Prof. Dr. Frank Ulbrich is a Lecturer and Programme Director for the BSc Business Administration at the Lucerne School of Business (HSLU). He holds a PhD in Business Administration from the Stockholm School of Economics. His academic career spans roles at universities in Sweden, the UK, Canada, and Switzerland, alongside IT & Management consulting experience. Research focuses on management education, project management, information management, and organizational change. He has published extensively in areas like shared services, digital transformation, and curriculum development. Notable awards include multiple Emerald Literati Awards and a Fellowship from the Higher Education Academy. Education: PhD in Business Administration (Stockholm School of Economics) Affiliations: Institute of Business and Regional Economics at HSLU Teaching Subjects: Academic Methods, Higher Education Management, Project Management, Digital Transformation Recent presentations include discussions on bridging academia-industry gaps, curriculum integration of SDGs, and data-driven learning strategies. His work emphasizes aligning education with labor market needs and advancing evidence-based teaching practices.
Jieyu Zhao is an Assistant Professor in the Thomas Lord Department of Computer Science at the University of Southern California (USC), part of the Viterbi School of Engineering. She holds a Ph.D. from UCLA and was a NSF Computing Innovation Fellow at the University of Maryland. Her research focuses on fairness in machine learning and NLP, particularly addressing biases in AI systems and promoting ethical AI practices. Education: Ph.D. in Computer Science (UCLA, 2021), Postdoc at University of Maryland (2022-2023), and multiple research internships at Microsoft Research, Google Research, and AI2. She also completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Virginia. Research interests include bias detection and mitigation in NLP models, trustworthy AI, and social responsibility in technology. Her work has been recognized with awards such as the EMNLP Best Long Paper Award (2017), Microsoft PhD Fellowship (2020), and EECS Rising Star (2021). She has delivered talks at conferences like NeurIPS, EMNLP, and USC Law School, and serves on committees including AAAI workflow chair. Her lab explores topics like alignment of LLMs, fairness in sequential decision-making, and ethical model interventions. She actively participates in initiatives promoting diversity and inclusion in AI, such as the UN-WOMEN Beijing panel on gender equality. Awards: 100 Brilliant Women in AI Ethics (2025), Capital One Research Award (2024), Microsoft PhD Fellowship (2020) Grants: NSF Computing Innovation Fellowship, USC Viterbi funding Labs/Teams: Leads the USC Lab focused on trustworthy AI and ethical NLP
Elena Agapie is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Informatics at the Donald Bren School of Information & Computer Sciences, University of California, Irvine. Her research lies at the intersection of human-computer interaction (HCI), health, and behavior change, focusing on designing technologies that support individuals in adopting and maintaining healthy behaviors through human-centered approaches. She is affiliated with the Connected Learning Lab and the Institute for Future Health at UCI. Her educational background includes a PhD in Human Centered Design and Engineering from the University of Washington, an MS in Computer Science from Harvard University, and a BS in Computer Science from Jacobs University Bremen in Germany. She has also conducted research at Microsoft Research, FXPAL, Intel Labs, and NASA Jet Propulsion Lab. Elena's research focuses on designing tools that integrate evidence-based behavioral interventions with user needs, particularly in mental health, chronic disease management, and social support systems. She explores how technology can support therapist-client collaboration, enable tailored health interventions, and leverage crowd expertise for personalized behavior change plans. Her work often involves participatory design, qualitative studies, and prototyping of interactive systems for diverse populations, including youth, hospitalized patients, and underserved communities. Her recent publications, primarily in top-tier venues like CHI and CSCW, reflect a strong trend toward social computing in health, longitudinal behavior support, and the design of inclusive digital health tools. Key themes include goal setting, conversational agents, social sharing in health tracking, and cross-disciplinary collaboration in health technology development. Best Paper Award (top 1%) at CHI 2017 Honorable Mention Best Paper Award (top 5%) at CHI 2016 Best Paper Award (top 1%) at HCOMP 2015 Honorable Mention Best Paper Award (top 5%) at CHI 2013 Elena has been funded by the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, and UCI internal grants. She actively mentors PhD students including Bruna Oewel, Meeshu Agnihotri, and Mehreen Masood, and is currently recruiting students interested in HCI, health, and behavior change. She previously led the outreach program in the HCDE department at the University of Washington, creating workshops that introduced K–12 students to engineering and human-centered design, reaching over 2,000 students across public schools and community events. She runs initiatives to broaden participation in computing and advises undergraduate students in outreach and curriculum development. Her lab collaborates with clinical partners and interdisciplinary teams to ensure real-world impact of her research.
Georges Kostakiotis is a Senior Lecturer at the National Institute for Oriental Languages and Civilisations (INALCO) in Paris, France, specializing in Modern Greek language and literature. His academic appointment falls under CNU Section 15, covering Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Hebrew and other languages and literature. He serves as Head of the TEMPO course for Modern Greek and teaches across multiple levels from L1 through L3, including text study, written and oral practice of Greek, Modern Greek thematic courses, specialized Greek text corpora, and technical translation at M1 and M2 levels. Dr. Kostakiotis's research focuses on the intersection of language pedagogy and literary studies. He investigates teaching oral communication from both practical and theoretical perspectives, examining how literary texts function as effective pedagogical tools in foreign language classrooms. His work develops specialized strategies for teaching Greek to Latin-speaking audiences, leveraging linguistic connections while addressing acquisition challenges. Additionally, he explores literary representations of politics and urban worlds, situating Greek literature within broader European and Balkan contexts through the CREE (Centre de Recherches Euro-Méditerranéennes et Euro-asiatiques) research center. Analysis of Dr. Kostakiotis's publication record from 2009-2024 reveals consistent scholarly engagement with Greek literature's relationship to Balkan cultures and historical contexts. His work demonstrates particular interest in how Greek literature addresses themes of foreignness, crisis, and identity through comparative analysis with other Balkan literary traditions. His research spans pedagogical approaches to language teaching, literary analysis of Greek texts, historical examinations of Greek literature, and cultural studies of Greek communities in the Balkans. Dr. Kostakiotis has been instrumental in organizing numerous academic events that bridge language pedagogy and literary scholarship. He has coordinated multiple conferences and study days focused on language teaching methodology, including sessions on oral communication techniques, vocabulary acquisition strategies, and assessment approaches. In the realm of literature and cultural studies, he has organized scholarly gatherings examining Greek-Romanian relations, Phanariote history, women's perspectives in Greek literature, and urban studies with particular attention to cities like Thessaloniki and Alexandria. His collaborative work, including co-edited volumes on Greek-Romanian relations, demonstrates his commitment to fostering academic dialogue across national and disciplinary boundaries.
Maria José Lisboa Brites de Azeredo is an Associate Professor with Habilitation at Lusófona University, Portugal. She serves as Vice-President of the Centre for Research in Applied Communication, Culture and New Technologies (CICANT) and coordinates the Media Literacy and Civic Cultures Lab (MeLCi Lab). She holds leadership roles in the Portuguese Association for Communication (SOPCOM) and the European Communication Research and Education Association (ECREA). Her academic career spans over two decades, including roles at institutions like Universidade Lusófona do Porto and Universidade Nova de Lisboa. Her education includes a PhD and Habilitation in Communication Sciences from Universidade Nova de Lisboa. She has completed specialized courses in digital education, intercultural dialogue, and pedagogical training from institutions like the University of Edinburgh and the Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas. Brites’ research focuses on youth journalism, audience studies, digital citizenship, and participatory methodologies. She has led projects such as the YouNDigital study (PTDC/COM-OUT/0243/2021) and the SMaRT-EU initiative. Her work has been recognized with awards including the Research Prize (2017, 2020, 2023) and the Gold Medal of Academic Value (2019). She coordinates the Master's Degree in Media and Information Literacy and Digital Citizenship at Lusófona University and has trained educators through initiatives like the Media in Action (MIA) project. Her publications span peer-reviewed journals, edited books, and conference proceedings addressing media literacy, generational media practices, and civic engagement.
Virginia Smith is the Leonardo Associate Professor of Machine Learning at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU), with a courtesy appointment in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. She holds a Ph.D. from UC Berkeley and undergraduate degrees from the University of Virginia. Her research focuses on developing efficient, privacy-preserving machine learning systems, particularly in federated learning, distributed optimization, and resource-constrained settings. Key areas include federated learning frameworks like CoCoA and Ditto, unlearning algorithms, and privacy amplification techniques. Smith's work bridges theory and practice, addressing challenges such as data heterogeneity, fairness, and robustness. She has led initiatives like the LEAF benchmark for federated learning and has contributed to open-source tools for scalable ML systems. Her awards include the Sloan Research Fellowship, Samsung AI Researcher of the Year (2023), and an NSF CAREER Award. She is actively involved in curriculum development, teaching courses on federated learning and large-scale ML at CMU. Her research group explores cutting-edge topics like federated optimization with sparse communication, unlearning in LLMs, and secure ML pipelines. Collaborations span academia and industry, with applications in healthcare, IoT systems, and AI safety. Smith serves as Program Chair for ICML 2025 and frequently contributes to workshops on federated learning and trustworthy AI.
Felipe Csaszar is a Professor of Strategy and Chair of the Strategy Department at the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business. His research focuses on decision structures' impact on innovation, financial performance, and social outcomes, with particular attention to cognitive frameworks, organizational processes, and AI's role in decision-making. He holds a PhD and MA from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. Education: PhD in Strategy, University of Pennsylvania (2009) MA in Strategy, University of Pennsylvania (2007) Research Interests: Strategic decision-making under AI integration Cognitive and structural drivers of innovation Organizational decision processes and design Formal modeling and empirical strategy research Editorial Roles: Senior Editor, Strategy Science and Management Science Former Editor, Organization Science Co-editor, Handbook of AI and Strategy Professional Experience: Prior role: Assistant Professor at INSEAD Previous career: CEO of an internet startup and Head of Research at an asset management firm Labs/Teams: Leading the Strategy Science division at INFORMS Co-chair of the SMS Behavioral Strategy division
Alice Reagan is Professor of Professional Practice and Director of Undergraduate Studies in the Department of Theatre at Barnard College, Columbia University. She teaches directing, performance, and seminars on Zora Neale Hurston, Black performance, and AIDS activism, while also directing professionally across the U.S. Education: B.A., Bates College M.A., Tisch School of the Arts, New York University M.F.A., Columbia University, School of the Arts Her research and artistic practice centers on theatre directing, adaptation, new play development, and ensemble-based work , with a strong commitment to feminist and socially engaged theatre. She founded New Plays at Barnard , commissioning works by women-identified playwrights. Her recent and upcoming productions include Evelyn Brown (A Diary) , Cherry Orchard , Measure for Measure , and The Thanksgiving Play . Her recent publications and public scholarship focus on the revival of María Irene Fornés' work and the ethics of white educators teaching Black diasporic material, especially her influential 2019 article Teaching While White . The articles reflect a consistent engagement with race, pedagogy, classical reinterpretation, and feminist performance . Selected Awards & Honors: Named to Kilroys List, 2023 Individual Artist Grant, NYSCA, 2023 Cherry Orchard Teaching Excellence Award, 2022 Princess Grace Award Drama League Directing Fellow Berkshire Theatre Award nominations (9) She advises student productions and leads the New Plays at Barnard program, shaping the next generation of theatre artists. She has received grants from the Shubert Foundation and NYSCA. Her professional affiliations include Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, New Georges, and Wingspace Design. She is deeply involved in lab programs such as the Lincoln Center Directors Lab and Mabou Mines/SUITE. She leads the New Plays at Barnard initiative and collaborates with professional ensembles like Portland Experimental Theatre Ensemble and Shakespeare & Company, bridging academic and professional theatre.
Fabian Fagerholm is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science at Aalto University. His work bridges software engineering, human-computer interaction, and empirical research methodologies. He actively participates in research groups such as Software and Service Engineering (SSE) and Human-Computer Interaction and Design (HCID). Fagerholm's research explores: Continuous experimentation in software development Developer cognition and mental models Agile methodologies and team dynamics Low-code platforms and end-user programming Software engineering education and pedagogy His publications reflect a strong empirical focus, with recurring themes of human factors in technical systems and educational innovation. He has received notable awards including: Journal of Systems and Software Best Paper Award (2018) EUROMICRO SEAA Distinguished Paper Award (2017) Teacher of the Year (2013) Nokia Foundation Scholarship (2013) Fagerholm contributes to software engineering infrastructure through tools for experimentation and boundary artifacts, enhancing collaboration in distributed teams.
Sheila McIlraith is a Professor in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Toronto, holding the Canada CIFAR AI Chair at the Vector Institute and serving as Associate Director and Research Lead at the Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society. Her research spans AI safety, ethics, reinforcement learning, and knowledge representation, with a focus on human-compatible AI and long-term societal impacts. Her career includes six years as a Research Scientist at Stanford University and a year at Xerox PARC. McIlraith’s work has been recognized through ACM and AAAI fellowships, as well as prestigious awards like the SWSA 10-Year Award (2011) and the CAIAC Lifetime Achievement Award (2024). Research Interests: AI Safety and Alignment Human-Compatible AI Reinforcement Learning with Ethical Constraints Semantic Web Services Cognitive Robotics and Diagnostic Systems Probabilistic and Logical Reasoning Recent Contributions: Her work emphasizes ethical AI integration, such as the Embedded Ethics Education Initiative (E3I), and addresses challenges in long-term AI risks, multi-agent systems, and interpretable decision-making frameworks. Awards and Honors: ACM Fellow AAAI Fellow 2023 IJCAI-JAIR Best Paper Prize 2024 CAIAC Lifetime Achievement Award Labs and Teams: McIlraith leads initiatives at the Schwartz Reisman Institute and contributes to the Vector Institute, focusing on societal and ethical dimensions of AI technology.
Professor Nancy W. Y. Law is a leading scholar in Learning Sciences and Technology at the University of Hong Kong's Faculty of Education . She has served as Founding Director of the Centre for Information Technology in Education (CITE) (1998-2013) and currently holds the Chair of Learning Sciences and Technology . Her career spans over 25 years of international comparative studies, policy analysis, and large-scale educational innovation. Current roles: Associate Dean (Strategic Development), HKU Key affiliations: Sciences of Learning Strategic Research Theme (co-convener) Research Expertise Her work focuses on technology-enhanced learning , digital literacy , knowledge building communities , and multilevel educational change . She pioneered network models of teacher innovation and socio-technical frameworks for sustainable pedagogical transformation, particularly in STEM education and Cyberbullying prevention . Scientific Leadership With over 25 major research grants (2000-2023) exceeding HK$50 million, she leads projects like: Learning and Assessment for Digital Citizenship Jockey Club Self-directed Learning in STEM Design-Aware Learning Analytics A Fellow of the International Society of Learning Sciences and recipient of the HKSAR Humanities and Social Sciences Prestigious Fellowship , she has supervised numerous international comparative studies including SITES 2006, ICILS 2013, and longitudinal digital citizenship research (2019-2021).
Steven I-Jy Chien serves as Professor and Director of the Transportation Program within the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT). His career spans academia, government, and industry with significant contributions to transportation engineering research and practice. His educational credentials include: Ph.D. in Civil and Environmental Engineering from University of Maryland-College Park (1995) M.S. in Civil and Environmental Engineering from University of Maryland-College Park (1991) B.S. in Civil Engineering from Tamkang University (1983) Professor Chien's research focuses on transportation system resilience, sustainable transit operations, and advanced traffic modeling. His work addresses critical challenges in urban rail networks, demand-responsive transit services, and energy-efficient transportation systems. He employs sophisticated computational methods including genetic algorithms, machine learning, and Bayesian approaches to solve complex transportation problems involving network vulnerability, passenger behavior, and infrastructure optimization under uncertainty. Analysis of his recent publications reveals strong emphasis on transportation resilience against cascading failures, sustainable operations for electric transit systems, and pandemic-responsive aviation scheduling. His research spans diverse geographic contexts including major Chinese metropolitan areas and U.S. transportation networks, demonstrating global applicability of his methodologies. His professional recognition includes: 2024 Keynote Speaker at Union-Tech Lecture, National Taiwan Ocean University 2022 Keynote Speaker at International Conference of Chinese Institute of Transportation 2022 Best Poster Award from New Jersey Department of Transportation Professor Chien has secured research funding from federal agencies including the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) where he contributed to CORSIM traffic simulation software development. His industry experience with China Engineering Consultants Inc. and Information Dynamic Inc. informs his practical approach to transportation challenges. As Transportation Program Director, he oversees curriculum development and industry partnerships that prepare students for transportation sector careers. He maintains active collaboration with transportation agencies globally, particularly through his leadership in the Transportation Program at NJIT which serves as a hub for innovation in urban mobility solutions.
Matt King is an Associate Professor and Graduate Director in the Department of History at the University of South Florida (USF), within the College of Arts and Sciences. He specializes in medieval Mediterranean history, digital humanities, and the Crusades era, particularly focusing on Norman-Sicily and Zirid-Ifriqiya relations. King holds a Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota (2018) and teaches courses on medieval history, digital methods, and historical pedagogy. His research explores the interconnectedness of medieval Mediterranean polities, leveraging Arabic and Latin sources alongside digital tools like the Old World Drought Atlas. His first book, Dynasties Intertwined (2022), examines Zirid-Norman relations. He has co-authored translations of al-Idrisi’s geography and is currently researching the historical perception of goblins. Education: Ph.D., University of Minnesota (2018); M.A. (2014), B.A. (2012) in History and Latin. King’s teaching emphasizes active learning and digital humanities, including workshops for K-12 educators. He has received grants totaling over $40,000 for research and community projects. Awards include the Outstanding Graduate Instructor Award (UMN, 2018) and the Subvention Award (USF, 2022). His publications span peer-reviewed journals (e.g., Journal of North African Studies , The History Teacher ) and edited volumes, with a focus on medieval Mediterranean dynamics, digital pedagogy, and environmental history. King advises graduate students in medieval Mediterranean history, emphasizing research in Arabic, Latin, or Greek. He is involved in digital initiatives, including departmental websites and archaeological 3D modeling projects.
Lucie DE CARVALHO is a Lecturer in British Civilization at the University of Lille, Faculty of Languages, Culture and Societies, Department of English Studies. She is affiliated with ULR 4074 - Center for Studies in Civilizations, Languages and Foreign Literature. Graduated from ENS Cachan Specializes in British Civilization Based at University of Lille (BO.529) Dr. DE CARVALHO's research focuses on contemporary British politics, political discourse studies, British energy policies (particularly nuclear and renewable energy), neoliberalism, historiography of science, and climate governance. Her work demonstrates a consistent engagement with the intersection of political power, energy policy, and media representation in the British context. She has developed a particular expertise in analyzing how the UK state manages controversial technologies like nuclear power within neoliberal frameworks. Her publication record shows a consistent output spanning from 2014 to 2024, with recent work examining twenty-first century UK broadcasting ecology, teaching British history to French students, and contemporary nuclear power policies. The analysis of her articles reveals a strong thematic continuity centered on British governance, energy policy, and the complexities of neoliberal state intervention. Her research employs interdisciplinary approaches drawing from political science, media studies, and science and technology studies. Member of the SAES (Society of Anglicists in Higher Education) Member of CRECIB (Centre for Research on British Civilization) Associate member of the Research Center in British Civilization (CREC) Institute of the Anglophone World, Sorbonne Nouvelle University – Paris 3 Member of the UK Political Studies Association Member of the European Association for the Study of Science and Technology (EASST) Member of UACES Dr. DE CARVALHO has demonstrated sustained research activity across multiple domains related to British studies, with particular emphasis on energy policy and political discourse. Her work bridges academic research with pedagogical practice, as evidenced by publications on teaching British history to French undergraduate students and language learning through television series.
Christopher Weidlich is an Assistant Professor of Clinical in the School of Nursing and Health Studies at the University of Miami. His academic focus includes psychiatric nursing, mental health education, and healthcare provider well-being. He is involved in research addressing simulation-based education, mental health disorders in occupational groups such as fire investigators, and interventions to improve resilience among healthcare providers. His research interests span simulation modalities in psychiatric nursing education, organizational stigma's impact on mental health service utilization, and substance abuse trends like xylazine adulteration. He has also contributed to studies on military healthcare, including resilience programs for providers and PEMF therapy for chronic pain. Dr. Weidlich’s work is supported by his affiliation with the University of Miami’s School of Nursing and Health Studies, leveraging resources such as the Simulation Hospital Advancing Research and Education (S.H.A.R.E.®) facility. His research emphasizes practical applications in clinical settings and improving patient outcomes through innovative educational and therapeutic approaches.
