Professor Luke Harding is a faculty member at the Department of Linguistics and English Language , Lancaster University , within the School of Social Sciences . His work bridges applied linguistics, language assessment, and critical discourse studies, with a focus on the ethical and societal implications of testing. Research Interests : Language testing and assessment, World Englishes and English as a Lingua Franca (ELF), second language listening and pronunciation assessment, diagnostic approaches to language evaluation, and language assessment literacy. Recent projects integrate digital technology and corpus linguistics into testing frameworks. Publications : Published extensively in Language Testing , Applied Linguistics , and Language Assessment Quarterly . Co-edited the Routledge Handbook of Language Testing (Second Edition) (2022), a key reference work in the field. Teaching : Leads modules in Language Test Construction and Evaluation , Issues in Language Testing , and Statistical Analysis for Language Testing within the university's distance MA program. Leadership : Convened the Language Testing Research Group with colleagues Tineke Brunfaut and John Pill, advancing interdisciplinary approaches to assessment.
Zohreh Sharafi is an Assistant Professor of Software Engineering in the Department of Computer and Software Engineering (GIGL) at Polytechnique Montréal. Previously, she served as a Senior Research Fellow in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, where she worked with Dr. Westley Weimer and was awarded the prestigious NSERC Postdoctoral Fellowship. Prior to her academic career, she worked as a software engineer at Morgan Stanley, contributing to the firm's electronic trading platform and serving as principal architect of SURF, a market data simulator. Her educational background includes a Ph.D. in Computer Engineering from École polytechnique de Montréal under the supervision of Dr. Giuliano Antoniol and Dr. Yann-Gaël Guéhéneuc, a Master of Applied Science in Software Engineering from Concordia University, and a Bachelor of Computer Engineering from the University of Tehran. Dr. Sharafi leads the SENSE Lab, a multidisciplinary software engineering research laboratory focused on understanding problem-solving strategies developers use during software development, with particular attention to human factors such as gender and native language. Her research combines human-centric design with experimental methodologies, investigating cognitive processes involved in software development using biometric measures including eye tracking and neuroimaging. Current active projects include evaluating trustworthiness perceptions of software artifacts and studying the role of creativity in software engineering tasks. She has made significant contributions to understanding how gender influences program comprehension and code review processes. Her publication record demonstrates a strong focus on empirical methods in software engineering, particularly eye tracking and neuroimaging techniques to study developer cognition. Her work spans program comprehension, code review, requirements engineering, and the impact of human factors on software development processes. She has developed methodological frameworks for conducting eye tracking studies in software engineering and has made notable contributions to understanding how visualization techniques affect software development tasks. NSERC Postdoctoral Fellowship NSERC Discovery Grant Program and Launch Supplements (Sep 2024-Sep 2029) IVADO Startup & Operation Fund (Jan 2022-Jan 2023) Scholarship for Doctoral Studies from Fonds de Recherche du Quebec Distinguished Reviewer Awards from IEEE ICPC 2020 and ACM FSE 2024 Dr. Sharafi actively mentors students including Mahta Amini (PhD Candidate, IVADO Scientifique en résidence 2024 Laureate), Cameron Cherif (PhD Candidate), Sara Yabesi (Master's Student), and Anthonia Njoku (Graduate research intern). She serves on numerous conference organizing committees including as Local Arrangement Chair for SANER 2025, Program Co-chair for SEMLA 2024, and as a reviewer for top-tier journals including IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering and ACM Computing Surveys. Her research is supported by multiple grants focused on understanding human factors in software engineering through empirical methods. At Polytechnique Montréal, Dr. Sharafi directs the SENSE Lab which brings together computer scientists, cognitive scientists, and software engineering researchers to investigate the cognitive aspects of software development. The lab employs advanced methodologies including eye tracking, functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to study how developers comprehend, navigate, and modify software systems. Current projects examine trustworthiness perceptions in code review, the role of creativity in software engineering tasks, and gender differences in software development processes.
Jon Brennan is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Linguistics at the University of Michigan, affiliated with the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts (LSA). His research focuses on neurolinguistics, computational linguistics, and psycholinguistics, particularly investigating how the brain processes language structure and meaning. He leads the Computational Neurolinguistics Lab, which develops neurocomputational models to study language comprehension mechanisms. Brennan received an NSF Grant for collaborative research with Christophe Pallier (Paris) on neurocomputational models of natural language processing. His work integrates EEG, fMRI, and MEG techniques to decode linguistic features in neural signals. Key research areas include syntax-semantics interfaces, multilingual processing, and developmental disorders like dyslexia. Notable contributions include studies on hierarchical syntactic structure, minimal pairs in language models, and neural correlates of theory of mind in children. Brennan collaborates internationally, exemplified by the US-French NSF-CRCNS grant. He has published extensively on topics like neural decoding of grammatical features, LLM internal representations, and bilingual processing mechanisms. Scientific awards include the NSF Collaborative Research in Computational Neuroscience (CRCNS) Grant (2016). His research bridges computational modeling and experimental neuroscience, aiming to reveal how language mechanisms are implemented in neural systems.
Professor August Evrard is a distinguished academic at the University of Michigan, holding the Arthur F. Thurnau Professorship in Physics and Astronomy. He is affiliated with the Department of Physics within the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts. Known for his contributions to cosmology and astrophysics, he pioneered the Problem Roulette tool, recognized with the Provost's Teaching Innovation Prize. His research focuses on galaxy clusters, dark matter, and cosmological surveys like the Dark Energy Survey (DES) and XXL Survey. He has been honored as an AAS Fellow (2025) and has contributed to advancements in physics education through innovative teaching methods and technologies. In research, Prof. Evrard explores topics such as dark matter halo dynamics, galaxy cluster properties, and weak lensing analyses. His work spans observational cosmology, computational modeling, and multi-wavelength astronomy. Notable projects include studies on galaxy cluster mass distributions, the relationship between X-ray emissions and velocity dispersions, and the application of machine learning to astrophysical data analysis. His contributions to education highlight the integration of AI-driven tools to enhance learning, as seen in initiatives like the Problem Roulette and course recommendation systems. Prof. Evrard's awards include the Provost's Teaching Innovation Prize for Problem Roulette and his AAS Fellowship. His academic leadership and innovative approaches to both research and education solidify his role as a pivotal figure in astrophysics and STEM pedagogy.
Petteri Nurmi is a Professor of Computer Science at the University of Helsinki, affiliated with the Department of Computer Science and the Helsinki Institute of Sustainability Science (HELSUS). His research focuses on IoT systems, environmental monitoring, AI-driven solutions, and sustainable computing. He leads projects such as the NordForsk-funded initiative (2024-2028) and the Team Finland Knowledge programme (2024-2026), emphasizing large-scale IoT deployments and quantum computing integration. Key research interests include drone-based air quality monitoring, low-cost sensor networks, and AI applications in environmental science. Nurmi has published extensively in top venues like IEEE IoT Journal and ACM workshops. His work bridges technical innovation with societal challenges, such as urban pollution reduction and sustainable resource management. He supervises doctoral students in the Computer Science program and collaborates internationally on projects like underwater plastic detection (SEAGULL) and smart city infrastructure. Nurmi’s contributions to edge computing and pervasive sensing have been recognized through grants totaling over €2M. His lab develops tools for data-intensive systems, including thermal imaging for energy efficiency analysis and AI-driven sensor fusion frameworks.
Sharon Macdonald is Alexander von Humboldt Professor of Social Anthropology and Director of the Centre for Anthropological Research on Museums and Heritage (CARMAH) at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. She holds honorary professorships at the University of York and University of Aberdeen, with research focusing on museums, heritage, memory studies, and European anthropology. Her research explores difficult heritage, museum practices, cultural diversity, and the anthropology of Europe. Key projects include 'Making Differences: Transforming Museums and Heritage in the Twenty-first Century' and 'Heritage Futures', examining how societies preserve cultural and natural heritage. Notable awards include the Alexander von Humboldt Professorship and fellowships from the Royal Anthropological Institute and Royal Historical Society. She serves on editorial boards for leading journals including Memory Studies and International Journal of Heritage Studies . She has supervised over 15 PhD students in topics ranging from queer museum representation to Islamic art preservation. Current doctoral projects include studies on wearable ontologies and digital curation in heritage contexts. Macdonald frequently engages in public discourse through keynote lectures, museum consultations, and international panels on heritage politics and decolonization practices.
Prof. Dr. Fabian Gieseke is a Professor and Chair of Machine Learning and Data Engineering at the University of Münster. He holds a PhD in Computer Science from Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg and a dual degree in Mathematics and Computer Science from the University of Münster. His research focuses on Machine Learning, High-Performance Computing, and their applications in Geosciences, Smart Cities, and Astrophysics. Education: PhD in Computer Science (2012), Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg University studies in Mathematics and Computer Science (2006–2011), University of Münster Research Interests: Data Mining and Machine Learning High-Performance Computing & Distributed Systems Deep Learning Applications in Environmental Science and Astrophysics Geospatial Data Analysis using Satellite Imagery Publications Trends: His recent work emphasizes large-scale environmental monitoring via deep learning, including canopy height estimation, forest biomass prediction, and national-scale tree counting. He also explores interactive systems for geospatial data retrieval and optimization of machine learning models for resource-constrained environments. Advising & Grants: Supervised over 30 theses on topics like satellite image analysis, deep learning on microcontrollers, and data marketplaces for smart grids. Active in securing grants for interdisciplinary projects combining AI with Earth observation. Labs/Teams: Leads the Machine Learning and Data Engineering group at the University of Münster, focusing on scalable AI solutions for real-world challenges in science and industry.
Carlos Guestrin is the Fortinet Founders Professor of Computer Science at Stanford University and serves as Director of the Stanford AI Lab (SAIL) and Senior Fellow at the Institute for Human-Centered AI (HAI). He holds dual roles as Chief Scientist at Visual Layer and Virtue AI. His research focuses on machine learning methods, explainability, fairness, and ethics of AI, alongside systems for scalable AI deployment. Education details are not explicitly provided, but his work spans foundational contributions to machine learning systems (e.g., XGBoost) and explainable AI frameworks like Anchors and LIME. He emphasizes ethical AI through projects like CheckList for model testing and Model Equality Testing for API transparency. His scientific contributions include advancing optimization techniques (AdaScale SGD, TVM compiler) and ethical benchmarks for generative AI. He has been recognized as a Member of the National Academy of Engineering for his transformative impact on AI systems and their societal applications. Guestrin leads interdisciplinary initiatives at SAIL and HAI, fostering collaboration between technical innovation and human-centered design. His work bridges theory and practice, addressing challenges in healthcare (diabetes management systems) and AI security.
Professor Daniel Eyers is a Professor of Manufacturing Systems Management at Cardiff Business School, Cardiff University , where he also serves as Director of Quality Assurance & Enhancement. He is co-director of the Centre for Advanced Manufacturing Systems (CAMSAC) and Cardiff University RemakerSpace , highlighting his leadership in sustainable and advanced manufacturing innovation. Professor of Manufacturing Systems Management, Cardiff University (2024–present) Co-Director, Centre for Advanced Manufacturing Systems (CAMSAC) (2024–present) Co-Director, Cardiff University RemakerSpace (2020–present) External Advisor, Open University (2022–present) His research focuses on the strategic management of advanced manufacturing technologies , particularly Additive Manufacturing (3D printing) , within operations and supply chain contexts. He explores how digital technologies enhance supply chain flexibility, sustainability, and performance. His work spans flexible manufacturing systems, servitization, and change management in industrial settings. His recent publications (2020–2025) reveal a strong trajectory in AI-human collaboration in decision-making , sustainable manufacturing , urban logistics , and the integration of 3D printing in circular economies. Themes include risk management, digital transformation, and the strategic impact of emerging technologies on operations. He frequently publishes in top-tier journals such as International Journal of Operations and Production Management , Production Planning and Control , and Omega . CEng, Engineering Council (UK) FHEA, Higher Education Academy ESRC Early Career Impact Acceleration Fellowship Daniel Eyers actively supervises PhD, MSc, and MBA students and has attracted over £2.5 million in research funding from research councils, the Welsh Government, and industry. He contributes to academic program design and quality assurance, serving on university committees and as an external examiner for other institutions. He is deeply engaged in applied research with industrial partners, reflecting his background in commercial manufacturing. His leadership in research centers and commitment to sustainability, digital innovation, and education underscore his role as a key figure in modern operations management scholarship.
Prof. Torsten Wolfgang Kuhlen serves as a Universitätsprofessor at RWTH Aachen University, leading the Teaching and Research Area for Virtual Reality and Immersive Visualization within the Department of Computer Science. He is affiliated with Chair of Computer Science 12 (High Performance Computing), the Visual Computing Institute, and remains an integral part of the RWTH IT Center where his research group operates one of the world's largest Virtual Reality laboratories including the 30 sqm aixCAVE visualization chamber. The group maintains strong connections with Computational Science & Engineering Division, National High Performance Computing Center for Computational Engineering Science (NHR4CES), and VR in Science and Industry Network NRW e.V. Prof. Kuhlen's research spans virtual reality, immersive visualization, and multimodal 3D user interfaces with applications across simulation science, production technology, neuroscience, and medicine. His work combines basic research on advanced methods and algorithms with interdisciplinary collaborations involving RWTH Aachen institutes, Forschungszentrum Jülich, and industry partners. Recent publications demonstrate strong focus on audiovisual perception, immersive analytics, collaborative virtual environments, and practical VR applications in education and manufacturing. His research group has produced significant work on listening effort in virtual environments, immersive authoring techniques, and VR applications for scientific visualization. Notable projects include VRScenarioBuilder for automated vehicle testing and applications in monitoring additive manufacturing processes. The group actively participates in major conferences including IEEE VIS and EuroVis, with several award-winning contributions. Prof. Kuhlen has advised PhD students including Martin Bellgardt who recently completed his doctoral degree on "Increasing Immersion in Machine Learning Pipelines for Mechanical Engineering". The research group maintains state-of-the-art VR infrastructure including the aixCAVE facility which is open to all RWTH research groups.
Academic Profile Christina Harrington is an Assistant Professor at Carnegie Mellon University with dual appointments in the School of Computer Science (Human Computer Interaction Institute) and School of Design. She directs the Equity and Health Innovations Design Research Lab , focusing on community-centered technology design. Her work bridges industrial design, interactive systems, and human factors psychology to advance health equity through technology. Research Focus Harrington's research employs participatory and speculative design methods to address systemic inequities in technology. She examines how design can support health autonomy for older adults, people with disabilities, and historically excluded communities (particularly Black and Latinx populations). Her work actively challenges corporate design paradigms through frameworks like design justice and community collectivism , with recent emphasis on ethical AI and conversational technologies. Research methodologies include: Community-based participatory research Speculative co-design Critical race and disability frameworks Intersectional analysis of technology impacts Publications Focus Her recent publications (2023-2025) demonstrate strong focus on equity-centered design with three dominant themes: 1) Health technology disparities affecting Black older adults, 2) Participatory AI and algorithmic justice, and 3) Design justice pedagogy. Over 60% of recent works explicitly examine racial equity in AI systems, health interfaces, and design education. Honors & Recognition Google Award for Inclusive Research (2022) for "Transforming theory into practice: eliciting cultural imaginaries and design thinking to understand Black-Centered Design" Skip Ellis Early Career Award (2022) Data & Society Faculty Fellow (2022-2023) Leadership & Impact As lab director, Harrington leads community-engaged projects that translate design justice principles into practice. She serves on committees for community tech initiatives and has industry experience at Apple, Lenovo, and Motorola. Her work influences both academic discourse (ACM CHI, CSCW, DIS) and industry practices in ethical design.
Henry F. (Hank) Korth is a Professor of Computer Science and Engineering at Lehigh University, with a courtesy appointment in the Department of Decision and Technology Analytics in the College of Business. He serves as Director of the Blockchain Lab in the Center for Financial Services and Co-Director of the Computer Science and Business Program. Korth is a Fellow of the ACM and IEEE, and a recipient of the VLDB 10-Year Award and Bell Labs President's Silver Award for contributions to database technologies. PhD in Computer Science from Princeton University MA, MSE in Computer Science from Princeton University BA in Mathematics from Williams College Korth's research spans database systems, blockchain systems, distributed systems, and real-time systems. He has pioneered transaction management in parallel and distributed systems, query processing, and the impact of modern computing architectures on database performance. His recent work focuses on blockchain applications in enterprise databases, including acceleration of zero-knowledge proofs, benchmarking frameworks, central-bank digital currencies, and private-yet-provable accounting systems. His contributions are rooted in both theoretical advancements and practical implementations, such as the QTM™ aggregation engine and the DataBlitz™ main-memory storage manager. Scientific awards include: ACM Fellow IEEE Fellow 10-Year Award at the VLDB Conference Bell Labs President's Silver Award Korth actively supervises research within the Blockchain Lab and is affiliated with the Scalable Software Systems Research Group at Lehigh. His scholarly output reflects a deep engagement with blockchain benchmarking, concurrency control, verifiable databases, and the evolution of database systems in response to technological shifts.
Laura Ascenzi-Moreno serves as Professor of Bilingual Education and Bilingual Program Coordinator in the Childhood, Bilingual and Special Education Department at Brooklyn College, City University of New York (CUNY), School of Education. Her academic leadership focuses on developing educators capable of serving linguistically diverse student populations through equity-centered pedagogical frameworks. Her educational foundation includes a B.A. in Anthropology and Education from Swarthmore College (1994), an M.A. in Individualized Studies in Education from Harvard Graduate School of Education (1999), New York State Permanent Certification for PreK-6 (2002), a Bilingual ESL and Teacher Leadership Program from Bank Street College (2004), and a Ph.D. in Urban Education from CUNY Graduate Center (2012). Dr. Ascenzi-Moreno's research pioneers translanguaging applications across literacy instruction, assessment, and computational learning environments. She investigates how emergent bilinguals' linguistic repertoires can transform reading development, teacher knowledge construction, and multimodal assessment practices. Her work consistently centers equity through frameworks like syncretic reasoning and accompáñamiento, challenging deficit ideologies while promoting asset-based approaches to multilingual education. Analysis of her 2020-2024 publications reveals an accelerating interdisciplinary trajectory where translanguaging principles increasingly intersect with computer science education. This evolution demonstrates strategic expansion from foundational literacy research into computational literacies, with growing emphasis on co-design methodologies and teacher agency in developing multilingual CS curricula. Her scientific recognition includes the 2024 NCTE Outstanding Elementary Educator Award, Language Arts Distinguished Article Award, and major NSF grants totaling $1.3 million for computational literacy projects. Additional honors encompass Fulbright Scholarship work in Colombia, PSC-CUNY research awards, and Westinghouse Science Talent Search distinction. As Principal Investigator of NSF-funded PiLa-CS and former CUNY-NYSIEB Associate Investigator, she secures substantial grant support while mentoring teacher candidates. Her service includes NCTE Elementary Steering Committee leadership (2022-2026), journal reviewing, and Brooklyn's New York Teacher Table participation addressing educator recruitment/retention. Dr. Ascenzi-Moreno co-directs the Participating in Literacies in Computer Science project and maintains active collaboration with NYC schools through translanguaging professional development initiatives. Her work with the CUNY-NYSIEB project established foundational frameworks now implemented across New York bilingual programs.
Margaret Maaka is a Professor in Curriculum Studies at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa's College of Education, with a distinguished career spanning Indigenous educational psychology, leadership, and policy development. Her work centers on decolonizing educational frameworks and advancing Indigenous knowledge systems. Her academic credentials include a PhD in Educational Psychology (1992) from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, a Master of Education (Honors) with English Literature focus (1978) from the University of Waikato, New Zealand, a Diploma of Teaching in Elementary and Secondary Education (1978) from New Zealand's Department of Education, and a Bachelor of Education (Honors) with English Literature specialization (1977) from the University of Waikato. Maaka's research explores Indigenous leadership complexities, multiliteracies, and cognitive development within Māori and Hawaiian contexts. She investigates how language revitalization intersects with educational policy to foster Indigenous advancement, emphasizing place-based pedagogies and self-determination in schooling systems. Her scholarship consistently challenges Western epistemological dominance in education. Her publications since 2009 reveal a trajectory prioritizing Indigenous research sovereignty, with recurring themes of decolonization, community-led leadership models, and culturally grounded curriculum design. Key contributions examine contested spaces in Indigenous schooling and the politics of knowledge production. Her teaching excellence has been recognized through: Board of Regents’ Medal for Excellence in Teaching (1998) Presidential Citation for Meritorious Teaching (1996) Graduate Student Organization Outstanding Graduate Assistant Teaching Award (1991) While specific advising details are not documented, Maaka's mentorship is reflected in her collaborative publications with emerging Indigenous scholars. Her work demonstrates sustained commitment to transforming educational paradigms through Indigenous epistemologies.
Taylor Sparks is a Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Utah, where he also serves as Director of Graduate Affairs for the John and Marcia Price College of Engineering. He holds a PhD in Applied Physics from Harvard University, an MS in Materials from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and a BS in Materials Science & Engineering from the University of Utah. His research focuses on advancing materials discovery using machine learning to streamline and optimize material design, with applications in energy materials, dental materials, and sustainable engineering. His work integrates big data and materials informatics to explore new synthetic techniques, structure-property relationships, and sustainable materials that balance performance with economic factors. The Sparks Research Group has secured funding from agencies including DOE, NSF, DOD, and various industry partners. Sparks' recent research output demonstrates a strong trend toward leveraging artificial intelligence and machine learning to accelerate materials discovery, with particular emphasis on large language models for materials science, Bayesian optimization for experimental design, and novel approaches to crystal structure prediction. His work bridges the gap between theoretical predictions and experimental validation in materials science. NSF CAREER Award Royal Society Wolfson Visiting Fellow Acta Materialia Outstanding Reviewer Award for 2020 Honorary Outstanding Faculty Teaching Award of 2020-2021 Materials Science & Engineering Department Research Award for 2023 John G. Francis Prize for Undergraduate Student Mentoring Sparks has advised numerous graduate students who have gone on to successful careers in academia and industry. His research has been supported by significant grants from NSF, DOE, DOD, Army Research Office, and industry partners. His group has developed innovative tools including the Materialism Podcast, a materials science YouTube channel, and the Honegumi interface for Bayesian optimization, demonstrating his commitment to both research excellence and science communication. The Sparks Research Group operates multiple laboratories focused on materials characterization, synthesis, and informatics. They collaborate extensively with other institutions globally, host visiting researchers, and run outreach initiatives including the Materialism Podcast and YouTube channel to make materials science more accessible to broader audiences.
