Dr. Manish Kumar is a Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Cincinnati, leading the Cooperative Distributed Systems (CDS) Laboratory and the UAV MASTER Lab. He specializes in robotics, unmanned aerial systems (UAVs), and swarm systems, with a focus on decision-making, control in complex systems, and multi-sensor data fusion. His research has been supported by grants from the National Science Foundation, Department of Defense, and industry partners. Education: Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, Duke University (2004) M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Duke University (2002) Research Interests: Dr. Kumar's work addresses challenges in autonomous systems, including UAV coordination, swarm robotics, and emergency response technologies. He integrates machine learning, control theory, and optimization to develop robust systems for applications such as wildfire management, telehealth, and industrial automation. Grants & Labs: Directed projects funded by federal agencies (NSF, DoD) and industry, totaling over $5M. Co-directs the Collaboratory for Medical Innovation and Implementation and the UAV MASTER Lab. Key Contributions: Pioneered algorithms for UAV path planning and swarm coordination. Developed PDE-based models for epidemic spread prediction and control.
Dr. Baijian "Justin" Yang serves as the Associate Dean for Research at Purdue Polytechnic Institute and is a Professor in the Department of Computer and Information Technology at Purdue University. He earned his Ph.D. in Computer Science from Michigan State University, with Master's and Bachelor's degrees in Automation (EECS) from Tsinghua University. Dr. Yang has established himself as a leader in multiple interdisciplinary research domains. Dr. Yang's educational background includes: PhD in Computer Science, Michigan State University (2002) MS in Automation (EECS), Tsinghua University (1998) BS in Automation (EECS), Tsinghua University (1995) His research interests span multiple cutting-edge domains with practical applications: Cybersecurity : Developing novel approaches for threat intelligence, security education, and network defense Big Data : Creating innovative algorithms for dimension reduction, regression with categorical variables, and tensor decomposition Applied Machine Learning : Implementing AI solutions in healthcare, manufacturing, and forestry applications Digital Forestry : Using UAV imagery and remote sensing for forest management and tree species classification Dr. Yang's publication record demonstrates significant impact across multiple disciplines, with recent work focusing on spatial transcriptomics analysis (SiGra), delirium detection using limited-lead EEG, and visual localization technologies. His research bridges theoretical advances with practical applications in healthcare, manufacturing quality control, and environmental monitoring. The interdisciplinary nature of his work is evident in collaborations spanning computer science, healthcare, forestry, and manufacturing domains. His scientific achievements have been recognized with numerous awards: 2023 HRSA Building Bridges to Better Health Competition Winner (Phase 1) and 2nd place ($100,000 prize) in Phase 3 2023 Outstanding Faculty Award in Engagement, Department of Computer and Information Technology, Purdue University 2021 Leadership in Manufacturing Award, Manufacturing Times Digital (MxD) 2021 Good to Great Award, Purdue Polytechnic 2020 Outstanding Faculty Award in Discovery, Department of Computer and Information Technology 2019 University Faculty Scholars, Purdue University As an educator and mentor, Dr. Yang has advised numerous graduate students through their PhD and Master's research. His leadership extends to significant service roles including serving as Faculty Champion for the Holistic Safety and Security research impact area at Purdue Polytechnic from 2018 to 2021, board membership with ATMAE (2014-2016), and participation in the IEEE Cybersecurity Initiative Steering Committee (2015-2017). He holds valuable industry certifications including CISSP, MCSE, and Six Sigma Black Belt, demonstrating his commitment to bridging academic research with industry practice. Dr. Yang leads multiple research projects including "Digital Forestry" for developing tools to quantify forest function, "CHEESE" (Cyber Human Ecosystem of Engaged Security Education), and "CICI" (Supporting Controlled Unclassified Information with a Campus Awareness and Risk Management Framework). His work on "Applied Machine Learning" focuses on solving real-world problems, while his "Dimension Reduction and Memory Amnestic Big Data Regression" project innovates computational algorithms for large-scale data analysis.
Xiaozhe Wang is an Associate Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at McGill University, holding the Canada Research Chair (Tier II) in Resilient and Stable Zero-Emission Electric Power Grids and the Rubin & So Foundation Faculty Scholar. He joined McGill in 2016 after a postdoctoral fellowship at MIT under Prof. Konstantin Turitsyn. He earned his Ph.D. from Cornell University (2015), with a minor in Applied Mathematics, and holds degrees from Zhejiang University (B.S., 2010) and Cornell (M.Eng., 2011). His research focuses on resilient power grids, data-driven methodologies, and cybersecurity in energy systems. Key areas include electric vehicle integration, stability assessment, and control strategies for renewable energy systems. He develops advanced techniques for uncertainty quantification, wide-area monitoring, and adversarial attack detection. Notable achievements include pioneering work on polynomial chaos expansion for probabilistic assessment and sparse identification for nonlinear dynamics. His articles explore topics like microgrid control, false data injection attacks, and decentralized energy trading. Awards: Canada Research Chair (Tier II), Rubin & So Foundation Scholar Grants/Projects: Focus on resilience, cybersecurity, and renewable integration funded via NSERC, Mitacs, and industry partnerships. He advises students through fellowships like Mitacs Elevate and Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships. His lab emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches to modern grid challenges, including lab experiments and field trials.
Dalibor Radovanović is a researcher at Singidunum University , affiliated with the Faculty of Business Informatics . His work spans cybersecurity, blockchain technologies, and their applications in business and IoT systems. Education: Doctoral Dissertation (2016, Singidunum University) Master's & Basic Studies (Faculty of Business Informatics) Secondary Education: ETŠ Nikola Tesla Research Interests include: Security frameworks for IoT and blockchain integration Smart card and wireless network vulnerabilities E-governance and corporate IT audit methodologies Machine learning applications in cybersecurity Environmental performance optimization in agribusiness Publication Trends reveal a focus on blockchain (2022), cybersecurity (2009-2022), and IT governance (2010-2017). His work bridges theoretical analysis with practical implementations in Serbia's digital economy. Collaborations with scholars like Marko Šarac and Saša Adamović highlight interdisciplinary approaches to securing financial systems, educational institutions, and industrial IoT applications.
Sushmita Ruj is an Associate Professor in the School of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney. She serves as the Faculty of Engineering Lead for the UNSW Institute for Cybersecurity (IfCyber) and as the Taste of Research (ToR) Coordinator within the School of Computer Science and Engineering. Her academic journey includes previous positions as a Senior Research Scientist at CSIRO's Data61 (2019-2022), Associate Professor at the Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata, and Assistant Professor at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Indore. Dr. Ruj's primary research interests focus on applied cryptography, post-quantum cryptography, cybersecurity, blockchains, and data privacy. She designs practical, efficient, and provably secure protocols for real-life applications, with particular emphasis on critical infrastructure including smart grids, cloud computing, ad hoc networks, and data sharing frameworks. As quantum technology advances, her work increasingly focuses on developing quantum-safe algorithms to ensure a more secure Internet infrastructure. Her research spans multiple domains including cryptographic key management, proofs of storage, verifiable computation, vector commitments, and privacy-enhancing technologies for cloud and IoT environments. Her recent publications demonstrate a strong trend toward post-quantum cryptography solutions, with particular emphasis on blockchain applications, DNS security, and privacy-preserving protocols for industrial IoT. The research shows increasing focus on practical implementations of theoretical cryptographic concepts, with applications across multiple sectors including finance, healthcare, and critical infrastructure. Her work bridges the gap between theoretical cryptography and real-world security challenges, with growing emphasis on the transition from classical to quantum-resistant systems. Best Paper Award at ACISP 2024 JNCA Best Survey Award (2023) NSW Innovation Award (iAward) Merit Winner (2022) Women in Science Award from CSIRO (2020) ACM Senior Member (2016) IEEE Senior Member (2015) Samsung GRO award (2014) Dr. Ruj has successfully mentored numerous PhD and Master's students, with many of her former students now holding academic positions at institutions like IIT Indore, TU Wien, and CISPA Helmholtz Center. She has secured significant competitive funding including multiple Australian Research Council (ARC) grants, Samsung GRO Award, NetApp Faculty Fellowship, Cisco Academic Grant, and IBM Research grant. Her current research portfolio includes projects on blockchain-based quantum-safe digital medical passports, embedding trust in digital IDs, and resilience of supply chain unstructured data. As Faculty of Engineering Lead for IfCyber, Dr. Ruj plays a key role in UNSW's cybersecurity research initiatives. She has served on editorial boards for prestigious journals including IEEE Transactions on Information Forensics and Security and has held leadership positions in major conferences such as ACISP 2021 and Indocrypt 2020. She was also a member of the working group on "Blockchain For Cybersecurity" for the National Blockchain Roadmap of Australia and the first Blockchain Working group set up by the Reserve Bank of India.
Ronnie Sircar is the Eugene Higgins Professor of Operations Research and Financial Engineering at Princeton University , where he contributes to the Department of Operations Research and Financial Engineering (ORFE). His work spans financial mathematics, stochastic modeling, and applied probability, with a focus on market volatility, optimal investment strategies, and dynamic game theory. Email: sircar@princeton.edu Office: Sherrerd Hall, Room 208, Princeton, NJ 08544 His research interests include: Stochastic Volatility: Asymptotic analysis, calibration, and impact on option pricing and portfolio optimization. Mean Field Games: Applications to cryptocurrency mining, energy markets, and interbank network formation. Portfolio Theory: Forward performance processes, drawdown constraints, and risk-averse strategies. Credit Risk: Multi-name credit derivatives, CDO valuation, and risk measures. Energy Systems: Renewable reliability, unit commitment, and electricity market design. Recent publications emphasize mean field games in energy and blockchain, stochastic volatility in portfolio optimization, and machine learning applications for financial engineering. He has advised graduate students such as Giulia Crippa, Nicolas Garcia, and Burak Aydin, often collaborating with researchers including M. Soner, P. Chan, and A.M. Reppen.
Jeff Schneider is a Research Professor at the Robotics Institute within the School of Computer Science at Carnegie Mellon University. His research focuses on active learning, data mining, reinforcement learning, optimization, and intelligent control , applied to industrial and commercial challenges. Current PhD Students : Anoushka Alavilli, Benjamin Freed, Tejus Gupta, Albert Xu, Brian Yang Current Masters Students : Wen-Tse Chen, Xintong Duan, Aman Mehra, Vedant Mundheda, Zhouchonghao Wu Past PhD Students : J. Andrew Bagnell, Viraj Mehta, Matthew Tesch Past Masters Students : Ravi Tej Akella, Swapnil Pande, Siddharth Venkatraman Schneider's research bridges machine learning and autonomous systems , particularly in reinforcement learning , multi-robot coordination , and self-driving car technology . His work emphasizes practical applications of learning algorithms in real-world scenarios. His recent publications highlight advancements in offline reinforcement learning , multi-agent policy coordination , and behavior planning for autonomous vehicles . These studies often integrate deep learning and probabilistic modeling to address complex control and decision-making problems. Labs: Auton Lab CMU Center for Autonomous Vehicle Research Consulting & Industry Impact: Schneider has consulted for organizations like Uber ATG, Psychogenics, and Schenley Park Research, applying machine learning to domains such as self-driving cars , nuclear fusion , marketing , and drug discovery .
Ning Nan is an Associate Professor at the University of British Columbia's Sauder School of Business, specifically within the Department of Accounting and Information Systems. With a BA from Peking University, an MA from the University of Minnesota, and a PhD from the University of Michigan, Dr. Nan focuses on digital business strategy, evolvable IT infrastructure, and complex adaptive systems. His research explores blockchain applications, agent-based modeling, and the intersection of AI with societal challenges like sustainability. Education: PhD in Information Systems, University of Michigan MA in Information Systems, University of Minnesota BA in Computer Science, Peking University Research Interests: Dr. Nan investigates how technology shapes organizational and societal systems, with a focus on AI ethics, sustainability through personalized recommendations, and blockchain's role in decentralized supply chains. He employs agent-based modeling to simulate complex phenomena like innovation diffusion and online community dynamics. Recent work addresses explainable AI in smart cities and carbon-reduction gamification strategies. Teaching: In 2024-2025, he teaches Data Management for Business Analytics , emphasizing practical applications of data-driven decision-making. Key Research Themes: His articles highlight trends in AI sustainability (e.g., carbon footprint impacts of recommendation systems), digital business strategy (blockchain governance, app update strategies), and foundational IS theory (hyperturbulence and IS strategy).
Amrita Roy Chowdhury is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Her research focuses on developing systems that enable safe, decentralized data analytics while ensuring provable privacy guarantees through the synergy of differential privacy and cryptography. Key research areas: Data Privacy, Cryptography, Secure Data Analytics, and Privacy-Preserving Machine Learning. Recent work explores prompt sanitization for LLMs (NDSS 2026), robust graph analysis (ASIACCS 2025), and metric differential privacy (CCS 2024). She has received awards including Best Paper at Private ML@ICLR'24 and Best Poster at ITA'23. Current Ph.D. advisees include Mushtari Sadia, Yiyi Sun, and Samanway Sadhu. Her work spans conferences like IEEE S&P, CCS, USENIX Security, and ICML.
Gordon Geoffrey J. is a Professor at Carnegie Mellon University, specializing in Machine Learning , Artificial Intelligence , and Computer Science . His research spans Reinforcement Learning , Domain Adaptation , Graph-based Planning , and Relational Learning , with significant contributions to Adversarial Learning , Deep Learning Dynamics , and Mobile Sensor Networks . He has pioneered algorithms like ARA* and Anytime Dynamic A* for efficient planning under constraints. Key research areas: Transfer Learning , Bayesian Knowledge Tracing , Multi-agent Systems , Database Optimization His work has been cited thousands of times across foundational topics in AI and robotics, demonstrating sustained impact in algorithm design and applications to complex systems.
Brent Waters is a Professor at the Department of Computer Science, University of Texas at Austin , where he has been since 2008. He received his Ph.D. in Computer Science from Princeton University (2004) and held a postdoctoral position at Stanford University (2004-2005). His research focuses on cryptography and computer security, with groundbreaking work in Identity-Based Encryption, Functional Encryption, Attribute-Based Encryption, and code obfuscation. He is a founder of Functional Encryption and Attribute-Based Encryption. Education Ph.D., Computer Science, Princeton University (2004) Research Interests Cryptography, Security Protocols Functional Encryption, Attribute-Based Encryption Indistinguishability Obfuscation, LWE-Based Systems Zero-Knowledge Proofs, Key-Dependent Message Security Selected Publications Trends Recent work (2025) addresses adaptive security in broadcast encryption, SNARGs, and multi-authority ABE systems using LWE and bilinear maps. Key themes include collusion resistance, witness encryption, and optimizing cryptographic assumptions like CRS size reduction. Scientific Awards IEEE Fellow (2025), IACR Fellow (2024), ACM Fellow (2021) Simons Investigator (2019), Grace Murray Hopper Award (2015) Presidential Early Career Award (2011), Packard Fellowship (2011) Advising Current Ph.D. students: Shafik Nassar, George Lu Past Ph.D. students: Rachit Garg (2024), Satya Vusirikala (2021), Rishab Goyal (2019), Venkata Koppula (2018), Yannis Rouselakis (2013), Allison Bishop (2012) Contact Email: bwaters@cs.utexas.edu Phone: (512) 232-7464 | Office: GDC 6.810
Pratyush Mishra is an Assistant Professor at the University of Pennsylvania in the Department of Computer and Information Science, where he is affiliated with the Security and Privacy Laboratory. His research focuses on the intersection of cryptographic proof systems and computer security , particularly on efficient implementations of zero-knowledge proofs and secure computation protocols. Pratyush completed his PhD in Computer Science at UC Berkeley , advised by Alessandro Chiesa and Raluca Ada Popa , and holds a BSc in EECS from UC Berkeley, where he worked with David Wagner . His current research group includes PhD students Anubhav Baweja , Tushar Mopuri , Bharath Namboothiry , and Alireza Shirzad , along with Matan Shtepel , a former research assistant who moved to CMU for his PhD. His work spans advanced cryptographic techniques like zkSNARKs , accumulation schemes , and private delegation of provers , with applications in decentralized systems and secure inference. His recent publications focus on optimizing polynomial commitments , read-write streaming for SNARKs, and horizontally scalable proofs . Key awards include: ACM SIGSAC Doctoral Dissertation Award Runner-Up (2022) CSAW Applied Research Award (2016) for Hidden Voice Commands He teaches courses like CIS 5560: Cryptography and 7000-2: Theory and Practice of Succinct Zero Knowledge Proofs , covering topics such as symmetric cryptography, public-key encryption, digital signatures, zero-knowledge proofs, and secure multiparty computation. His lab contributes to the arkworks ecosystem for zero-knowledge proof libraries and co-founded the startup Aleo based on his research.
Edouard Oyallon is a CNRS Researcher at Sorbonne University's MLIA team within the Institute of Intelligent Systems and Robotics (ISIR). His research focuses on machine learning foundations, particularly the symmetries of deep neural networks, and large-scale distributed/decentralized training algorithms. He has contributed to frameworks like Kymatio for wavelet scattering transforms and collaborates on projects such as SHARP (Frugal Learning) and ADONIS (ANR-funded). He advises multiple PhD and postdoctoral researchers and teaches advanced deep learning courses at Institut Polytechnique de Paris (IPP). Grants include the ADONIS project (ANR/Sorbonne) and participation in VHS and CoCa4AI initiatives. His work spans theoretical and applied aspects, with recent emphasis on optimizing LLM training at exascale. He maintains active roles in academic service, including organizing workshops on federated learning and graph machine learning.
Ke Wang is a Professor in the School of Computing Science at Simon Fraser University . His research focuses on Data Mining , Database Systems , Data Privacy , and Graph and Network Data . He holds a Ph.D. and M.Sc. from the Georgia Institute of Technology (1986 and 1984, respectively). Teaching includes courses like Database Systems II , Introduction to Data Mining , and Special Topics in Databases . He has advised numerous students and alumni, many of whom now work in tech, academia, and industry. Notable awards include the 2013 Faculty of Applied Sciences Research Excellence Award and the ECIR 2019 Best System Paper . His work emphasizes privacy-preserving techniques and has led to contributions like the Introduction to Privacy-Preserving Data Publishing textbook. He has served as a conference chair for major data mining events like SDM 2015/2016 and holds editorial roles in journals like ACM TKDD. His lab, the Database and Data Mining Laboratory , focuses on actionable solutions for real-world data challenges.
Gian Antonio Susto is an Associate Professor at the Department of Information Engineering , University of Padova . With a Ph.D. in Information Technology and post-doctoral experience at National University of Ireland, Maynooth, he leads research in Machine Learning , Semiconductor Manufacturing , and Industrial IoT . His work bridges Anomaly Detection , Continual Learning , and Algorithmic Fairness with applications in Hydroelectric Power Plants , Particle Accelerators , and Smart Mobility . B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Controls Engineering, University of Padova (cum laude) Ph.D. in Information Technology, University of Padova (2013) Post-Doc at National University of Ireland, Maynooth (2012-2013) Assistant Professor at University of Padova (2013-2021) His research focuses on Explainable AI , Virtual Metrology , and Deep Learning for manufacturing and infrastructure monitoring. Recent projects include the AIMS5.0 (AI for Manufacturing Sustainability) and MICS (Circular Economy in Italy) initiatives. His publications span Engineering Applications of Artificial Intelligence , IEEE Transactions , and Information Processing & Management , with 15+ recent papers on topics like Fault Diagnosis , Continual Learning , and Fair Ranking . Key scientific awards include: IEEE CCTA Best Student Paper Award (2021) IP&M 2020 Ph.D Paper Award Best Industry Paper Award, European Workshop on Advanced Control and Diagnosis (ACD 2019) He has supervised Ph.D. students on projects involving Particle Accelerators , Plant Behavior Modeling , and Explainable AI , with alumni now at institutions like Max Planck Institute , IBM , and Scripps Research . Current teaching includes Reinforcement Learning and Explainable Machine Learning at graduate and Ph.D. levels.
