Helmut Leder is a Professor at the University of Vienna, specifically within the Faculty of Psychology's Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology. He serves as Head of the Vienna Cognitive Science Hub, integrating interdisciplinary approaches to study aesthetic experiences and cognitive processes. His academic profile includes teaching courses in General Psychology, Cognitive Psychology, and Neurosciences, alongside supervising master's and doctoral thesis seminars focused on perception and neuroaesthetics. Key Research Areas : Empirical Aesthetics, Cognitive Psychology, Visual Perception, Cross-Cultural Psychology, Urban Art Impact, Mental Imagery Studies Methodological Focus : Eye-tracking, Machine Learning Analysis, Cross-Cultural Comparisons, Field Experiments, Neuroimaging Recent Contributions : Investigated urban art's role in stress reduction, developed network models of aesthetic experiences, explored non-visual color navigation for the blind, and applied machine learning to art evaluation. His work bridges psychology with cultural studies, examining how aesthetic experiences shape well-being and cognitive processes. Current projects emphasize the neural and behavioral distinctions between real and imagined art encounters, while challenging traditional gender-based perception models.
Mennatallah El-Assady serves as Assistant Professor at ETH Zurich's Department of Computer Science, where she leads the Interactive Visualization and Intelligence Augmentation Lab (IVIA). Her academic trajectory includes research fellowships at ETH's AI Center and doctoral work at University of Konstanz and OntarioTech University, establishing her expertise at the intersection of visualization and artificial intelligence. Her research focuses on advancing responsible data-driven decision-making through human-centered analytics, with particular emphasis on explainable machine learning systems. Dr. El-Assady combines data mining techniques with visual interfaces to create transparent AI workflows, specializing in text data analysis. Her work bridges computational linguistics, digital humanities, and information visualization to develop tools that make complex AI processes interpretable for end users. Recent publications demonstrate growing focus on generative AI's impact on visualization practices and sophisticated frameworks for interactive machine learning. Her research consistently addresses the challenge of maintaining human agency in increasingly automated systems, with applications spanning political debate analysis, musicology, and healthcare data interpretation. The trend shows increasing sophistication in evaluation methodologies for visual analytics systems. Best Paper Award: Honorable Mention for 'Progressive Learning of Topic Modeling Parameters: A Visual Analytics Framework' Dr. El-Assady actively shapes her field through workshop leadership including ArgVis (Argument Visualization), Vis4DH (Visualization for Digital Humanities), and VISxAI (Visualization for AI Explainability). Her teaching includes 'Interactive Machine Learning- Visualization and Explainability' at ETH Zurich, training next-generation researchers in human-centered AI development. She maintains strong industry connections with coverage in Forbes and ETH News regarding human-AI collaboration frameworks. The Interactive Visualization and Intelligence Augmentation Lab (IVIA) develops cutting-edge tools including explAIner for transparent machine learning, LingVis for linguistic analysis, VisArgue for debate structure visualization, and VALIDA for political deliberation analysis. These projects share a common thread of enhancing human understanding through carefully designed visual interfaces that expose AI decision processes.
Professor Kay O'Halloran serves as Chair Professor and Head of Department of Communication and Media within the School of the Arts at the University of Liverpool since August 2019. She concurrently holds the position of Co-Director for the Digital Media and Society Institute (DMSI), demonstrating significant leadership across academic and research domains. Her career spans prestigious institutions including Curtin University (2013-2019) and National University of Singapore (1998-2013), where she directed the Multimodal Analysis Lab and served as Deputy Director of the Interactive & Digital Media Institute. PhD from Murdoch University (1996) Postdoctoral position at Martin Luther University (1997-1998) Visiting Distinguished Professor at Shanghai Jiaotong University (2017-2020) Professor O'Halloran's research focuses on multimodal discourse analysis, particularly the interaction of language with visual and mathematical resources. Her pioneering work in systemic functional multimodal discourse analysis (SF-MDA) has significantly impacted mathematics education and digital communication studies. Current research emphasizes digital tools for multimodal analysis and mixed methods approaches to big data analytics, addressing contemporary challenges in misinformation and public health communication. Her recent publications reveal strong thematic concentration in pandemic-related communication analysis, misinformation resistance mechanisms, and multimodal argumentation across social and cultural contexts. The 15 most recent articles demonstrate consistent application of multimodal frameworks to urgent societal issues including public health crises, political discourse, and digital literacy challenges. Founding editor of Routledge Studies in Multimodality book series (57+ volumes) Over 150 publications in leading international journals 50+ plenary/keynote presentations globally Competitive funding from National Research Foundation, MOE Singapore, US Air Force, ARC, NHMRC, and others Professor O'Halloran has directed interdisciplinary research teams comprising social scientists, computer scientists, and designers. Her leadership extends to developing commercial multimodal analysis software (Multimodal Analysis Image and Video) adopted internationally. Current projects include Eurovision 2023 wellbeing evaluation and COVID-19 misinformation immunity development, demonstrating continued relevance to contemporary societal challenges.
Lorrie Faith Cranor is the Director and Bosch Distinguished Professor in Security and Privacy Technologies at the CyLab Security and Privacy Institute, and the FORE Systems University Professor of Computer Science and Engineering and Public Policy at Carnegie Mellon University. She also directs the CyLab Usable Privacy and Security Laboratory (CUPS) and co-directs the MSIT-Privacy Engineering master’s program. She previously served as Chief Technologist at the U.S. Federal Trade Commission and is a co-founder of Wombat Security Technologies. Carnegie Mellon University – CyLab Security and Privacy Institute School of Computer Science – Department of Computer Science College of Engineering – Department of Engineering and Public Policy PhD Program in Societal Computing Human-Computer Interaction Institute (affiliate) Heinz College (affiliate) Dr. Cranor’s research centers on usable privacy and security, privacy engineering, and technology policy. Her work spans authentication systems, privacy policies, IoT security, and human behavior in digital environments. She has pioneered research on password usability, privacy labels (e.g., 'nutrition labels' for privacy), and privacy decision-making. Her interdisciplinary approach integrates computer science, public policy, and behavioral science to create systems that are both secure and user-friendly. Her recent publications reflect a strong focus on privacy interfaces, consent mechanisms, IoT security labels, and user comprehension of digital privacy. Trends include evaluating the usability of privacy controls across platforms, designing tools for developers to generate accurate privacy disclosures, and understanding user behavior in online tracking and advertising contexts. Her work frequently appears in top venues such as CHI, SOUPS, and PETS. ACM CHI Academy inductee ACM Fellow IEEE Fellow 2018 ACM CHI Social Impact Award 2018 International Association of Privacy Professionals Privacy Leadership Award 2018 IEEE Cybersecurity Award for Practice Alumni Achievement Award, McKelvey School of Engineering Top 100 Innovator under 35, Technology Review Dr. Cranor has advised numerous PhD students in interdisciplinary programs including Societal Computing, Engineering and Public Policy, and Human-Computer Interaction. Her research has been supported by grants from the National Science Foundation, DARPA, and industry partners. She serves on the boards of the Computing Research Association, Center for Democracy and Technology, and Electronic Privacy Information Center. She is a frequent media commentator on privacy and security issues. She leads the CyLab Usable Privacy and Security Laboratory (CUPS), a multidisciplinary research group that includes faculty and students from computer science, policy, and HCI. The lab focuses on making privacy and security systems more intuitive, effective, and user-controlled. Key projects include the Usable Privacy Policy Project, privacy nutrition labels, and the Personalized Privacy Assistant Project.
Prof. Dr. Andreas Butz is a Full Professor and Chair for Human-Computer Interaction at the Department for Informatics, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU Munich). He leads the Media Informatics Group, focusing on innovative interaction techniques and interfaces in immersive environments like VR/AR, automotive systems, and smart spaces. His research emphasizes perceptual user interfaces, social robotics, and designing systems that balance invisibility with transparency. Key research areas include: Virtual/Augmented Reality interfaces for productivity and social interaction AI-driven decision support in safety-critical domains (aviation, healthcare) Haptic and wearable interaction technologies Automotive UI design for driver assistance systems Principles of explainable AI and human-AI collaboration His work bridges theory and practice through projects like: VR-based movement training systems AI trust calibration mechanisms Multi-modal interaction frameworks for automotive environments Systems for analyzing long-term music listening behavior Recent articles explore topics ranging from AI support in pilot decision-making to haptic wearables and creative writing interfaces. His team collaborates with industry partners on electric vehicle information systems and in-car interaction challenges.
Eugenia Rho is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech), part of the College of Engineering. Her research focuses on data analytics, machine learning, natural language processing, and human-computer interaction, with particular emphasis on social media discourse, online identity dynamics, and ethical AI applications. Education includes a Ph.D. in Information and Computer Sciences from the University of California, Irvine (2020), and a B.A. in Political Science from Columbia University (2011). Her interdisciplinary background bridges computer science and social sciences. Research interests span AI-assisted communication tools, counterspeech strategies for online hate mitigation, and neurodivergent perspectives in technology design. Her work often integrates computational methods with social science theories to address real-world challenges such as bias detection, mental health support, and ethical AI deployment. Recent publications highlight themes like AI collaboration in writing, identity-driven online interactions, and the efficacy of counterspeech. Her projects frequently involve designing human-centered technologies that prioritize accessibility and ethical considerations. No scientific awards are explicitly mentioned in the provided text. She maintains an active Google Scholar profile and a personal homepage (URLs not provided in the text).
Mitsuhiro Yoshimoto is a Professor at Waseda University's Faculty of International Research and Education, with a PhD from the University of California, San Diego, MA from UCLA, and BA from SUNY Binghamton. His academic journey includes tenure at University of Iowa, New York University, Princeton University, and Waseda University since 2010. Education: PhD, University of California, San Diego MA, University of California, Los Angeles BA, State University of New York at Binghamton Yoshimoto's research spans Film Studies , Anime Studies , and Planetary Humanities . He explores intersections between cinema and neoliberalism, postcolonial theory in media, and the Anthropocene's representation in visual culture. His work includes analyzing nuclear disasters in film and intermedial adaptation in anime. His publications address topics like AKIRA 's role in English-speaking anime studies, In This Corner of the World 's transmedia adaptation, and populism in Hollywood films. He led the 2019 international symposium 'Theorizing Anime' at Waseda University. Scientific Awards: FY2014 Scientific Research Grant Review Committee Award 2014 Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Grant Yoshimoto has conducted funded research projects, including 'Reconsidering Japanese Anime Studies' (JSPS 2019-2022) and 'Contemporary Hollywood Films and the Shock Effect' (Waseda University). He teaches courses on cultural critical theories and international communication at graduate and undergraduate levels.
David Salesin is an Affiliate Professor in the Department of Computer Science & Engineering at the University of Washington and a Principal Scientist/Director at Google Research since 2019. He has held academic roles at Cornell University (Visiting Assistant Professor, 1991-92) and guest professorships at Zhejiang University. His career spans academia and industry, including leadership at Adobe's Creative Technologies Lab (2005-17) and Microsoft Research (1999-2005). PhD, Stanford University (1991) Sc.B., Brown University (1983) His research focuses on computer graphics, particularly non-photorealistic rendering, digital typography, color science, and adaptive document layout. He pioneered techniques in image-based rendering, pen-and-ink illustration, and facial animation, with applications in multimedia and user interface design. Article Trends : His work bridges procedural content generation, 3D visualization, and artistic computing, emphasizing user-driven tools for creative industries. Key subfields include texture advection, multiresolution modeling, and real-time camera control for virtual cinematography. Scientific Awards : ACM Fellow (2002) ACM SIGGRAPH Achievement Award (2000) Carnegie Foundation Professor of the Year (1998) NSF Presidential Faculty Fellow (1995-98) Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellowship (1995-97) Numerous industry grants and lab donations He has advised over 30 PhD and Master's students, including leaders at Microsoft, Pixar, and Google. His labs at UW and Adobe focused on graphics, imaging, and creativity tools.
Tobi Delbruck is a titular professor of physics and electrical engineering at ETH Zurich, where he leads the Sensors Group at the Institute for Neuroinformatics (INI) in Zurich, Switzerland. He collaborates closely with Shih-Chii Liu and Giacomo Indiveri as part of the 'hardware groups' at INI. Delbruck has also served as visiting faculty at Caltech and is a Fellow of the IEEE. His work focuses on bio-inspired and neuromorphic event-based sensory processing systems. Professor Delbruck's research spans multiple areas of neuromorphic engineering, with particular emphasis on event-based vision systems and low-power analog VLSI circuits. His work has significantly advanced the field of Dynamic Vision Sensors (DVS), which mimic the human retina's response to changes in brightness rather than capturing full frames. This approach enables extremely low-latency vision processing with minimal power consumption, making it ideal for high-speed applications and robotics. His research has applications in robotics, autonomous systems, and low-power embedded vision. Delbruck is an active contributor to the neuromorphic engineering community, co-organizing the annual Telluride Workshop on Neuromorphic Engineering and serving in leadership roles with IEEE. He has authored numerous influential publications and co-authored books including "Event-Based Neuromorphic Systems" and "Analog VLSI: Circuits and Principles." His jAER (Java Address-Event Representation) project provides open-source tools for real-time event-based sensory processing. Analysis of his recent publications shows a clear trend toward integrating event-based vision with deep learning techniques and applying these systems to practical robotics problems. His scientific achievements have been recognized with multiple awards including: IEEE Fellow Winner of Best Live Demonstration award at ISCAS 2012 Honorable Mention Award from Sensory Systems Technical Committee at ISCAS 2012 Overall Best Student Paper Award and Best Paper Award from Sensory Systems Technical Committee at ISCAS 2010 Winner of the 2006 ISSCC Jan Van Vessem Outstanding European Paper Award Professor Delbruck actively mentors students and has supervised numerous PhD and Master's theses in the areas of neuromorphic engineering and event-based vision systems. His group has secured significant research funding from various sources to support their innovative work in bio-inspired sensory processing. He teaches courses on "Electronics for Physicists II (Digital)" and "Neuromorphic Engineering," helping to train the next generation of researchers in this field. The Sensors Group at INI, which Delbruck leads, operates state-of-the-art facilities for designing and testing neuromorphic vision systems. The group maintains close collaborations with researchers worldwide and has developed several important open-source resources including the jAER project and bias generator design kits. Their work continues to push the boundaries of what's possible with event-based sensory processing, with applications ranging from high-speed robotics to low-power embedded vision systems.
Anthony D. Wagner is the Lucie Stern Professor in the Department of Psychology at Stanford University and Deputy Director of the Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute. He holds affiliations with Stanford's Center for Cognitive and Neurobiological Imaging, Symbolic Systems Program, Human Biology Program, and Stanford Center on Longevity. His PhD (1997) is from Stanford University in Psychology. Research focuses on the neurobiology of learning, memory, and executive function across ages, with translational studies on aging, Alzheimer’s disease, multitasking, and neuroscience applications in law. Key themes include biomarker development for neurodegeneration, cognitive resilience, and the impact of attention on memory. Labs/teams include collaborations at the Wu Tsai Institute and neuroimaging centers. Recent work emphasizes tau PET imaging, proteomics of aging, and fluid biomarkers for Alzheimer’s prediction. He also explores societal impacts of neurotechnology and media on cognition.
Dr. Ben Clarke is an Associate Professor and Department Head of Special Education and Clinical Sciences at the University of Oregon’s College of Education. His research focuses on mathematical development, assessment systems, and school-based interventions to support student achievement. He has led over 20 federally funded grants totaling ~$55 million, emphasizing early numeracy interventions and multi-tiered instructional models. Clarke’s work bridges theory and practice, with publications on mathematics instruction, assessment, and RTI frameworks. Education: PhD (2002), MA (2001) in School Psychology/Special Education from University of Oregon; BS (1997) in Psychology from Wabash College (Phi Beta Kappa). Research Interests: Mathematics intervention design and efficacy Early numeracy assessment Multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) Technology in education Equity in mathematics education Publications highlight his focus on intervention fidelity, tiered models, and outcomes for students with learning difficulties. Awards include the AERA Special Education SIG Research Award and recognition for academic excellence. Grants and Advising: Principal Investigator on ~$55M in federal grants; advises graduate students in School Psychology and Special Education. His lab develops evidence-based tools like the KinderTEK iPad program and contributes to national practice guides (e.g., IES RTI for Mathematics). Labs/Teams: Leads research teams focused on early mathematics intervention and MTSS implementation, collaborating with schools and policymakers to scale effective practices.
Dr. Michelle Cannon is a Lecturer in Digital Arts and Media Education at the University College London (UCL) Institute of Education's Culture, Communication & Media department. She co-leads the Digital Storytelling module and serves as a dissertation supervisor for the MA Digital Media: Education program. Co-investigator, ESRC/AHRC-funded Play Observatory project Editorial board member: Film Education Journal, Learning, Media and Technology Executive Committee Member, Media Education Association International collaborations: British Film Institute, EU cultural agencies Her research explores digital media production in educational settings, focusing on film literacy, postdigital theory, and pandemic-related learning adaptations. Utilizing ethnographic and participatory visual methods, she investigates how children's creative practices intersect with social and cultural learning. Recent publications highlight her work on: Digital storytelling and transludic practices in pandemic contexts Ethnographic studies of postdigital play environments Critical media education frameworks Comparative analysis of European film literacy programs Scientific contributions include: ESRC/AHRC grant for children's play research International film literacy framework development Leadership in EU-funded scoping studies She trains teachers in digital media integration and has evaluated school film programs for the BFI. Her longitudinal study on lower-achieving children's learning experiences included documentary film production.
Prof. Jochen Hartmann holds the Digital Marketing professorship at the TUM School of Management (Munich). Previously, he was an assistant professor at the University of Groningen's School of Business and Economics and worked as a management consultant at McKinsey & Company. He earned his doctorate from the University of Hamburg and coordinated the DFG research group FOR 1452 (2019-2022). His research focuses on digital marketing and machine learning, particularly analyzing unstructured data (computer vision, NLP) and generative AI. Key themes include social media, algorithmic fairness, diversity in advertising, and human-machine interactions. Education: Ph.D. in Business Administration (University of Hamburg), Management Consulting experience at McKinsey & Company. Research interests combine cutting-edge AI techniques with marketing challenges. Recent work explores generative AI's impact on advertising, algorithmic bias in finance, and visual search innovations. His text/image mining studies rank among top-cited articles in marketing journals like the International Journal of Research in Marketing and Journal of Marketing Research. Awards include the EMAC-Sheth Sustainability Award, Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings' Young Economist distinction, and multiple best dissertation awards. Grants: Led DFG-funded research group (2019-2022). Affiliated with Columbia Business School (visiting scholar) and Mannheim Business School (lecturer in machine learning). Labs/Teams: Active in interdisciplinary research groups focusing on AI applications in marketing and business analytics.
Mohammad T. Alhawary is Professor of Arabic Linguistics and Second Language Acquisition at the University of Michigan's Middle East Studies department within the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts. He serves as Director of both the MA Program in Arabic for Professional Purposes (APP) and the MA Program in Teaching Arabic as a Foreign Language (TAFL). His educational background includes a Ph.D. from Georgetown University (1999). Prior to joining the University of Michigan, he contributed to developing Arabic and Middle Eastern Studies programs at various US institutions. Professor Alhawary's research spans both theoretical and applied Arabic linguistics, with particular focus on second language acquisition processes. His work examines how factors like age, input quality, output practice, and first language transfer affect Arabic language learning. He has made significant contributions to understanding Arabic language pedagogy, curriculum design, proficiency testing, and the application of technology in language learning. His research also extends to bilingualism, multilingualism, language impairment, and Arabic medieval grammatical traditions. His publications reflect a strong trajectory in Arabic linguistics research, with recent works focusing on practical language teaching applications, reading comprehension mechanisms, code-switching patterns in digital communication, and multilingual acquisition processes. The 2023 publication 'Teaching Arabic as a Foreign Language' represents his latest contribution to language pedagogy methodology. 2019 AATA Book Award for 'Arabic Second Language Learning and Effects of Input, Transfer, and Typology' As an academic leader, Professor Alhawary serves as Executive Director of the American Association of Teachers of Arabic and edits both the Journal of Arabic Linguistics Tradition and Al-'Arabiyya journal. He continues to develop empirical research on Arabic second language acquisition to inform teaching practices both in America and globally.
Gaetano Valenza is an Associate Professor of Bioengineering at the University of Pisa, Italy, where he leads the Neuro-Cardiovascular Intelligence Lab at the Enrico Piaggio Research Centre. He holds affiliations with the Neuroscience Statistics Research Laboratory at MIT and has served as a Research Fellow at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital. His academic work spans bioengineering, computational physiology, and affective computing. His research focuses on statistical and nonlinear biomedical signal and image processing , cardiovascular and neural modeling , and physiologically interpretable artificial intelligence . He develops wearable systems for physiological monitoring, with applications in autonomic nervous system assessment, brain-heart interactions, and mental health. His work has led to novel metrics such as the Sympathetic and Parasympathetic activity indices derived from ECG. The 15 most recent publications reflect a consistent trend in brain-heart interplay , complexity analysis of physiological signals , explainable AI in healthcare , and virtual reality applications in mental health . His work integrates advanced signal processing, nonlinear dynamics, and machine learning to decode emotional and cognitive states from physiological data. Dr. Valenza is a Senior Member of IEEE and serves on several technical committees. He is an active editorial leader, currently serving as Associate Editor for IEEE-EMBC , Plos One , Complexity , and Scientific Reports , and has guest-edited special issues in Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A and IEEE Journal of Biomedical and Health Informatics . He has led or participated in numerous international research projects, including FP7 and H2020 initiatives such as NEVERMIND and EXPERIENCE. He teaches courses in Biostatistics, Probability & Biostatistics, and Advanced Image Processing at the University of Pisa. As lab head and project coordinator, he leads a multidisciplinary team working on neuro-cardiovascular intelligence, wearable systems, and AI-driven mental health interventions.