Guoray Cai is an Associate Professor in the College of Information Sciences and Technology at Pennsylvania State University, where he researches human-centered geospatial systems with applications in crisis management and democratic processes. Research Expertise His core work integrates: Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and spatial data infrastructure Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) for multimodal interfaces Geocollaboration frameworks for group decision-making Visual analytics in crisis response scenarios Spoken dialogue systems for geospatial databases He pioneers natural interaction techniques using large displays and conversational interfaces to enhance spatial reasoning in collaborative environments. Publication Evolution His 15-year publication trajectory (2005-2023) shows consistent innovation in human-GIS interaction, evolving from foundational crisis management geocollaboration (2005-2006) through spatial annotation for public deliberation (2007-2009) to contemporary work on point cloud semantics (2023) and topic model curation (2018). Recurring themes include situation awareness, multimodal interfaces, and democratic decision-making support, with methodological emphasis on Bayesian networks, visual analytics, and natural language processing.
Antonio Vetro is an Associate Professor at the Department of Control and Computer Engineering (DAUIN) of Polytechnic University of Turin. He specializes in experimental methodologies for software engineering with focus on software and data quality improvement, algorithmic fairness, and socially sustainable technology design. His research interests span Responsible AI: From principles to industrial practices Data quality measurement and improvement Fairness in automated decision systems Public interest technology Technical debt management Generative AI applications His recent publications focus on bias detection in datasets, GDPR compliance tools, and technical debt analysis in industrial projects. Key trends include Algorithmic fairness in healthcare applications Automated compliance assessment Data quality for ethical AI Quantum computing research Scientific recognitions include BEST PAPER AWARD - IEEE AICT 2024 Best Paper Award EGOV-2020 Siebel Energy Institute - Smart Energy 2016 Best paper award at IDOESE 2010 He advises PhD students in responsible AI and data ethics, while also serving on editorial boards like ACM Journal of Data and Information Quality and International Journal of Technoethics. Current roles include membership in ISO/IEC JTC1 SC7/WG6 and UNINFO committees for software engineering standards.
Dr. Liam F. Beiser-McGrath is an Assistant Professor in International Social and Public Policy at the London School of Economics and Political Science , affiliated with the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment and the Data Science Institute . He organizes the EPG Online seminar series on Environmental Politics and Governance. Academic appointments at LSE (2022-present), Royal Holloway (2020-2022), and Universität Konstanz (2020). Teaching focuses: Climate Policy, International Political Economy, Quantitative Methods. His research examines the political feasibility of climate policy , emphasizing how policy design, economic inequality, and international coordination influence public support. Using experimental designs and machine learning, he analyzes major emitters (China, Germany, India, Japan, UK, USA) and publishes in journals like Nature Climate Change , Science Advances , and Comparative Political Studies . Recent studies explore carbon inequality , policy delegation dynamics , and cross-national environmental governance . He serves as Editor for Environmental Politics . Publications span 2015-present, with methodological contributions to interaction effects and rare event analysis.
Clemens Apprich is Professor of Media Theory and History and head of the Department of Media Theory as well as the Peter Weibel Research Institute for Digital Cultures at the University of Applied Arts Vienna. He also serves as Vice-rector for Research and Digitality at the institution. Previously, he was assistant professor in media studies at the University of Groningen (2020-2021), visiting research fellow at Concordia University in Montréal (2018-2019), and guest professor at Leuphana University of Lüneburg (2017-2018). Apprich received his education in philosophy, political science, cultural history and theory across multiple institutions in Berlin, Bordeaux, and Vienna. His academic journey began with research associate work at the Centre for Digital Cultures at Leuphana University of Lüneburg in 2011. His research focuses on the intersection of media theory, digital cultures, and artificial intelligence, with particular emphasis on filter algorithms, machine learning methods, and their societal implications. Apprich examines how algorithmic systems shape contemporary culture, knowledge production, and political subjectivity. His work bridges theoretical cybernetics with critical cultural analysis, exploring how digital infrastructures transform human experience and social organization. He investigates the historical genealogy of network cultures while simultaneously engaging with emerging AI technologies and their ethical dimensions. Apprich's publications reveal a consistent trajectory examining how digital technologies reshape cultural production, political engagement, and epistemological frameworks. His work spans from early analyses of network societies to contemporary critiques of artificial intelligence, showing particular interest in the psychological, political, and philosophical dimensions of algorithmic systems. His approach combines historical media analysis with forward-looking critical theory. Prix Ars Electronica (2025) Leuphana Research Award Apprich serves as chair of Open Science Austria (OSA) and is a member of the delegate assembly of the Austrian Science Fund (FWF). He is an affiliated faculty member of the Digital Democracies Institute at Simon Fraser University. As Vice-rector for Research and Digitality, he oversees significant research initiatives at the University of Applied Arts Vienna. He regularly reviews for major academic journals and research foundations including DFG, SNF, Big Data & Society, and New Media & Society. Apprich leads the Peter Weibel Research Institute for Digital Cultures, which serves as a hub for critical digital humanities research, bringing together scholars examining the cultural, political, and philosophical dimensions of digital technologies. The institute fosters interdisciplinary collaborations between media theorists, artists, computer scientists, and social scientists.
Eleftheria Katsiri is a researcher with extensive contributions to computer science , focusing on sensor networks , middleware systems , and serious games . Her work bridges privacy-preserving machine learning with IoT applications in healthcare and environmental monitoring. Collaborations with Alexandros Gazis, Pavlos S. Efraimidis, and other researchers highlight her interdisciplinary approach. Key publication venues: Frontiers Robotics AI , ICR , CoRR , Communications of the ACM Research trends since 2022 include federated learning for health apps, blockchain middleware, and edge intelligence for air quality monitoring. Her articles demonstrate expertise in abstract reasoning, sensor data fusion, and scalable middleware design. No formal awards or academic appointments are mentioned in available data.
Lisa P. Argyle is an Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of California, Santa Barbara, within the College of Letters and Science. Her academic journey includes a Ph.D. from UC Santa Barbara, a postdoctoral fellowship at Princeton University, and prior faculty appointment at Brigham Young University. Her research lies at the intersection of political psychology and computational social science, with a strong emphasis on understanding political attitudes and participation in the United States. Since 2020, her work has increasingly focused on generative AI and the application of Large Language Models to enhance social science research and democratic engagement. Dr. Argyle employs a multidisciplinary methodology combining surveys, behavioral experiments, and artificial intelligence tools to investigate how individuals discuss politics in everyday contexts and how these conversations can be improved. She aims to leverage AI not only as an analytical instrument but also as a means to foster healthier democratic discourse. While no specific publications or awards are listed in the provided text, her research trajectory reflects a pioneering effort to integrate cutting-edge AI technologies into traditional political science inquiry, positioning her at the forefront of methodological innovation in the discipline. She has no listed scientific awards in the provided content. Dr. Argyle advises students in political science and related fields, though specific advisees are not named. Her research may involve grant-funded projects, particularly those related to AI and social science, though no grants are explicitly mentioned. She likely leads or contributes to research teams exploring AI applications in political behavior. She is associated with research initiatives involving AI and political communication, potentially contributing to labs or collaborative teams focused on computational social science and digital democracy.
Yves Wautelet is a Researcher at the ORCID -verified Faculty of Computer Science at the University of Namur (Namur Digital Institute). His work focuses on software engineering and smart cities , with particular emphasis on agile scaling , citizen participation , and policy-making frameworks for urban mobility systems. Active in smart city research since 2019 Contributed to UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to sustainable cities Collaborated internationally (Belgium, Sweden) His research combines systematic literature reviews with comparative policy analysis , focusing on topics like: Scaling agile practices in large software projects Formalizing policy-making lifecycles for smart mobility Designing citizen participation frameworks Context factor analysis in digital governance
Rafael Mestre is a Lecturer at the School of Electronics and Computer Science, University of Southampton, and a Turing Fellow at the Alan Turing Institute. He leads multiple interdisciplinary research projects at the intersection of computer science, political science, and bioengineering. He is co-director of the Centre for Democratic Futures, Ethics & Governance lead at the Centre for Robotics, Associate at the Digital Humanities hub, and member of the Institute for Life Sciences. Research Interests: Responsible Research and Innovation of emergent technologies Multimodal machine learning and Natural Language Processing Computational social science and argumentation mining Bio-hybrid robotics and nanorobotics Digital tools for democratic innovation and public deliberation Ethics and governance of AI and robotics His recent publications reveal a strong trend in interdisciplinary research combining machine learning with societal and biological applications. He works on multimodal AI for analyzing political debates, ethical implications of bio-hybrid systems, and responsible deployment of distributed sensing in urban environments. His work integrates methods from computer science, social sciences, and engineering. Scientific Awards: Alan Turing's Postdoctoral Enrichment Award (PDEA), 2022 Turing Fellow, 2024 Advising and Grants: Supervises PhD students in MINDS and Web Science programs Principal Investigator (PI) of ESRC New Investigator Award: 'Biohybrid Futures' PI of RAI UK International Partnership: 'RAI4MH – Fairness in NLP for Mental Health' PI of £1.2M UKRI Cross-Council Grant: SOUNDSCALE (responsible sensing in smart cities) Previously held postdoctoral fellowships including New Frontiers Fellow and role in 'Rebooting Democracy' project Labs and Research Groups: Centre for Democratic Futures (Co-Director) Centre for Robotics (Ethics & Governance Lead) Agents, Interaction and Complexity Research Group Institute for Life Sciences (IfLS) Digital Humanities (DH) Hub (Associate) Collaborates with Institute for Experiential AI (Northeastern University, US) and National Oceanography Institute (NOC)
Jakob-Moritz Eberl is a Senior Scientist (Postdoc) at the Institute of Journalism and Communication Studies under the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Vienna. He specializes in media and democracy, with a focus on media discourse, media bias, public opinion, and political behavior. He is involved in multiple collaborative research initiatives, including the establishment of the MEDem (Monitoring Electoral Democracy) infrastructure. Member of ACIER (Austrian Cooperative Infrastructure of Electoral Research) Member of AUTNES (Austrian National Election Study) Associate member of VieCer (Vienna Center for Electoral Research) Member of ACPP (Austrian Corona Panel Project) His research spans projects like H2020 REMINDER and MIRROR, examining media narratives on migration and European mobility impacts. He held a visiting professorship at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich’s Institute for Communication Science and Media Research from October 2021 to March 2022. Focus on computational communication science via the Computational Communication Science Lab Active in multidisciplinary teams addressing electoral research and pandemic dynamics
Prof. Dr. Martin Mauve has been heading the Chair of Computer Networks and Communication Systems at Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf since August 2003. He served as Head of the Computer Science Department from 2005 to 2010 and has been Dean of the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences since 2015. His interdisciplinary work focuses on enhancing democratic processes through internet technology, and he is Vice Spokesperson of the Düsseldorf Institute for Internet and Democracy (DIID) and a member of the Center for Advanced Internet Studies (CAIS) advisory board. Education University of Mannheim: Computer Science & Business Administration (1991-1997) Ph.D. in Computer Science (2000) with Siemens grant Habilitation (2003) on "Algorithms and Protocols for Distributed Multimedia Systems" His research spans two major phases: pre-2013 work on wireless networking, vehicular networks, and multimedia systems, and post-2013 focus on internet-enabled democratic processes. Current interests include scalable online discussion platforms and interdisciplinary graduate education in digital participation. He leads projects like DiscourseData4Policy (DD4P) , aiming to create functional systems for dialogue-based online participation. His technical work addresses consistency in replicated multimedia systems, congestion control, and networked gaming. As a faculty leader, he oversees academic programs and collaborates with institutions like the Center for Advanced Internet Studies (CAIS). His visiting hours are flexible, arranged via email contact.
Nadja Wilker is a researcher at the Department of Political Science II within the Faculty of Philosophy and Social Sciences at Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf. Her work focuses on political (online) communication, participation, and concepts of political representation. B.A. in Communication and Political Science from University of Münster M.A. in Political Communication from HHU Düsseldorf Ph.D. (Dr. phil.) in Political Science from HHU Düsseldorf Her doctoral research examined the acceptance and legitimacy of online-supported participation processes from the perspective of political actors. She has contributed to projects like ERLE (Success factors of local e-participation) and coordinated the HHU Düsseldorf branch of the Network for Social Computing Research (NOTRE) . Her publications analyze topics such as digital civic participation in German municipalities, legitimacy of e-participation, and internal party democracy in the digital age. She has taught courses on political theory, political systems, and social sciences at HHU Düsseldorf.
Ismar Volić is a Professor and Chair of the Mathematics & Statistics Department at Wellesley College. He directs the Institute for Mathematics and Democracy, focusing on applying mathematics to democratic processes. His research spans algebraic topology, calculus of functors, and their applications to embedding spaces, knots, and political structures. B.A., Boston University M.A. and Ph.D., Brown University His work includes Making Democracy Count (Princeton University Press, 2025 Euler Book Prize winner) and contributions to topological data analysis in public health and political science. He has been featured in the documentary Counted Out and actively participates in conferences like The Mathematics of Opportunity . Awards include the 2025 Euler Book Prize and PROSE Award finalist status. Volić integrates research and teaching, supervising independent studies and promoting mathematical literacy for civic engagement.
Mustafa KOÇ is a Professor at the Faculty of Education, Suleyman Demirel University , specializing in Educational Sciences. His career spans over two decades with roles ranging from Researcher (2006) to Department Chair (2012–2019) and Head of Academic Field (2020–2023). Education: Mathematics Teacher Training (B.S., Selçuk University, 1998), Educational Technology (M.S., University of Missouri, 2002), and Ph.D. in Education (University of Illinois, 2006) His research focuses on New Media Literacy , Learning Analytics , and Technology Integration in Schools . Recent work explores digital addiction, remote learning efficacy, and teacher digital competency frameworks. Publications highlight interdisciplinary research at the intersection of Technology Use , Psychological Health , and Educational Reform . Key topics include social media behavior, digital privacy, and structural modeling of technology adoption. Advising collaborations include researchers like Ebru YILMAZ İNCE and Esra BARUT. Grants include TÜBİTAK and university research projects addressing technology leadership and educational software frameworks.
Professor Thomas Scharf is a leading academic at Newcastle University with a focus on gerontology, social exclusion, and civic engagement in later life. His work bridges interdisciplinary research, policy analysis, and participatory methodologies, particularly in rural and urban aging contexts. Research Themes : Aging equity, digital inclusion, intergenerational solidarity, and age-friendly communities. Collaborations : Works with international teams on multimorbidity, loneliness, and pandemic responses for older populations. Methodologies : Scoping reviews, participatory action research, and qualitative frameworks. Recent publications (2025–2021) address hospital care quality, genetic correlation analysis, and loneliness mitigation through befriending interventions. His studies often analyze lifecourse determinants and structural inequities affecting aging populations.
Erin Rossiter is the Nancy Reeves Dreux Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of Notre Dame. Her research focuses on the political consequences of interpersonal communication, particularly polarization dynamics, while advancing quantitative methodologies such as experimental design and text-as-data techniques. She has received two National Science Foundation grants for collaborative research on polarization and radicalization. Ph.D. in Political Science from Washington University in St. Louis (2021) B.A. in Political Science & English from Creighton University (2015) Her research bridges political behavior, communication, and methodological innovation, with a focus on affective polarization, partisan dialogue, and computational social science tools. Recent publications emphasize experimental frameworks for measuring polarization, cross-party interactions, and survey optimization. Erin’s teaching portfolio includes graduate courses in experimental design and programming for social sciences, as well as undergraduate classes on social influence in politics. She has contributed to open-source R packages like catSurv for categorical data analysis. APSA Elections, Public Opinion, and Voting Behavior Section Best Paper Award (2024) APSA Experimental Research Section Best Dissertation Award Co-Winner (2022) APSA Political Communication Section Thomas E. Patterson Best Dissertation Award Honorable Mention (2022) She is affiliated with the Rooney Center for the Study of American Democracy and has served as a Co-PI on NSF grants exploring radicalization pathways and polarization dynamics.
