James Wollack is a Professor in the Department of Educational Psychology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, specializing in Quantitative Methods. He serves as Director of Testing & Evaluation Services and the UW System Center for Placement Testing. His research focuses on test security, including detection of cheating, item compromise, and secure test administration. He leads the Council on Test Security (COTS) and co-edited major handbooks on test security and quantitative cheating detection methods. Education: PhD in Educational Psychology (UW-Madison, 1996); MS in Educational Psychology (UW-Madison, 1993); BS in Psychology (UC Davis, 1991). Research emphasizes statistical methods for detecting group/individual cheating, test fraud prevention, and policy development. Key areas include preknowledge detection, collusion analysis, and compromised-item identification. His work bridges academia and industry, influencing testing program policies globally. Notable awards include the Vilas Associates Award (2019–2021) and recognition from the National College Testing Association. His publications span methodological advancements in cheating detection and foundational test security principles.
April L. Zenisky is a Research Professor and Director of Computer-Based Testing Initiatives at the Center for Educational Assessment, University of Massachusetts Amherst. She specializes in psychometrics, large-scale assessment, and computer-based testing. Her work focuses on improving test designs, score reporting, and innovative item types for credentialing and educational programs. She leads projects like the Massachusetts Adult Proficiency Tests (MAPT-CCR) and has contributed to NAEP evaluations. Currently, she is the Associate Editor of the International Journal of Testing. Education: B.A. in English and Psychology from Amherst College (1997) Ed.D. in Educational Research from University of Massachusetts Amherst (2004) Research Interests: Dr. Zenisky’s work emphasizes practical applications of psychometric principles to real-world testing challenges, including adaptive testing paradigms, cross-cultural assessment, and actionable score reporting. She advocates for user-centric design in score reports and has pioneered methods for integrating technology into testing environments. Lab/Team: She directs the Center for Educational Assessment, collaborating with institutions globally on large-scale assessment projects. Her team develops tools for validating test designs and improving stakeholder communication of assessment outcomes.
Dr. Chia-Wen Chen is a Psychometrician at the Psychometrics Centre within the Cambridge Judge Business School , specializing in Executive Education. Originally from Taiwan, he holds a PhD in Psychometrics from the Education University of Hong Kong (2018), preceded by a master's degree in Psychology from National Chung Cheng University (2012). His career spans institutions in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Norway, and the UK, including postdoctoral research at the University of Oslo's Centre for Educational Measurement (2019-2023). PhD in Psychometrics (2018), Education University of Hong Kong MSc in Psychology (2012), National Chung Cheng University Postdoctoral Researcher (2019-2023), University of Oslo Chia-Wen's research focuses on Item Response Theory (IRT) models for forced-choice and compositional items , with applications in computerized adaptive testing (CAT) , differential item functioning (DIF) , and multilevel modeling . His work includes developing novel IRT methods for ranking items and Most-Least formats, addressing reliability/validity in educational scales like the Principal Instructional Management Rating Scale (PIMRS), and analyzing large-scale datasets (PISA) for cross-national educational insights. Recent publications demonstrate expertise in ipsative testing , online parameter estimation , and factor mixture modeling for educational diagnostics. He has also contributed to methodologies for CAT algorithms in educational evaluation and fault line analysis in school leadership teams.
Teresa Treat is a Professor in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at the University of Iowa. Her research integrates clinical psychology with cognitive science, focusing on sexual aggression prevention, social perception, disordered eating, and psychometrics. Education: PhD from Indiana University (2000) Her work examines cognitive mechanisms underlying sexual aggression risk, including attentional biases, memory deficits, and social norm misperceptions. She has developed computerized prevention programs combining cognitive training with motivational interviewing to address sexual aggression, risky sex, and heavy drinking among college men. Recent publications analyze sexual perception accuracy, cognitive processing of affective cues, and health behavior misjudgments. Her lab employs signal detection theory, eye-tracking, and computational modeling to study these processes. Projects include NIAAA-funded studies on alcohol’s impact on visual attention and NIH-funded development of protective behavioral strategies. Collaborators include Drs. Corbin (ASU), Viken (IU), and McFall (IU).
Dario Cecilio-Fernandes is an Assistant Professor at the Institute of Medical Education Research Rotterdam, Erasmus MC. His work focuses on cognitive processes in medical student learning and assessment, with expertise in skill training, educational assessment, and technology integration in healthcare education. He holds a PhD from the University of Groningen (2018), a Master’s in Psychological Assessment from Universidade São Francisco (2012), and a Bachelor’s in Psychology (2010). Research Interests: Skill Training : Optimizing spaced practice for long-term skill retention and self-regulated learning feedback systems. Educational Assessment : Innovations like computerized adaptive testing and eye-tracking for evaluating cognitive processes. Innovation : Leveraging technology (e.g., AI, physiological measurements) to enhance medical education engagement and outcomes. Key Contributions: His studies show spaced practice improves skill retention, and SRL feedback enhances clinical performance. He collaborates internationally and contributes to journals like Medical Teacher . Awards: Poster Prize – 1st place (2023) Sao Paulo Research Foundation Grants (2020, 2019) Medical Education Choice Critics Awards (2018) Activities: Involved in invited talks (e.g., AI in Med Ed, Transfer of Learning) and editorial work for Medical Teacher .
Professor Nellie Georgiou-Karistianis serves as the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research Training) at Monash University within the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) portfolio, where she leads and shapes the graduate research training agenda. She previously held significant leadership roles as Associate Dean (Graduate Affairs, 2015-2018) and Deputy Dean (Academic and Graduate Affairs, 2019-2021) within the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Science. She heads the Georgiou-Karistianis Experimental Neuropsychology Research Unit within the Turner Institute of Brain and Mental Health and serves as Director of the Huntington's Research Group of Victoria (HRGV). Her research focuses on neurodegenerative disorders, particularly Huntington's disease and Friedreich ataxia. She has pioneered work in discovering novel biomarkers for tracking disease progression that are now used in early drug development. Her research spans cognitive neuroscience, neuroimaging, biomarker development, and cognitive interventions. She has made significant contributions to understanding disease progression at brain, cognitive and motor levels, with work that has informed clinical trials and therapeutic approaches. Analysis of her recent publications reveals a strong focus on advanced neuroimaging techniques for tracking neurodegenerative processes, machine learning applications for biomarker development, and cognitive interventions for neurodegenerative conditions. Her work increasingly integrates multimodal data analysis and international collaboration to validate imaging biomarkers for clinical trial use. H-index of 57 with over 10,500 citations Editor-in-chief of Journal of Huntington's Disease since 2017 Editor-in-chief of Recent Patents on Biomarkers since 2017 Leadership certification from Harvard University Professor Georgiou-Karistianis has supervised 29 doctoral students to completion, seven of whom received NHMRC ECR Fellowships and one a Fulbright Fellowship. She has secured over $16 million in research funding from competitive government schemes (NHMRC, ARC Linkage) and philanthropic bodies. As Overall Coordinating Principal Investigator, she leads TRACK-FA, an international study with seven academic partners and six industry sponsors across four continents. She leads the Georgiou-Karistianis Experimental Neuropsychology Research Unit and chairs the TRACK-FA Neuroimaging Consortium. Her work involves close collaboration with international research networks including the Huntington's Disease Regulatory Science Consortium (HD-RSC), Critical Path Institute, and the Cure Huntington's Disease Initiative (CHDI, USA) Foundation.
Dr. Sylwia Gwiazdowska-Stańczak is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Educational Psychology and Family, Institute of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin. Her work bridges school psychology, occupational health, and family dynamics, focusing on educational engagement, psychotechnical assessments, and stress management. Specializes in gifted education and family-school collaboration Expert in driver psychological evaluations and technostress research Conducted studies on adolescent family perceptions and overqualification in employment Research Trends: Recent publications analyze mindfulness in occupational settings, family influences on academic performance, and technology-induced stress. She emphasizes practical psychological applications in education and workplace environments. Scientific Contributions: 2024: Developed a model for gifted student development 2023: Explored mindfulness mediation in driver stress 2022: Authored school climate guides and driver assessment frameworks 2021: Investigated technostress and parental attitude correlations 2019: Studied family impacts on career overqualification decisions 2018: Examined family dynamics of gifted students Projects: Managed a family perception study for gifted students (2011) and contributed to international psychological assistance programs. Active in science popularization, including participation in the Lublin Science Festival.
Boyan Paskalev Bontchev is a Professor in the Department of Software Technologies at Sofia University's Faculty of Informatics. With a PhD in Computer Science from the Center of Informatics and Computer Technology - Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, he has established himself as a prominent academic in software engineering and educational technology fields. His academic career includes teaching Java Server/Side Programming and OOAD-UML courses at Sofia University and New Bulgarian University since 2000. Professor Bontchev's research focuses on e-learning systems, adaptive hypermedia, and software architecture. His work centers around developing self-adaptive educational platforms, with significant contributions to the ARCADE e-learning platform that complies with IEEE LTSA standards. He has published extensively on topics including courseware composition, learning content interoperability, and assessment frameworks, demonstrating a consistent research trajectory in educational technology systems. His publications reveal a strong emphasis on practical applications of educational technology, particularly in self-adaptive hypermedia navigation, e-learning courseware delivery, and assessment interoperability. The research shows progression from foundational work on software architecture to increasingly sophisticated adaptive learning systems that incorporate learner modeling and personalized educational experiences. Professor Bontchev maintains active industry connections, having worked as a software engineer and project manager at companies including Rila Solutions, ESDI Ltd., and OBLOG Software Ltd. His international experience includes research stays at the University of Vienna and Technical University of Aachen, contributing to his broad perspective on educational technology development. With proficiency in multiple programming languages and environments including Java, JSP, Oracle, and web technologies, he bridges theoretical computer science with practical educational applications. His multilingual capabilities (English, Portuguese, German, Russian, Spanish) further enhance his international research collaborations and academic contributions.
Ari Huhta is a Professor at the Centre for Applied Language Studies at the University of Jyväskylä. His research focuses on applied linguistics , language assessment , and second language acquisition , with particular emphasis on diagnostic and dynamic assessment frameworks in foreign language education. Active member of the Applied Language Studies and Language Campus follow-up groups Collaborates with institutions like the Finnish National Agency for Education and Research Council of Finland His work integrates language technology and educational evaluation to innovate assessments for L2 writing , reading , and speaking . Recent projects include AI-driven diagnostic tools and automatic speaking evaluation systems. Key collaborations span projects such as Dynamic Diagnostic Language Assessment and ‘Broken Finnish’ , examining societal gatekeeping in language proficiency. His publications address assessment validity , stakeholder involvement , and technological mediation in learning processes.
Summer L. Gunn is a Professional Practice Assistant Professor in the Department of Special Education and Rehabilitation Counseling at Utah State University (USU), affiliated with the Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services. She holds a Master of Education (2011) and a Bachelor of Science in Special Education (2004) from USU, with honors including the Creative Project of the Year (2011) and Department of Special Education Scholar of the Year (2004). Her research focuses on Applied Behavior Analysis, Early Childhood Special Education, and Professional Development, with particular emphasis on autism spectrum disorder and inclusive practices. Dr. Gunn teaches courses such as SPED-4000, SPED-5710, and SPED-6730, emphasizing practical skills for educators. She coordinates community practicum experiences and supervises student teachers, integrating video feedback tools like GoReact to enhance clinical training. Her work includes roles in the ASSERT (Autism Support Services: Education, Research, and Training) initiative and Aggies Elevated, providing behavioral coaching for students with autism. Her publications and presentations address topics like video-assisted learning, inclusive education strategies, and trauma-informed interactions. She is certified as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and has extensive clinical experience in early intervention and special education. Professional service includes roles on the Utah Special Education Advisor Panel and leadership in the Utah DEC (Division for Early Childhood).
Kylie Gorney is an Assistant Professor of Measurement and Quantitative Methods in the Department of Counseling, Educational Psychology and Special Education at Michigan State University (MSU). She holds a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology (Quantitative Methods) from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and served as the 2022–23 Harold Gulliksen Psychometric Research Fellow at Educational Testing Service. Her research focuses on test security, item response theory, and computerized adaptive testing (CAT), with publications in leading journals such as British Journal of Mathematical and Statistical Psychology and Psychometrika . Dr. Gorney’s work addresses challenges in maintaining testing integrity, including detecting cheating through methods like answer similarity analysis and response time analysis. She has developed an R package called aberrance for automated detection of aberrant test-taker behavior. Her contributions span both theoretical advancements in psychometrics and practical applications in secure testing environments. Her recent publications (2022–2025) emphasize innovations in CAT algorithms, person-fit statistics, and the integration of response-time data into security frameworks. These studies highlight advancements in detecting item compromise, preknowledge, and test speededness while improving subscore interpretation for polytomous items. Dr. Gorney is affiliated with MSU’s College of Education and maintains an active research agenda bridging statistical theory with real-world testing scenarios. She is accessible via email at kgorney@msu.edu .
Dr. Geoff Spurling is an Associate Professor at The University of Queensland's General Practice Clinical Unit within the Faculty of Health, Medicine and Behavioural Sciences. He divides his professional time between the University (0.4 FTE) and the Southern Queensland Centre of Excellence in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander primary health care (Inala COE - 0.6 FTE), where he has worked since 2004. Dr. Spurling completed his medical training at the University of Queensland, followed by junior doctor years in regional Queensland. His educational background includes: Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery and Medical Science, The University of Queensland Masters (Coursework) of Public Health, The University of Queensland Doctor of Philosophy of General Practice, The University of Queensland Royal Australian College of General Practitioners certification Diploma of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene from London (1998) His primary research focuses on social determinants of health and access to primary health care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Additional research interests include quality use of medicines, respiratory infections, and access to opioid dependence treatment, with methodological expertise in systematic reviews and mixed-methods research. Clinically, he serves the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community in Inala, Spanish-speaking refugees, and has developed expertise in diabetic retinopathy and addiction medicine. Dr. Spurling's recent publications reveal a strong emphasis on Indigenous health, particularly hearing loss, mental wellbeing, and health assessments for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations. His work consistently employs systematic review methodologies and addresses health equity and primary care delivery challenges for Indigenous communities, reflecting his commitment to translating research into practical healthcare improvements. Significant recognitions include: NHMRC Emerging Leader Fellowship (2019) Primary editor for Therapeutic Guidelines update on otitis media (2022-23) Committee member of the national RACGP expert committee on research (2018-2021) GP representative on NPS Medicinewise's prescribing advisory group (2011-2017) Dr. Spurling supervises five PhD students and has secured over A$18 million in research funding. His research has directly influenced healthcare policy, contributing to new Medicare item numbers for retinal photography in Indigenous primary care, remodelled national health assessments, and computerized health assessments at the Inala COE since 2010. He actively mentors GP registrars and medical students while teaching cardiovascular medicine, respiratory infections, and Indigenous health topics at UQ. Based at the Southern Queensland Centre of Excellence in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander primary health care (Inala COE) in Brisbane, Dr. Spurling's work integrates clinical practice, research, and teaching to address health disparities and improve outcomes for Indigenous populations through evidence-based approaches and community-centered care models.
Malcolm K. Sparrow is the Professor of the Practice of Public Management at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government. He is Faculty Chair of the executive program "Strategic Management of Regulatory and Enforcement Agencies" and a leading expert in regulatory strategy, operational risk management, and fraud control. Education: MA in Mathematics (Cambridge University), MPA (Harvard Kennedy School), PhD in Applied Mathematics (Kent University) His research focuses on harm reduction, risk-based regulation, and the operational challenges of social control agencies. Key themes include: Problem-oriented policing Healthcare fraud mitigation Compliance strategy design Performance measurement in risk environments Recent publications emphasize regulatory frameworks for managing gambling harms (2024 Lancet Commission), algorithmic policing (2016 "Handcuffed"), and regulatory craftsmanship (2020 "Fundamentals of Regulatory Design"). Current engagements include: Keynote at the 5th Risk-Based Regulation Conference (Canberra, 2025) "The Modern Regulator" executive seminars (ANZSOG, 2024-2025) Collaborative work with international regulatory bodies (Australian Hatchery, Canadian Community of Federal Regulators) Sparrow's 30-year academic career builds on his 10-year tenure as a Detective Chief Inspector in the British Police Service, blending practical enforcement experience with scholarly analysis. His inventions in computerized fingerprint analysis and active participation in policy debates (e.g., "The Ralph Nader Radio Hour" discussions) demonstrate interdisciplinary impact.
Mariana Silva is a Teaching Associate Professor at the Siebel School of Computing and Data Science , University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and CEO of PrairieLearn Inc. She holds a Ph.D. in Theoretical and Applied Mechanics from UIUC (2009). Her research focuses on leveraging educational technologies, such as Large Language Models (LLMs), to enhance computer-based assessments and scalable teaching practices. Silva has taught over 11 courses to 9,000+ students, emphasizing innovations in STEM education. She has pioneered adaptive testing tools and randomized question generators to improve equity and accessibility in large-scale courses. Education : Ph.D., Theoretical and Applied Mechanics, UIUC (2009) M.S., Mechanical Engineering, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (2003) B.S., Mechanical Engineering, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (2001) Research Interests : Silva’s work centers on technology-driven education , including automated grading using LLMs, design of adaptive assessment systems, and fostering collaborative learning. She has developed tools like PrairieLearn to streamline teaching workflows while maintaining educational rigor. Awards & Recognition : Scott H. Fisher Computer Science Teaching Award (2022) Rose Award for Teaching Excellence (2022) Multiple “List of Teachers Ranked as Excellent” (2009–2017) Engineering Council Outstanding Advising Award (2014–2019) Labs & Teams : Co-founder of PrairieLearn Inc., which provides open-source platforms for STEM education. She collaborates with interdisciplinary teams to advance educational technologies and testing infrastructure.
Hanne Solveig Dagfinrud is a Senior Researcher affiliated with the Department of Public Health Sciences and Interdisciplinary Health Sciences at the University of Oslo and the Department of Rheumatology at Diakonhjemmet Hospital. She holds a Dr. philos (PhD equivalent) awarded by the University of Oslo in 2005. Her academic background includes extensive clinical experience as a physiotherapist specializing in manual therapy and sports physiotherapy, alongside expertise in rehabilitation and musculoskeletal health. Her research focuses on rheumatology, particularly the interplay between physical activity, cardiovascular health, and inflammatory joint diseases. She investigates physiotherapy interventions in primary care settings, emphasizing exercise-based therapies for conditions like axial spondyloarthritis and osteoarthritis. Notable projects include the ExeHeart trial evaluating high-intensity exercise for inflammatory arthritis patients and studies on patient-reported outcomes in rehabilitation. Dr. Dagfinrud teaches courses such as FysioPrim HELSEF4302 (Analysis Course, quantitative part) and HELSEF4402 (Function and Functional Assessment). Her work integrates clinical practice with research, addressing gaps in healthcare delivery through quality improvement initiatives and patient engagement strategies. She contributes to interdisciplinary teams like the BODYFUNC research group, exploring body function and disability in chronic diseases.
