . Research areas include AI adaptability, multimodal biosignal analysis, and human-machine interaction Collaborates with CSIRO Data61, Defence Science and Technology Group, Orica, Airbus, and Sentient Vision Systems Develops systems for human action detection, infrastructure monitoring, and stress response prediction His work addresses critical challenges in AI deployment, such as environmental adaptability and reducing diagnostic errors in medical and autonomous systems. Recent publications highlight trends in self-supervised learning, zero-shot knowledge transfer, multimodal integration , and 3D reconstruction for healthcare , while exploring ethical AI use in sectors like mining and defense . Professor Fookes emphasizes interdisciplinary collaboration, bridging engineering, medicine, and social sciences to advance AI systems capable of real-world impact. His research agenda includes improving AI memory capabilities and explainability for safer, more reliable automation.
Shunichi Ishihara is a Professor at the School of Culture, History & Language, The Australian National University, where he leads research in forensic linguistics and computational linguistics. His work focuses on forensic text and voice comparison, authorship attribution, and Japanese linguistic studies. He holds qualifications including a PhD (ANU), MSc (Macquarie), MA (ANU), and BEd (Shizuoka). Research Interests: Forensic Voice/Text Comparison Computational Linguistics Intonational Modelling Japanese Language Processing Stylometric Analysis Research Trends: Recent work emphasizes likelihood ratio-based systems for authorship verification, fusion of acoustic and text features for forensic analysis, and applications of deep learning in text evidence evaluation. His studies often explore cross-lingual comparisons (e.g., Japanese, English, Vietnamese) and system validation methodologies. Grants & Projects: "Likelihood project on author recognition" (2024-2026) "Big Australian Speech Corpus" (2010-2015) Multiple forensic voice/text comparison initiatives Labs & Teams: Director of the Speech and Language Lab, collaborating on speech corpus development and forensic linguistic systems.
Dr. Mike Seymour is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Sydney Business School, specializing in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Digital Humans, and AI ethics. He holds a BSc, MBA, and PhD from the University of Sydney. His research focuses on photorealistic digital faces for immersive interfaces, blockchain socio-technical systems, and agile project management in creative industries. Dr. Seymour is a member of the Sydney Nano Institute and leads the Motus Lab. He has published in top journals like *Harvard Business Review*, *Communications of the ACM*, and *Information Systems Research*. His current projects include ARC-funded research on digital humans for anti-racism initiatives and adaptive AI for brain injury patients. He has received awards such as the SOAR Prize and ECR Researcher of the Year. His teaching spans CX, UX, and project management courses (e.g., INFS2040, INFS3080). Media engagements include ABC News, Sky News, and *The Australian Financial Review* for commentary on AI ethics and film industry trends. Education: BSc (University of Sydney) MBA (University of Sydney) PhD (University of Sydney) Research Themes: Real-time photorealistic avatars Deepfake ethics Agile methodologies in VFX Grants: A$450K ARC DP25 grant for anti-racism digital humans Earned $200K in industry partnerships (e.g., Epic Games) Labs/Teams: Leads the Motus Lab and collaborates with the Digital Human Research Group.
Ben R. Newell is a Professor of Cognitive Psychology and Deputy Head of the School of Psychology at the University of New South Wales (UNSW Sydney). In 2023, he was appointed Director of the interdisciplinary UNSW Institute for Climate Risk and Response, reflecting his leadership in applying psychological science to societal challenges. He is a leading figure in judgment and decision-making research, with broad interdisciplinary applications. His research focuses on the cognitive processes underlying human judgment, choice, and decision-making. Key interests include how people learn from feedback, acquire knowledge, and make decisions under uncertainty. He investigates these processes in real-world contexts such as environmental risk, medical decisions, financial behavior, and forensic reasoning. His work integrates cognitive modeling with behavioral experimentation to understand both biases and adaptive strategies in decision-making. Recent publications highlight his innovative use of natural language models to validate cognitive theories, experimental studies on saving behavior under income volatility, and investigations into how task context affects effort and boredom. These works reflect a trend toward integrating computational methods with traditional experimental psychology to deepen understanding of decision architecture. Ben Newell is actively engaged in the academic community, serving on the editorial boards of premier journals including: Psychological Science Perspectives on Psychological Science Psychonomic Bulletin & Review Thinking & Reasoning Decision Journal of Behavioral Decision Making Experimental Psychology He is also a Consulting Editor for Judgment & Decision Making and a member of the inaugural Academic Advisory Panel of the Behavioural Economics Team of the Australian Government, advising on evidence-based policy. He co-authored the influential textbook Straight Choices: The Psychology of Decision Making (3rd ed., 2022) and Open Minded: Searching for Truth about the Unconscious Mind . Though specific advisees are not listed, he mentors students within UNSW’s School of Psychology and leads a research team focused on cognitive and decision sciences. His work at the UNSW Institute for Climate Risk and Response involves interdisciplinary collaboration to improve societal responses to climate-related risks through behavioral insight.
Dr. Ying He is a Senior Lecturer at the School of Electrical and Data Engineering, University of Technology Sydney (UTS). Her research focuses on wireless communication networks, particularly integrating machine learning with satellite and terrestrial systems. She holds a BEng from Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications (2009) and a PhD from UTS (2017). Prior to her academic role, she worked on TD-LTE chip design at the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Affiliations : Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology Global Big Data Technologies Centre (GBDTC) Education : BEng in Telecommunications Engineering, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications (2009) PhD in Engineering (Telecommunications), UTS (2017) Her research interests include satellite communication (GEO-LEO integration), spectrum sharing, vehicular communication, and applying machine learning to physical layer algorithms. Notable contributions include optimizing beam design in LEO networks and developing secure IoT systems. She supervises PhD/Master’s students and teaches courses like CCNA and capstone projects. Funded projects span satellite networks, IoT security, and supply chain tracking. Recent grants include SmartSat CRC initiatives and collaborations with industry partners like Intel and Ericsson. Her work addresses challenges in 6G, UAV-enabled computing, and resilient quantum algorithms.
Andrew Currie is a Professor and Associate Dean (Research & Innovation) at Murdoch University's School of Medical, Molecular and Forensic Sciences, within the College of Environmental and Life Sciences. He leads the Sepsis Diagnostics Research Group at the Centre for Molecular Medicine and Innovative Therapeutics and co-heads the Neonatal Infection and Immunity Team with Clinical Professor Tobias Strunk at the Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccine & Infectious Diseases at Telethon Kids Institute. His research focuses on immunology and infectious diseases in pediatric populations, particularly sepsis diagnostics and neonatal immunity. Education: PhD (Immunology, University of Western Australia, 2001); BSc (Biotechnology with Honors, Murdoch University, 1997). Research Interests: Sepsis diagnostics, innate immunity mechanisms in neonates, medical biotechnology for diagnostics (e.g., biosensors), and translational research in pediatric infections. Collaborates internationally with institutions in Canada, Denmark, the UK, US, and China. Aims to reduce sepsis burden in vulnerable populations through advanced molecular methods and interdisciplinary partnerships. Key Affiliations: Lead of Sepsis Diagnostics Research Group (Murdoch University), Senior Lecturer in Immunology, Honorary Associate at Kids Research Institute Australia. Past roles include leadership in the Centre for Molecular Medicine and Innovative Therapeutics. Scientific Contributions: Over 100 peer-reviewed articles focusing on sepsis biomarkers, neonatal immunity, tick-borne diseases, and clinical trials for interventions like vitamin C and probiotics in critical illness. Active in developing precision medicine approaches for neonatal sepsis. Grants & Funding: Co-leads major projects on sepsis diagnostics and neonatal infection, supported by national and international grants. Collaborates on multi-institutional initiatives. Labs/Teams: Sepsis Diagnostics Research Group (Murdoch) and Neonatal Infection and Immunity Team (Telethon Kids Institute). Works closely with the Personalised Medicine Centre and Health Futures Institute.
Professor Marius Portmann is the UQ-Cisco Chair of Network Security at the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS), University of Queensland. His expertise spans Cybersecurity, IoT, and Applied AI. He holds a PhD from ETH Zurich (2003) and has led research in Software Defined Networking (SDN), blockchain, and energy-harvesting IoT systems. Education: PhD in Electrical Engineering from Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich), 2003. Research focuses on securing IoT networks, AI-driven intrusion detection, and sustainable sensor systems. He has pioneered self-powered IoT systems using energy harvesters and developed frameworks like FlowTransformer for network analysis. His work bridges theoretical advancements with practical applications in smart tourism, energy efficiency, and edge computing. Recent publications highlight innovations in DDoS detection (P4-Secure), sensor-based environmental monitoring (EcoShower), and graph-based anomaly detection (XG-BoT). His datasets (e.g., NF-ToN-IoT-v3) are widely used in ML-based cybersecurity research. Collaborations include industry partners like Cisco and institutions like RMIT. Grants and leadership roles in interdisciplinary projects underscore his impact. He advises on IoT security standards and contributes to open-source tools for network research. Current projects explore edge-AI integration and sustainable sensor networks.
David Lo is the OUB Chair Professor of Computer Science at Singapore Management University's School of Computing and Information Systems, where he directs the Information Systems and Technology Cluster and the Center for Research on Intelligent Software Engineering. An ACM Fellow, IEEE Fellow, and ASE Fellow, his research focuses on AI for Software Engineering (AI4SE), leveraging machine learning, data mining, and NLP to enhance software analytics and automation. Research Highlights: AI4SE, code LLMs, human-AI synergy in software engineering, software reliability, and empirical studies of practitioner pain points Awards: IEEE TCSE Distinguished Service Award, university-wide Teaching Excellence Award, Outstanding Graduate Supervisor Award, 2 Test-of-Time Awards, and 11 ACM SIGSOFT/IEEE TCSE Distinguished Paper Awards Leadership: General Chair of ASE'16 and MSR'22, PC Co-Chair for ASE'20, FSE'24, and ICSE'25, ACM SIGSOFT Executive Committee member His work has received over 20 awards, 37,000 citations, and an H-index of 100. As an educator, he has mentored trainees who became faculty and R&D experts globally.
Dane Stephens serves as an Associate Lecturer in Digital Forensics at the School of Systems and Computing, UNSW Canberra (University of New South Wales). He combines extensive law enforcement experience with technological expertise in his academic role. His educational qualifications include: Master of Cyber Security in Digital Forensics - University of New South Wales (2020) Bachelor of Information Technology - Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (2016) Diploma of Public Safety (Policing) - Australian Federal Police (AFP) College (2012) Stephens specializes in digital forensic methodologies and evidence collection, with a focus on practical applications in legal contexts across Australian jurisdictions. His background as a 'seasoned law enforcement professional and accidental technologist' provides real-world relevance to his teaching and research. His work bridges the gap between traditional policing practices and modern digital investigation techniques, contributing to the development of next-generation digital forensic professionals at UNSW Canberra.
Professor Vallipuram Muthukkumarasamy is an Associate Professor at the School of Information and Communication Technology at Griffith University, where he has pioneered Network Security teaching and research since joining in 2001. He leads the Networking & Security and Blockchain Research Group at the Institute for Integrated and Intelligent Systems. Muthu holds a Ph.D. from Cambridge University and a B.Sc. Eng. with 1st Class Honors from the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka. His extensive academic appointments include Group Leader of Network Security and Blockchain Research (2008-present), Program Director for the Graduate Certificate in Blockchain Technology (2022-present), HDR Convenor (2022-present), Member of the University Council (2020-2021), and Deputy Head of School for Learning and Teaching (2013-2016). Muthu's research expertise spans Cyber Security, Blockchain Technology (DLT), and Wireless Sensor Networking. He has secured national and international funding for interdisciplinary research, published over 150 articles in international journals and conferences, and supervised more than 30 research Masters and PhD students to completion. He pioneered the Network Security teaching at Griffith and successfully proposed and led the development of Queensland's first Master of Cyber Security Program, creating a truly interdisciplinary curriculum with Law, Business, and Criminology Schools. His recent publications reveal a strong research trajectory in blockchain applications, security visualization techniques, and wireless sensor networks. His work explores DeFi user behavior analysis, NFT privacy risks in the metaverse, blockchain transaction visualization, and the integration of blockchain with AI for credit scoring systems. His wireless sensor network research focuses on energy-efficient routing protocols and network lifetime modeling. Muthu has received multiple best teacher awards from students and peers, and during his tenure as Deputy Head of School, the Griffith IT program was ranked #1 in Australia for overall student satisfaction. He successfully proposed and developed Cisco-related courses at undergraduate and postgraduate levels and instrumental in creating industry-sought-after networking and security courses across all academic levels. His funded research includes significant projects such as Increasing the South East Queensland Cyber Security Workforce, Linking Digital Payments to Crime Using Big Data Machine Learning Tools, Improving Water Markets through Digital Technologies, and developing Indo-Australian partnerships for digital transformation through blockchain. He is actively involved in community and charity activities and has been instrumental in internationalization efforts for Griffith University.
Dr. Jia Wu is an Associate Professor and Research Director of the Centre for Applied Artificial Intelligence at Macquarie University. He holds a PhD in Computer Science from the University of Technology Sydney (2009) and is an IEEE Senior Member. His research focuses on artificial intelligence, data mining, graph neural networks, and anomaly detection, with over 200 publications in top-tier journals/conferences like IEEE TPAMI, TKDE, and conferences like KDD, IJCAI, and NeurIPS. He has received awards including the Heidelberg Laureate Forum Fellowship (2019) and multiple best paper awards. Education: PhD in Computer Science (UTS, 2009). Current roles include Director of HDR (Higher Degree Research) and Associate Editor for IEEE TNNLS and ACM TKDD. He leads projects in AI-driven cybersecurity, personalized banking solutions, and disaster response systems. Research interests emphasize graph-based learning, fake news detection, and deep learning applications. His recent work explores hypergraph neural networks for fraud detection and brain graph analysis for neurological disorders. He has pioneered scalable semi-supervised clustering techniques and transformer-based hypergraph models for anomaly detection. Awards include CIKM'22 Best Paper Runner-Up, ICDM'21 Best Student Paper, and the 2023 Faculty of Science and Engineering Collaboration Award. His work spans 13 active research projects, including mitigating AI deepfakes in identity systems and enhancing disaster response networks through graph-based simulations. Labs/Teams: Leads teams in the Data Horizons Research Centre, Future Communications Research Centre, and Hearing Research Centre. Collaborates internationally in AI, data mining, and social network analysis.
Professor Denis O'Carroll is Deputy Head of the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) and Managing Director of the Water Research Laboratory (WRL). His research focuses on environmental engineering challenges, particularly in water resource management and contaminant remediation. His primary research interests include: Development of nanoscale materials for environmental restoration PFAS contamination assessment and treatment technologies Groundwater remediation and contaminant transport modeling Green infrastructure performance evaluation Fate and transport of emerging contaminants in aquatic systems Electrochemical degradation of persistent pollutants Bioremediation and microbial transformation processes Professor O'Carroll's recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on PFAS research, with multiple studies examining global contamination patterns, degradation mechanisms, and innovative treatment technologies. His work also shows consistent attention to nanomaterial applications for environmental remediation, particularly sulfidated zerovalent iron systems for chlorinated solvent treatment. The research spans laboratory studies to field-scale validations. As Managing Director of the Water Research Laboratory, Professor O'Carroll leads significant research initiatives addressing water quality challenges. His laboratory conducts both fundamental research and applied studies with direct relevance to environmental policy and remediation practice.
Dr. Oliver Guidetti serves as a Level A Lecturer in Psychology at the University of Wollongong, specializing in human factors, cyber vigilance, and applied cognitive science. His interdisciplinary research bridges psychology, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence to address critical challenges in human-machine collaboration and security operations environments. His educational foundation includes: Bachelor of Mathematics from Edith Cowan University (2011-2014) Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Edith Cowan University (2011-2014) Bachelor of Science (Psychology Honours) from Edith Cowan University (2015) Doctor of Philosophy from Edith Cowan University (2019-2022) Guidetti's research centers on the cognitive and physiological dimensions of human performance in security contexts. He investigates how eye-tracking, biometric monitoring, and neuroergonomic approaches can optimize vigilance in cybersecurity operations, while exploring socio-technical impacts of AI on human decision-making. His work extends to digital relationship literacy and AI bias mitigation, demonstrating applications across defense, healthcare, and industrial settings through collaborations with the Department of Home Affairs and Western Australian Cyber Defence Taskforce. His 2023-2024 publications reveal a cohesive research trajectory focused on cyber vigilance task design, human-AI teaming frameworks, and neuroergonomic validation methods. The corpus shows increasing integration of biometric data with cognitive theory to develop real-time performance assessment tools, alongside growing attention to ethical AI governance and cross-sector resilience in critical infrastructure protection. As an educator, Guidetti supervises Honours and PhD students in human factors and AI-driven research while teaching psychology research methods and cybersecurity applications. He co-developed an Australian Psychological Society-certified professional development course for psychologists entering cybersecurity fields, demonstrating his commitment to translating research into industry practice. His professional leadership includes advising on cyber vigilance frameworks, developing AI bias mitigation strategies, and serving on APS committees focused on digital psychology applications. Current projects involve designing AI-driven dating simulators for relationship literacy interventions and creating certified training programs for security operations personnel.
Zhe Hou is a Senior Lecturer at the School of Information and Communication Technology , Griffith University, Australia. His academic journey includes a PhD in automated reasoning for separation logic from the Australian National University (2015) and prior research roles at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (2015-2017). He joined Griffith University in 2017 and became permanent faculty in late 2019. Research Interests : Formal methods for software verification Automated reasoning with logical frameworks Blockchain technology and security Quantum computing verification Integration of LLMs with rigorous reasoning Sports analytics via model checking Recent Publications demonstrate expertise in neural-symbolic reasoning, blockchain security, quantum SAT solvers, and runtime verification frameworks. His work combines formal logic with machine learning for applications in cybersecurity and AI trustworthiness. Scientific Awards : ACM SIGSOFT Distinguished Paper Award (2025) Supervision Roles : Principal/Associate Supervisor for 6+ doctoral projects in blockchain security, AI verification, and network security. Professional Activities : Editor for Springer-Nature and Formal Aspects of Computing special issues, conference chair for ICFEM, ICECCS, and ISACE symposia.
